I Won't Give Up Hope on Burma

Read this and tell me you can imagine living like this. The title of the article says it all, "Where traitors soon meet their tragic ends." Herein lies the problem. Who defines what a traitor is? Let us not forget that this country was founded on by "traitors" to the Crown of England, was it not?

Let's take a look at our Declaration of Independence as it is a very fine and wonderful document.

When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.

This is not the whole document. But, let us look what we have before us in relation to Burma. By marching and demonstrating, the people of Burma have been clearly stating that they want the democratic government that they voted for installed and governing them, not this junta that is in place now. The people have made their statement. The reason for the separation from the ruling junta is quite obvious to anyone. The people of Burma live in fear, poverty and without basic freedoms.

Moving to the second paragraph, we do hold these truths to be self-evident, all men are created equal. We all have the right to the life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. The people in Burma have these rights as well.

The founding fathers of our country set the bar rather high, which is why I love the United States, even if my county is no longer acting the way I wish she would.

In principle (and even in action), the United States, although messy and loud, has freedom. I can criticize, opine to my heart's desire and no one will bother me, come to get me, etc. Allegedly, we think that this is truth is self-evident. Why don't we do more to push China to allow those people who think just as we do and did back in 1776 their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of freedom?

Bad Kitty wants to know.

I Want To Share

The Truth.... Don't Buy into the Lies

Bad Kitty has been very busy... and thus I have found something to share with you...

Please read... it is very interesting and it is what I have been saying all along.

I've also heard a new political group will be forming on Myspace. I'll keep the one or two people who read this informed... cuz Bad Kitty likes roaring into the void.

Because this stuff is pure and total bullshit.... You know alcohol or other drugs were involved. I hate PROPAGANDA! Because they were smoking pot is NOT the reason WHY the car crashed. And, ladies and gentlemen, the MOST COMMON ILLEGAL DRUG IN AMERICA IS.... you guessed it .... MARIJUANA!

Two Hundred Monks Murdered - Truth is Getting Out

----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------
From: Charles Copeland
SUBJECT: 200 MONKS MURDERED IN BURMA

I just received this by email, checked it out and found it posted on the Buddhist Peace Fellowship website. Truly horrifying!

Sept 28, 07:

Update 9/28/07:

A dispatch received from someone with a relative in Yangon (Rangoon), via Richard Reoch of Shambhala:

We just got phone call with our sister living in Yangon about a few hours ago. We saw on BBC world, saying that 200 monks were arrested. The true picture is far worse. For one instance, the monastery at an obscure neighborhood of Yangon, called Ngwe Kyar Yan (on Wei-za-yan-tar Road, Yangon) had been raided early this morning.

A troop of lone-tein (riot police comprised of paid thugs) protected by the military trucks, raided the monastery with 200 studying monks. They systematically ordered all the monks to line up and banged and crushed each one's head against the brick wall of the monastery. One by one, the peaceful, non resisting monks, fell to the ground, screaming in pain. Then, they tore off the red robes and threw them all in the military trucks (like rice bags) and took the bodies away.

The head monk of the monastery, was tied up in the middle of the monastery, tortured , bludgeoned, and later died the same day, today. Tens of thousands of people gathered outside the monastery, warded off by troops with bayoneted rifles, unable to help their helpless monks being slaughtered inside the monastery. Their every try to forge ahead was met with the bayonets.

When all is done, only 10 out of 200 remained alive, hiding in the monastery. Blood stained everywhere on the walls and floors of the monastery.

Please tell your audience of the full extent of the fate of the monks please please !!!!!!!!!!!!
'Arrested' is not enough expression. They have been bludgeoned to death !!!!!!

The site's info continues with suggestions of "How You Can Support the People of Burma"
Please, everyone, do what you can!

----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------

From: Avaaz.org & MoveOn.org

After decades of brutal dictatorship, the people of Burma are rising. In the past few days, hundreds of thousands of peaceful protesters, led by Buddhist monks, have flooded the streets of Rangoon. But yesterday, the military started shooting monks and journalists.

This is a true emergency. Avaaz.org and MoveOn.org have launched a petition demanding Burmese generals negotiate rather than crush the demonstrators. They're focused on getting United Nations Security Council members--particularly China's Hu Jintao--to intervene. Thousands of people from all over the world are adding their names every hour -- will you sign? Click here:

http://pol.moveon.org/burma/?r_by=-8620969-JJYlnx&rc=paste

Pass it on! Thanks!!

----------------- Bulletin Message -----------------
Thanks to
Rich




What does the Bush administration really think about the military junta in Myanmar? Publicly, it condemns the government's actions but privately I suspect our handlers are moving us closer toward a military junta of our own. In Myanmar the internet is strictly monitored going as far as taking screen captures of computers inside internet cafes every five minutes, the rulers live lavishly while the poor is largely ignored and a substantial portion of their income is devoted to a massive standing army. The parallels are frightening.

If this administration was serious about promoting Burmese democracy they wouldn't sanction the brutal regime. We've learned from Iraq that sanctions effect the people, not the government. We need to fund the pro-democracy resistance by providing proxy servers to help organize the counter-movement and by smuggling aid into the country.


Here's the rest

With love and rockets,
Rich

***************************************************
It's Bad Kitty writing again. I'm glad I was able to share the information with anyone reading this. This is horrific. Please, sign the petition. It is the very least you can do. Pass it on, if you would. Use your freedom to voice your distaste for the horror and oppression of the Burmese people.

I'm off to look for some catnip because this is just some bad mojo....
Peace, y'all.

Getting Worse In Burma - Bear Witness * Update*

Surfing the news for you again, because why should I reinvent the wheel?

For the latest up to date, comprehensive information, you may want to start at Yahoo News, which provides a great AP story and a lot of great links to other good stories. I liked this link the best because it provides outside links to news sources besides AP and I think it is good to see people getting information everywhere. I can tell you which links you may want to avoid, however and which are worth your time. Watch the videos! I can't get to them. The server is overloaded!

My original first recommendation for best information on Burma today was ABC News. This link will take you to the latest news and best of all, on the left hand side, give you several great links to other Burma related stories, such as Burma or Myanmar, and photos. The photos, to me, are very important. When I saw these of robed monks in these photos I found it rather majestic and beautiful. This is how I want life and the world to be. What life and the world is, however, is summed up in the photos of the "police" getting out of the van, the bloody monk and the chaos of the tear gas. There is no beauty or majesty in those photos. There is nothing but grim ugliness; it is the jackboot in the face of mankind which Orwell wrote about which we are seeing in those photos.

Look at what the people are asking.... PLEASE USE OUR LIBERTY TO PROMOTE THE FREEDOM OF BURMA!

The woman quoted in the photo above, the democracy leader and Nobel Peace Laureate, is in jail!

FREE BURMA FROM DICTATORS

*Originally posted at approximately 10:00 EST; updated 12:28 EST*

Bloodshed Today in the Land of Golden Pagadas- Witness World

I have the video links to the major news stories which carried the videos, interviews and still photos of what the military junta did yesterday to the peaceful monks.

To easily view... follow click these links (these will cause pop-ups)

Please watch this news report from today's CNN. I feared this was going to happen, but it was no where as bad I as I feared. The military crackdown began today in Burma.

From Reuters, witness for yourself on video the monks marching through, Yangon. Something is terribly wrong with the country's holiest shrine barricaded from the holiest men, the monks, by men brandishing guns. But, I see the picture of the men with the guns standing in front of the shrine, so it is happening. The tear gas is obvious. Look at these citizens; there but for the grace of God; the birth lottery, is what I call it. Look at the signs some people are holding towards the end of the story. These people deserve the basic freedoms we take for granted. How about just the freedom to try to make a living, express oneself and live without fear of dying or going to jail for expressing your point of view?

The world knows it is injustice happening. I don't think these monks are going to be intimidated; they are going to be murdered if the "Big Boys" don't do anything at all. It is very important for people to keep watching, keep paying attention.

PRESSURE THE UNITED STATES INTO PRESSURING CHINA.
BUSH DOES NOT WANT TO GO OUT OF OFFICE THE MOST HATED PRESENT IN RECENT MEMORY
LET HIM DO SOMETHING GOOD PRESSURE CHINA INTO FREEING BURMA

Remember, all it takes for evil in the world to happen is for good people to DO NOTHING.

FREE BURMA

Hope Grows in Burma

The United States will announce new sanctions via our president. Since I expected absolutely nothing from George Bush, as I posted on the ABCnews website, he exceeded my expectations regarding the situation in Burma.


The best coverage thus far on the story is here at the BCC News/World Section. Most moving is the actual voices of Burmese citizens at the bottom, making this by far the place to go for information on the story. I've blogged about the story below and the up-to-date information can be obtained above.

In the previous blog about Burma, I quoted Jim Morrison of the Doors and now I'm thinking of Elvis Costello, "What's so wrong about peace, love and understanding?" Before I am dismissed as a liberal hippie, click on the images and look at the monks marching. Read the words of the people in Burma. They don't want any violence. These monks are only protesting because the rest of the citizens would be killed if they dared to protest. The Buddhist monks, who do not want for material items (which we, as Westerners for the most part probably cannot comprehend fully) look at their fellow citizens and say "These people have had enough. We will risk our lives to change this." I find that inspiring. I find that wonderful. And again, I ask, "What's so wrong about peace, love and understanding?"

I know I promised to blog today about Dan Rather's lawsuit and Bad Kitty hasn't forgotten! She's just running behind, leaves are falling, and hey, it's a cat's world.. if you look at it right. Dan Rather... is coming up... (but events in Burma may bump him again!)

Hey, find some peace, love and understanding if you can.
Life is short.
Don't spend it mad.
If you can, spend it in love.

That's the Bad Kitty fix for today. RAWR.

Monks Protesting in Burma

There is something about what is happening in Burma right now that is fascinating to me. The Buddhist monks, the most revered in the culture, have been marching, unmolested by the military forces so far, for four straight days, in protest. They use their upturned alms cups to signify their protest as the symbol for "boycott" looks like the same as the upturned bowl. In one area, monks reportedly marched in protest barefoot through flood waters at least knee high. A woman was moved to tears upon seeing the monks, according to the AP story, that the monks would do march so far and in the pouring rain and floods for the people.

I feel something when I read about these stories, and it lifts my heart full of hope. It feels like there is this chance for a wonderful change. However, I also feel like the shoe is about to drop. I remember 1989 - that schizophrenic year when the Berlin Wall came down, Romania was delivered the dictatorship of Ceausescu and over in China, a protest ended in a blood bath, known as Tienanmen Square. As I read the reports out of Burma, I can't help but wonder, will this be a Berlin Wall moment or will it be another Tienanmen Square?

"They got the guns but we got the power" - Jim Morrison sang that... I think he was high. The people with the guns will almost always have the power over the people who don't, unless they are afraid to use them for one reason or another. I sincerely hope they will be too afraid/intimidated/shamed to use them against the holy monks of Burma, since the military goverment has use them against their own people to retain power in the past and shows no sign of changing that policy.

Funny how we really don't care about democracy over in Burma. It's kind of hard to really find news about it. The news is pretty much the same story, but there are at least 100 reporters covering Brittney Spears, and I'm sure I am underestimating. Yeah, my next rant... and I hope it's tomorrow... is going to be on the media's total assassination of Dan Rather because he had the balls and dared to sue some pretty rich and powerful people (that's RAPP to you and me).

Look forward to your next visit with Bad Kitty and don't mind the fur ball I coughed up behind the couch. Purr.....

You Don't Really Have Rights When You're a Kid and Maybe That's Okay

I just read this and I found it really amusing, for a variety of reasons. First off, the title of the article is 'Bong Hits 4 Jesus' Just Won't Go Away', and that just caught my attention. This is the conundrum of free speech, as was summed up in the final sentence. Basically, we need to just acknowledge that we do not afford the same rights to minors as we do to adults. High schools are full of minors and we have all sorts of restrictions of what minors do, can say, can wear, and hey, let's face it... citizens of a certain age in this country also have to go to school until they are 16 also. I am not against it, but I am for just plain speaking. If it is the way it is, don't hide behind mumbo jumbo or legal arguments; we have free speech, just not you. You get it when you are no longer in high school. You know, when you "grow up."

Hey, that's just the view from on top of the scratching post, where Bad Kitty likes it best.

9/11: The Truth

The truth is that some pretty horrible murderous human beings took control of four airplanes and crashed two of them into the World Trade Center Towers; those planes being United Airlines Flight 175 and American Airlines Flight 11. Another plane, American Airlines Flight 77 was flown into the Pentagon and that fourth airplane was re-taken from the hijackers by the heroic passengers on United Airlines Flight 93. All crew, passengers and hijacking murderers were killed on all four airplanes.

I understand why a lot of people want to believe why there is a government conspiracy and that
it was the government that actually did this, even though it clearly is not true. I remember watching that day. I remember the horror reflected in the eyes of the people running from the buildings after the second airplane struck. I remember all the tears, all the dust, all the sorrow. Nothing that day was fake.

Psychologically, it is safer for some people to think that the government did this, even to its own people, than to believe the even scarier reality of how easy it was for four men to get a little training on flying and then board the selected airplanes with just a few other like minded murders and their selected weopens of intimidation. No one before had ever thought of using an airliner as a weapon, never mind four of them at the same time.

Again, maybe for some people it is just safer to believe that our incompetent government which cannot manage to win a war we should have won back in 1991, which cannot manage to save its own citizens when there is a hurricane (anyone remember Katrina?), this same government was able to somehow manage to pull off this massive hoax and yet, there was no loss of American life, according to the conspiracy theorists, anyway. I mean, please.

Don't get me wrong. I am no fan of government. But, if anyone out there thinks for one full minute that the Bush government pulled off a hoax called 9/11, they seriously need to join reality. Unless this is all that is keeping you sane, in which case, ya know what? Go ahead with your bad self. Who is this Bad Kitty to take away the one thing keeping you sane.

As long as you and I both know it....

The Happiest Place On Earth: Disney World

I had the opportunity to visit Disney World for an extended weekend. My only previous visit to Disney World in Orlando, Florida had been 17 years ago and it was only for a day trip. Staying for several days, one of them on an actual Disney Resort property was a completely different experience.

Disney World truly is a place where you feel the magic. I had such a wonderful time. Epcot Center was my first stop and even though I got caught in a down pour and was soaked, this couldn't dampen my enthusiasm for the first attraction I rode: Nemo's Ride. I entered into a clam shell and whoosh, I was off into an underwater adventure where we looked for Nemo. The smile on my face that formed never left after that. "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" was playing in Epcot, so I watched that and was amazed at the 3D technology developed by Disney and Kodak. I also rode on Soaring, which takes you all over America as if you were flying on some type of hang glider and I didn't have to wait in line for that as the wonderful people I was with had fast passes for that. We also toured the various countries in Epcot and rode the rides in Norway and Mexico.

Magic Kingdom was, of course, magic. Seeing Cinderella's giant castle again after all of these years made me feel like such a kid. The Florida sun can be very brutal and that day was extraordinarily hot. I didn't stay that long at Magic Kingdom because even though the sun was beating down with all of its power, there were still lines for Splash Mountain exceeding 70 minutes and I just wasn't into waiting for that.


I have always loved wildlife conservation, so a visit to Animal Kingdom was a must. A friend and I went on the safari "ride" where we saw so many beautiful animals in their natural environment. I even took a picture of a rhino peeing which I will share with you here. I also saw a baby giraffe so very close that it startled me!



I also finally learned the answer to the question about zebras... are the black with white stripes or white with black stripes? The answer: they are black with both white and black stripes!!! Our guide on the Safari informed us of this very interesting fact. I love learning new information such as this and this safari was incredibly entertaining and informative.


Finally, I did also go to MGM Studios. In fact, because I did stay one night at a Disney Resort, I was able to have extra hours at MGM Studios. It's very neat; you show your room key to the person in charge of extra hours at the designated place. Your room key is scanned and then another Disney employee places a wristband on you so you can stay past 10:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m. At MGM, I went on the Aerosmith Rock and RollerCoaster .... twice. I was laughing so hard.... yes, even though it turns you upside down and corkscrews you... I laugh on roller coasters. I got to go on the Star Wars Ride, but I don't remember the name of it... I think it was Mission to Endor. It was a great fun! I saw the Muppets in 3D! Also, in MGM, we saw a show called Phantasm which was a live show involving waterworks, fireworks, performers, just everything! The story line is all the evil Disney characters combine to work magic to give Mickey bad dreams. What imagination! What beauty! It is Disney, baby and there is nothing like it in the world.

If you have children, take them at least once and stay for more than a day. I know its expensive, but you only live once and you can't take it with you. If you don't have children, go with the people you love. Disney World is for everyone. The Magic is there... reach out, believe and have the time of your life. I am so happy I did.

iGoogle

Okay, I have fallen head over heels for iGoogle. I know there must be tons of other providers offering what Google is offering me, but darn it if I don't love this interface. From the fact that I chose a background that changes with the time of day where I live, to the varied content that was available, this portal has it all.

Checking my iGoogle, from left to right, I see my Jokes of the Day, Dictionary search, and Google only for Medical Transcriptionists (which may go buh-bye because it hasn't been performing well). Next line down: Psychology Today, Daily Horoscope, Science Daily News. Next line down: International Herald Tribute, NOAH National Weather Service Headlines, Boston Globe Front Page. Next line: Newsweek Top Ten, MayoClinic Full Feed, US World and News Reports. Next line: TIME Top Stories, Reuters News in Pictures, Drudge Report. Under Drudge is the washingtonpost.com - today's highlights, BBC News - Today's News - Top Stories, and Google News. Under Reuter News in Pictures is the onion, The New York Times - Front Page and Einstein Quotations. Under the first column, under TIME, I have Quotes of the Day. (My point was there is a heck of a lot of content available - and you can and should customize it to your interests. What a great way to take advantage of the Internet.)

All of this wonderful content on one page, to be tweaked by me as I find appropriate for my news and reading pleasure. Oh, and lest I forget there is a second page for widgets. I have added the crossword puzzle and find it a lot of fun. I would love to add Suduko, but haven't found it yet... I'm sure it will show up soon!

Until next post... bad kitty scratching on the furniture... MEOW!

Ain't Nothing Going On But the Weather

If you live in the Northeast, you are used the wintertime hype of each and every storm. Of course, because if you are old enough to remember the Blizzard of 1978 (the Big One) and the subsequent April 1st blizzard and many nasty nor'easters that come through, you almost understand that the meterologists will always overstate the potential for disaster rather than understate it. I'm from the Northeast and the snow and blizzards are all weather phenomenon I am used to dealing with.

I am currently in residence in Florida and for the first time, I have hurricanes to worry about. Well, one particular hurricane at the moment. A big, bad category 4 hurricane named Dean with the potential to reach a category 5.

I refuse to worry about things that I cannot change or affect. Tomorrow, I need to print out photos of the animals. Tomorrow also provisions will be purchased - just in case. I already have enough animal food to hold my pets through a two week emergency. The family already has enough bottled water. Tomorrow is just canned food (human!) and the rest of first aid supplies. Strange and stranger down here in swamp land. At times I do so miss the civilization of my New England home, but I do like my new friends here.

Medical Marijuana - Guest Speaker

I've been tired lately. I turn my forum over today to a guest speaker, one the few federal marijuana patients....

Best Mashup Ever

Okay, I haven't seen that many mashups... but this is so professionally edited, the music chosen is so fitting... I don't want to give too much away, but my gosh... I'm giving out the Bad Kitty Award for excellence in freelance reporting for this video.

And Brad, I'm going to get over to your blog this week too, and most likely, I'll be adding you to the side bar...

Mental Illness

Mental illness, when you hear those words, what comes into your mind? Straight-jackets? Slack-jawed people starring off into space with drool dripping from their mouths? The stigma of mental illness is what keeps a lot of people who you pass by in the supermarket, in the mall and who you work with from getting the help they need. People have depression. People have bipolar disorder. People have substance abuse problems (and a lot of times the substance abuse problems have arisen from the fact that these people have been trying to self-medicate their mental illnesses).

We do not treat people with heart disease, diabetes or hemophilia as if they are somehow to blame for their illness, why do we do so with mental illness? It is an illness, physiologically based and treated with medication(s) which work(s) on the brain. It is the stigma of taking the pills, of seeing the doctor(s) and of sometimes having to go into the hospital (just as one would if they were truly sick with diabetic ketoacidosis or if they were having an myocardial infarction) that keeps some people from getting the help they so desperately need. No one would not go into a hospital if they were having a heart attack, yet a person in the middle of a manic episode who is also in the middle of a full blown grip of alcoholism where s/he cannot stop drinking refuses to get treatment because of the stigma. And of course, her/his "friends" all agree that there is nothing wrong. Well, if this person has lost her/his home, significant other, and now her/his job, me thinks its time to go into the hospital. But, hey, stigma is a strong thing and for some reason it does not seem to be disappearing.

How many more people of "respectability" have to come out and say that they too have mental illness and have sought treatment? Patrick Kennedy comes to mind as does Patty Duke. A quick look on the Internet shows me that there are many people throughout history documented to have had mental illness, and yet they contributed greatly to this country, to the arts and even to sports (please click here for more information).

I have long believed that people with "mental illness" are actually more gifted than those "normies" out there. Disclosure here: I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder for three years now, although I am sure I have had it since I was about 15. I also have an IQ that borders on the genius level. Once I was diagnosed correctly, my life really fell into place. I take my medication as directed, follow my doctors orders and my life is pretty normal, as "normal" goes that is. The problem is, I discovered long ago and research bears this out, most people who are diagnosed with a mental illness DO NOT take their medications as directed, DO NOT do as their doctor directs them to and there you have it. They remain "victims" of the illness, but "victims" by choice. No one is a victim who does not choose to be a victim.

I had been misdiagnosed for 15 years. Once I found out what my true diagnosis was, I was eager to try the proper medications. I did not want to do the group therapy my psychiatrist recommended, but he promised me that it would help. Although I really, really did not want to do the group therapy, I did go, and go, and go... for almost three years... and my psychiatrist was right. It did help. I took my medications as directed. That definitely helped. Another psychiatrist recently told a friend that he considers me "almost a colleague" in helping this friend. I think that speaks volumes in terms of my stability and control of my illness.

I hear families and friends of these people say, "But they are sick." Well, so was I. A person must decide for themselves that they do not like being "sick." I have talked to folks with mental illness. The ones who do not follow doctor's orders like being sick. That is the honest truth. On some level, the just like being the way they are. They are comfortable being the way they are. They do not know any other way and they do not want to even try, thus they do not. Honestly, I cannot understand it. As I stated earlier, this was not my attitude

Bottom line, a person is always more than just "a diabetic" or that "bipolar person." If you treat your diabetes, it ceases to be a problem. If you treat your bipolar disorder, it ceases to be a problem. It is only when you ignore these things that then they begin to define you and your life. Why would anyone choose that for themselves? I would love to understand, but I know I never will.

Borrowed Words

Every now and then, I person runs into something so well written, so well expressed that I simply cannot do better myself. Thus, with credit to "yjuana":

"I don't care about being hated. As an American , I demand to be respected! My responsibility is to remain true to the American Ideal. This is the problem with Bush, Cheney and the rest of those idiots- they have abandoned the pursuit of the Ameican Ideal in order to maintain a mythical status quo! They have sacrificed the cause of freedom for the cause of "standard of living". How dare they send those men and women into harms way so that Haliburton can fleece taxpayers. I don't care if the next President is a man, woman, black, gay, democrat, republican or alien- I just want to see a TRUE American lead us out of the mess that these idiots and a long line of idiots before them have led us into."

(Hypertext to Post #58)

I Wonder What Would Happen to this World....

Oh if a man tried
To take his time on Earth
And prove before he died
What one man's life could be worth
I wonder what would happen to this world

The above lines can be found in two places that I know of, the first and original place is from Harry Chapin's song, "I Wonder What Would Happen to this World" - it is the chorus. The second place you can find it is on Harry Chapin's grave as it is his epitaph.

Harry Chapin was and remains a hero to me. I was very young when I was exposed to his music and quite honestly, it wasn't until I was much older that I understood much of his music. What I did understand on a very deep level, even at age six, was that Harry really cared about his fans and that Harry really cared about hungry people.

I remember things very vividly. I was only six the first time I saw Harry Chapin in concert, so this has to be around 1973, and he was a great performer. I felt so safe among all these adults. Everyone was so happy and many songs were sing-a-longs. Even though many things were over my head, I didn't care. I remember him saying "If you brought your kids and thought this was going to be a family show, you were wrong!" and me being worried that my parents would make us all go home, but they were happy (and they were not happy often back then). I danced along with my whole family, we sang and I was so very happy. Afterward, we even waited and met Harry, getting kisses and autographs. Being so young, I thought this was the way all concerts were. I had no idea that this was just the way Harry was.

I also didn't know back then that Harry pretty much gave the proceeds from every other concert to charity. He believed in putting his money where his mouth was. He, along with his friend, Father Ayer, started an organization to try to help stop hunger, World Hunger Year (WHY), still in action today. Harry Chapin testified before Congress about the state of hunger and the urgent need for action. Some would say Harry Chapin never stopped, until the accident and heart attack forced him to stop forever that July night in 1981.

On December 7, 1986 Harry Chapin was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal on what would have been his 45th birthday. To see the coin, to read the text of the bill as well as read more amazing information about what can happen when one man tries to see what he can do with his life before he dies, please click here.

Another passionate, outgoing man was Steve Irwin. He also was someone who put his money where his mouth was. He purchased vast amounts of land in different parts of the country so that he would be able to save the land for the indigenous wildlife. Through his television program, "The Crocodile Hunter," Steve Irwin was able to educate millions of people, myself included, about the importance of wildlife conservation. We need to be careful not just to love the "cute" animals, but also be interested in the snakes, the crocodiles, the lizards and the turtles. It was Steve Irwin's exuberant passion, along with his wife Terri's equally evident love of all animals, that enlightened me and educated me to how much I did NOT know. Once I started learning about snakes and the like, I was fascinated.

It was reported today (read Yahoo/AP story here) that a new wildlife reserve in Australia will be named after Steve Irwin. That was the impetus for this posting.

These two people took their very short lives and managed to accomplish great things with them. They each had a passion and they followed that passion and they changed the world. Did the world change momentously, no. But it did change and it changed for the better. Here in Flordia we have Harry Chapin food banks for the hungry. Maybe soon we will have a Steve Irwin conservation project.

(and we all sing together...)

"If a man tried to use his time on Earth... to prove before he died... just what one man's life could be worth... well, I wonder what would happen to this world."

I've Got a Friend

More than one actually. Every now and again, I'm reminded of how lucky and blessed I am to have these people in my life that I call my friends. I've known most of these wonderful folks for around 20 years, but I'm truly blessed to have met some new friends and I am just as glad to have their friendship as well.

Friendship, I learned long ago, is to care enough to give your opinion only when asked, to realize your friendship is always a two way street; you love unconditionally and are loved back, you give unconditionally as you are able and you are treated the same. Mostly, you are just treated in a way that makes you know you are valued, you are treasured, and that you matter. Friends are cherished - such a beautiful thing.

I think those that do not understand this do not truly have friends. But hey, I've been poking around in the catnip today... it's a celebration day, so it's only the opinion of a Bad Kitty.

The Nature of the Enemy

If you do not believe as we believe, you are our enemy. You are all that is wrong with the world. We incite hatred and intolerance along the internet with our blogs. We want bad things to happen to your kind and take public glee when bad things happen to your ilk.

Am I talking about the Taliban, the "neocons" or the "looney left?"

Without tolerance and rational debate, do we not become the very thing we are fighting?

A person most certainly can be a patriot and still not label themselves a Republican or a Democrat. It's called being an Independent.

Let us never forget that this country was founded by a group of rebels, not a one a 'pub or a dem'. Nevertheless, had we lost the American Revolution, our beloved Founding Founders would be remembered as traitors to the Crown and we would be spelling color "colour."

We should always value our freedoms and our liberties as they were so hard fought for and won. During that first year of 1776 had it not been for the providence of good weather when the colonists needed it and bad weather when the Britons sorely did not need it, the American Revolution surely would not have survived that first year.

After more than 200 years, this wonderful lively experiment of self-governing has continued and every four years we have the potential for bloodless coup. No more revolutions have occurred and although we did endure a civil war, this nation still stands. I ask are we going to let ourselves be defeated by fear, ignorance, and our own very selves because like little children we refuse to get along?

How could we live with ourselves, destroying what so many have given their lives to protect and hold sancrosanct?

Civility, please, let us all give it a try. It is okay to disagree. It is not okay to be hateful, rude and mean.

What's Love Got To Do With It?

And more to the point, what IS love? I think it is somewhat the same to most people, but I could be wrong. When you truly love someone, you think about what is best for him/her as well as what benefits you both. If someone speaks ill of the one you love, you defend your love - you come to his or her rescue so to speak, and if that someone continues to speak ill of your love, you certainly do not remain friends with that person, no matter how long you have known them.

Imagine if you will, you meet the woman of your dreams. You fall in love! To your amazement, she falls just as hard for you as you do for her. You two are happy!!! There is a friend of yours who had intentions on you. In fact, many nights after many drinks you were "friendly" with her. You aren't proud, but this is reality and you have been lonely for a long time. How were you to know you would meet this other woman? To make it worse, this "friend" works with you! Every day that your relationship grows with the woman you love, this "friend" can't stand it. She hates your woman and makes no bones about it.

Alas, the sad story goes on... you and your love buy a house together. You are that much in love! Other friends object ... they too do not like your lady love. They all have their own vested interests in keeping you single, such as paying them rent under the table and being their dog watcher among other things. The woman you fell in love with is very good with your son and the three of you sometimes have such wonderful times together doing the simplest things, like just eating cheeseburgers from the grill on the deck of your new home. You finally have a family like you always wanted... but somehow, you feel miserable all the time.

At work, your "friend" keeps telling you how you made the biggest mistake in your life and now "no one will ever talk to you again." You stop getting group email from one of the guys you worked with. Your "friend" starts talking about your woman during lunch, so much so that you can't stand to be in the cafeteria anymore during the lunch break. One of your true friends tells you eventually that the "friend" is saying so much crap that he feels he has to let you know about it if you want to. You decide you cannot bear to know what is being said.

At this point, put yourself in the shoes of the woman who is the "loved" one.

The man who you thought loved you allows this woman to pollute his mind constantly. When he calls you from work, sometimes he has to hang up abruptly because she has entered his cube. Or she will be surreptitiously eavesdropping from another cube... because she has no respect for any one's privacy. She told him right before he left for our April vacation to Vegas "I'll break you guys up if its the last thing I do" - not "have a good vacation" and he still continued to think of her as a "friend." That is the part that I will never understand. What "friend" acts like that? None.

Thus, he cannot be the man for that lady who thought she was loved, for she was not. She was an interesting trifle for a ghost man.

Blow Jobs in the Work Parking Lot? Ewww

There is this woman who hates me. She has done a great deal of nasty and vile things to me. Her name is Sandra. I'm dying to post her last name, but I'm waiting until she really aggravates me, and then I will post her last name and the town she lives in, but for now, lets just call her Sandie the Slut from Rhode Island. It's a small enough state. When she worked for this company in Warwick, she had this practice of giving blow jobs on her lunch break. Her term for the sexual practice - "a smoothie." She is gross and disgusting. I dislike her and feel her behavior is entirely inappropriate. Any comments?

Ideas, I Get Ideas

Every job has it's downsides, it's quirks if you will. Mine is that I encounter so many doctors that eventually I run into some that one first blush I absolutely hate transcribing. Luckily, this phase doesn't usually last for most of the ones I dislike, but unfortunately, some of those I intensely dislike just never get better and I never adjust to them. It's an occupational hazard, I suppose, one that just cannot be avoided.

I wonder why there isn't a guideline for doctors for their dictations. Since there isn't I am going to make one. First off, doctors should always speak clearly. When a doctor is doing his/her first dictation, they should have a template in front of them showing them what type of information and the order in which that information gets dictated into the dictation system. If a doctor makes an error or changes his/her mind about the phrasing of something or a medication, s/he needs to be clear about what changes they are making, not simply pausing and resuming talking, leaving the transcriptionist to figure it out. Doctors should not talk at the speed of light. We understand that they need to be quick. However, speed at the cost of accuracy is not a fair trade. Clarity and reasonable speed along with relevant information in the proper order is the cornerstone of a good dictator (not in the fascist sense!)

Since we are talking about medical records, these are some of the most important records that are kept and there is no standardization. Imagine if every library you went to had a different system of keeping track of its books and describing its holdings. Given that fact, health care records should be somewhat standardized. For example, all follow up visits should have a certain template from which doctors should have - they can add and subtract from it as necessary to suit the patient that they are seeing. Believe me, after hearing literally hundreds and hundreds of doctors dictate from different specialties, to general practice, to initial intakes, this can be a standardized process. Doctors do fundamentally all say the same thing. They just like using different words in different orders from each other. Some of my favorite doctors in the past liked to many adjectives deeply describing anatomical abnormalities. Since for that job I got paid by the keystroke, I loved transcribing for that doctor!

Oh well, these are just the opinions on how to make some things a little better from a Bad Kitty.

Working from Home

You ever see those advertisements selling work at home packets, guaranteeing that you can live a life of leisure so long as you have a computer. Well, I don't know about all that, but you can certainly work from home and make a decent living. Actually, you can make a lot of money if you are disciplined and have a bit of knowledge - either in medical terminology or medical billing. I know this because I have been working from home for over seven years now.

There are pros and cons to working from home. Everyone thinks it is a paradise - the perfect situation. It's not. You really have to be disciplined. You must make yourself work for a certain number of hours or until a certain amount of work is complete. You must do this day after day. You do not interact with other co-workers. My interaction with co-workers has consisted primarily of e-mails and a few phone calls. I once went up for a training at one company I was doing work for and that was really great - seeing all those nice people. You do really miss people. Also, for some reason, some people have this notion that you don't have a "real job." Funny, because I get paid "real money." I had an aunt ask me just this past January if I had a "real job" yet. I'm the first in the family to get a Master's and I guess having my own business just isn't good enough for someone with my level of education to them. Sucks being them, because this suits me just fine.

Okay, now the pluses ... I've owned businesses since I was 23. Working at home is the best because you can do little things like take a break and throw in a load of laundry (which I just did!). I can work unshowered and in my pajamas, if I am so inclined. I pay no money to commute to work. I love the challenge of working faster and more efficiently because I get paid not by the hour, but by how much I produce.

Working from home just isn't for everyone. If you have children who aren't in school yet or daycare, this isn't going to work. If you aren't someone who can resist the temptations of your home to make yourself work consistently everyday, you're out too. But, I do think that working from home is definitely an option for a lot of educated people unsure of what to do for a career.

Independence Day

Just a quick note to remember those brave men and women back in 1776 who decided that being yoked to England was no longer a beneficial arrangement. The notion that people could govern themselves was a very new one and actually, the Founding Fathers had their own reservations about the actual "people" governing in totality, which is why we have the Electoral College, and why we are actually a Republic which happens to have a democracy. We are a very interesting experiment.

Notoriously, we swing back and forth between extremes of so-called liberalism and so-called conservatism. The United States will stay self-contained; no, the United States will try to police the world; and back and forth we go. We will be hard workers with solid ethics. No, we will rebel, tune in, tune out, drop out - change the world. On second thought, let's all make a lot of money. The tide is turning again, my blog reader. The yoke has been tightened just a little too tightly on our freedoms. The transparency of wealth and power buying of justice is too clear to ignore.

It is no longer a beneficial arrangement, President Bush. You might do well to remember the lessons of Independence Day and the arrogance of another man named George, King George III.

Disgust for the Bush Pardon of Libby

If you haven't heard/read by now, President George W. Bush eliminated the jail sentence portion for "Scooter" Libby for his role in obstructing justing during the investigation into the outing of CIA operative, Valerie Plame. What was done to Valerie Plame just because her husband, Joe Wilson, had gone public with his doubts about the statements the Bush administration had been making about Iraq, stating that facts had been "twisted" to make the case for war, was nothing more than revenge of the worst sort. There can be no doubt that the decision to leak her name came from Cheney or Rove. Another thing that always bothered me was that two journalists were jailed for refusing to name their sources on this story - yet neither one printed the story. The one who did the actual outing, Robert Novac, he was never questioned, never went to jail... I tell you this whole thing stinks to high heaven. Perhaps now the American people will start to see it as well.

The best coverage of the story is actually on a blog. It is here. It is short, but provides links to go deeper into the story - fantastic coverage!

For your basic news coverage - CNN's coverage is here.

Ruminations on my Hometown Newspaper and Technology

From the age of 13 when my family moved to Somerset, Massachusetts (pretty much the last of a quite a few moves in my adolescent life), I read the Providence Journal on a daily basis. I admit that I most likely have a strong bias towards this newspaper since it was my first newspaper, just like a first love, my inky fingers testament to that love just as any lipstick kiss would have been. You could tell if I had answered the phone in the morning in the summer if there was an ink stain on it. Many mornings, I had smudges on my face, especially in the summer before I began working. How I loved when that paper switched to using ink!


When I when off to college in Amherst, I tried other papers and none really satisfied me. Besides, I was busy all of the time and it seemed like the free flimsy Daily Collegian was okay enough to quality as "reading the paper" daily. I also lived in the Boston area for about five years and read the Boston Globe daily. I grew very used to it and even liked it. But it was no Providence Journal. They have some of the best columists - Mark Patinkin, Bob Kerr, M. Charles Bakst, Stanley Aronson, MD (he is the best columnist EVER - oh, I so love him - he is in Monday's OP/ED or used to be) and I know I am forgetting some of the others, sorry.


What provoked my little nostalgia for my hometown newspaper this afternoon is that I visited the online site to look for something related to my home town. I appreciate the effort they put in to the site. I just wish I could buy the real thing, because I would. Every day. Crazy sorta, isn't it? But I just want that little part of my life back. Where I could sit for 30 minutes and read the paper and turn my brain on. I really liked that and loved the way the writers at the ProJo helped me do that.

In so many ways as we advance technologically, we lose a little bit of our connections to our humanity. Do computers bring us closer together?



In the home I live in, there are three people living here. We have three televisions each with a TiVo and three people watching different rooms. Is this necessarily a good thing? I remember when people watched television together because they had to. Doesn't this also help people get along because they spend more time together socializing across generations as family units? Again, I'm not knocking technology, we just have to balance out what we do so that we don't lose too much of our collective/community selves to our individual/online selves.

The opinion of a Bad Kitty - take it or leave it.

Cats Decided to Befriend Us ...

The evidence bears out, it seems, that yes, wildcats 12,000 to 13,000 years ago decided to come on down to where all the agricultural goodies were and start feasting on the vermin, thus beginning their interaction with humans. I read it on the Washington Post. It was a great article, an easy read. There is an even better article over at LiveScience which is probably the source or inspiration of the WP article.


What I found really interesting is that today was the the day I was inspired to write about people who hoard animals out of the misplaced desire to help them was the day the world learned that domesticated cats self-selected themselves to live with humans. At one time, the arrangement was very beneficial to both parties. It should be the same now.


One problem is the over-population of kittens and puppies. There just aren't enough homes for all these little critters being born. Thus, all owners of animals have to take responsibility and get their animals fixed. For those on a budget, there are ways to get help. I know up in New England, I used Friends of Animals for certificates for my cats. They saved me!


If your pet isn't spayed or neutered, I'd really love to know your excuse. I guess if you are a breeder, that is a different story. I am talking about your basic mutts here. Cats like mine. Dogs like the ones I've had before. Because if your animal isn't a pure-breed, there is no reason I can think of except laziness.

If you own an animal, that animal should be spayed or neutered.

We'll beg if we have to!

Not Quite Noah's Ark - Animal Hoarding

If you have ever seen the television program Animal Cops, you may have seen an individual or couple guilty of animal hoarding. These are people who just collect cats and dogs, believing somehow that they are "caring" for the animals, when in reality these animals are being horribly neglected. In Pawtucket, Rhode Island a woman was found with over 60 cats in her home. As I recall, only about 13 of those cats were healthy and sociable enough to be adopted out. The rest were euthanized. (I hate the term euthanized; it's just a gentle way of saying 47 cats had to be killed - that is the harsh reality.)

It is believed that the people who amass such quantities of animals actually have a mental illness and I do believe it is true. I believe these people do actually believe they are caring for the animals. Since it is usually very evident when someone in the neighborhood has an excessive amount of animals and when they are not well cared for, shouldn't these people receive help before the problem becomes so excessive that these animals live their entire lives under abusive conditions and then have to be killed? It seems to me that we, as a society, should be trying to protect the innocent and defenseless, and that would be the animals, wouldn't it?

I guess it just hurts my heart to see the cats and dogs pulled out of these homes, seeing how scared and abused they are and then finding out that they were "euthanized." They knew nothing of love in this world, nothing of kindness - only fright, pain, darkness. I wish I had a solution.

At least I care for my critters. That's really all I can do. Those are my beastie babes above... three brothers... my ginger babes. From left clockwise, Cinnamon, Licky and Saurus.

Four inches taller but no place to go...

I did actually get myself some four-inch high heeled shoes finally. Two pairs actually. Its not that I'm a shop-a-holic type woman or anything remotely like that. I just so happened to stop into the local Kiwanis Club, which is our thrift store for the first time in months. They happened to have two pairs of great shoes in my size that I liked at prices that just couldn't be beat! A great pair of blue sandals with chunky heels for $4.50 and a black pair of stiletto heels that I've seen online for between $40 and $50, I picked up for $2.50. Now, if I can only find some place to wear them!

(This post references previous blog "The View from 4" Higher)

Where is the Outrage?

This was forwarded to me by a drunk conservative, one of the ones who admits in his drunken moments that he'd be happy to kill a hippie or two himself, Victims of Drug War Tactics. No one, however, could possibly think that all of the people on this list either deserved to die or more importantly should have died over the United States policy on enforcement of the "drug war," especially as regards marijuana. That anyone dies by law enforcement of marijuana laws (and I include police and DEA agents as well) is stupidity at its highest (pun intended).

What Would You Do?

Relationships can be fragile things. They definitely require work and a fair amount of compromise. I know of a relationship-buster involving, of all things, Myspace.

The male in the relationship has his bartender (a female) as one of his Myspace friends. Not only as one of his friends, but in his top friends. If you aren't familiar with Myspace, the account holder chooses whom to display on their profile page as their "Top" friends. You can have your "Top 8" or "Top 12" or any number increment of four up to 24.

The relationship between these two individuals is already on shaky ground. They used to live together, but because of his behavior due to his drinking they no longer live together. He has been told by his physician that if he doesn't stop his heavy drinking he will not live another 10 years.

The female, after one too many drunken abusive phone calls, elicited a promise from the male that he would remove the bartender from his Myspace page last Friday. It is now Wednesday. He has been back to the bar Monday night and Tuesday night. The female believes that it is hopeless. She believes that he has not decided to stop drinking and that the bartender is a symbol of his problem with alcohol and his denial of it. She has told me that she wants to keep on believing and she doesn't want the relationship to end because she loves him.

I think if someone really loves someone s/he keeps his/her promises. I think if alcohol is a problem in a relationship, the person with the problem either addresses it and gets help or the relationship is doomed. It is sad. It sucks. But it is also reality. Alcoholism hurts more than the alcoholic.

If you were the couple in question - what would you do?

Victory for Privacy

On Monday the Federal Appeals Court ruled that a probable cause warrant is required to search and seize emails. I found this information on Wired Blogs where you can even link to the .pdf decision itself. To think, we can actually expect privacy in our emails. This is the USA I love.

Father's Day and Art

Many thanks again to my significant other, Joe M., for directing me to Post Secret, an ongoing community art project. This Sunday the site was devoted to fathers and father's day. I was tremendously moved by the art displayed on the site. There is something so primal and moving about an image on a postcard with just a few words. It is folk art at its best. I'm also reminded of how many truly talented people are in this world.

Martin Sheen Mind Meld

Yesterday, I was on my little rampage about the drug laws (okay, pot especially). Today, I'm reading the news because, yes Sunday is the best day to do it. Of course, it is just not the same as getting lost in the Sunday paper (oh, the New York Times Magazine after reading the Providence Journal and the front section of the NY Times - heaven indeed!), but I am in Florida, so these minor pleasures I can no longer have satiated.

What did I just stumble upon, my random blog reader? Well, apparently according to the AP, Martin Sheen was just in Congress this week to ask for money for drug courts and treatment instead of jail as a drug court and the subsequent treatment saved one of his friends. He appeared this morning on George Stephanopoulos on ABC's "This Week" about his friend and his appearance in Washington. I have to give Martin a big thumbs up for going to Congress and telling them what works.

If you would like to read the AP story, you can find it here.

Refeer Madness: 71 Years Later

I just watched the 1936 movie classic "Reefer Madness" which in no small part helped to criminalize marijuana. I haven't seen it for at least a decade and I had forgotten just how absurd it was. Here's how my TiVo sums up the description "Young people go from marijuana smoking to wild piano playing, hysteria and death." Wow. Especially considering that the THC content was so much less back in the 30s, I don't know how this was happening. But, then again, this was propaganda, so as with all propaganda, the truth really didn't matter that much.

The reality was that this was something black jazz musicians were using (and had been using it) and it starting creeping into the use of a minority of white folks. Hey, something to bridge the gap between the different cultures and ya know, we just couldn't have that. Plus, a new way to get power and money... Henry Anslinger was all over that.

What got me totally was the beginning of the movie, which I'm going to transcribe here (this flashes up as something to read):

The incidents and characters portrayed in this motion picture are purely
fictional and any similarities to actual occurrences and living or deceased
persons is coincidental.

[Next screen]

Forward:

The motion picture you are about to witness may startle you. It would not have been possible, otherwise, to sufficiently emphasize the frightful toll of the new drug menace which is destroying the youth of America in alarmingly increasing numbers. Marihuana is a drug - a violent narcotic - unspeakable scourge - The Real Public Enemy Number One!

Its first effect is sudden, violent, uncontrollable laughter; then come dangerous hallucinations - space expands - time slows down, almost stands still .... fixed ideas come next conjuring up monstrous extravagances - followed by emotional disturbances, the total inability to direct thoughts, the loss of all power to resist physical emotions ... leading finally to acts of shocking violence ... ending often in incurable insanity. In picturing its soul-destroying effects no attempt was made to equivocate. The scenes and incidents, while fictionalized for the purposes of this story, are based upon actual research into the results of Marihunana addiction. If their stark reality will make you think, will make you aware that something must be done to wipe out this ghastly menace, the the picture will not have failed in its purpose....

Because the dread Marihuana may be reaching forth next for your son or daughter ... or yours ... or YOURS!

While doing a little more research on "Reefer Madness," I found a wonderfully informative site which clearly shows how manipulated the public was on the issue of marijuana back in the 30s. Please, direct yourself to Hypnosis and Reefer Madness for a very cohesive analysis of why this particular piece of propaganda worked so well in addition to the research to show how the individuals within the government lied and placed their own facts and figures so that they could attain power and prestige.

Now that we're all clear on our history. The movie was complete fiction. Didn't happen. But, the hyperbole in the beginning is classic 30s, 40s, 50s overkill. We know that our drug policy was shaped on lies and misinformation, yet it is still in place today. Why? Isn't it time we examined the whys of our laws? We build so many jails, but there is no money for treatment for the people with the heroin addictions, the crack addictions and now the huge problem with meth that is turning up all over the Northeast. Jail 'em up seems to be the answer for everything. How does this help? And locking up pot smokers accomplishes what? Will someone please tell me?

The argument about marijuana being a gateway drug - you might as well argue that cigarette smoking, coffee and alcohol are gateway drugs too because I haven't met one drug abuser that hasn't used or is currently using at least one if not all three of those drugs as well. Thus, that argument is completely and totally moot. The very idea of a "gateway" drug is absolutely ridiculous from a psychological standpoint. A person is either inclined to use drugs, illicit or not or they are not. They legality of the drugs doesn't matter. Using marijuana isn't going to make someone a junkie unless that person is going to be a junkie anyway. There are more variables involved than just that and to pretend that there are not is living in a fantasy land. We all need to inhabit the real world here, folks, so c'mon, get with it.

I want new answers because the old answers haven't been working. I know we can do better. It has been over 70 years since "Reefer Madness" was released, but you know, you would be hard pressed to know it by our federal laws. I think its a shame.

Fly the Rude Skies with US Airways - Updated 6/28/07

When I bought my airline ticket to get from Florida to Providence, I had a few choices of airlines. I chose US Airways for a number of reasons, price and convenience being a few. The flight crew have always been friendly, making up for the sometimes sketchy time performance. However, this time, they have really dropped the ball - twice.

I booked my ticked the day before my departure; I'm spontaneous at times. Unfortunately, I accidentally deleted my confirmation email. I realized this the morning of my departure. Since my plane didn't leave until almost 4:00 pm, I figured calling customer service at 7:00 am would fix all my problems. The woman was very nice, but could not find my reservation. She looked and looked and I just wasn't there. I was flummoxed. She was flummoxed. She asked a supervisor for help. The advice was to purchase another ticket. I looked and I couldn't get the exact same dates. I had to stay one more day to get the exact same rate. I was worried about this double booking and expressed my concerns. Because the dates were virtually the same, because I had called, because it was clear from the time I bought the second ticket that I hadn't missed the first flight, if I was charged for both tickets, I was assured that I would get a refund. Not a ticket, a refund. I made very clear that I didn't want another ticket or credit - I wanted a refund if charged twice. "Not to worry," I was told.

I returned to Florida and of course, the debit card was charged twice. I just got off of the phone with US Airways and... yes indeed... the rudest customer service in the world. I was just informed that (if I'm lucky) I will get issued a credit because I was listed as a no-show. I was on that plane, how could I be on it twice? I was informed that I could be lying about everything. This makes no sense. Everything I'm saying makes perfect sense with the timing of the credit card charges - why would I buy two tickets before the first plane took off? This is just crazy.

I had offered this young woman some advice on how to improve the database so that this kind of stuff doesn't happen in the future - i.e. point this flaw out to someone in IT, investigate the situation so that it doesn't happen again - but this was just ignored. Again, it was insinuated that I could just be lying. Everything I said could be verified via IP addresses, time stamps and nothing else would make sense except for what I am saying. I have no doubt that people try to scam the airline, but when I am 100% on the level and I'm assumed guilty from the get go, this is customer service at its worst, especially when the mistake was on their end from the beginning.

US Airways, I'm waiting for you to make this situation right with me. But, I'm not holding my breath. Oh, and I think you need to have a talk with Jenny down in customer support. She needs an attitude adjustment.
*************UPDATE**************
June 28, 2007
***********************************

The credit card which I charged to which I both tickets was credited one of the tickets yesterday! Yay! I did not follow up on this at all, except for writing this blog post.

Thank you US Airways for taking care of this.

I do still think Customer Service, Jenny in particular, needs an attitude adjustment in terms of treating customers like they are guilty instead of assuming they are innocent and then looking for the evidence to see what is what. Obviously, it is the evidence they go by, so why ever insinuate to a customer that s/he may be lying. It is just poor customer service period.

However, giving my money back for their error in a relatively timely error without me bugging them - good customer service!

Guess it evens out.

Triumph the Insult Dog and Tony Awards

Many thanks to Joe M., my boyfriend, for forwarding me this very funny clip of Triumph the Insult Dog at the Tony Award Show. Scattershot, irreverent humor at its finest, Triumph's moment of pure over-the-top "I can't believe this is happening" comes at the best place, the end. I hope you enjoy watching this clip as much as I did.

The View from 4" Higher

Being a tall gal at 5'8" or so, and also not especially into dressing up, I have never really before worn really high heels. That is before last week when I was visiting Cape Cod and staying with my girlfriend, whom I've known since we were both 13. She and I were going to go out to dinner along with one of our college roommates, since we've all stayed in touch. It was when the ex-roomie arrived in a beautiful outfit and gorgeous 4" heels and my gal pal from junior high began shuffling through the closet that I realized that my simple outfit of black jeans, loose shirt and casual sandals had left me me woefully underdressed.

We three gravitated into the bedroom naturally, talking and laughing. Casually a shirt was thrown my way with an easy command to "try that on." I just can't ignore one of those commands! The shirt was still casual, but much more form fitting.

Next, a pair of black high heel shoes with a four-inch heel. Wow. I could not believe those things. I shook my head. "Just try them," I was told. I slid my foot in and it did fit. I slid my other foot it and buckled that side up too. Then, I stood up. Oh my, was I tall now! I couldn't help but to keep my posture very straight. I also felt better about myself. It was rather incredible. I told my friends I felt like I was wearing my mom's shoes. They both laughed. I'm 39-years-old and am quite grown up, but just don't feel it inside. I don't think I ever will. I'm rather grateful for that, actually.

But, I do think I might be getting a pair of nice four-inch heels. I did like the view from up there.

Justice for Paris

I'm watching the circus, yah man, it's the only show in America. At least today, events turned out the way they should have, with the blond socialite heading back to serve her time in jail, where her law-breaking behind belongs.

I'm really quite sick of the media shoving this story down my throat. Since they are, I'm going to comment on it. Tommy Chong was on MSNBC earlier this morning to give his opinion on the whole three rings. Clearly they didn't expect someone with a brain. He was right on target suggesting perhaps we have better things to focus on as a country, such as the face that we are at war with no end in sight, we have an Attorney General whose ethics are questionable at best, and the country doesn't seem to be engaged in any particular dialogue constructive to making the United States a better place to live and work. Mr. Chong would perhaps understand about going to jail, as he spend nine months in a federal jail himself, but hey, since no one paid any attention when the government took away his personal liberty and decided it was okay for him to live under the conditions Ms. Hilton is now going to live under, it's no wonder he was also dismissed by the idiot talking head on MSNBC whom I only know as Cassandra or something similar sounding. She seemed like a moron when she asked Mr. Chong when she asked him if he had smoked anything this morning. Lady, have you ever seen someone who is high? Their eyes are red and usually slightly slit. Mr. Chong evidenced nothing to suggest he was under the influence of marijuana and it was a low blow to suggest that he was. Shame on you, lady.

Oh, by the way, this commentator for MSNBC keeps saying how she can't help feeling pity every time she sees the picture of Paris in tears in the back of the cruiser. I can't help wondering, does she feel pity every time she sees a young woman in the back of a police cruiser, or is it just the young, rich, white ones? It makes me a little angry. Paris already has a lot of free passes just because of winning the birth lottery. She really doesn't need any one's sympathy. Sure, she wants it. But, really, does she need it? She needs it like she needs more money. I'm not giving any. I think you're a sucker if you give any, but hey, it's just my opinion and I am one bad kitty!

Paris Hilton Saga

The ridiculous saga of Paris Hilton... I cannot believe I am even adding to the din over this, but it does bear commenting on at this point. Justice for the rich is different than justice for the poor. How much more evidence do we need? It is 9:49 California time and it has been confirmed that Ms. Hilton does not have to appear in court, but may testify by phone. Please. If someone breaks the law, there is a consequence. At least, that is the theory. However, as it has been noticed in this country, if you have enough money, you can break the law and actually not suffer any consequences at all. Remember a certain O.J. Simpson who was found "not guilty" (which certainly is not the same as "innocent" now is it?) of murdering his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman. Thus, we know already in this country that with enough money, justice can be more than blind, she can be deaf, dumb and quite retarded.

Ms. Hilton actually did go to jail. She spent a night or two on that steel frame bed with the four inch mattress and toilet right in the same room. I believe the lights were on at all times as well. Please, do not think for one moment that I have any sympathy for Ms. Hilton as I do not. I think she needs to be back behind bars right this second. We need to somehow make sure that money does not once again render our lady justice more than just blind. If we do not, we make it that much easier for the rich to believe they can do anything, including murder without consequence.

Ms. Hilton is the one who put herself out into the spotlight. Now, she will serve a true purpose for living in the spotlight if there is any true justice in this country. Let that spotlight shine on her while she is in jail.

Silly Japanese Cat Golfing Game

From Aces Full of Links, I found this silly game which is nonetheless highly amusing. Don't expect to do well on your first go round, but do expect to have a laugh and a bit of fun.

Java Juice

My mom got a Keurig one cup gourmet coffee brewer for Christmas. Since this lovely appliance has been around now for six months, I've had ample time to try it out and also note how the Keurig has somewhat changed my parents lives for the better.

Personally, I love the brewer. It is extraordinarily easy to use. The selection of gourmet coffee available in the single serve "K Cups" is more than ample and all that I have tried have been delicious. It would be nice if the brewer made a slightly larger cup of coffee, but you can always make two "K cups" in a large mug or travel mug.

How has it changed my parents lives? They still drink coffee the "old fashioned way" in the morning. However, when they come home, they "treat" themselves to a gourmet coffee via the Keurig. My mom, a true coffee fanatic, will have two or three cups throughout the evening as she reads. I asked my father how he felt about the cost. He looked at me as if I had lost my mind. "Your mother loves this and I really like it too. It's a lot cheaper than going out for coffee and it makes us happy." I'm paraphrasing here, but the general gist is right on target.

The Keurig one cup coffee brewer starts at $99.95 from their website. However, I know my dad bought my mom's at a local warehouse club - it may have been BJ's or it may have been Sam's Club. Thus, if you are interested in this product, keep in mind, the website is not the only place you can find it.

This review is in no way a compensated endorsement. My opinions are mine alone and I receive no monies or other renumeration from Keurig for this post.

When in the Course of Human Events ....

The Declaration of Independence. We all pretty much know how it goes, at least the beginning ...

"When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and
Happiness...."

Some people are so angry, they have taken this notion from the Declaration of Independence to issue an arrest warrant for George W. Bush. I found this interesting, even if I think it is a bit over the top.
An Arrest Warrant for George Bush