Friday, April 3, 2015

Questions and Control ... and Ten Things Of Thankful

SEE ALL TTOT POSTS HERE!!!!
So, if I was dead, and forty virgins approached me, would the pharmacist be laughing because he was out of Viagra?

Questions ... nonsensical in nature tend to fill my day, especially when nothing is going on and my mind, or what's left of it (after all the drugs my body has enjoyed over the decades) tends to wander.

Which brings up the question, "How does the brain wander when it's inside of an enclosed area atop one's neck?"

Getting older doesn't mean that one has all the answers.  In fact, it just gives a person time to develop more questions.  This is actually quite frustrating as wisdom comes from answers ... or does it?

God, another "chicken or the egg" concept!  "Okay children, what came first, the question or the answer?"

One might argue there would be no question if the answer didn't already exist.  Yet, that would create a debate in the realm of discoveries, and sooner or later someone would bring up scientific discoveries.  Like the "chicken or the egg", I don't think a clear answer exists.

So, what good are questions, anyway?

Well, if you're looking to control a conversation simply ask questions.  You've done it with your kids before, so why not use that principle when dealing with people that are giving you a hard time?  You know the system works.  Right?  So, why would you leave it behind and attempt to create a conflict?  Doesn't make any sense, does it?  Of course not.  And the one thing you pride yourself on is making sense.  Correct?  So, wouldn't utilizing the concept of asking questions to lead the opponent into the corner you wish them to end up (with the answer you wish to receive) make complete sense?

See what I mean?

Instead, people get all uptight and try to play the power game.  Then, someone gets upset and gets defensive.  Next, the other gets upset because of the defensiveness of the other one.  Pretty soon, both are fixed firm and no one gets what they want.  Just like two kids fighting over a video game and getting mad when the parent takes it away to keep them from fighting.  They both lose.

This can be used in all aspects of life.  Whether you're dealing with a spousal disagreement or a raise negotiation, questions can help you achieve your goal.

Try this the next time your spouse wants to do something you'd prefer not to do.

"I completely understand why you'd want to go.  You enjoy events like that, don't you?  Of course, you do.  It gives you a chance to get out and enjoy life a little.  You know I enjoy them, too, don't you?  Of course I do.  And, as long as they're taking place at a time that doesn't inconvenience you or inconvenience me, they're fine.  Right?  Now, you know we've got several things going on over the next few weeks, don't you?  And, you know that if we try to go to all of them, we're going to be tired and edgy.  And, I know I don't like it when you're edgy, and you don't like it when I'm edgy.  Right?  So, let's re-examine our next few weeks, make some tough decisions on what to attend and what to bypass, and spend the rest of the time getting some much needed rest and limit ourselves better so that we don't end up being sorry we pushed ourselves silly?  Fair enough?"

Or, you could simply say this.

"I don't give a damn what you want.  I'm tired and don't feel like going.  You just want to go and talk about everyone that's not there behind their backs anyway.  You always have to have your way, don't you?  Well, damn it, this time we're going to do what I want and stay home.  I don't care if you don't like it or not.  Call your mom if you don't like it.  You tell her every damn thing that goes on here anyway!"

See what I mean?  Divorce anyone?

In closing, I only have one question for you.


"How much wood could a woodchuck chuck
 if a woodchuck could chuck wood, or how much
ground could a groundhog grind if a groundhog
could grind ground?"


Anyway, let's move on to Ten Things of Thankful!

This week, I'm thankful for:


1)  Indiana's Brain Dead Legislature.  

How to you become the biggest state screw-up in the United States?  Come out with a "Freedom" bill that limits freedom!

This has been in the news all week, so I'm not going to go into detail about it.  In fact, I'm going to only examine the "whys" involved with coming up with such a bill.

One, many states already have this on the books, as the United States government came out with theirs in the mid-90's.  Indiana just did an extremely lousy job of writing theirs and giving full explanations. Since racism has been at the forefront of television news for the last couple of years, why not add sexual preferences to the fire and get more people involved in the newscasts that sensationalized this?

Let's be real, small town America is pissed off.  Most have very conservative viewpoints that are Christian based.  Between the Supreme Court, the U.S. Congress, and every lawyer with a bill to pay forcing changes down their throats, small town America feels picked on.  It's like their voices don't matter as long as the ACLU or NAACP gets their way.  Some states are beginning to feel the same way.

Is it right?  Of course not.  But, it's their way of life.  They stay in these areas because they find that most have the same values, attend the same churches, have children that attend the same schools, and enjoy the same county fairs.

These people hear about nativity scenes no longer being acceptable.  They have children that have died in a war with extremists, and they can't even wish people "Merry Christmas" and be politically correct.  Their lives are being changed by others and they feel cheated and wronged.

So, this is their way of fighting back.  Fighting for the lives they once had and want to have again.  They see others as uncaring asses that must have things their own way, and see them taking advantage of the Constitution in ways they feel our forefathers would never have imagined.

Wrong ... in the eyes of so many, but so right in their own.

When there is no tolerance, there will always be conflict and hate.  Perhaps, one day, all the haters will have died off and their offspring will look upon them as the last of the narrow-minded.


So much for being the last person on Earth.


2)  Vengeance of the Dead Mother-In-Law

There's nothing like a mother's love, unless it happens to be a mother's revenge.

74-year-old Stephen Woytack was cleaning up the grave of his deceased mother-in-law last week.  One might guess that the spirit over watching the late cleaning of the Christmas flowers and decorations was somewhat upset as the tombstone fell atop Stephen.  His wife ran to get help, but it arrived much too late.  Stephen had fell to her ire.

So, you'd imagine at least there was peace after death.  Right?

Wrong?

Perhaps Stephen's wife was as vindictive as her mother.  Stephen was buried in a grave right next to her.   On a dark night, one might here a faint voice.


"You schmuck, you never were good enough for my daughter!"


3)  Reject Rejects Rejection Of Reject
Girl applies to Duke University for admission.  Duke rejects girl.  Girl decides to write a letter rejecting Duke's rejection.


Ms. O'Dell demonstrated why Duke rejected her by submitting this letter. (Please notice the misuse of possessive pronoun in the first sentence, as well as other errors and omissions throughout.)  Perhaps, Ms. O'Dell would do best to first decide if her name is "Reece" or "Siobhan" before writing her next letter to the next school that rejects her.

What's sad is that the writer of the article this appeared in made no comment as to any screw-ups in Ms. O'Dell's grammar.  In fact, the writer could only discuss what a hit this letter was becoming on the web, and how much "intestinal fortitude" she displayed in doing this.


God, we're doomed to dumbasses bragging about dumbasses!


4)  Eye Doctor Fails Senator
New Jersey Democratic Senator Bob Menendez was charged this week with accepting over a million dollars worth of gifts for an exchange of political favors.

A federal grand jury states that Dr. Salomon Melgen, a wealthy Florida eye doctor, benefited greatly from the favors Menendez provided him.

One might think that an eye doctor would have better vision than to get caught doing this.  Then again, the only thing uncommon about this whole escapade is the fact they got caught.


So much for contacts.


5)  Stern Crapper Rapper
Tom Hanks has a son who believes himself to be a rapper.  So much so that he is living the life of one ... at least, between his meals at Hanks' multi million dollar home.

Howard Stern made some comments about this so called bad boy of rap.  Of course, Chet Hanks didn't like that.  He then utilized Twitter to start an all out attack against Stern.

At first, the tweets looked like this:  "Let me come up on your show b*tch," he wrote. "Come catch this fade ... have me live on the air and we can go pound for pound see who looks like the fool you dried up old c**t."

Then, they grew more threatening.  "Do you have any idea how badly I am going to assault you when I see you... You can't run from me forever knock knees... Listen. One day, maybe tomorrow, maybe 10 years from now, I am going to see you in person, and I am going to hurt you,"
 
I could go on demonstrating just how far a person can go on Twitter, but I believe you get the point.  Obviously, Chet Hanks is seeking publicity and Tom is allowing him to go after it.  Stern isn't saying much as I'm sure he doesn't wish to assist the wannabe thug in any manner.

Perhaps, Chet just needs direction.  Maybe a strong talking to.  Perhaps, even, a vacation on a quiet island just to think things out.


"Hey Wilson, are you busy?"

6)  Raises Blowing In The Wind(sor)?
Windsor Castle employees are ticked off.  They do all they're asked and barely make enough to live.  The average employee makes around $20,000 U.S. equivalency per year.

Walmart averages about the same pay schedule, and is now the number one employer in the United States.

Who said the Queen never learned anything from her U.S. visits?


7)  Cyber War: The Empire Strikes Back!
President Obama created a sanctions package to fight against cyberhackers this week.  It is designed to attack the hackers where it really hurts, and prevent overseas hackers from China and Russia from profiting from cyber theft.


It might work if our opposition ever stops laughing.

8)  Model Doesn't Have Model Behavior ...
                       Only Model Brains!
My wife is blonde.  She isn't the brightest star in the sky.  She admits this, so I must give her credit for having some intelligence.

Charlotte McKinney is the Hardee's / Carl Jr's model that was in the Superbowl commercial banned by many of the affiliates.  Her assets are her boobs, butt, and legs.  Her face is okay, but her head is somewhat empty.

Probably for exposure, she was chosen to be one of the contestants on the current season of Dancing With The Stars.  She exposed plenty, which probably helped her survive a week or two of eliminations.

However, after a week of ignoring practice and living on her cellphone, she was eliminated.  One of the judges, Bruno Tonioli, stated, You’re never going to win the Nobel Prize for Quantum Physics.”

Charlotte took offense.  
PC advocates took offense.  
Good Morning America took offense.


And all those that knew the truth had been spoken 
laughed their asses off.  

Isn't America Wonderful?

9)  Educating the Educators
Eleven public school educators were convicted this week of cheating on programmed testing and class scores.  They falsified exam scores to inflate test results in order to collect bonuses and keep their positions, which brought forth the racketeering charges against them.  Their sentences carry a penalty of up to twenty years of imprisonment.

It is reported that some mumbling took place as they were led away.

"That God D@#&#$, Mother F$#%$#$ Core Math!"

10)  Comment Leavers
Okay, in all seriousness, I love comments.  Whether they're good or bad, I love to read what you've got to say.  Take a few seconds and write down a few notes below.  All comments are answered as quickly as I can get to them and never ignored.



Ciao!




14 comments:

  1. Hey rich, was thinking of you when reading newspaper tonight. Do you ever get totally OD'd on news? I think I need to boycott it for a month or so. Its wearing me out.does that happen to you?

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    1. Hey Ivy, thanks for stopping in!

      Yes, I get wore out by the news. That's why I've changed this a little. Instead of all serious news, I've tried to interject more of the insane side the last couple of weeks. I started seeing that everything was sounding the same week after week and needed a refresher myself. So, I've switched a little. Don't know that it's working, though. Comments have really been down the last two weeks, and most of my views are coming from Google.

      Many Thanks!

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    2. I actually appreciate your list so much... I came back this week just to check out your response! I dont do that often ... I forget where Ive been.... hahhahaha!

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    3. Hey Ivy, good to see you! I'm taking a break right now from posting. I think I'm just burned out a little and need a break from it all. I blog for fun, and when it stops being that, it's time to step back and get another perspective. Appreciate you stopping in, though. I'll be back in the near future. Many Thanks!

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  2. Number three.. made my brain hurt. Like seriously hurt

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    1. Hi Erin! Appreciate you coming by!

      It was obvious why Duke rejected the young lady. It's scary that one who writes so ignorant of basic teachings feels she should be admitted to a quality university. If this is an example of our government's "no child gets behind" teaching, it truly proves my theory that it is instead "no child gets ahead" in reality.

      Plus, the obvious not being recognized by the writer of the article makes one wonder about what society is accepting as writing today. How could anyone envision this young lady as anything but ignorant, and brag about the fact she is blind to the fact? Is the writer the same as her?

      Many Thanks!

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  3. Regarding #1--I think the trouble comes when either side is unwilling to listen to the concerns of the other, or when, instead of talking about the real issues, the conversation resorts to name-calling. Complete agreement is not a requirement for friendship. I like what Dallin H. Oaks has said:

    1. “We claim for everyone the God-given and constitutional right to live their faith according to the dictates of their own conscience, without harming the health or safety of others.”

    2. “We acknowledge that the same freedom of conscience must apply to men and women everywhere to follow the religious faith of their choice, or none at all if they so choose.”

    3. “We believe laws ought to be framed to achieve a balance in protecting the freedoms of all people while respecting those with differing values.”

    4. “We reject persecution and retaliation of any kind, including persecution based on race, ethnicity, religious belief, economic circumstances, or differences in gender or sexual orientation.”

    “We call on local, state, and the federal government to serve all of their people by passing legislation that protects vital religious freedoms for individuals, families, churches, and other faith groups while also protecting the rights of our LGBT citizens in such areas as housing, employment, and public accommodation in hotels, restaurants, and transportation—protections which are not available in many parts of the country.”

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    1. Kristi, I love your comment!

      Let's be real. All religions are under attack these days. The word, according to the Bible, Koran or whatever, has been so twisted by the men teaching it that extremists are slanting it to serve their own purposes. From Jim & Tammy to Swaggart to Oral Roberts, Christians have been led so many different directions many have simply given up on what is and what isn't.

      Indiana, where I grew up, has always been a state filled with conservatives. That's one thing I used to appreciate about it. But, at the same time, it was one thing that always frustrated me, especially during the 60's. There was nothing like marching for civil rights in the state that held the national headquarters of the KKK.

      I actually understand all sides in this situation. No one wants to be forced into doing something they don't believe in. And, no one wants to be excluded because of what they believe in. Given this conflict, the ACLU has taken many matters to court that tolerance by either side would have allowed to be ignored. But, tolerance is quickly becoming a thing of the past.

      What upsets me is the hypocrisy involved. I think that is what the Indiana lawmakers had in mind when they put together their bill. It's as simple to explain as, "If you don't believe in Christ in Christmas, don't celebrate the holiday! Go to work for normal wage and don't accept or give gifts. To do anything else makes you a hypocrite."

      For several decades, Christians have been under attack. From nativity scene restrictions, schools no longer reciting the Pledge of Alligence due to its inclusion of "under God", to saying "Merry Christmas", everything they do supposedly upsets non believers and Muslims. Yet, they are now surrounded by movies, books, television programs, commercials and more that have virtually no moral value. In addition, while Christian practices are being condemned, Muslims have prayer demonstrations in the streets without any legal restrictions being enforced. It is a matter of "you can only hit me so many times before I make a stand", regardless of looking at the stand as right or wrong.

      I like Oaks' statement. It makes sense. It won't be adheared to as the extremists on both sides of the issue will want more and be unwilling to compromise. Why? As I said, tolerance is a word that might as well be extinct from our language. Sad, but true.

      Many Thanks!

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  4. First have to say I have discovered that as I get older I may not have all the answers but that is ok I don't give a rats ass any more and if I don't know the answer I just make something up......................ok I can't remember what the second thing was so I am leaving now

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    1. Jo-Anne, so good to see you here!

      I couldn't agree more. The answers are no longer relevant to the thinking of the day. Why? Because those younger were short changed the teaching that the older group experienced.

      Congress, a couple of decades ago, passed laws to support those 14 and younger that had children. Many, some would say most, of these mothers did not have proper teachings in the area of common sense, personal accountability, or factoring "right from wrong" to pass on to their newborns. Thus, they couldn't teach what they'd never been taught.

      Over this same time, school lesson plans and textbooks have been revised to only provide a basic understanding of history. The why's have been forsaken so that the government testing can be passed. So, in essence, our educational system is only providing basic data, instead of the full programming.

      What we're left with is a society of people that doesn't have the common sense, respect, or tolerance it takes to live together. It is truly the "I" Generation that feels as though they should have everything they want and no one else should have anything. The Internet has provided those that make no sense a voice to blast anything and anyone that doesn't believe as they do ... so stupidity now has a very loud voice. A voice that instead of it's owners listening and learning, only spouts its ignorance.

      Of course, governments love it. Stupidity is easy to manipulate. Over the last two decades, the U.S. government has taken away basic freedoms by using "fear" as its primary tool. Diversion is also a tactic they utilize by playing the manufacturing news stations for fools. If you doubt this, check out what gets passed in Congress the next time a "Zimmerman/Martin or Ferguson" news story goes crazy. You'll be surprised how Congress uses these to do as they wish.

      I don't know all the answers, like you, because common sense doesn't exist in a society that ignores it. It is absent in a society that craves selfishness and wealth instead of harmony and peace. It is absent in a society that for a minimum of 14 years has only known war as an answer. It is absent in a society that doesn't care about society.

      There are those few events that give you hope, but they're far and few between. Still, some glimmer of light is better than none.

      Really happy you stopped by! Many Thanks!

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  5. Ohhhmigosh I ADORE BRUNO! He's a judge on Strictly Come Dancing, too, and he is HILARIOUS.

    Indiana's new law SUCKS, and I hope it's soon overturned.

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    1. Hey, Sis. Good of you to visit.

      Bruno is a trip, but I think all the judges have become too full of themselves. Of course, it's like that on most of the reality shows so what the hell.

      I agree. They've made changes so hopefully all will be back to normal.

      Many Thanks!

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  6. Wasn't it nice of Arkansas to follow suit and enact the same kind of law as Indiana?!
    I was hoping to put "And Kentucky is playing for first place in the NCAA tournament tomorrow," but, well...

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    1. Hi Dyanne! Really good to see you.

      There's several states (13 or so) that already have this law on the books. I'm surprised that such ado was made of the one in Indiana. I need to go back and see what Washington did last week while our attention was devoted elsewhere, as that's usually when they do their most damage. lol

      I can't tell you how happy I am to see a Big Ten team knock off UK. It might sound selfish, but if you knew how much "we're better than you guys" I heard this year having attended IU and now living in Lexington, you'd understand. IU's 1976 undefeated season still holds the record. We'll see who attempts to break it next year. :)

      Many Thanks!

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