Though Australian Senators Barnaby Joyce and Guy Barnett would probably just assume I am a pedophile. Or maybe they would just assume I am "at risk" as it were, for pedophilia. The symptom? I happen to be rather fond of small breasts. But according to Joyce and Barnett, porn that includes small breasted women should be banned, because it encourages pedophilia.
I wish I were joking, but I am not. Along with their campaign against small breasted women, Joyce and Barnett are also going after what they call the "abhorrent" sex act of female ejaculation. Apparently believing this is somehow akin to urination, breaking the rules against depicting urination as a sex act. For the record, female ejaculate is most assuredly *not* urine.
Of course just as important as female ejaculate not being urine, is the fact that it shouldn't fucking matter. I am not personally interested in water sports/golden showers, but there are a lot of people who are. Some of them are really into it. And you know what? There is absolutely nothing wrong with that - nothing whatsoever.
Human sexuality is remarkably diverse - diverse and complicated. One of the ugliest complications is intense pressure towards a social norm. Mind you, this social norm is ever changing. What we are told we should be attracted to/get our kinks from changes pretty much constantly - never mind we are diverse and diversity means we are attracted to/get our kinks from many different things. This pressure to engage in this ever changing social norm creates a great deal of shame for a lot of people who happen to be into something else.
And of course when your fetish happens to be rather more atypical than most, that shame is just that much worse. People who have a bodily waste fetish are pretty much wide open to ridicule and disdain. People who are into latex fare little better. People who are huge into being abused - about the same. People who are into providing the abuse - just vile excuses for human beings. People who are into feet, fur, vegetables or power tools - complete and utter freaks.
Only they are most certainly not. They are no more or less than part of the diverse web of human sexuality. Some engaging in sex acts that are only marginally about what most people think of as sex or sexual fulfillment. Sex is beautiful, diverse, complicated, fascinating and wonderful. That is not to say it doesn't have an ugly side. Nonconsentual sexuality is just plain unacceptable and steps should be taken to ensure that people who would engage in it are comfortable with getting the help they need not to - before they cannot control the drive to act on it. But outside of that, sexual diversity is a beautiful thing.
Certainly not something that we need a government trying to control.
(more or less a HT to Pharyngula's never ending thread - though Juniper pointed me to the article, not the post)
Showing posts with label Fucking Morons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fucking Morons. Show all posts
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Monday, October 5, 2009
PETA - You Bastards!!!!!!!11!!1!111!!!
I am looking into where we can send funds for the freedom ranch...
Advocacy Group Decries PETA's Inhumane Treatment Of Women
Advocacy Group Decries PETA's Inhumane Treatment Of Women
Friday, September 18, 2009
Please, If You're Going to Blog, Blog the way *I* Like...
I happen to rather adore Scicurious and one of the reasons I adore Sci so much, is because she refers to herself in the first person (err, DuWayne meant third person, thanks LM). It certainly isn't the only reason I like to pop over there now and then, but it is part of her voice - her style - and I rather like her voice and style. But apparently some people don't - people who don't believe they were rude to mention as much in the comments of a review she wrote.
These commenters were rather shocked, when their "polite" critiques of Sci's style weren't particularly appreciated. Well, what would you think if you were entertaining some guests and explaining something, when one of them explained that they really don't like the way you express yourself? Personally, I am the kind of asshole who would mock their dumbass, as I booted them out the door. More reasonable people than I, would probably just be mortified at being insulted like that in their own home - however else they reacted.
Someone with the handle "The Blind Watcher" felt that the reactions to these jackasses was way too rude. He made a couple of comments, the last of which I had responded to a couple of weeks ago and then came back with this:
This isn't a book or some column in the paper - it's a fucking blog. More to the point, this one is mine - just as Neurotopia is Sci's. I am here to express myself and mostly, to have a conversation - not to win journalism awards or sell books. Sometimes I just write things here, that I can refer to later - such as my posts on moral relativism. And I occasionally post papers I write for class, mostly because I loathe the notion of wasting hours of writing on an audience of one - I figure it is better to reach at least a dozen or so folks for my effort.
And you DO NOT HAVE TO READ blogs you don't like. Don't complain to the blogger that you would prefer they express themselves differently - just find blogs by people who express themselves in ways you appreciate. Don't presume to think that any blogger actually gives a fuck what you think about their style or, worse, what they write about.
The thing that I get emails about on occasion, is my sometimes gratuitous use of the word fuck. Invariably they start off with how much they appreciate what I have to say a lot of the time, but are really turned off by my strong language. If you feel that way, I am honestly sorry that your narrow mind can't get past a little profanity and appreciate the substance. I respect your feelings - I really do. But who the fuck are you to tell me how to talk? This is a conversation, not a formal journalism venue or a formal venue for anything. This is a place where people are pretty much free to say what they will about the topics I write about (as long as they actually use a handle of some sort and don't spam me with tons of bullshit) - regardless of how they talk or what their opinion happens to be.
Most importantly, this is a place where I can express myself and say what I think - talk about how I feel. I am not writing for YOU, I am mostly writing for ME. And I am writing for my friends. I honestly and truly don't care how you feel about the way that I write or what I write about. I write about what I feel like writing about and occasionally take requests - though you need to understand that I am not always able to write those requests. I am not really concerned that you don't like a particular topic I decide to write about. And I while I actually do care if I make you uncomfortable when I write about certain topics (such as identity issues), I only care because making people a bit uncomfortable is the goal.
No one is forcing you to read my blog or Sci's - or anyfuckingone else's. And if you are incapable of filtering out bloggers who annoy you - that is your problem, not theirs. Don't like a Seed science blogger - don't feel it is appropriate for them to be blogging under that collective - complain to the folks at Seed, not to the bloggers they invited to blog there. Just keep in mind that it is unlikely to have the desired result - Seed invited them to blog there, not you. They might be a little more polite about it than I am, but I wouldn't count on them being very nice and they will say essentially the same thing - go fuck yourself.
Or, perversely, you could just Get Your Own Motherfucking Blog Asshole!!!11!!1!1!1!!!!
These commenters were rather shocked, when their "polite" critiques of Sci's style weren't particularly appreciated. Well, what would you think if you were entertaining some guests and explaining something, when one of them explained that they really don't like the way you express yourself? Personally, I am the kind of asshole who would mock their dumbass, as I booted them out the door. More reasonable people than I, would probably just be mortified at being insulted like that in their own home - however else they reacted.
Someone with the handle "The Blind Watcher" felt that the reactions to these jackasses was way too rude. He made a couple of comments, the last of which I had responded to a couple of weeks ago and then came back with this:
I don't quite understand how you've arrived at the point in which criticism must stop? What am I missing? If someone reviews a book of, say Richard Dawkins, the style will be a major part of it. It might even be lambasted for it. Why should that be so obviously "out of bounds" here?Apparently, Sci should not be a Seed Scienceblogger - because some fucking asshole who seems to lack any understanding of what blogging is about, can't be bothered to filter her out. I responded over there, but wanted to take a moment to respond to it here - especially as I occasionally get emails about my own blogging.
If I understand this situation, we need a warning "Please don't criticize writing style in our blogs, it's rude and unacceptable and we'll reply with nasty, condescending comments specifically tailored not just insult you but to express at length your lack of intelligence and insignificance in the world"
This blog is part of ScienceBlogs, I expect a thick skin and a basic level of professionalism from all blog authors. If you can't hack it, then get the fuck off this Blog roll - I can't be bothered filtering you out.
This isn't a book or some column in the paper - it's a fucking blog. More to the point, this one is mine - just as Neurotopia is Sci's. I am here to express myself and mostly, to have a conversation - not to win journalism awards or sell books. Sometimes I just write things here, that I can refer to later - such as my posts on moral relativism. And I occasionally post papers I write for class, mostly because I loathe the notion of wasting hours of writing on an audience of one - I figure it is better to reach at least a dozen or so folks for my effort.
And you DO NOT HAVE TO READ blogs you don't like. Don't complain to the blogger that you would prefer they express themselves differently - just find blogs by people who express themselves in ways you appreciate. Don't presume to think that any blogger actually gives a fuck what you think about their style or, worse, what they write about.
The thing that I get emails about on occasion, is my sometimes gratuitous use of the word fuck. Invariably they start off with how much they appreciate what I have to say a lot of the time, but are really turned off by my strong language. If you feel that way, I am honestly sorry that your narrow mind can't get past a little profanity and appreciate the substance. I respect your feelings - I really do. But who the fuck are you to tell me how to talk? This is a conversation, not a formal journalism venue or a formal venue for anything. This is a place where people are pretty much free to say what they will about the topics I write about (as long as they actually use a handle of some sort and don't spam me with tons of bullshit) - regardless of how they talk or what their opinion happens to be.
Most importantly, this is a place where I can express myself and say what I think - talk about how I feel. I am not writing for YOU, I am mostly writing for ME. And I am writing for my friends. I honestly and truly don't care how you feel about the way that I write or what I write about. I write about what I feel like writing about and occasionally take requests - though you need to understand that I am not always able to write those requests. I am not really concerned that you don't like a particular topic I decide to write about. And I while I actually do care if I make you uncomfortable when I write about certain topics (such as identity issues), I only care because making people a bit uncomfortable is the goal.
No one is forcing you to read my blog or Sci's - or anyfuckingone else's. And if you are incapable of filtering out bloggers who annoy you - that is your problem, not theirs. Don't like a Seed science blogger - don't feel it is appropriate for them to be blogging under that collective - complain to the folks at Seed, not to the bloggers they invited to blog there. Just keep in mind that it is unlikely to have the desired result - Seed invited them to blog there, not you. They might be a little more polite about it than I am, but I wouldn't count on them being very nice and they will say essentially the same thing - go fuck yourself.
Or, perversely, you could just Get Your Own Motherfucking Blog Asshole!!!11!!1!1!1!!!!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Pedantic Asshats Who Piss People Off
So I am rather heavily involved in the total derailment of a thread over at Ed's, about gay marriage in MA. Early on there were some comments about the nature of morality and the next thing you know there are exponentially more comments discussing the nature of morality, than there are about gay marriage. I am going to write a more detailed post about morality a little later, but wanted to point out a couple of comments that were both unnecessary and blatantly wrong.
abb3w tries to tell us that morality is not about how people behave, when every definition of morality contradicts that assertion. There are definitions that transcend human behavior, but the claim that morality has nothing to do with human behavior is patently absurd. Even more absurd is the notion that because ethics covers very similar ground, this somehow precludes morality from the equation. Ironic, because ethics is the philosophical branch that basically discusses applied morality. That is a oversimplification, but basically accurate.
And then GD comes to explain that us moral relativists are completely ignorant of morality theory. He explains that moral relativity is only defined as the prospect that the majority moral framework within a given culture is the correct one and that anyone within that culture who doesn't subscribe is wrong. His implication is that those who embrace moral relativism, are embracing the view that other moral frames are just as valid as ones own, in the context of their cultural paradigm. Now setting aside for a moment that this is only one accepted definition of moral relativism, it is also wrong.
In the context of a given culture and the generalized moral frame of that culture, moral relativism merely recognizes that different cultures have different generalized moral frames. It is value neutral in that it doesn't suggest we should or should not accept those other moral frames as legitimate or valid. It merely recognizes that there are no universal moral axioms and in this context, uses the fact that different cultures operate under different moral frames as evidence of this.
But that is not the whole of the concept of moral relativism. I have been using it just as validly, when I have been using it in the context of individual moral frames. I didn't always use the term to describe my position, that morality is not only relative to a given culture, but also to the individual. I didn't think that the term cultural relativism was the accurate term to use, until a friend suggested that I check out Sartre and his position on morality. He is generally considered a moral relativist and guess what? His position on morality is pretty much the same as mine. So from then on, I stopped referring to my position as relative morality and adopted the proper term.
Shorter DuWayne to pedantic asshats...
Fuck you morons.
abb3w tries to tell us that morality is not about how people behave, when every definition of morality contradicts that assertion. There are definitions that transcend human behavior, but the claim that morality has nothing to do with human behavior is patently absurd. Even more absurd is the notion that because ethics covers very similar ground, this somehow precludes morality from the equation. Ironic, because ethics is the philosophical branch that basically discusses applied morality. That is a oversimplification, but basically accurate.
And then GD comes to explain that us moral relativists are completely ignorant of morality theory. He explains that moral relativity is only defined as the prospect that the majority moral framework within a given culture is the correct one and that anyone within that culture who doesn't subscribe is wrong. His implication is that those who embrace moral relativism, are embracing the view that other moral frames are just as valid as ones own, in the context of their cultural paradigm. Now setting aside for a moment that this is only one accepted definition of moral relativism, it is also wrong.
In the context of a given culture and the generalized moral frame of that culture, moral relativism merely recognizes that different cultures have different generalized moral frames. It is value neutral in that it doesn't suggest we should or should not accept those other moral frames as legitimate or valid. It merely recognizes that there are no universal moral axioms and in this context, uses the fact that different cultures operate under different moral frames as evidence of this.
But that is not the whole of the concept of moral relativism. I have been using it just as validly, when I have been using it in the context of individual moral frames. I didn't always use the term to describe my position, that morality is not only relative to a given culture, but also to the individual. I didn't think that the term cultural relativism was the accurate term to use, until a friend suggested that I check out Sartre and his position on morality. He is generally considered a moral relativist and guess what? His position on morality is pretty much the same as mine. So from then on, I stopped referring to my position as relative morality and adopted the proper term.
Shorter DuWayne to pedantic asshats...
Fuck you morons.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The problem of puppies...
Updated...
I am here for my first day of the new semester, a semester that is seeing more than a fifteen percent increase in enrollment over last year. It shows...
There a fucking puppies everywhere and a great many of them are complete fucking morons, absorbed so thoroughly in their own little bullshit that they simply can't be bothered by a semblance of common courtesy. I am looking forward to the next couple of weeks, wherein a substantial percentage of them will be getting the hell out of here and out of everyone elses way.
There are simply to many of them, for one thing. They are milling about, bewildered and confused - talking on cell phones while trying to find their next class - stopping abruptly midstream when they realize that their classroom was five doors or so back. And having the gall to be grumpy when the hapless victim of their stupidity right behind them walks into their dumbass.
Speaking of cell phones - bad enough are the fucking assholes who didn't turn their ringer off before class. We actually had a fucking jackass in my intro philosophy who answered the damned thing. Seriously... It is irritating enough that people feel the need to whisper to each other in class (though that was thankfully not much of an issue this morning) - is it too much to ask that you turn the fucking phone off? Is it unreasonable to consider yanking the fucking phone out of the moron's hand and throw it out a window?
Is it unreasonable to just walk right through the next fucking moron on their phone who stops abruptly in front of me, because they can't be bothered to, you know - pay fucking attention to where they are going?
Other than that, good day so far...
Update: And then, when I am leaving...
There is a HUGE stream of traffic and because of the way that things are laid out, it is not easy to move that much traffic out of there. Going towards the main entrance is extremely slow going. That and the fact that the back entrance is actually on the street I take home, is why I don't use it. So I was trying to get out of my aisle and go the opposite direction to everyone else - unfortunately, this means taking a left turn out of the aisle.
The people who were already on the strip heading out, were mostly being very reasonable. With few exceptions, everyone was letting one person out before they passed. Then I got to the end myself - with my left turn signal on, making sure they all know that I am not even trying to get in the same stream they are in. The person who was next on the strip got seriously pissed off when I cut in front of her to make my turn. Mind you, the traffic on that strip is going very slowly. The only place she could actually go, was in front of me, blocking me from getting out. And she would be sitting there for several moments before the line edged up again.
But I am a horrible fucking driver, because I insisted on making my left turn BEFORE she blocked the fucking aisle.
I am here for my first day of the new semester, a semester that is seeing more than a fifteen percent increase in enrollment over last year. It shows...
There a fucking puppies everywhere and a great many of them are complete fucking morons, absorbed so thoroughly in their own little bullshit that they simply can't be bothered by a semblance of common courtesy. I am looking forward to the next couple of weeks, wherein a substantial percentage of them will be getting the hell out of here and out of everyone elses way.
There are simply to many of them, for one thing. They are milling about, bewildered and confused - talking on cell phones while trying to find their next class - stopping abruptly midstream when they realize that their classroom was five doors or so back. And having the gall to be grumpy when the hapless victim of their stupidity right behind them walks into their dumbass.
Speaking of cell phones - bad enough are the fucking assholes who didn't turn their ringer off before class. We actually had a fucking jackass in my intro philosophy who answered the damned thing. Seriously... It is irritating enough that people feel the need to whisper to each other in class (though that was thankfully not much of an issue this morning) - is it too much to ask that you turn the fucking phone off? Is it unreasonable to consider yanking the fucking phone out of the moron's hand and throw it out a window?
Is it unreasonable to just walk right through the next fucking moron on their phone who stops abruptly in front of me, because they can't be bothered to, you know - pay fucking attention to where they are going?
Other than that, good day so far...
Update: And then, when I am leaving...
There is a HUGE stream of traffic and because of the way that things are laid out, it is not easy to move that much traffic out of there. Going towards the main entrance is extremely slow going. That and the fact that the back entrance is actually on the street I take home, is why I don't use it. So I was trying to get out of my aisle and go the opposite direction to everyone else - unfortunately, this means taking a left turn out of the aisle.
The people who were already on the strip heading out, were mostly being very reasonable. With few exceptions, everyone was letting one person out before they passed. Then I got to the end myself - with my left turn signal on, making sure they all know that I am not even trying to get in the same stream they are in. The person who was next on the strip got seriously pissed off when I cut in front of her to make my turn. Mind you, the traffic on that strip is going very slowly. The only place she could actually go, was in front of me, blocking me from getting out. And she would be sitting there for several moments before the line edged up again.
But I am a horrible fucking driver, because I insisted on making my left turn BEFORE she blocked the fucking aisle.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Never Go For The Lowball
I am currently busy with the roof of the matriarch of one of my closest friend's family. It was roofed less than five fucking years ago and has had problems ever since - problems that have gotten increasingly worse. I have finally gotten around to taking it apart - days before my fall semester starts - and what I have found is verging on fucking criminal. These assholes made mistakes on this roof that were obvious enough, that I doubt a single reader of this blog would not have recognized them as major fuckups.
If you get a bid for work on your home - especially the roof, electric or plumbing, that is more than fifteen to twenty percent lower than the next lowest bid (assuming the next was from a yellow pages, licensed contractor - most states require the license number on any adverts) don't go there. Do not get excited at the notion of saving big money, because when you have to hire someone else to come along and fix everything that got fucked up (or in the case of electric, burned up) you are going to lose those savings and some. It is expensive to get that shit taken care of later - so just don't fucking do it.
At the very least, someone working for that much less is not carrying insurance. There is simply no way that someone can actually charge that little and be covering necessary overhead. In some states an exception might be a licensed handyperson, but if you are talking about a relatively large job, that work won't be covered by the handyperson's insurance - though again, there are some exceptions. But, even as someone who used to work as a handyperson, it is just not worth the risk. I hate to say it, because I was perfectly capable of jobs that I took on - I did what my clients wanted and at a reasonable price. But in that, I was exceptional. For every one of the people like me out there, there are a few dozen who are just going to fuck your shit up...
Sorry it has to be like that, but that is reality.
If you get a bid for work on your home - especially the roof, electric or plumbing, that is more than fifteen to twenty percent lower than the next lowest bid (assuming the next was from a yellow pages, licensed contractor - most states require the license number on any adverts) don't go there. Do not get excited at the notion of saving big money, because when you have to hire someone else to come along and fix everything that got fucked up (or in the case of electric, burned up) you are going to lose those savings and some. It is expensive to get that shit taken care of later - so just don't fucking do it.
At the very least, someone working for that much less is not carrying insurance. There is simply no way that someone can actually charge that little and be covering necessary overhead. In some states an exception might be a licensed handyperson, but if you are talking about a relatively large job, that work won't be covered by the handyperson's insurance - though again, there are some exceptions. But, even as someone who used to work as a handyperson, it is just not worth the risk. I hate to say it, because I was perfectly capable of jobs that I took on - I did what my clients wanted and at a reasonable price. But in that, I was exceptional. For every one of the people like me out there, there are a few dozen who are just going to fuck your shit up...
Sorry it has to be like that, but that is reality.
Friday, August 21, 2009
Of Fish Hatcheries, French Fries and Butterflies
People and their fucking sense of entitlement is such an ass-sucking pain sometimes. People and their ways of fucking up their children for the rest of society to deal with is becoming an increasing pet peeve of mine.
The other day the wonderful Juniper and I were at the Kalamazoo Nature Center, where we witnessed a horrible example of parenting with her female spawn. She was in the process of giving the rest of us two young girls who don't believe that the rules apply to them. They were capturing butterflies, you see, as well as picking bits of flowers so they could smell them closer.
Contrast this with my upbringing at the KNC, where I was taught that if it is alive, we leave it alone and if it is dead, we put it back where we found it when we are done checking it out. This was not a polite suggestion, this was the rule if we wanted to be welcome back to the KNC. And given the amount of time I spent there as a child, not being welcome would have been traumatic to say the least.
Now we just returned from a jaunt to the Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery. The interpretive center is closed on Fridays at the moment, due to funding issues - which apparently means they can't leave the fucking fish food vending machine out by the show pond. This did not deter one pathetic excuse for a family from deciding to feed the fish, they just ran back to the car (or waddled, such as it was) to grab some leftover McDonald's fries. Never mind the big, bold sign on the end of the dock that admonishes people not to throw that kind of stuff to the fish - these people are above the fucking rules and we can thank them for teaching their children to be as well.
And let's not forget our run to South Haven yesterday, to visit Lake Michigan. It was no longer particularly stormy when we got there (a bummer actually, as storms off the lake are fucking awesome), but the waves were pretty intense. Suicide to be on the water like that - but that didn't stop a couple folks from letting their small children out into the waves. Thankfully we weren't around to see any of them drown - possibly none of them did. But if they didn't, it was not thanks to their braindead motherfucking parents.
At least I didn't have my kids with me for this shit. Because nothing says fun like explaining to your own children that we aren't going to do this or that, only to see other children doing these things that are impolite or just plain fucking wrong. My boys are used to watching other children do things they aren't allowed to and eldest actually remembers observing a few situations over the years, wherein a child or more provided him with a great example of why papa said no. But even those memories don't always compensate for the lack of a chance to do what they really wanted to do. But they are my boys and I will be damned if I am going to raise them that badly. I am far from the worlds best papa - I am a pretty good fuck up at times, but I will be totally fucked if my boys are going to grow up as completely fucked as all that.
The other day the wonderful Juniper and I were at the Kalamazoo Nature Center, where we witnessed a horrible example of parenting with her female spawn. She was in the process of giving the rest of us two young girls who don't believe that the rules apply to them. They were capturing butterflies, you see, as well as picking bits of flowers so they could smell them closer.
Contrast this with my upbringing at the KNC, where I was taught that if it is alive, we leave it alone and if it is dead, we put it back where we found it when we are done checking it out. This was not a polite suggestion, this was the rule if we wanted to be welcome back to the KNC. And given the amount of time I spent there as a child, not being welcome would have been traumatic to say the least.
Now we just returned from a jaunt to the Wolf Lake Fish Hatchery. The interpretive center is closed on Fridays at the moment, due to funding issues - which apparently means they can't leave the fucking fish food vending machine out by the show pond. This did not deter one pathetic excuse for a family from deciding to feed the fish, they just ran back to the car (or waddled, such as it was) to grab some leftover McDonald's fries. Never mind the big, bold sign on the end of the dock that admonishes people not to throw that kind of stuff to the fish - these people are above the fucking rules and we can thank them for teaching their children to be as well.
And let's not forget our run to South Haven yesterday, to visit Lake Michigan. It was no longer particularly stormy when we got there (a bummer actually, as storms off the lake are fucking awesome), but the waves were pretty intense. Suicide to be on the water like that - but that didn't stop a couple folks from letting their small children out into the waves. Thankfully we weren't around to see any of them drown - possibly none of them did. But if they didn't, it was not thanks to their braindead motherfucking parents.
At least I didn't have my kids with me for this shit. Because nothing says fun like explaining to your own children that we aren't going to do this or that, only to see other children doing these things that are impolite or just plain fucking wrong. My boys are used to watching other children do things they aren't allowed to and eldest actually remembers observing a few situations over the years, wherein a child or more provided him with a great example of why papa said no. But even those memories don't always compensate for the lack of a chance to do what they really wanted to do. But they are my boys and I will be damned if I am going to raise them that badly. I am far from the worlds best papa - I am a pretty good fuck up at times, but I will be totally fucked if my boys are going to grow up as completely fucked as all that.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Bloody Hells, Am I Glad That's Over...
The fucking semester from hell, which officially ended last Thursday, is now finally over. I took my psych final this morning (it only posted this morning) and sold the book they would buy...
Unfortunately, I take the boys back to TN tomorrow. There is other sad news too, but I am loathe to talk about it quite yet - though it will all be fine in the end.
On the upside, I am going to have a little time to write more and get some more of my anthro papers posted, as well as a couple other papers that will actually get expanded a bit.
The first is a summary and opinion on a Community Mental Health board meeting I attended - something I will be doing for the foreseeable future. I will be highlighting in detail, just how fucked this great state of Michigan really is. County CMH's will be seeing anywhere from dramatic, to catastrophic funding cuts, at a time when we are going to be releasing a rather large number of felons who would continue to be in state correctional facilities, were it not for the fact that those facilities are being closed. So they will be ending up the responsibility of the counties and many of them will end up getting priority over people in the community who have lost jobs and who have no way to cover mental health care costs. Stay tuned - because I am more than a little fucking pissed about how this is all working out.
The second is a discussion of the film Out of the Shadows. This was possibly the greatest movie that I will NEVER watch again (not the greatest mind, just the greatest I really can't handle seeing again). It is a very hard film to watch, especially when you can sit there and relate to a great deal of what Millie is going through and what her daughters have and are going through. When you realize the difference is degrees and expressions...
I am becoming one morose motherfucker, but I am also pretty fucking angry, as there have been several well reasoned discussions about atheism and some less than reasoned responses from "moderate" theists and some very unmoderate, lying sacks of shit for Jesus...Stephanie has the roundup and I will be getting on that motherfucker on my way back from TN. That would be a ten hour drive - I can express a lot of irritation in ten motherfucking hours...Though I will probably be filling some of that with light entertainment.
And I will probably fill some of that with a write up about how Greg is yet again, wrong.
Unfortunately, I take the boys back to TN tomorrow. There is other sad news too, but I am loathe to talk about it quite yet - though it will all be fine in the end.
On the upside, I am going to have a little time to write more and get some more of my anthro papers posted, as well as a couple other papers that will actually get expanded a bit.
The first is a summary and opinion on a Community Mental Health board meeting I attended - something I will be doing for the foreseeable future. I will be highlighting in detail, just how fucked this great state of Michigan really is. County CMH's will be seeing anywhere from dramatic, to catastrophic funding cuts, at a time when we are going to be releasing a rather large number of felons who would continue to be in state correctional facilities, were it not for the fact that those facilities are being closed. So they will be ending up the responsibility of the counties and many of them will end up getting priority over people in the community who have lost jobs and who have no way to cover mental health care costs. Stay tuned - because I am more than a little fucking pissed about how this is all working out.
The second is a discussion of the film Out of the Shadows. This was possibly the greatest movie that I will NEVER watch again (not the greatest mind, just the greatest I really can't handle seeing again). It is a very hard film to watch, especially when you can sit there and relate to a great deal of what Millie is going through and what her daughters have and are going through. When you realize the difference is degrees and expressions...
I am becoming one morose motherfucker, but I am also pretty fucking angry, as there have been several well reasoned discussions about atheism and some less than reasoned responses from "moderate" theists and some very unmoderate, lying sacks of shit for Jesus...Stephanie has the roundup and I will be getting on that motherfucker on my way back from TN. That would be a ten hour drive - I can express a lot of irritation in ten motherfucking hours...Though I will probably be filling some of that with light entertainment.
And I will probably fill some of that with a write up about how Greg is yet again, wrong.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Yes, I am alive...
It's nice to know that I'm loved...Seriously - I appreciate emails from people wondering if I'm alright - especially from people who have never actually communicated with me before. So yes, I am alive and mostly alright.
I am currently in TN with my boys for the weekend--eldest wanted me here for fathers day. I am also brutally fucking busy and will probably be too busy to get a lot written over the next few weeks. I am going to do what I can, but I have been really stressed and honestly, reading the blogs has been making it worse lately, so avoidance has been key for the last week.
I am fucking pissed at our fucking government, which I expected to be. I just didn't expect to be angry about the things that I am. I was honestly hopeful that I would be pissed because things that I happen to believe in would be done badly or halfassed. Never - never in a million fucking years did I expect to actually be considering whether we might not be better off with a president McCain, tempered by an opposition congress.
But I am.
Not even his first motherfucking SCOTUS pick is looking any better than someone that a president McCain would have picked. And given everything else that this sick fucking excuse for an administration has fucked us up the ass without lube about, that was about all I had left.
I am grateful that he has made science a priority. But that is hard to weigh against the outright destruction that this motherfucker has done to our justice system - a system already fucking broken. But hey, we really didn't need to protect the rights of suspects to be free from the pressure of law enforcement to waive their right to counsel during questioning - as long as they've been charged and are now considered a defendant.
Obama is a fucking disgrace and our circle jerk fucking congress is absolutely fucking pointless. These shit eating bastards are no better than the fucking republicans. At least the republicans actually throw their constituency more fucking bones than these fucking scumbags do...
I am currently in TN with my boys for the weekend--eldest wanted me here for fathers day. I am also brutally fucking busy and will probably be too busy to get a lot written over the next few weeks. I am going to do what I can, but I have been really stressed and honestly, reading the blogs has been making it worse lately, so avoidance has been key for the last week.
I am fucking pissed at our fucking government, which I expected to be. I just didn't expect to be angry about the things that I am. I was honestly hopeful that I would be pissed because things that I happen to believe in would be done badly or halfassed. Never - never in a million fucking years did I expect to actually be considering whether we might not be better off with a president McCain, tempered by an opposition congress.
But I am.
Not even his first motherfucking SCOTUS pick is looking any better than someone that a president McCain would have picked. And given everything else that this sick fucking excuse for an administration has fucked us up the ass without lube about, that was about all I had left.
I am grateful that he has made science a priority. But that is hard to weigh against the outright destruction that this motherfucker has done to our justice system - a system already fucking broken. But hey, we really didn't need to protect the rights of suspects to be free from the pressure of law enforcement to waive their right to counsel during questioning - as long as they've been charged and are now considered a defendant.
Obama is a fucking disgrace and our circle jerk fucking congress is absolutely fucking pointless. These shit eating bastards are no better than the fucking republicans. At least the republicans actually throw their constituency more fucking bones than these fucking scumbags do...
Saturday, June 6, 2009
When Not To Hire A Handyman...
Every time I do something to repair the fucking bullshit my parent's old handyman did to their house, I mean to write this post. I finally am getting to it - though this most recent foray, is not quite as egregious as what this fucking moron did to their roof...
I hate to say this, given that I have spent much of my working life as a handyman and larger jobs were pretty critical to my survival. And because I know what I am capable of, I know that it's not an absolute generalization - not even close. But when you need a large scale repair done, or you need some remodeling done - do not hire a handyman.
Because for every handyman out there who can actually handle such jobs, there are probably five or six who will take the job knowing that they really can't - or thinking they can when they can't. And while general contractors, or even trade specific contractors aren't always up to snuff either, you are generally a lot more likely to get quality work. Especially if you follow a few simple rules when choosing a contractor...
1) Get at least three estimates and don't assume that because someone charges for the estimate, they must be good. Honestly, the majority of contractors who charge for bids aren't capable of covering their margins - the time spent on estimates should be part of their overhead. So if they're charging, it tends to be a red flag as far as I'm concerned.
2) Do not even consider estimates that are more than fifteen percent lower than the next lowest bid. There is a fair amount of wiggle room, but that is a huge red flag. Odds are if they can afford to knock that much off, they aren't covering critical expenses such as insurance or workman's comp. And in a lot of jurisdictions that passes the liability on to the homeowner. You are certainly within your rights to sue the contractor after the fact, but regardless of the judgment, odds are not favorable for a reasonable outcome.
3) Ask for references that will let you see work the contractor has done. This is not always possible - for example I did a lot of work for people who quite specifically wanted to keep it unique and while they were happy to give gushing recommendations, most of them weren't keen on letting potential clients see the really cool stuff I did. Volume counted at that point - that and the vast majority of my jobs were referrals - so potential clients probably have seen the work. Which brings us to...
4) Talk to friends and co-workers, look for referrals. Contractors love referrals because it provides them with security. The reverse is also true - you get a little more security knowing that your contractor did work for someone you know and it worked out well for them. Not perfect, but it is a hell of a lot better than the yellow pages.
5) Don't hire a contractor who isn't interested in spending the time to make sure you are getting what you want, or doesn't want to provide you with as much understanding of the problem/solution, as you want. If they aren't willing to talk about it, it is that much more likely you aren't going to be happy with the results.
6) Do not pay more than 35% up front. This is generally enough to cover materials and some of the labor, so the contractor knows that if you don't pay, they aren't left holding a massive loss. There are exceptions - times when material costs are a significantly higher percentage of total bid - if you are, for example, putting in Italian marble counter-tops, expect to pay a lot more up front. Getting a water-heater installed is probably going to be a similar issue. But when that is the case, the contractor will go over the material costs - if they don't, don't hire them. It should also be noted that for really large scale jobs, there may be a payment schedule. This is not uncommon and is quite often necessary for the contractors survival. When there is a payment schedule, it should be explicitly defined in the contract - various stages of the job will require certain payments. This should not be stated as percentages, the payments should be clearly delineated.
7) Do not hire friends, unless they have a solid reputation in the field you are hiring them for. And if you do hire friends, still get other bids so you have a very clear perspective on the job and your friends competency. Friendships are severely shaken on a regular basis, because of a variety of issues. Sometimes a friend will feel they have more leeway with you, time and even quality wise. Others will bite off more than they can chew, because they want to "take care of you." I'm not saying just don't do it - but if you do expect potential problems and accept that this may end that friendship. The same applies to family - only more so.
And finally, if the work is completed and looks like shit, or is otherwise un-satisfactory, don't pay the balance and get another contractor in to see the work as it stands. Do not be afraid to take the contractor to court if they fucked you - you won't get the money you spent back, but it can keep you from being required to cover the balance due and the contractor from putting a lien on your property.
I hate to say this, given that I have spent much of my working life as a handyman and larger jobs were pretty critical to my survival. And because I know what I am capable of, I know that it's not an absolute generalization - not even close. But when you need a large scale repair done, or you need some remodeling done - do not hire a handyman.
Because for every handyman out there who can actually handle such jobs, there are probably five or six who will take the job knowing that they really can't - or thinking they can when they can't. And while general contractors, or even trade specific contractors aren't always up to snuff either, you are generally a lot more likely to get quality work. Especially if you follow a few simple rules when choosing a contractor...
1) Get at least three estimates and don't assume that because someone charges for the estimate, they must be good. Honestly, the majority of contractors who charge for bids aren't capable of covering their margins - the time spent on estimates should be part of their overhead. So if they're charging, it tends to be a red flag as far as I'm concerned.
2) Do not even consider estimates that are more than fifteen percent lower than the next lowest bid. There is a fair amount of wiggle room, but that is a huge red flag. Odds are if they can afford to knock that much off, they aren't covering critical expenses such as insurance or workman's comp. And in a lot of jurisdictions that passes the liability on to the homeowner. You are certainly within your rights to sue the contractor after the fact, but regardless of the judgment, odds are not favorable for a reasonable outcome.
3) Ask for references that will let you see work the contractor has done. This is not always possible - for example I did a lot of work for people who quite specifically wanted to keep it unique and while they were happy to give gushing recommendations, most of them weren't keen on letting potential clients see the really cool stuff I did. Volume counted at that point - that and the vast majority of my jobs were referrals - so potential clients probably have seen the work. Which brings us to...
4) Talk to friends and co-workers, look for referrals. Contractors love referrals because it provides them with security. The reverse is also true - you get a little more security knowing that your contractor did work for someone you know and it worked out well for them. Not perfect, but it is a hell of a lot better than the yellow pages.
5) Don't hire a contractor who isn't interested in spending the time to make sure you are getting what you want, or doesn't want to provide you with as much understanding of the problem/solution, as you want. If they aren't willing to talk about it, it is that much more likely you aren't going to be happy with the results.
6) Do not pay more than 35% up front. This is generally enough to cover materials and some of the labor, so the contractor knows that if you don't pay, they aren't left holding a massive loss. There are exceptions - times when material costs are a significantly higher percentage of total bid - if you are, for example, putting in Italian marble counter-tops, expect to pay a lot more up front. Getting a water-heater installed is probably going to be a similar issue. But when that is the case, the contractor will go over the material costs - if they don't, don't hire them. It should also be noted that for really large scale jobs, there may be a payment schedule. This is not uncommon and is quite often necessary for the contractors survival. When there is a payment schedule, it should be explicitly defined in the contract - various stages of the job will require certain payments. This should not be stated as percentages, the payments should be clearly delineated.
7) Do not hire friends, unless they have a solid reputation in the field you are hiring them for. And if you do hire friends, still get other bids so you have a very clear perspective on the job and your friends competency. Friendships are severely shaken on a regular basis, because of a variety of issues. Sometimes a friend will feel they have more leeway with you, time and even quality wise. Others will bite off more than they can chew, because they want to "take care of you." I'm not saying just don't do it - but if you do expect potential problems and accept that this may end that friendship. The same applies to family - only more so.
And finally, if the work is completed and looks like shit, or is otherwise un-satisfactory, don't pay the balance and get another contractor in to see the work as it stands. Do not be afraid to take the contractor to court if they fucked you - you won't get the money you spent back, but it can keep you from being required to cover the balance due and the contractor from putting a lien on your property.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Open thread for skeevy fucking assholes who would like to expound on a women's right to think a particular way, write or feel a certain way....
Welcome, those who are unwelcome. Feel free to comment on how someone should think about, write about or feel a certain way, but don't expect anyone to be nice to you about it. I probably won't comment, but I honestly don't care what anyone else might have to say to you.
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