Just some thoughts of mine. They may be on politics, lifestyle, or anything else. On occasion I will also interesting (at least to me) trivia.
31 May 2012
21 April 2012
Baseball
I went to a baseball game last night. It was only my second game in many, many years.
I found it to be enjoyable. Perhaps the best thing I liked was the total lack of narcissistic sportscasters. It was great to watch the Oakland A's and Cleveland Indians battle it out while enjoying the company my girlfriend, her son, daughter-in-law, and their families and friends.
Unlike the vast majority of people at the game, I really didn't care who won. I clapped whenever a good play was made, regardless of the team.
I found it to be enjoyable. Perhaps the best thing I liked was the total lack of narcissistic sportscasters. It was great to watch the Oakland A's and Cleveland Indians battle it out while enjoying the company my girlfriend, her son, daughter-in-law, and their families and friends.
Unlike the vast majority of people at the game, I really didn't care who won. I clapped whenever a good play was made, regardless of the team.
08 April 2012
Walmart versus Morons
Wal-Mart vs. The Morons
1. Americans spend $36,000,000 at Wal-Mart Every hour of every day.
2. This works out to $20,928 profit every minute!
3. Wal-Mart will sell more from January 1 to St. Patrick's Day (March 17th) than Target sells all year.
4. Wal-Mart is bigger than Home Depot + Kroger + Target +Sears + Costco + K-Mart combined.
5. Wal-Mart employs 1.6 million people, is the world's largest private employer, and most speak English.
6. Wal-Mart is the largest company in the history of the world.
7. Wal-Mart now sells more food than Kroger and Safeway combined, and keep in mind they did this in only fifteen years.
8. During this same period, 31 big supermarket chains sought bankruptcy.
9. Wal-Mart now sells more food than any other store in the world.
10. Wal-Mart has approx 3,900 stores in the USA of which 1,906 are Super Centers; this is 1,000 more than it had five years ago.
11. This year 7.2 billion different purchasing experiences will occur at Wal-Mart stores. (Earth's population is approximately 6.5 Billion.)
12. 90% of all Americans live within fifteen miles of a Wal-Mart.
You may think that I am complaining, but I am really laying the ground work for suggesting that MAYBE we should hire the guys who run Wal-Mart to fix the economy.
This should be read and understood by all Americans Democrats, Republicans, EVERYONE!!
To President Obama and all 535 voting members of Congress
It is now official that the majority of you are corrupt morons:
a. The U.S. Postal Service was established in 1775. You have had 234 years to get it right and it is broke.
b. Social Security was established in 1935. You have had 74 years to get it right and it is broke.
c. Fannie Mae was established in 1938. You have had 71 years to get it right and it is broke.
d. War on Poverty started in 1964. You have had 45 years to get it right; $1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to "the poor" and they only want more..
e. Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965. You have had 44 years to get it right and they are broke.
f. Freddie Mac was established in 1970. You have had 39 years to get it right and it is broke.
g. The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before. You had 32 years to get it right and it is an abysmal failure.
You have FAILED in every "government service" you have shoved down our throats while overspending our tax dollars.
AND YOU WANT AMERICANS TO BELIEVE YOU CAN BE TRUSTED WITH A GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM ??
I know what's wrong. We have lost our minds to "Political Correctness" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Someone please tell me what is wrong with all the people that run this country!!!!!!
We're "broke" & can't help our own Seniors, Veterans, Orphans, Homeless etc.,???????????
In the last months we have provided aid to Haiti , Chile , and Turkey .. And now Pakistan ......previous home of bin Laden. Literally, BILLIONS of DOLLARS!!!
Our retired seniors living on a 'fixed income' receive no aid nor do they get any breaks while our government pours Hundreds of Billions of $$$$$$'s and Tons of Food to Foreign Countries! We have hundreds of adoptable children who are shoved aside to make room for the adoption of foreign orphans.
AMERICA: a country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed hungry, elderly going without 'needed' meds, and mentally ill without treatment -etc,etc.
YET...................... They have a 'Benefit' for the people of Haiti on 12 TV stations, ships and planes lining up with food, water, tents clothes, bedding, doctors and medical supplies.
Imagine if the *GOVERNMENT* gave 'US' the same support they give to other countries. Sad isn't it?
1. Americans spend $36,000,000 at Wal-Mart Every hour of every day.
2. This works out to $20,928 profit every minute!
3. Wal-Mart will sell more from January 1 to St. Patrick's Day (March 17th) than Target sells all year.
4. Wal-Mart is bigger than Home Depot + Kroger + Target +Sears + Costco + K-Mart combined.
5. Wal-Mart employs 1.6 million people, is the world's largest private employer, and most speak English.
6. Wal-Mart is the largest company in the history of the world.
7. Wal-Mart now sells more food than Kroger and Safeway combined, and keep in mind they did this in only fifteen years.
8. During this same period, 31 big supermarket chains sought bankruptcy.
9. Wal-Mart now sells more food than any other store in the world.
10. Wal-Mart has approx 3,900 stores in the USA of which 1,906 are Super Centers; this is 1,000 more than it had five years ago.
11. This year 7.2 billion different purchasing experiences will occur at Wal-Mart stores. (Earth's population is approximately 6.5 Billion.)
12. 90% of all Americans live within fifteen miles of a Wal-Mart.
You may think that I am complaining, but I am really laying the ground work for suggesting that MAYBE we should hire the guys who run Wal-Mart to fix the economy.
This should be read and understood by all Americans Democrats, Republicans, EVERYONE!!
To President Obama and all 535 voting members of Congress
It is now official that the majority of you are corrupt morons:
a. The U.S. Postal Service was established in 1775. You have had 234 years to get it right and it is broke.
b. Social Security was established in 1935. You have had 74 years to get it right and it is broke.
c. Fannie Mae was established in 1938. You have had 71 years to get it right and it is broke.
d. War on Poverty started in 1964. You have had 45 years to get it right; $1 trillion of our money is confiscated each year and transferred to "the poor" and they only want more..
e. Medicare and Medicaid were established in 1965. You have had 44 years to get it right and they are broke.
f. Freddie Mac was established in 1970. You have had 39 years to get it right and it is broke.
g. The Department of Energy was created in 1977 to lessen our dependence on foreign oil. It has ballooned to 16,000 employees with a budget of $24 billion a year and we import more oil than ever before. You had 32 years to get it right and it is an abysmal failure.
You have FAILED in every "government service" you have shoved down our throats while overspending our tax dollars.
AND YOU WANT AMERICANS TO BELIEVE YOU CAN BE TRUSTED WITH A GOVERNMENT-RUN HEALTH CARE SYSTEM ??
I know what's wrong. We have lost our minds to "Political Correctness" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Someone please tell me what is wrong with all the people that run this country!!!!!!
We're "broke" & can't help our own Seniors, Veterans, Orphans, Homeless etc.,???????????
In the last months we have provided aid to Haiti , Chile , and Turkey .. And now Pakistan ......previous home of bin Laden. Literally, BILLIONS of DOLLARS!!!
Our retired seniors living on a 'fixed income' receive no aid nor do they get any breaks while our government pours Hundreds of Billions of $$$$$$'s and Tons of Food to Foreign Countries! We have hundreds of adoptable children who are shoved aside to make room for the adoption of foreign orphans.
AMERICA: a country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed hungry, elderly going without 'needed' meds, and mentally ill without treatment -etc,etc.
YET...................... They have a 'Benefit' for the people of Haiti on 12 TV stations, ships and planes lining up with food, water, tents clothes, bedding, doctors and medical supplies.
Imagine if the *GOVERNMENT* gave 'US' the same support they give to other countries. Sad isn't it?
29 March 2012
05 March 2012
Self Help Programs eliminated at Valley State Prison for Women
On Thursday, February 23, 2012 @ 3:14 PM the following email was sent to all staff At Valley State Prison for Women:
Good afternoon all. This is to inform you that effective immediately, VSPW will be suspending All Self-Help programs. As such, NO Self-Help related work should be performed by any Self-Help sponsor, until further notice. This would include ducats, paperwork, or groups. Please ensure that you share this with any interested person who may not have access to email. If you should have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Velda
I am currently a friend of an inmate at Valley State Prison for Women (VSPW) and the domestic partner of a recently released VSPW inmate. I am disturbed about such an email being sent by someone with the authority to uphold the rehabilitation of incarcerated women. Women need all the help that they can receive and eliminating Self-Help groups hinders their growth and rehabilitation.
Self Help groups do not interfere with safety of the institution, the staff job assignments, or the staff’s count procedures. Neither do the Self-Help groups interfere with inmate work/program hours.
There are over 30 Self-Help groups in VSPW. These groups include, but are not limited to: AA (Alcoholics Anonymous), NA(Narcotics Anonymous), CODA (Co-dependency), Yoga, PREP (Personal Readiness Enrichment Program), CCA (Coalition of Cultural Awareness), Sign Language, Prison of Peace, Anger Management, Cage Your Rage, A Place Called Self, Long Termers Organization, Creative Conflict Resolution, Health and Education Awareness, Domestic Violence, Free From Abuse, Battered Women's, Career Day, Freedom to Choose, Beyond Incarceration, Beyond Trauma, AWARE, Alternative to Violence, I Want My Life Back, Life Scripting, Parenting, and the Veterans. All of these groups contribute to institution's goal of rehabilitation for women and aid in lowering the recidivism rate.
Women volunteer their own time to teach groups, attend groups and learn tools that will enable them to become better citizens of our communities. Volunteers that are state funded or operating at their own expense are being turned away as welt. Once someone is convicted and sent to prison it is their responsibility to prepare for the day that they return to society. When programs stop or are interrupted, there is much less opportunity for women to learn tools that will enable them to return to society successfully.
It is our duty as tax payers to encourage and monitor that elected officials hire and choose wardens who promote rehabilitation as an actual part of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation department.
We expect that public notice be given when such a drastic measure as elimination of all Self-Help groups is taken. We also want a reasonable explanation as to why such a drastic measure is to be taken.
04 February 2012
Deplorable search at Valley State Prison for Women
This is an open letter going to the ombudsmen at California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation.
Ms Malone, Ms Rosalez:
I have been informed of the abusive search guards are currently doing at Valley State Prison for Women in Chowchilla.
The inmates have been on lockdown for over two weeks now. The reason is that an inmate allegedly threatened guards by saying she has 4 syringes with HIV tinted blood in them and she was going to stab guards with them. This sounds very unlikely to me.
The guards are searching each room in the prison in a very despicable manner.
· The guards took all mattresses and blankets. The guards didn’t “time to return” the mattresses until the next morning so all of the women had to sleep on bed frames.
· The guards destroyed inmates’ property. This was property purchased by the inmates’ families. The took creams and smeared them on the walls. They emptied out bags of hot chocolate on the floor.
· Televisions, typewriters, CD players, and other property purchase by inmates’ families were destroyed. Some of the inmates had received these items from other inmates with their permission but the CDCR policy is that an inmate cannot give another inmate any property. In other words, when an inmate is released and doesn’t take her stuff with her it must be destroyed regardless of how good of a shape it is in.
· All arts and crafts items were destroyed. Many inmates try to improve and support themselves by creating cards, stationery, and other items for other inmates. Destroying this material means they are unable to support themselves.
· Inmates have had their medicine taken away and destroyed. Then they were given a ducat to go to the infirmary to get their medicine. This is an unacceptable waste of taxpayer’s money.
· With the exception of one roll, all toilet paper in each unit was thrown away. This is an unacceptable waste of taxpayer’s money.
· Cleaning supplies were thrown out. This is an unacceptable waste of taxpayer’s money.
· Inmate mail is being delayed as a result of this search.
My belief is that the guards are upset at the layoffs currently occurring at CDCR. They are taken out their anger on the people who cannot fight back – the inmates. The excuse for the search – the HIV tinted blood syringes – sounds very fishy to me. How could an inmate get this? It’s my understanding that HIV positive inmates are kept apart from the general inmate population.
Is not one of the purposes of CDCR to rehabilitate inmates? How can they rehabilitate when they are treated like dirt. Elderly women are being clubbed because they got confused and turned the wrong direction. The women are being called “fat cows” and other words I prefer not to use.
cc:
Sharon McNary, KPCC radio
Mike Tharp, Merced Sun Star
KGPE (Fresno)
KFSN (Fresno)
KGO (San Francisco)
KTVU (San Francisco)
Dan Rosenheim, News Director, KPIX television (San Francisco)
KCRA (Sacramento)
Los Angeles Times
Patti Mandrell, Chowchilla News
Paula Hansen, Chowchilla News
San Francisco Chronicle
Sacramento Bee
25 January 2012
Breast Cancer Behind Bars: How a Prison Sentence Can Become a Death Sentence | Truthout
Imagine finding a lump in your breast. Imagine that your efforts to schedule a medical check-up are stymied and you have to wait weeks, if not months, for that initial exam. In the meantime, the lump continues to grow. Imagine that, when you finally do see a doctor, you are told that you have breast cancer. When you walk out of the office, you are locked into your prison cell with no more information or sympathy than when you walked in. This is the daily reality for women in prison.
Breast Cancer Behind Bars: How a Prison Sentence Can Become a Death Sentence | Truthout
Breast Cancer Behind Bars: How a Prison Sentence Can Become a Death Sentence | Truthout
10 January 2012
Our View: Kudos to Chowchilla for its stand - Our View - MercedSun-Star.com
We like the way the city of Chowchilla stood up to the state on the issue of the Valley State Prison for Women.
Read more here: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2012/01/07/2181563/our-view-kudos-to-chowchilla-for.html
The city said it plans to file a legal challenge against the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's plan to convert Valley State into a men's prison -- and to do so without filing a typically required environmental report about the conversion to male from female inmates.
In flowery language, CDCR officials told Chowchilla residents and officials to pound sand because switching genders at the prison "would simply reorganize inmates" and "not affect the physical environment."
That may be true. But we -- and Chowchilla residents -- won't know until and unless that California Environmental Quality Act report is done and reviewed by those most affected -- the people who live in Chowchilla.
Read more here: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2012/01/07/2181563/our-view-kudos-to-chowchilla-for.html