On February 2, 2015 I will be 65. This seems to be the magic number in America. Even though I still work, pay taxes, and allow my paycheck to be the target of governmental greed, I'm being hounded through the mail and over the phone about social security benefits and medicare enrollment. And, it started months ago.
My health insurance informed me they would no longer be covering me because I am eligible for medicare. But, I do not want medicare, not until I determine that I'm ready for it. Too bad, you're getting it anyway. Then the Air Force medical clinic, where I've gone for care for over 30 years, informs me that they will no longer be taking care of me so go find a doctor downtown.
So, fine I get online and fill out the form for medicare insurance to start February 2, 2015. Then the letters from Social Security/Medicare start coming in the mail. Several copies of each letter, like one is not enough. The Social Security folks have determined that I do not have to pay for Part A since I have worked and paid into the program since I was 14 years old. That means I have paid into this crap for 51 years, I should own it by now. But, to keep my military Tricare for life I have to have Part B. Now Part B pays for some of the doctor's office visits and stuff you have to get outside of an inpatient hospital visit. And, you have to pay for it based on your income. So, I get another letter stating I have to pay $104.90 a month for Part B based on the figure that the IRS gave to Social Security folks last year as my household income. But, it's not just my yearly income, it is the joint income of my spouse and I from our joint taxable income. WHY is my husband's income added to my income to determine MY monthly medicare premium? Because the government says so is the answer I received. My husband has to pay towards my Medicare premiums and he is 13 years younger than me so when he is 65 I could be dead and he won't have the opportunity to use my income and make me help pay for his Medicare.
I call the Social Security/Medicare office and ask them how do they want me to pay the $104.90 a month and the women reads me a pamphlet that has nothing to do with how to make the payment and when she finishes I said that's nice but HOW do you want me to pay----check, money order, credit, out of my flesh---HOW? Oh, then she reads me another pamphlet and the last paragraph says that if I am receiving Social Security or a Civil Service pension that I have to have it taken from my check before I receive it---whether I want to or not. Then I have to fill out a form online to have it deducted from my retirement check and I have to fill out a form for an online Medicare information account.
WHY I ask do I have to fill out another form for the account when I just filled out the same information on a form for deduction from pay? It's the same exact information I just gave you. Well, I have to fill out another form because they need to know if I have any other insurance that they can bill my medical costs to so that they can get out of paying my medical costs with Medicare. Now how can I have another insurance when my insurance is cancelled by all other companies as soon as they find out I'm 65? And, who is allowing all these government departments to share my personal information without my consent?? Well you have to file another form saying that you do not want your personal information shared and they will send you another letter telling you that the government can share your personal information if they want because now that you are 65 you have no rights just like when you were born until you were of legal age which is different in a lot of states.
In other words when you turn 65 the government is going to screw the heck out of you so get ready to bend over.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Teacher at B. Sue Cleveland High School Looses Job Because of Composition
Before Christmas break at B. Sue Cleveland High School in Rio Ranch, New Mexico, teacher, Katrina Guarascio, lost her job over a composition written by one of her students. Ms. Guarascio was a creative English teacher at the high school who allowed her students to think and write outside the box and then their compositions were read and evaluated by a panel of the students' peers.
So, one of the students wrote his composition about Jesus giving pot to the sick and the homeless. I would publish the essay here except the public was not allowed to read the essay. Seems the composition was written and given to the panel for evaluation and one of the young ladies on the panel didn't approve so she went home and told her parents about it and they went to the principal and demanded Ms. Guarascio be fired.
This type of incident seems to happen a lot in our present society.
How are students suppose to learn to think for themselves if our school systems demand that they have to be like everyone else? I'd rather have a teacher like Ms. Guarascio teaching my child how to be an individualist than someone teaching them to follow the crowd. If someone doesn't like what the student wrote then put that in the evaluation and pass it on to the next evaluator. And, what's wrong with Jesus helping the sick and homeless? So, Jessus gave them pot, so what, they can go up to Colorado and buy it now, if they could afford it. And, medical pot is legal now-a-days.
In my opinion, Ms. Guarascio should be promoted, given an award, and patted on the back. She is the kind of teacher this state needs in its schools. New Mexico has some of the worst schools in America and kids have a terrible time in college, those that can get in, because they can't think for themselves let alone write a college-level essay. To Ms. Guarascio, wherever you are now. you are too good for New Mexican schools!
So, one of the students wrote his composition about Jesus giving pot to the sick and the homeless. I would publish the essay here except the public was not allowed to read the essay. Seems the composition was written and given to the panel for evaluation and one of the young ladies on the panel didn't approve so she went home and told her parents about it and they went to the principal and demanded Ms. Guarascio be fired.
This type of incident seems to happen a lot in our present society.
How are students suppose to learn to think for themselves if our school systems demand that they have to be like everyone else? I'd rather have a teacher like Ms. Guarascio teaching my child how to be an individualist than someone teaching them to follow the crowd. If someone doesn't like what the student wrote then put that in the evaluation and pass it on to the next evaluator. And, what's wrong with Jesus helping the sick and homeless? So, Jessus gave them pot, so what, they can go up to Colorado and buy it now, if they could afford it. And, medical pot is legal now-a-days.
In my opinion, Ms. Guarascio should be promoted, given an award, and patted on the back. She is the kind of teacher this state needs in its schools. New Mexico has some of the worst schools in America and kids have a terrible time in college, those that can get in, because they can't think for themselves let alone write a college-level essay. To Ms. Guarascio, wherever you are now. you are too good for New Mexican schools!
Police Targeting African-Americans??
Since Ferguson African-American friends of mine have been posting on Facebook that police across America have been targeting them. Time for me to weigh in on this subject.
First of all--I do not like the term African-American. We are all Americans unless you are here illegally.
Secondly--The incident of the boy being shot by police because he had a gun at the playground, that turned out to be a toy, was shot because someone called in to 911 and reported that the boy was at the playground with a gun that might be a toy, or might not. This information was not passed on to the police and when they arrived at the playground and saw a gun that was not featuring the orange tag denoting a toy, they shot him. This was not the police targeting an African-American.
The same goes for the man in a Wal-Mart with a toy gun that was shot. Someone called 911 and reported that he was waving a gun around in the store. Police should have taken the time to see if it was a toy gun or not, and in this case they didn't. But again this isn't targeting someone because of race.
Thirdly--Ferguson. This person had just robbed a store and pushed the clerk around because he was big enough to get away with it. Then when stopped by police for the robbery, this person grabbed for the policeman's gun and thought he could get away with wrestling for the policeman's weapon. If you ask me, Michael was asking to get shot and he did. Did the policeman have to shoot Michael so many times? No, the academy teaches a policeman to shoot twice to the chest and once to the head. Michael's parents and the stepparent get on TV and start crying that their son was a good person that wouldn't hurt anyone--bull that's not the image I got from the tapes.
Fourthly--The man who was in a choke hold in NYC. This man should have stood still and let the police frisk him. The policeman who jumped him from behind and put him in the chokehold was way out of line. So, the man shouldn't have resisted police; but, the police shouldn't have used an illegal chokehold and should have stopped once the person said he couldn't breath.
Finallty--Targetting African-Americans. I do not believe that police all over America are targeting African-Americans. I do not believe that African-Americans getting on social media and instagating violence and looting is appropriate either. Taxpayers pay to have police protection and policeman and women have the right to protect themselves as well, if you start violence, no matter what color you are, you are asking for what you will eventually receive.
Grow up people and act appropriately. Getting on social media and demanding revenge for the incidents involving African-Americans is not appropriate.
First of all--I do not like the term African-American. We are all Americans unless you are here illegally.
Secondly--The incident of the boy being shot by police because he had a gun at the playground, that turned out to be a toy, was shot because someone called in to 911 and reported that the boy was at the playground with a gun that might be a toy, or might not. This information was not passed on to the police and when they arrived at the playground and saw a gun that was not featuring the orange tag denoting a toy, they shot him. This was not the police targeting an African-American.
The same goes for the man in a Wal-Mart with a toy gun that was shot. Someone called 911 and reported that he was waving a gun around in the store. Police should have taken the time to see if it was a toy gun or not, and in this case they didn't. But again this isn't targeting someone because of race.
Thirdly--Ferguson. This person had just robbed a store and pushed the clerk around because he was big enough to get away with it. Then when stopped by police for the robbery, this person grabbed for the policeman's gun and thought he could get away with wrestling for the policeman's weapon. If you ask me, Michael was asking to get shot and he did. Did the policeman have to shoot Michael so many times? No, the academy teaches a policeman to shoot twice to the chest and once to the head. Michael's parents and the stepparent get on TV and start crying that their son was a good person that wouldn't hurt anyone--bull that's not the image I got from the tapes.
Fourthly--The man who was in a choke hold in NYC. This man should have stood still and let the police frisk him. The policeman who jumped him from behind and put him in the chokehold was way out of line. So, the man shouldn't have resisted police; but, the police shouldn't have used an illegal chokehold and should have stopped once the person said he couldn't breath.
Finallty--Targetting African-Americans. I do not believe that police all over America are targeting African-Americans. I do not believe that African-Americans getting on social media and instagating violence and looting is appropriate either. Taxpayers pay to have police protection and policeman and women have the right to protect themselves as well, if you start violence, no matter what color you are, you are asking for what you will eventually receive.
Grow up people and act appropriately. Getting on social media and demanding revenge for the incidents involving African-Americans is not appropriate.
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Give to Those That Defend Our Country This Holiday
There are many military families who can not afford to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas. The soldiers who defend our country, do not make enough money to pay their bills and celebrate American traditions. It's sad that our country doesn't pay the defenders of American freedoms enough to have a happy Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas.
If you have some extra money this holiday season, give it to the soldiers so that their families can have a good holiday!
If you have some extra money this holiday season, give it to the soldiers so that their families can have a good holiday!
Sunday, November 23, 2014
This is Getting Old
This time it was still light out enough to get a good look. I was driving down the hill to get to the on-ramp of I-25 and glanced over at the little cemetery on the way past. The priest that takes care of the cemetery for the Catholic church had installed flood lights on the old archway. But, there it stood, silent with head pointed at the ground.
This time the passing cars weren't pulling over. This time there were no police cars or gawkers. This time it didn't have an audience.
Just a silent figure in a black hooded robe with it's head receding to the point that nothing could be seen except black, empty space. No wings or anything resembling them on its back. Just the reaper's gathering instrument leaning on it's shoulder.
I know that this specter isn't real in the scense of being the reaper looking for souls to gather; however, I still haven't figured out what it's trying to tell the city of Albuquerque by it's visits to this little cemetery. Hopefully it's just some individual with a sad story to share.
I didn't stop this time. I looked perhaps a moment too long for someone driving in an acceleration lane. But, this time I just felt sad that the world has come to this stage in history. Where even if it isn't the Grim Reaper, I kind of wish it were.
This time the passing cars weren't pulling over. This time there were no police cars or gawkers. This time it didn't have an audience.
Just a silent figure in a black hooded robe with it's head receding to the point that nothing could be seen except black, empty space. No wings or anything resembling them on its back. Just the reaper's gathering instrument leaning on it's shoulder.
I know that this specter isn't real in the scense of being the reaper looking for souls to gather; however, I still haven't figured out what it's trying to tell the city of Albuquerque by it's visits to this little cemetery. Hopefully it's just some individual with a sad story to share.
I didn't stop this time. I looked perhaps a moment too long for someone driving in an acceleration lane. But, this time I just felt sad that the world has come to this stage in history. Where even if it isn't the Grim Reaper, I kind of wish it were.
Monday, October 13, 2014
The Grim Reaper Strikes Again
On October 7th of this year, I worked 30 minutes extra trying to finish some work at the office and as I was finally driving home, it had started to get dark. The on ramp to I-25 has a very old graveyard on the right side. It isn't the fancy headstone kind of graveyard as it's probably been there since Albuquerque was part of the "wild west." It is surrounded by a low, white picket fence and most of the graves are marked by white wooden crosses.
As I approached the on ramp, I saw flashing police lights from two police cars and numerous passenger vehicles pulling off the road, shining their headlights on the old wooden archway to the cemetery. Naturally I slowed down, curious to see what was going on.
There stood the grim reaper. Silent, as if on watch over the grave of some poor soul. How did I know it was the grim reaper? Well, I don't really know for sure. It was the specter shown in the Albuquerque Journal a week or so ago, in a different cemetery.
I put on my turn signal and pulled to the side of the road, with everyone else. And, I focused my gaze on the image standing over the grave in it's flowing black robes. I couldn't see a face, the robe had a black hood and it looked like a black hole surrounded by flowing black material. The specter stood perfectly still, and the wind blew it's robes around it's body and feet; but, the hood didn't move an inch.
I only sat there about 10 minutes when the grim reaper slowly turned and started to exit the cemetery through the old wooden archway from which it appeared. It appeared to be struggling, walking off balance, not at all graceful as it appear standing in silence. I strained to see what could be causing the imbalance and finally decided it must be the rocks and mounds of dirt that had to be negotiated in making an exit.
A couple in a Jeep Cherokee that was parked next to me on the road, turned on their high-beam headlights and moved closer to the cemetary. Negotiating the desert topography didn't seem easy even for their jeep, so I decided to stay put and try to keep my eyes on the image in the graveyard entrance. At that moment, someone in the crowded of spectators yelled, "It has wings, it's having problems walking because of a large pair of black wings."
Since I had lost sight of the grim reaper anyway, I decided it was time to get on the road and go home. Did this spector have wings, I don't know, it had something on its back. But, by this time it was dark in the graveyard and I wasn't in a position to say what it was. And, with all the crazy stuff that happens out here in the desert, nothing surprises me anymore. Not even a grim reaper in the cemetery guarding the dead when it should be out there collecting the souls of those that live here and deserve to be dead, or half dead, somewhere else.
As I approached the on ramp, I saw flashing police lights from two police cars and numerous passenger vehicles pulling off the road, shining their headlights on the old wooden archway to the cemetery. Naturally I slowed down, curious to see what was going on.
There stood the grim reaper. Silent, as if on watch over the grave of some poor soul. How did I know it was the grim reaper? Well, I don't really know for sure. It was the specter shown in the Albuquerque Journal a week or so ago, in a different cemetery.
I put on my turn signal and pulled to the side of the road, with everyone else. And, I focused my gaze on the image standing over the grave in it's flowing black robes. I couldn't see a face, the robe had a black hood and it looked like a black hole surrounded by flowing black material. The specter stood perfectly still, and the wind blew it's robes around it's body and feet; but, the hood didn't move an inch.
I only sat there about 10 minutes when the grim reaper slowly turned and started to exit the cemetery through the old wooden archway from which it appeared. It appeared to be struggling, walking off balance, not at all graceful as it appear standing in silence. I strained to see what could be causing the imbalance and finally decided it must be the rocks and mounds of dirt that had to be negotiated in making an exit.
A couple in a Jeep Cherokee that was parked next to me on the road, turned on their high-beam headlights and moved closer to the cemetary. Negotiating the desert topography didn't seem easy even for their jeep, so I decided to stay put and try to keep my eyes on the image in the graveyard entrance. At that moment, someone in the crowded of spectators yelled, "It has wings, it's having problems walking because of a large pair of black wings."
Since I had lost sight of the grim reaper anyway, I decided it was time to get on the road and go home. Did this spector have wings, I don't know, it had something on its back. But, by this time it was dark in the graveyard and I wasn't in a position to say what it was. And, with all the crazy stuff that happens out here in the desert, nothing surprises me anymore. Not even a grim reaper in the cemetery guarding the dead when it should be out there collecting the souls of those that live here and deserve to be dead, or half dead, somewhere else.
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Judge Not Lest Ye Be Judged
This blog is on a personal subject. I'm tired of people who think they have the right to judge; but, no one has the right to judge them.
Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone mis-speaks and says things they didn't mean to say; something that just comes out wrong. No one person in this world is perfect, I don't care what your school, your religion, your family, tells you--No one is perfect!
When the Bible says to honor your mother and your father--that's what it means. Even if your parents are divorced or separated, you should honor both of your parents equally.
The individuals involved in my personal matter know who they are and they know of what I am writing. We have taken care of you and supported you throughout your young life into adulthood. We have listened to your late night phone calls of your dreams and your tribulations. We have financially supported you in good times and in bad. You are welcome in our lives and our home at any time, for any reason.
But, you need to learn that you are not perfect and neither are we. Things are said for many reasons and if you are to survive in the world, as it is today, you'd better grow a tough skin. Just because someone says something that you didn't like for some reason, you do not have the right to judge them because you are so darn great. Because you aren't. Let me make a list of the things you have said or done wrong in your short lifetime and throw it in your face as a reason to dislike you and disrepect you.
Grow up and live the doctrine you profess to believe. Judge not lest ye be judged. Honor thy father and they mother so that you may live long and be happy on this earth.
Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone mis-speaks and says things they didn't mean to say; something that just comes out wrong. No one person in this world is perfect, I don't care what your school, your religion, your family, tells you--No one is perfect!
When the Bible says to honor your mother and your father--that's what it means. Even if your parents are divorced or separated, you should honor both of your parents equally.
The individuals involved in my personal matter know who they are and they know of what I am writing. We have taken care of you and supported you throughout your young life into adulthood. We have listened to your late night phone calls of your dreams and your tribulations. We have financially supported you in good times and in bad. You are welcome in our lives and our home at any time, for any reason.
But, you need to learn that you are not perfect and neither are we. Things are said for many reasons and if you are to survive in the world, as it is today, you'd better grow a tough skin. Just because someone says something that you didn't like for some reason, you do not have the right to judge them because you are so darn great. Because you aren't. Let me make a list of the things you have said or done wrong in your short lifetime and throw it in your face as a reason to dislike you and disrepect you.
Grow up and live the doctrine you profess to believe. Judge not lest ye be judged. Honor thy father and they mother so that you may live long and be happy on this earth.
What's the Difference Folks?
ISIS--an organization that calls itself the new Islamic state; wants to be the modern caliphate in the Middle East; murdering, raping, stealing, plundering it's own people and anyone else that gets in its way.
The Taliban--an organization that calls itself the new Muslim state; wants to be the Islamic caliphate in the entire world; murders, rapes, steals, plunders it's own people and anyone else that gets in their way.
What's the difference folks?
Really not much. They are both radical Muslim groups who want to take over as much area as possible by means of terror. To the extend that they do not care who they terrorize, as long as they get their own way. They both declare they are Muslims trying to make a better world thru the so called peaceful teachings of Mohammad. Well folks, Mohammad was not a peaceful person and neither are any of them.
Both organizations have made tapes and televised beheadings of individuals from different countries who have no connection to the ideology spread by terrorist affiliates; journalists, aid workers, various military members, and even members of religious help organizations. European nations have paid large sums of money to keep their citizens from meeting the fates that recent Americans and British citizens have met. And, yet most countries becry the fact that they do not negotiate with terrorists.
American citizens watch these televised recordings of American in horror and join the national outcry that our government does nothing to stop it. And, some Americans are asking the same questions that I ask. If the Taliban and now ISIS hate Americans, call us names, and behead us, why do they brag of the Americans and British citizens who have joined them in terror? I can't understand why Americans and British would want to join them; but, how do our citizens convince these organizations that they genuinely want to join in their causes and not be taken as spies trying only to infiltrate and destroy the Taliban and ISIS? Do these individuals just walk into the den of iniquity and say hi I'm here to help you out. I've been told that individuals are recruited online line by various other crazy individuals; but, you can't believe things that are posted online and I just can't see volunteering Americans filling out applications online. I'm baffled, truly baffled; or perhaps I am the nieve one.
Today, as I set reading news articles and trying to catch up on the current events, I ran across the article about Mrs. Foley's embarrassment and anger that the American government didn't do more to free her son. I remembered the article in early September about President Obama trading five Guantanamo detainees for Army Sergeant Bowe Berghdahl. And, I wonder, why would our government trade terrorist for a military member who according to his follow soldiers, left his post to join the enemy; but, it refused to do anything to free a journalist who was just doing his job. The whole time cajoling that our government doesn't negotiate with terrorists.
What is the difference folks? Someone out there please enlighten me because I do not see the difference. Isn't it better to save one sinner than to walk with the righteous forever? Set terrorists free that will one day return to kill more Americans, but set back and let terrorists behead innocent citizens and not lift a finger to stop them? What is the difference folks, cause I sure and heck don't get it.
The Taliban--an organization that calls itself the new Muslim state; wants to be the Islamic caliphate in the entire world; murders, rapes, steals, plunders it's own people and anyone else that gets in their way.
What's the difference folks?
Really not much. They are both radical Muslim groups who want to take over as much area as possible by means of terror. To the extend that they do not care who they terrorize, as long as they get their own way. They both declare they are Muslims trying to make a better world thru the so called peaceful teachings of Mohammad. Well folks, Mohammad was not a peaceful person and neither are any of them.
Both organizations have made tapes and televised beheadings of individuals from different countries who have no connection to the ideology spread by terrorist affiliates; journalists, aid workers, various military members, and even members of religious help organizations. European nations have paid large sums of money to keep their citizens from meeting the fates that recent Americans and British citizens have met. And, yet most countries becry the fact that they do not negotiate with terrorists.
American citizens watch these televised recordings of American in horror and join the national outcry that our government does nothing to stop it. And, some Americans are asking the same questions that I ask. If the Taliban and now ISIS hate Americans, call us names, and behead us, why do they brag of the Americans and British citizens who have joined them in terror? I can't understand why Americans and British would want to join them; but, how do our citizens convince these organizations that they genuinely want to join in their causes and not be taken as spies trying only to infiltrate and destroy the Taliban and ISIS? Do these individuals just walk into the den of iniquity and say hi I'm here to help you out. I've been told that individuals are recruited online line by various other crazy individuals; but, you can't believe things that are posted online and I just can't see volunteering Americans filling out applications online. I'm baffled, truly baffled; or perhaps I am the nieve one.
Today, as I set reading news articles and trying to catch up on the current events, I ran across the article about Mrs. Foley's embarrassment and anger that the American government didn't do more to free her son. I remembered the article in early September about President Obama trading five Guantanamo detainees for Army Sergeant Bowe Berghdahl. And, I wonder, why would our government trade terrorist for a military member who according to his follow soldiers, left his post to join the enemy; but, it refused to do anything to free a journalist who was just doing his job. The whole time cajoling that our government doesn't negotiate with terrorists.
What is the difference folks? Someone out there please enlighten me because I do not see the difference. Isn't it better to save one sinner than to walk with the righteous forever? Set terrorists free that will one day return to kill more Americans, but set back and let terrorists behead innocent citizens and not lift a finger to stop them? What is the difference folks, cause I sure and heck don't get it.
Sunday, September 7, 2014
A caution about Sofas and Sectionals.com
Five month's ago, my husband and I decided to replace our living room furniture. When our dogs were puppies, they had chewed on the corners of the sofa and loveseat, so we decided we'd like to replace them. My husband found Sofas and Sectionals.com online offering the Lane brand of furnture in the color we wanted with the power features we were looking for.
He placed the order and was told we'd receive the furniture in four to six weeks. After six weeks rolled around and we hadn't heard any thing, my husband called to inquire. The salesman told him that Lane no longer made the furniture we wanted in the color we ordered. The salesman offered an alternative color and stated that he would take a large amount off the sales price for our troubles. Again we placed an order for the same furniture in an alternative color.
Again we were promised deliver in four weeks. Again the four weeks passed without any furniture deliver. My husband caled the salesperson and was told they were running a little behind, but the furniture would be delivered soon. Meanwhile Sofas and Sectionals.com was billing our American Express for various sums of money to cover the manufacturing. Finally I was becoming irritated at the amount of time and money we were putting into getting this furniture with no results.
I ask my husband to checking into when this furniture was arriving and this time he contacted the customer service representative, Ms. Shara Williams. Ms. Williams said the salesman hadn't promised us a lower price and wanted more money to get this furniture to us. Since my husband really wanted the Lane, power reclining feature and we couldn't find the color and features we wanted locally, we agreed to the price and Ms. Williams promised quick delivery.
Time went by and no furniture, no word from Sofas and Sectionals.com, and we were getting really unhappy over the whole deal. Then we get word that the furnture was in Albuquerque and when could it be delivered. My husband set up a delivery date, but called and ask them to hold the furniture because neither of us could be home for delivery. They delivered the recliners anyway, the sofa was torn badly and they were going to reorder it.
Now we get a look at the two recliners and they are the wrong color and do not have the power feature we paid for, so, we have them picked up and returned. We'd had enough, so we ask for a refund, to heck with it. Ms. Williams said she needed pictures of the furniture because now it was a warranty problem. Picture of what, we didn't accept the furniture and it's on its way back to wherever it came from.
Several e-mails and phone calls later Ms. Williams tells us she misunderstood and thought we had the furniture. Now she says she's going to process our refund immediately. Well, I guess to her immediately means "wait a few months and they'll forget about it, and we won't refund their money." Finally it's 5 months since this started and I've had enough, so I tell my husband to stopped messing with Sofas and Sectionals.com because it's obvious to me that they are not going to refund our money. We contested the charge with our American Express company and wouldn't ya know it, Ms. Williams sends us an e-mail wanting to argue about when certain events happened and she doesn't like that we told the truth to American Express complete with e-mails and receipts. Now she can't get us our refund fast enough.
Yes, we have all our money back and we never intend to purchase anything that expensive online again. However, if Sofas and Sectionals.com had been open and honest from the beginning they would be looking like the liars and cheats that they really are and I wouldn't be writing this post. Beware of online thieves.
He placed the order and was told we'd receive the furniture in four to six weeks. After six weeks rolled around and we hadn't heard any thing, my husband called to inquire. The salesman told him that Lane no longer made the furniture we wanted in the color we ordered. The salesman offered an alternative color and stated that he would take a large amount off the sales price for our troubles. Again we placed an order for the same furniture in an alternative color.
Again we were promised deliver in four weeks. Again the four weeks passed without any furniture deliver. My husband caled the salesperson and was told they were running a little behind, but the furniture would be delivered soon. Meanwhile Sofas and Sectionals.com was billing our American Express for various sums of money to cover the manufacturing. Finally I was becoming irritated at the amount of time and money we were putting into getting this furniture with no results.
I ask my husband to checking into when this furniture was arriving and this time he contacted the customer service representative, Ms. Shara Williams. Ms. Williams said the salesman hadn't promised us a lower price and wanted more money to get this furniture to us. Since my husband really wanted the Lane, power reclining feature and we couldn't find the color and features we wanted locally, we agreed to the price and Ms. Williams promised quick delivery.
Time went by and no furniture, no word from Sofas and Sectionals.com, and we were getting really unhappy over the whole deal. Then we get word that the furnture was in Albuquerque and when could it be delivered. My husband set up a delivery date, but called and ask them to hold the furniture because neither of us could be home for delivery. They delivered the recliners anyway, the sofa was torn badly and they were going to reorder it.
Now we get a look at the two recliners and they are the wrong color and do not have the power feature we paid for, so, we have them picked up and returned. We'd had enough, so we ask for a refund, to heck with it. Ms. Williams said she needed pictures of the furniture because now it was a warranty problem. Picture of what, we didn't accept the furniture and it's on its way back to wherever it came from.
Several e-mails and phone calls later Ms. Williams tells us she misunderstood and thought we had the furniture. Now she says she's going to process our refund immediately. Well, I guess to her immediately means "wait a few months and they'll forget about it, and we won't refund their money." Finally it's 5 months since this started and I've had enough, so I tell my husband to stopped messing with Sofas and Sectionals.com because it's obvious to me that they are not going to refund our money. We contested the charge with our American Express company and wouldn't ya know it, Ms. Williams sends us an e-mail wanting to argue about when certain events happened and she doesn't like that we told the truth to American Express complete with e-mails and receipts. Now she can't get us our refund fast enough.
Yes, we have all our money back and we never intend to purchase anything that expensive online again. However, if Sofas and Sectionals.com had been open and honest from the beginning they would be looking like the liars and cheats that they really are and I wouldn't be writing this post. Beware of online thieves.
Ebola
I've been ask by several people if I'm going to post on Ebola. Well, I do not have any more medical knowledge about Ebola than the general public; but, when I was in high school, I worked as a Candy Stripper in my hometown hospital. Back in the 60s hospital were the most sanitized place people could go. Hospital floors were shiny, clean, and constantly washed down with chemical solutions to kill the germs. The last time I was in the local Albuquerque hospital the place was filthy. I was there for several days and saw a cleaning person only once and she didn't do much to clean the place.
So, if you can catch Ebola from coming into contact with someone who has it, or their bodily fluids anyway, I'd say bringing to our country, into our filthy hospitals, it's going to be passed around eventually.
My problem with this disease is that while it was an African only problem, the rest of the world didn't much care. Or, spend any time trying to eradicate it. Now that Americans have caught the disease, we are working our butts off to cure these folks and to find a vaccine. What is going to happen now that the medicine to treat it has been used up and the time period to make more is quite awhile? And, what about the fact that bacteria and viruses evolve quickly? What if it mutates and the means of infection is altered? Here we set with a possible pandemic and no medicine left to treat it.
My personal opinion--we should have left the infected individuals where they were and treated them there.
So, if you can catch Ebola from coming into contact with someone who has it, or their bodily fluids anyway, I'd say bringing to our country, into our filthy hospitals, it's going to be passed around eventually.
My problem with this disease is that while it was an African only problem, the rest of the world didn't much care. Or, spend any time trying to eradicate it. Now that Americans have caught the disease, we are working our butts off to cure these folks and to find a vaccine. What is going to happen now that the medicine to treat it has been used up and the time period to make more is quite awhile? And, what about the fact that bacteria and viruses evolve quickly? What if it mutates and the means of infection is altered? Here we set with a possible pandemic and no medicine left to treat it.
My personal opinion--we should have left the infected individuals where they were and treated them there.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
War! Ugh, Good God, What is it Good for? Absolutely nothing! Say it again.
I've written on this subject many times, but I don't think people understand the concept, so I'm writing about it again.
War has been around since humans have walked this earth, but it has really evolved. Originally, man fought wars because they wanted something somone else had. Declare war, take what they wanted, kill everyone or take them as slaves, take over the property owned by others, war was actually quite simple in the beginning.
As the human race evolved, wars evolved and were mostly fought to conquer countries and add them to land areas, such as the Holy Roman Empire, the Persian Empire, the Turkish Empire, etc. Some wars were fought by great warriors, the Vikings fought long and hard to make and maintain their warrior reputations. And, wars were fought between members of royal families to ensure their paths to the throne. Wars were violent! Villages were destroyed. innocent people (Men, women, and children) were killed; no one was spared.
Now war has become a victim of technology. America sends in it's troops and we try to be nice. Try not to hurt anyone who's not considered a military target. Problem is, in these countries, who is the military participant and who are innocents is not easy to figure out. Do they have a T-shirt with enemy--innocent printed on the front? Does the enemy have a different appearance than the innocent bystander? No, we really can't tell one from the other. So what happens now when innocent men, women, and children become a victim of war? We prosecute the military member, the one who is on the ground, under fire, and can't tell the difference between the innocent and the enemy. How much bull is that people, you trying fighting the WAR and see if you can stay out of prison.
The big war is coming--look around you. Can you tell the members of the ISIS sleeper cells in America from the American citizens? Good luck. Are you prepared to fight the religious war against people who are dying to be your friend one minute and the next they will cut off your head in front of the cameras? Americans have become soft, unwilling to fight for what they believe in, and it's going to be the downfall of this nation. You had better wake up and look in the mirror. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to save yourself, your family, your country? Because these radicals are willing and with the millions other nations pay to get hostages returned, they have the military machinery to run over millions of people, Americans will be included.
Our government may tell us ISIS is in the middle east and they can keep them there. But, the truth is that these radicals live among us now, just waiting for the right moment to strike. And, we are not prepared, nor will we be prepared with our present ideology. Wake up Americans, because they are coming and they are bringing hell with them.
War has been around since humans have walked this earth, but it has really evolved. Originally, man fought wars because they wanted something somone else had. Declare war, take what they wanted, kill everyone or take them as slaves, take over the property owned by others, war was actually quite simple in the beginning.
As the human race evolved, wars evolved and were mostly fought to conquer countries and add them to land areas, such as the Holy Roman Empire, the Persian Empire, the Turkish Empire, etc. Some wars were fought by great warriors, the Vikings fought long and hard to make and maintain their warrior reputations. And, wars were fought between members of royal families to ensure their paths to the throne. Wars were violent! Villages were destroyed. innocent people (Men, women, and children) were killed; no one was spared.
Now war has become a victim of technology. America sends in it's troops and we try to be nice. Try not to hurt anyone who's not considered a military target. Problem is, in these countries, who is the military participant and who are innocents is not easy to figure out. Do they have a T-shirt with enemy--innocent printed on the front? Does the enemy have a different appearance than the innocent bystander? No, we really can't tell one from the other. So what happens now when innocent men, women, and children become a victim of war? We prosecute the military member, the one who is on the ground, under fire, and can't tell the difference between the innocent and the enemy. How much bull is that people, you trying fighting the WAR and see if you can stay out of prison.
The big war is coming--look around you. Can you tell the members of the ISIS sleeper cells in America from the American citizens? Good luck. Are you prepared to fight the religious war against people who are dying to be your friend one minute and the next they will cut off your head in front of the cameras? Americans have become soft, unwilling to fight for what they believe in, and it's going to be the downfall of this nation. You had better wake up and look in the mirror. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to save yourself, your family, your country? Because these radicals are willing and with the millions other nations pay to get hostages returned, they have the military machinery to run over millions of people, Americans will be included.
Our government may tell us ISIS is in the middle east and they can keep them there. But, the truth is that these radicals live among us now, just waiting for the right moment to strike. And, we are not prepared, nor will we be prepared with our present ideology. Wake up Americans, because they are coming and they are bringing hell with them.
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Missile, missile, who fired the missile?
A Malaysian passenger jet is believed to have been shot down with a Russian missile over Ukraine. As many as 300 innocent passengers, from various countries including the United States, were killed. The finger pointing started immediately, did you do it? No I didn't do it, he did. Ukraine's president has stated the they didn't have the equipment or the knowledge to do it. (If I were the president of Ukraine, I wouldn't be saying that on TV.) The pro-Russian separatists said they have the equipment and the knowledge, but they didn't do it. Putin has stated in news conferences that Russia, and especially him personally, didn't do it.
CNN has shown pictures of the pro-Russian separatists walking through the airliner's debris field, dead passenger's bodies there for exhibit, laughing and talking about the crash. These separatists refuse to let investigators enter the crash site and they refuse to let family in also. Yesterday, CNN showed pictures of these same separatists placing some bodies in body bags, loading them on trucks, and refusing to divulge where they were taking them. In some pictures, dead bodies were shown still strapped in their assigned seats. These separatists were shown bemoaning the fact that the field smelled bad, due to dead bodies, and they had to wear masks to keep from getting sick. Well get the heck out of there and let trained professionals take care of the dead.
I think it's pretty obvious who downed this passenger plane. The Russians gave the separatists the missile systems and obviously taught them how to use them or there are Russian personnel in country helping them use the equipment. Either way, and it may have been a mistake, the plane is blown out of the sky, innocent people die, and the separatists are laughing about it, refusing to let investigators find out who did it, and messing with dead bodies instead of letting them be processed and given to the families for burial. Is there anything here that anyone does not understand?
I think it's time for our government and all of the decent countries of the world to take a stand. This nonsense needs to be dealt with on a forceful side. There are United Nation's troops and European Union troops that can handle this, that's why these organizations were founded. Since Putin disavows any knowledge or connection to this incident, he shouldn't mind that these two organizations clean it up. A missile for a missile? Or, are we waiting for this same thing, or something worse, to take place before anyone does something?
Or, maybe, when it clucks like a chicken, it really is a chicken! Don't shoot missiles, throw chicken feed.
CNN has shown pictures of the pro-Russian separatists walking through the airliner's debris field, dead passenger's bodies there for exhibit, laughing and talking about the crash. These separatists refuse to let investigators enter the crash site and they refuse to let family in also. Yesterday, CNN showed pictures of these same separatists placing some bodies in body bags, loading them on trucks, and refusing to divulge where they were taking them. In some pictures, dead bodies were shown still strapped in their assigned seats. These separatists were shown bemoaning the fact that the field smelled bad, due to dead bodies, and they had to wear masks to keep from getting sick. Well get the heck out of there and let trained professionals take care of the dead.
I think it's pretty obvious who downed this passenger plane. The Russians gave the separatists the missile systems and obviously taught them how to use them or there are Russian personnel in country helping them use the equipment. Either way, and it may have been a mistake, the plane is blown out of the sky, innocent people die, and the separatists are laughing about it, refusing to let investigators find out who did it, and messing with dead bodies instead of letting them be processed and given to the families for burial. Is there anything here that anyone does not understand?
I think it's time for our government and all of the decent countries of the world to take a stand. This nonsense needs to be dealt with on a forceful side. There are United Nation's troops and European Union troops that can handle this, that's why these organizations were founded. Since Putin disavows any knowledge or connection to this incident, he shouldn't mind that these two organizations clean it up. A missile for a missile? Or, are we waiting for this same thing, or something worse, to take place before anyone does something?
Or, maybe, when it clucks like a chicken, it really is a chicken! Don't shoot missiles, throw chicken feed.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
The Department of Veterans' Affairs
The scandal at the Department of Veterans' Affairs is much bigger than it's medical problems. I once worked at the Department of Veterans' Affairs, May 2000 thru August 2001. I worked in the Director's office in the division handling disability claims. The Department of Veterans' Affairs handles many veterans' benefits: home loans, GI Bill education benefits, disability claims, medical care, and probably more that I'm not aware of.
I use the VA hospital on occasion and I never had a problem with them. Then the scandal hit the news and things in the Albuquerque VA hospital kind of got strange. I called to make my annual mammogram appointment and the volunteer on the phone told me they would have to take my name and phone number so they could call me back, "because they were making an appointment for a veteran." Never got that line before, and didn't get a call back either. I waited two days and called again. This time a woman who told me she was the supervisor of the person who made the appointments said, "I don't know how to make the appointments, but if you give me your name and phone number, I will make sure the appointment maker calls you back." OK, how do you supervisor someone if you do not know how they do their job? Oh well, the next day another woman called me back and said she was the technician who performed the mammograms, and proceeded to tell me how overworked she was, but she did make me an appointment. Guess they were having more problems than I was aware of.
And, I sympathize with them, since I work for the government and we are now understaffed and underpaid. But, back in May 2000, when I worked in the Director's office, I didn't sympathize with the VA. I'm not going to name names here; but, the man who was in charge of the office where the disability claims were adjudicated, and believe me this was a big man must have weighed a good 300 pounds, was constantly bragged about how he was in the Army and worked in undercover operations in Vietnam. (Bet he didn't weigh that much then.) He found great joy in turning down veteran claims for disability submitted by veterans who were involved in undercover or classified missions, had suffered injuries, but didn't have documentation to prove it.
One man had tried numerous time to get disability benefits because he had thrown himself on a live grenada to save his platoon. He finally sent a claim to the director with pictures of the skin graphs all over his body. The adjudicators still wouldn't give him benefits because when you work undercover or on classified missions, the military doesn't document that, or any injuries received, in your military or medical records. If you're real smart you go to a private doctor and have every injury documented.
Instead of helping veterans the employees in our department were too busy evesdropping on each other and starting interdepartmental rumors and problems. My job was going along fine and then one day the director stopped talking to me and avoiding me. Finally one day I had to give her some information and inform her I had to change my hours if possible because my husband and I were meeting with a marriage counselor to work out some personal problems. Once inside her office, she informed me that another employee had come to her with a conversation that was overheard, that I had been passing on some personal information about the director to a third party. She wanted to know why I was taling about her behind her back.
The coversation that was "overheard"concerned my personal problem, didn't have anything to do with the director. So, I told the director that when people are eavesdropping they usually don't get the entire story, so she could believe what she wanted, I would be looking for a better place to work.
Thus the short employment at the VA. I wouldn't work there again for anything.
Eric Shinseki had his hands full running the VA. No one person can be an expert in all of the benefits administered by that Department. He really needs to have people to head each division of the VA that are experts in that field: home loans, GI Bill for education, disability benefits, and medical. I think he got the shaft, as a lot of department heads do. He was a military general, they have colonels under them who are the experts. Mr. Shinseki gets run out of a job because the employees in the battlefields (so to speak) can't do their jobs properly or honestly. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there, folks, and it ain't getting any better.
I use the VA hospital on occasion and I never had a problem with them. Then the scandal hit the news and things in the Albuquerque VA hospital kind of got strange. I called to make my annual mammogram appointment and the volunteer on the phone told me they would have to take my name and phone number so they could call me back, "because they were making an appointment for a veteran." Never got that line before, and didn't get a call back either. I waited two days and called again. This time a woman who told me she was the supervisor of the person who made the appointments said, "I don't know how to make the appointments, but if you give me your name and phone number, I will make sure the appointment maker calls you back." OK, how do you supervisor someone if you do not know how they do their job? Oh well, the next day another woman called me back and said she was the technician who performed the mammograms, and proceeded to tell me how overworked she was, but she did make me an appointment. Guess they were having more problems than I was aware of.
And, I sympathize with them, since I work for the government and we are now understaffed and underpaid. But, back in May 2000, when I worked in the Director's office, I didn't sympathize with the VA. I'm not going to name names here; but, the man who was in charge of the office where the disability claims were adjudicated, and believe me this was a big man must have weighed a good 300 pounds, was constantly bragged about how he was in the Army and worked in undercover operations in Vietnam. (Bet he didn't weigh that much then.) He found great joy in turning down veteran claims for disability submitted by veterans who were involved in undercover or classified missions, had suffered injuries, but didn't have documentation to prove it.
One man had tried numerous time to get disability benefits because he had thrown himself on a live grenada to save his platoon. He finally sent a claim to the director with pictures of the skin graphs all over his body. The adjudicators still wouldn't give him benefits because when you work undercover or on classified missions, the military doesn't document that, or any injuries received, in your military or medical records. If you're real smart you go to a private doctor and have every injury documented.
Instead of helping veterans the employees in our department were too busy evesdropping on each other and starting interdepartmental rumors and problems. My job was going along fine and then one day the director stopped talking to me and avoiding me. Finally one day I had to give her some information and inform her I had to change my hours if possible because my husband and I were meeting with a marriage counselor to work out some personal problems. Once inside her office, she informed me that another employee had come to her with a conversation that was overheard, that I had been passing on some personal information about the director to a third party. She wanted to know why I was taling about her behind her back.
The coversation that was "overheard"concerned my personal problem, didn't have anything to do with the director. So, I told the director that when people are eavesdropping they usually don't get the entire story, so she could believe what she wanted, I would be looking for a better place to work.
Thus the short employment at the VA. I wouldn't work there again for anything.
Eric Shinseki had his hands full running the VA. No one person can be an expert in all of the benefits administered by that Department. He really needs to have people to head each division of the VA that are experts in that field: home loans, GI Bill for education, disability benefits, and medical. I think he got the shaft, as a lot of department heads do. He was a military general, they have colonels under them who are the experts. Mr. Shinseki gets run out of a job because the employees in the battlefields (so to speak) can't do their jobs properly or honestly. It's a dog-eat-dog world out there, folks, and it ain't getting any better.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Why Can't We All Just Get Along?
I find myself often asking, "Why Can't Everyone Just Get Along?" especially in reference to the world situation. Constant wars; constant civil unrest. Well, this past weekend I think I figured out the answer to my question.
My husband and I took some vacation time from work and drove up to Denver, Colorado to relax, see some of his family, and do some shopping. Since my husband drove all the way from our home to Denver, I figured I'd drive back. Kind of even out the driving. The drive was going well, in-spite-of the construction and traffic backups in some places. I was driving south on I-25, a long and in some places boring drive. We had stopped once for gas and now I was coming up on Trinidad, Colorado just before the Raton Pass and the fuel indicator was drifting near a quarter of a tank.
There were several exists for Trinidad passing by and then I saw a Shell station with a Wendy's attached, so I pulled off at the exit. All of the gas lanes were busy, so my husband and I decided to take a bathroom break, get some lunch at Wendy's, and then get some gas.
So, we finished inside the building and came out, got in the truck, and pulled up to the pump to get gas. My husband is pumping the gas and I'm setting in the driver's seat filling out a little register we use to keep track of the amount of gas we buy, the truck mileage, the date when we fill up, the quantity of gas we buy, and the amount of money we spend on fuel. And, as I'm filling out the register I happen to look up and a vehicle is pulling into the Shell station, it goes down the row of pumps, and stops in front of our truck.
A woman and a girl get out of the vehicle and go into the station. The person left in the vehicle (I thought it was an ugly, skinny woman) is setting in the vehicle waiting for us to get done. I'm thinking, now why doesn't that woman go around and get in back of me so she can pull up to the pump when we're done instead of getting in front of me when I'm going to exit the pump to the right to get back on I-25 South. She's going to have to back up a little so I can get out.
My husband finishes pumping the gas, gets in the truck, and hands me the pump receipt so I can finish filling out the register. I'm filling out the register, and I say to my husband, "Why doesn't that ugly woman back up because I'm going out that way?" His response is, "That's not a woman, it's a man, and I don't know why he is in the way." So, I finish with the register and put it back in the glovebox. I started the truck and motioned for this guy to back up a little so I can get out of his way.
The guy shakes his head "no" and motions for me to exit to the left, go all the way around the pumps, and exit the station that way. I shake my head "no" and motion I want to exit to the right and get back on the highway. He just shakes his head "no." I look at my husband and say, " What's the matter with this guy? Why doesn't he just get the hell out of my way?" My husband says, " Just go left and go around because he isn't moving." So, I motion once more to the guy to move back a little so I can get out to the right. "If you don't move that thing, I'm going to run you over," I said in a low voice.
My husband says to me again, "Just go to the left, he isn't moving." Well, ya know, my husband is probably right, why make a big deal out of it; but, damn I was there first and he had all the other pumps to go to, so what is his problem? So, I made up my mind that I was going to the right and get on the highway, even if I have to drive over him. I have a loaded down truck and he has a small SUV type vehicle that I think I can squash.
Now let us pause for a moment to clarify what I'm thinking. My husband and I are driving a Ford Explorer Sportrac truck that we bought new back in 2007; and I've been shopping at IKEA and Castle Rock Outlet Mall, so the truck is loaded. In the state of New Mexico, where we live, it is only required that you put a state license plate on the back of the vehicle; you can put whatever you want on the front. Since the Ford dealer, where we purchased the truck, wanted to put an advertisement plate for his dealership on the front, and we didn't want to give him free advertising, we put our old Alaskan license plate on the front. We lived in Alaska back in the late 1990s and early 2000s. OK, now back to the story.
I decided that I was going my way and to heck with this guy, so, I put the truck in drive, inched my way forward so that I was sure I wouldn't hit his vehicle, to make my husband happy. Slowly I turned the truck to the right and inched my way past him until I got even with his rolled down window. I pushed the button and rolled down my window, Then I looked him in the eye and said, "Why the hell can't you just move back a little?" and his answer was, "Do you think you're still driving in Alaska?"
There, that was it, it was finally out. His reason for doing the whole thing was that he assumed that because we had an Alaskan license plate on the front of our truck, that we were Alaskans and he was going to show us he was an asshole from Colorado which made him superior to us. Instead of finding out where we were from, and instead of trying to be gracious to out-of-state visitors, he had to be an asshole.
Well, my comment was, "If I WERE from Alaska, I'd have just driven over your ass, cause that's how us Alaskans are."
My husband and I took some vacation time from work and drove up to Denver, Colorado to relax, see some of his family, and do some shopping. Since my husband drove all the way from our home to Denver, I figured I'd drive back. Kind of even out the driving. The drive was going well, in-spite-of the construction and traffic backups in some places. I was driving south on I-25, a long and in some places boring drive. We had stopped once for gas and now I was coming up on Trinidad, Colorado just before the Raton Pass and the fuel indicator was drifting near a quarter of a tank.
There were several exists for Trinidad passing by and then I saw a Shell station with a Wendy's attached, so I pulled off at the exit. All of the gas lanes were busy, so my husband and I decided to take a bathroom break, get some lunch at Wendy's, and then get some gas.
So, we finished inside the building and came out, got in the truck, and pulled up to the pump to get gas. My husband is pumping the gas and I'm setting in the driver's seat filling out a little register we use to keep track of the amount of gas we buy, the truck mileage, the date when we fill up, the quantity of gas we buy, and the amount of money we spend on fuel. And, as I'm filling out the register I happen to look up and a vehicle is pulling into the Shell station, it goes down the row of pumps, and stops in front of our truck.
A woman and a girl get out of the vehicle and go into the station. The person left in the vehicle (I thought it was an ugly, skinny woman) is setting in the vehicle waiting for us to get done. I'm thinking, now why doesn't that woman go around and get in back of me so she can pull up to the pump when we're done instead of getting in front of me when I'm going to exit the pump to the right to get back on I-25 South. She's going to have to back up a little so I can get out.
My husband finishes pumping the gas, gets in the truck, and hands me the pump receipt so I can finish filling out the register. I'm filling out the register, and I say to my husband, "Why doesn't that ugly woman back up because I'm going out that way?" His response is, "That's not a woman, it's a man, and I don't know why he is in the way." So, I finish with the register and put it back in the glovebox. I started the truck and motioned for this guy to back up a little so I can get out of his way.
The guy shakes his head "no" and motions for me to exit to the left, go all the way around the pumps, and exit the station that way. I shake my head "no" and motion I want to exit to the right and get back on the highway. He just shakes his head "no." I look at my husband and say, " What's the matter with this guy? Why doesn't he just get the hell out of my way?" My husband says, " Just go left and go around because he isn't moving." So, I motion once more to the guy to move back a little so I can get out to the right. "If you don't move that thing, I'm going to run you over," I said in a low voice.
My husband says to me again, "Just go to the left, he isn't moving." Well, ya know, my husband is probably right, why make a big deal out of it; but, damn I was there first and he had all the other pumps to go to, so what is his problem? So, I made up my mind that I was going to the right and get on the highway, even if I have to drive over him. I have a loaded down truck and he has a small SUV type vehicle that I think I can squash.
Now let us pause for a moment to clarify what I'm thinking. My husband and I are driving a Ford Explorer Sportrac truck that we bought new back in 2007; and I've been shopping at IKEA and Castle Rock Outlet Mall, so the truck is loaded. In the state of New Mexico, where we live, it is only required that you put a state license plate on the back of the vehicle; you can put whatever you want on the front. Since the Ford dealer, where we purchased the truck, wanted to put an advertisement plate for his dealership on the front, and we didn't want to give him free advertising, we put our old Alaskan license plate on the front. We lived in Alaska back in the late 1990s and early 2000s. OK, now back to the story.
I decided that I was going my way and to heck with this guy, so, I put the truck in drive, inched my way forward so that I was sure I wouldn't hit his vehicle, to make my husband happy. Slowly I turned the truck to the right and inched my way past him until I got even with his rolled down window. I pushed the button and rolled down my window, Then I looked him in the eye and said, "Why the hell can't you just move back a little?" and his answer was, "Do you think you're still driving in Alaska?"
There, that was it, it was finally out. His reason for doing the whole thing was that he assumed that because we had an Alaskan license plate on the front of our truck, that we were Alaskans and he was going to show us he was an asshole from Colorado which made him superior to us. Instead of finding out where we were from, and instead of trying to be gracious to out-of-state visitors, he had to be an asshole.
Well, my comment was, "If I WERE from Alaska, I'd have just driven over your ass, cause that's how us Alaskans are."
Friday, April 11, 2014
Goodbye to Kathleen Sebelius--Hello Silvia Mathews Burnwells
Today the President Obama announced the resignation of Kathleen Sebelius, Head of the Health and Human Services Department. Not having kept up with Ms. Sebelius' civil service career, I can't attest to any of the wonderful things said about her in President Obama's speech. However, having worked for the Federal government for over 20 years, I can say that when they have your replacement standing at the podium, you are not the favorite employee their speeches expound on. After the Obamacare debacle, and knowing the Federal government would have to have someone to blame the mess on, I figured Ms. Sebelius wouldn't be there much longer. And, believe me in the weeks and months after Ms. Sebelius leaves in May, she will be blamed for every error, mistake, and probably even the dirty floors. That's the way civil service works.
Her successor, Ms. Silvia Mathews Burnwell, is also not well known to me. Apparently, she impressed folks over in the budget department where she has been employed; she must have done something impressive somewhere to be taking over a cabinet position. And, I wish her well because the next big mistake in the Health and Human Services Department will be attributed to her. Let's hope she gets a few months under her belt and in her resume before that happens.
Now my dilemma in this whole situation is this--why is it when we common folks apply for a job, we have to at least have a college degree relating to the position before we can even be considered; yet, folks in Washington DC are moved from one cabinet post to another with such ease? What I'm saying is that Ms. Mathews Burnwell worked in the budget department which makes me think she has a financial, perhaps accounting, degree or at least background; yet, she is elected head of health and human services. And, the reporter stated that she was selected because President Obama, and others in DC, think she can run the administrative portion of the job with expertise. I'm not saying that she can't do this, I really don't know if she can or not, but as a concerned citizen, I want her to do some good for us in the line of health and human services; I don't give a darn if she's a good administrator or not. I'm a good administrator; but, I don't think that means I can run the Health and Human Services Department.
Now Ms. Mathews Burnwell is not the only person in DC that I am talking about. I mean, lets take Hillery Clinton. She's was a student activist, then a lawyer, a First Lady, and then a Senator from New York. Do any of these experiences qualify Ms. Clinton to be Secretary of State; the top representative of this country in foreign affairs? I don't think so! And, I don't think she did a very good job of it either. Now Ms. Clinton thinks she's qualified to be President of the United States come next election. I don't think so! Perhaps it's the draw of being able to say, "President Clinton and President Clinton" when being introduced at presidental affairs, or the thought of two presidental retirement checks every month for the rest of the Clintons lives, I'm just not really sure; but whatever the draw is, I'm against it. And, to think the kissing Congressman is being condemned in the press for giving his brother-in-law a high-paying position that the guy wasn't qualified to do. Really, folks I don't see any difference.
So, Ms. Sebelius, I'm sorry to see that the Washington crowd has abandoned you for something that you personally didn't mess up (I'm sure like any Federal agency, there was an IT department responsible for computer programming). And, Ms. Mathews Burnwell, I wish you the best of luck in your new position, which I'm sure will be passed along to some other flunky at your slightest mistake, or the mistakes of the employees that you reside over. It's just too bad that we the citizens of this country have allowed to be created the dog-eat-dog mentality in our government that was established for the people, by the people, and of the people, so help us God.
Her successor, Ms. Silvia Mathews Burnwell, is also not well known to me. Apparently, she impressed folks over in the budget department where she has been employed; she must have done something impressive somewhere to be taking over a cabinet position. And, I wish her well because the next big mistake in the Health and Human Services Department will be attributed to her. Let's hope she gets a few months under her belt and in her resume before that happens.
Now my dilemma in this whole situation is this--why is it when we common folks apply for a job, we have to at least have a college degree relating to the position before we can even be considered; yet, folks in Washington DC are moved from one cabinet post to another with such ease? What I'm saying is that Ms. Mathews Burnwell worked in the budget department which makes me think she has a financial, perhaps accounting, degree or at least background; yet, she is elected head of health and human services. And, the reporter stated that she was selected because President Obama, and others in DC, think she can run the administrative portion of the job with expertise. I'm not saying that she can't do this, I really don't know if she can or not, but as a concerned citizen, I want her to do some good for us in the line of health and human services; I don't give a darn if she's a good administrator or not. I'm a good administrator; but, I don't think that means I can run the Health and Human Services Department.
Now Ms. Mathews Burnwell is not the only person in DC that I am talking about. I mean, lets take Hillery Clinton. She's was a student activist, then a lawyer, a First Lady, and then a Senator from New York. Do any of these experiences qualify Ms. Clinton to be Secretary of State; the top representative of this country in foreign affairs? I don't think so! And, I don't think she did a very good job of it either. Now Ms. Clinton thinks she's qualified to be President of the United States come next election. I don't think so! Perhaps it's the draw of being able to say, "President Clinton and President Clinton" when being introduced at presidental affairs, or the thought of two presidental retirement checks every month for the rest of the Clintons lives, I'm just not really sure; but whatever the draw is, I'm against it. And, to think the kissing Congressman is being condemned in the press for giving his brother-in-law a high-paying position that the guy wasn't qualified to do. Really, folks I don't see any difference.
So, Ms. Sebelius, I'm sorry to see that the Washington crowd has abandoned you for something that you personally didn't mess up (I'm sure like any Federal agency, there was an IT department responsible for computer programming). And, Ms. Mathews Burnwell, I wish you the best of luck in your new position, which I'm sure will be passed along to some other flunky at your slightest mistake, or the mistakes of the employees that you reside over. It's just too bad that we the citizens of this country have allowed to be created the dog-eat-dog mentality in our government that was established for the people, by the people, and of the people, so help us God.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
General Sinclair, Member of the Good Old Boys Club
Army General Sinclair cut a deal and won't be going to jail, no surprise since he's a member of the Good Old Boys' Club. The United States military is the biggest Good Old Boys' Club I've ever seen. They would lie to the death for each other, but women beware, you may be in the military but you haven't made the club and you may never make the club because you open your mouth and tell what's really going on. You've broken the number 1 rule of the club.
General Sinclair, by his own admission, was having affairs and forcing women to have sex; but, they couldn't stand to convict him and put him in prison because they know that they are all guilty of the same damn thing. Give it up boys, the women are ratting you out and it's only a matter of time before the Good Old Boys' Club comes to an end.
General Sinclair, by his own admission, was having affairs and forcing women to have sex; but, they couldn't stand to convict him and put him in prison because they know that they are all guilty of the same damn thing. Give it up boys, the women are ratting you out and it's only a matter of time before the Good Old Boys' Club comes to an end.
MY Comment on Michael Smerconish's Fred Phelps Comments
On my way to work the other morning, I was listening to the radio show POTUS Politics with Micheal Smerconish. Mr. Smerconish was having a discussion about religion, would Fred Phelps go to heaven if he accepted Jesus Christ as his savior before he died. In case you do not know who Fred Phelps is, he is the person who protests at American solider's funerals because he says God is punishing America for accepting gays.
Personally I think that anyone who would go to any funeral to hold a loud, nasty protest deserves to go to hell, but I may be wrong.
My comment is actually about the discussion on the remark Mr. Smerconish made that in the Bible God states that he wants us to forgive our enemies and accept Jesus Christ as our savior and then he will admit us into heaven, no matter what we do in life. Michael Smerconish remarked, would murders get into heaven if upon their deathbed they accepted Christ as their savior.
Now, I'm not a religious scholar nor any type of pastor, priest, or rabbi; so, this is my personal opinion. The God of the Old Testiment, the God of the Jews, was not a nice, forgiving God. And, I realize that Christians ascribe to the three Gods in one, the Trinity. However, I am talking about the God in Genisis that created the heavens and the earth and everything in it. Read the old testament and you will see that God was a jealous God and his ideology was, "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." There was no turn the other cheek ideology.
Jesus Christ, the son of God, one part of the three gods in the trinity, and he was born and died a Jew folks. Christianity was formed by his disciples after Christ's death. Christ's ideology was to love thine enemies, turn the other cheek, and all that good stuff. Jesus Christ, on the cross, turned to the thieves hanging beside him and offered them forgiveness if they accepted him as their savior; and one of them did. Jesus Christ turned the water to wine, healed the sick, and raised the dead; so, does that null and void the ideology of his father? I don't think so.
So, Mr. Smerconish, I think that you should say that Jesus Christ would forgive Mr. Phelp's and allow him into heaven with him; but, I'm hoping to go to God's heaven and God believes that revenge is the answer to people like Mr. Phelps.
Personally I think that anyone who would go to any funeral to hold a loud, nasty protest deserves to go to hell, but I may be wrong.
My comment is actually about the discussion on the remark Mr. Smerconish made that in the Bible God states that he wants us to forgive our enemies and accept Jesus Christ as our savior and then he will admit us into heaven, no matter what we do in life. Michael Smerconish remarked, would murders get into heaven if upon their deathbed they accepted Christ as their savior.
Now, I'm not a religious scholar nor any type of pastor, priest, or rabbi; so, this is my personal opinion. The God of the Old Testiment, the God of the Jews, was not a nice, forgiving God. And, I realize that Christians ascribe to the three Gods in one, the Trinity. However, I am talking about the God in Genisis that created the heavens and the earth and everything in it. Read the old testament and you will see that God was a jealous God and his ideology was, "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." There was no turn the other cheek ideology.
Jesus Christ, the son of God, one part of the three gods in the trinity, and he was born and died a Jew folks. Christianity was formed by his disciples after Christ's death. Christ's ideology was to love thine enemies, turn the other cheek, and all that good stuff. Jesus Christ, on the cross, turned to the thieves hanging beside him and offered them forgiveness if they accepted him as their savior; and one of them did. Jesus Christ turned the water to wine, healed the sick, and raised the dead; so, does that null and void the ideology of his father? I don't think so.
So, Mr. Smerconish, I think that you should say that Jesus Christ would forgive Mr. Phelp's and allow him into heaven with him; but, I'm hoping to go to God's heaven and God believes that revenge is the answer to people like Mr. Phelps.
Friday, March 14, 2014
Don't Monitor the Intelligence Committee?
Why is it OK for our government to monitor American citizens; but, not the Intelligence Committee in Congress? Why because they consider themselves above the government of which they are a part.
I'd like to know what the Intelligence Committee thinks they have the right to discuss that surveillance would disclose to us, the American public, that we shouldn't know. Ms. Feinstein, you're just making yourself look bad with all that complaining.
Don't Bite the Hand that Protects You!
Congress is in the process of voting on a bill that will cut more benefits to our military and their families. One part of the bill is to make the Commissary purchases cost the military family more; that would be the food that they purchase. Congress has already cut military pay raises, made medical care more expensive, and increased the time members will be away from their families, spending time in foreign countries, fighting wars.
Now these military members are the people that defend this nation. They are expected to be there to go to war at the whim of Congress and/or the President. These are the defenders of our freedom (or what is left of it); and, we are cutting their pay, their medical care, raising the prices of their food and clothing; what the heck is this nation thinking?
I am not an active military member; however, I have been a military spouse since 1971 and so I know of which I speak. If I were an active military member and my country was doing all of these wonderful things for me and my family, I'd think twice about doing a great job of defending the good old USA.
Now these military members are the people that defend this nation. They are expected to be there to go to war at the whim of Congress and/or the President. These are the defenders of our freedom (or what is left of it); and, we are cutting their pay, their medical care, raising the prices of their food and clothing; what the heck is this nation thinking?
I am not an active military member; however, I have been a military spouse since 1971 and so I know of which I speak. If I were an active military member and my country was doing all of these wonderful things for me and my family, I'd think twice about doing a great job of defending the good old USA.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
The Ukraine is Burning
If you ever have the opportunity to visit some of the former Soviet satellite countries, take the time and do it. The minute you drive over the border from the European countries you know you're in the former Soviet Union. The communists swept into these countries like a lion feasting on the carcass of a dead animal; picking the bones cleaning and moving on to the next.
Anything of value was stripped and taken back to Russia. All the natural resources were feasted on and the people were left to working in positions that benefited Russia in one way or another. Homes are made of rotting wood with paint peeling and hanging off the sides. These countries look like scenes out of acropolyptic movies.
Some of these former Soviet countries are trying to be democratic, trying to rebuild their economies and wanting to join the European Union. Some, however, are bemoaning the loss of the Soviet Union as they sit on their hands and dream of the old times, the times when the communists ate them alive. And, they actually pray for Putin to bring those old days back.
The people of Ukraine want to be like the West. They want to be part of the European Union and they thought they elected a leader who respected that wish and shared it. Unfortunately, President Yanukovych decided to turn, under pressure, to Putin. It really isn't anything new. The Russians have been pressuring them on and off since the demise of the Soviet Union.
Kiev, now the capital of the Ukraine, has been Russia's submarine port for many, many years. After the split, the Russians pressured the Ukraine for the rights to maintain their submarine port at Kiev. Now Kiev is burning and protesters are dying every day. Citizens only want what they thought they were going to get, democracy, and the right to join the West.
And, what does America do to help them? Our president wants to enforce sanctions against the oligarchs who have all the money and back Yanukovych. Why is it that we think sanctions are going to solve all the world's problems? They only end up hurting the common man. Yet when it comes to making sure America gets its oil quota we are willing to go to war and destroy governments. If we were to help the people of Syria, Iran, Ukraine, we might have our status back, but no, we want to play games with sanctions.
The once most powerful nation on this planet is afraid to provoke Russia. Even though we know that Putin will push into Ukraine once its government has been torn apart and he will take over parts of Ukraine as he did in Georgia. Putin is trying to resurrect at least a semblance of the old Soviet Union on the backs of the innocent citizens who would fight and die for their independence; for their right to live like those in the West.
I side with the citizens of Ukraine and I pray that they will be able to overcome. Fight on Ukraine even if the burning continues.
Anything of value was stripped and taken back to Russia. All the natural resources were feasted on and the people were left to working in positions that benefited Russia in one way or another. Homes are made of rotting wood with paint peeling and hanging off the sides. These countries look like scenes out of acropolyptic movies.
Some of these former Soviet countries are trying to be democratic, trying to rebuild their economies and wanting to join the European Union. Some, however, are bemoaning the loss of the Soviet Union as they sit on their hands and dream of the old times, the times when the communists ate them alive. And, they actually pray for Putin to bring those old days back.
The people of Ukraine want to be like the West. They want to be part of the European Union and they thought they elected a leader who respected that wish and shared it. Unfortunately, President Yanukovych decided to turn, under pressure, to Putin. It really isn't anything new. The Russians have been pressuring them on and off since the demise of the Soviet Union.
Kiev, now the capital of the Ukraine, has been Russia's submarine port for many, many years. After the split, the Russians pressured the Ukraine for the rights to maintain their submarine port at Kiev. Now Kiev is burning and protesters are dying every day. Citizens only want what they thought they were going to get, democracy, and the right to join the West.
And, what does America do to help them? Our president wants to enforce sanctions against the oligarchs who have all the money and back Yanukovych. Why is it that we think sanctions are going to solve all the world's problems? They only end up hurting the common man. Yet when it comes to making sure America gets its oil quota we are willing to go to war and destroy governments. If we were to help the people of Syria, Iran, Ukraine, we might have our status back, but no, we want to play games with sanctions.
The once most powerful nation on this planet is afraid to provoke Russia. Even though we know that Putin will push into Ukraine once its government has been torn apart and he will take over parts of Ukraine as he did in Georgia. Putin is trying to resurrect at least a semblance of the old Soviet Union on the backs of the innocent citizens who would fight and die for their independence; for their right to live like those in the West.
I side with the citizens of Ukraine and I pray that they will be able to overcome. Fight on Ukraine even if the burning continues.
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Eric Snowden, Traitor or Whistleblower
Civil servants of the Federal government take an oath to support and defend the government, I took that oath in 1984 and kept it for over 20 years. Now I am a government contractor, the same as Mr. Snowden, and we didn't have to take this oath; but, we are told that the government pays us to do a specific job and what the Federal employees, who work around us or with us, do is not our concern. In my case this is pretty much true. I go to work, analyze the materials assigned to me, write my analyses, give them to my supervisor, and go home. If I want to continue to do my job and keep my security clearance, I do not divulge government classified material.
Eric Snowden, stole classified materials and took them out of the government secure facilities in order to divulge them. Then when he was identified as the person who divulged classified government materials, instead of owning up and facing the consequences, he takes off out of the country to Russia. Now, let me tell you that in order to get on a plane and fly into Russian airspace, one must have a written invitation from Russia. You can't just jump on a plane and fly to Russia because you feel like it, and if someone tells you that you can and/or that they do, they are lying to you. Mr. Snowden is now living temporarily in Russia, at the invitation of that government, and he's saying that he is allowed to do this without revealing the classified materials he took with him. He's full of bull, never happen in our lifetimes.
Now, Mr. Snowden wants, and apparently a lot of Americans want, him to be pardoned or receive a reduced sentence because he isn't a traitor, he's a whistleblower. A whistleblower is someone who believes things are being handled incorrectly or illegally and so they go to their superiors and tells them. Whistleblowers do not steal classified government material and take it to communist countries or sell it to media outlets... that is a traitor. Why do you think Mr. Snowden is living in Russia, because he likes it there and just wants America to change the way they are doing things, baloney.
When I worked for the Federal government as a civil servant, I signed forms allowing them to bug my phone because I have nothing to hide. I do not talked to anyone about committing terrorist acts or about subverting the American government, so....they can listen to my phone calls all they want, I don't care. Yes, our government bugs phones, foreign and domestic. Should they be keeping this information on innocent American citizens? NO, I do not believe they should, so bringing this to the public's attention should have been done, in my opinion, but stealing the information, going to Russia to live, and having the information published in international media is not the way a whistleblower would have handled it.
Take the time to read Eric Snowden's articles and you'll see that he is a self-righteous SOB. He wants it all his way or not at all, he is right and everyone else is wrong. He is smug and enjoying his notoriety. Those of you who think what he did was right about making the public aware of the phone taps and keeping personal information on file, have a point; but, the way Eric Snowden is going about it, is very, very wrong. He's a traitor and should be prosecuted as one. Come on home Mr. Snowden judgment is waiting for you.
Eric Snowden, stole classified materials and took them out of the government secure facilities in order to divulge them. Then when he was identified as the person who divulged classified government materials, instead of owning up and facing the consequences, he takes off out of the country to Russia. Now, let me tell you that in order to get on a plane and fly into Russian airspace, one must have a written invitation from Russia. You can't just jump on a plane and fly to Russia because you feel like it, and if someone tells you that you can and/or that they do, they are lying to you. Mr. Snowden is now living temporarily in Russia, at the invitation of that government, and he's saying that he is allowed to do this without revealing the classified materials he took with him. He's full of bull, never happen in our lifetimes.
Now, Mr. Snowden wants, and apparently a lot of Americans want, him to be pardoned or receive a reduced sentence because he isn't a traitor, he's a whistleblower. A whistleblower is someone who believes things are being handled incorrectly or illegally and so they go to their superiors and tells them. Whistleblowers do not steal classified government material and take it to communist countries or sell it to media outlets... that is a traitor. Why do you think Mr. Snowden is living in Russia, because he likes it there and just wants America to change the way they are doing things, baloney.
When I worked for the Federal government as a civil servant, I signed forms allowing them to bug my phone because I have nothing to hide. I do not talked to anyone about committing terrorist acts or about subverting the American government, so....they can listen to my phone calls all they want, I don't care. Yes, our government bugs phones, foreign and domestic. Should they be keeping this information on innocent American citizens? NO, I do not believe they should, so bringing this to the public's attention should have been done, in my opinion, but stealing the information, going to Russia to live, and having the information published in international media is not the way a whistleblower would have handled it.
Take the time to read Eric Snowden's articles and you'll see that he is a self-righteous SOB. He wants it all his way or not at all, he is right and everyone else is wrong. He is smug and enjoying his notoriety. Those of you who think what he did was right about making the public aware of the phone taps and keeping personal information on file, have a point; but, the way Eric Snowden is going about it, is very, very wrong. He's a traitor and should be prosecuted as one. Come on home Mr. Snowden judgment is waiting for you.
Forgiveness
Someone recently made the following remark in my presence: "I'll never forgive my grandmother." What did your grandmother do to you that was so terrible that you'll never forgive her? Nothing, she did something terrible to somone else.
Have you read the Bible concerning forgiveness? Or, the Lord's Prayer? The Lord's Prayer says, "forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." Translation: forgive our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
So...we have the power to forgive those who do things to us and to ask for forgiveness for the things we do to others; but, we do not have the right to forgive someone or to ask for forgiveness for someone who does ill will to someone else. That can only be done by the person that was wronged.
Now, we can say that we do not like the things a person does and so we do not want to socialize with that person, or be friends with that person; but, before we do that we should find out why that person did what they did or why they act in the manner that they do so as to make you not want to be friends with them. However, in this case the Bible states that the first one among us without sin should cast the first stone.
Even though people make the statement that Christ was the only perfect person to walk the earth without committing a sin; and therefore, he is the only one who can sit in judgment of others...Christ stated on various occasions in the Bible that he was not perfect because of his human side. He went so far as to ask his father in heaven for forgiveness for the fact that he didn't want to die on the cross.
My point in this blog is to state that we should find out all the facts of the story before we condemn someone for something they have done to us or to someone else, because no one is perfect.
Have you read the Bible concerning forgiveness? Or, the Lord's Prayer? The Lord's Prayer says, "forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us." Translation: forgive our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.
So...we have the power to forgive those who do things to us and to ask for forgiveness for the things we do to others; but, we do not have the right to forgive someone or to ask for forgiveness for someone who does ill will to someone else. That can only be done by the person that was wronged.
Now, we can say that we do not like the things a person does and so we do not want to socialize with that person, or be friends with that person; but, before we do that we should find out why that person did what they did or why they act in the manner that they do so as to make you not want to be friends with them. However, in this case the Bible states that the first one among us without sin should cast the first stone.
Even though people make the statement that Christ was the only perfect person to walk the earth without committing a sin; and therefore, he is the only one who can sit in judgment of others...Christ stated on various occasions in the Bible that he was not perfect because of his human side. He went so far as to ask his father in heaven for forgiveness for the fact that he didn't want to die on the cross.
My point in this blog is to state that we should find out all the facts of the story before we condemn someone for something they have done to us or to someone else, because no one is perfect.
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