opinion | Piss and Moan

Agenda?

Posted on May 22, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Ann H on Pexels.com

Something you might wanna check in your state, especially if your state is being slow on opening up the state because of the pandemic.

As you know, the governor here has an alternative agenda rather than just the health and safety of the citizens of the state.

Unfortunately, what we as the citizens have learned is that the governor and the Secretary of Health have almost unlimited power when it comes to a public health crisis. There is no review by the state legislature on the governor’s powers and there is no way to slow down an abuse of power, if one were to occur (which many believe may be currently occurring).

I also just learned that the Secretary of Health is not an elected official. The secretary is appointed by the governor. Looking at the credentials of the current secretary, it appears he has all the qualifications to make him acceptable for the job. But as an appointee, that also means that undo pressure could be applied.

I am not saying the Secretary of Health has an agenda, but the governor does have one. With literally very few checks and balances of power on the governor in these types of situations, it certainly bears additional scrutiny.

Could the secretary have an agenda? It’s possible. Or maybe not. But, having someone with so much power, along with the governor and not be an elected official, that bears a closer look too.

Do you know how your government is set up?

Free?

Posted on May 21, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Lukas on Pexels.com

“…O’re the land of the free and home of the brave.”

That’s the last line of the national anthem. You know, “The Star-Spangled Banner.” The one that apparently some find offensive, but that’s a topic for another day.

Anyway, I think we have seen rather clearly that “home of the brave” is not really the country we live in any longer. That is likely a subjective statement. I mean, there are lots of brave people out there still, but there seems to be far more people who would rather not rise to a challenge and would rather make things easy and comfortable.

With that ease, comes the previous line.

“Land of the free.”

That line refers to the rights and freedoms we have as citizens of the United States. Freedom from government control and abuse. That is something to be celebrated and protected.

BUT, the land of the free apparently has taken on a different meaning to an astoundingly large group of people (yes, Dems, I am looking at you…).

Now, it seems, land of the free means giving stuff away to those who don’t deserve it. Moreover, giving it away to people who aren’t even citizens of the country. We have already seen in California that the governor & legislature wants to give away $75 million in stimulus money to illegal immigrants in the state, not to mention health services and education and other benefits they already have been giving away. Lawsuits over this giveaway are in the process, but in the meantime those who don’t deserve taxpayer money are getting it for free.

Washington now wants to follow the same path, only Seattle wants $100 million. Not only does the state turn a blind eye to those who are here illegally, but now it wants to reward them too.

It makes no sense.

There are lots of things that I am willing to pay taxes for, even with the fact that there is a huge amount of waste and inefficiency in government. But what I am not willing to do is to pay taxes to give to people who aren’t supposed to be here in the first place. I wouldn’t go to another country and expect that I get a handout, regardless of whether I am working or not. I’ll earn my money, thanks. I certainly wouldn’t expect to get money after breaking the law to get there and stay there. How does that make sense?

Government should be small and responsive. When it isn’t, there is a problem. There’s been a problem here for a long time and the prospects for it getting worse are frightening.

The city

Posted on May 20, 2020 by backuphill

The ditch doesn’t look like this…Photo by Inge Wallumrød on Pexels.com

Just had a guy from the city stop by.

I called a month ago to see if I could get someone to come out and take a look at the ditch that runs in front of the house. Of course, the lockdown thing was keeping them from being able to come out and take a look so I figured I would disappear to someone’s “Yeah, we may or may not get to it” file.

The ditch out front of the house is a pain in the rear. Ultimately, since it is in the city’s right of way, I would like to have them put a pipe in it and then make it disappear so the front of the yard doesn’t have that stupid thing. The last guy that lived here tried to fill it himself and the city made him dig it back up because he didn’t do it correctly. As such, it has needed maintenance ever since.

So, the guy comes out. Asks some questions. Wants to know what I would like to have happen. He becomes non-committal about the options they have and then suggests maybe I could clean it out. I politely informed him that I am not going to do the work of the city if it is in their right of way. He said he would talk to some people and get back to me.

So, now I suppose I am officially in the “Yeah, we may or may not get to it” file.

What’s irritating is that they suggested, the first time I called the city, that I do it myself and pay for the supplies and the engineering company, with permits, of course, to fill in the ditch with pipe. Yeah, not gonna happen. What might happen is that I do pay for the supplies and just do it myself in the middle of the night…but then, of course, someone would find out and then I probably would end up either having to dig it out or pay the fees (because governments are always quick to make sure they get their fees) for them to dig it out and do it correctly…not gonna happen.

So, it will just sit there and be useless and unsightly.

Man, I hate that ditch.

500+

Posted on May 19, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Padli Pradana on Pexels.com

Milestone or millstone?

Seems last week I surpassed 500 posts on this here little blog.

Never thought I would enjoy Piss and Moan so much. Actually, enjoy might be the wrong word. Maybe it should be more of, I didn’t realize how much therapy it would be to just get stuff off my chest.

Vent. Complain. Express frustration and irritation. Whine. Grumble. Contemplate. Argue. Lament. Bitterness. Pessimism. Negative. Irrational. Insensitive. Etc., etc., etc.

I think I have done it all and, as it turns out, I had more to say than I thought I did. LOL

Milestone? Yes. 500 means that I have posted nearly every week day for about a year and a half.

Millstone? Yes. It means I feel responsible to post every week day for the foreseeable future.

Do I have more to say? Of course.

But do you have anything to say? I am willing to take guest posts, if you’re so inclined. I know I am not the only one who has something to Piss and Moan about. Weird thing is, no one has even approached me yet about sharing their grumbles. C’mon people! Take a dive off the deep end with me and let stuff go!

Anyway, thanks to those of you who are regular readers of my thoughts. Thanks to those of you who have shared your thoughts on my thoughts. I appreciate you checking in on me, even when we don’t agree. I wish I could say I have higher aspirations for the blog, but I don’t. It’ll continue to be my little corner of the internet where I can say whatever the hell I want. That’s all.

For all of those others out there who aren’t really readers but just spam followers hoping to get a “follow” back, you suck. Go ahead and just click the “unfollow” button anytime.

The mission of Pissing and Moaning continues. Feel enlightened, or at least feel like you got something ponder. Ether way, it’s all good.

A matter of trust

Posted on May 18, 2020 by backuphill

lighted matchstick on brown wooden surface

Photo by Sebastian Sørensen on Pexels.com

Last week I said there was a red line that seemed to get farther and farther away because the government seemed to have ulterior motives. I wrote that in the morning on Friday. Friday evening, a report cam out that kinda confirms the suspicions of many who abided by the initial red line and then saw it move.

The governor of Washington, Jay Inslee, keeps moving the red line and the state’s residents are paying the price. Healthy residents are confined to their homes “Stay Home, Stay Healthy), businesses are struggling, cities are becoming insolvent, hospitals (the supposed “front lines”) are furloughing or laying people off. There has been clear evidence of a power grab and then we hear this…

In an interview with Bernie Sanders, Inslee said (starting @ 48:00), “this has always been an economic opportunity … we should not be intimidated by people who say you should not use this COVID crisis to peddle a solution to climate change … we can’t use COVID as an excuse for inaction on climate change … they’re both so similar … based on an understanding of science.” (here is the specific part in a shorter clip)

Um, did you catch that? So, this pandemic is a great opportunity to tear down the economy and start back with green solutions? Yeah, no. Not the time or the place. People are suffering and the pandering to socialist causes isn’t the time to push an agenda either.

Fraud is rampant in unemployment claims when the people could actually be working and providing for their families. There wouldn’t even be a need for unemployment claims if this jackwagon would let people make decisions for themselves instead of using the government to abuse the rights of its citizens.

It’s an issue of trust, and quite frankly no one trusts him. No one trusts that what has been done has been done for the right reasons.

How far are you willing to let them go? You have common sense (assumptions being made here) and you can see how this has gone. Can you take a guess about where it will continue to go? Do you blindly go “like sheep to the slaughter” because you gave “up essential liberty to purchase temporary safety”?

Red line

Posted on May 15, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Johannes Plenio on Pexels.com

Remember the “red line”?

You know, the one about Syria. Where a former President said that if the government of that country took certain actions then that would cross a red line and then action against said government would be taken in a direct and forceful manner? I know you can recall it. Remember how the red line kept moving? How conditions were met, but the red line just kept getting farther away and the requirements kept changing?

Let me submit for your consideration another red line instance.

A red line that keeps moving but for different reasons. This time, it can be seen at some national department levels, but mostly at the state & county & even the city level with certain government officials and this whole pandemic thing.

Remember how we were told the pandemic was coming and there was a red line that couldn’t be crossed or we would be in big trouble?

You know, “flatten the curve” and all that jazz? Let’s “stay home, stay safe” so we can keep our hospitals from being overrun with the sick? So there wasn’t a major lack of supplies and all?

Well, it seems the curve has been flattened and we never actually got to the red line, but for some reason the red line keeps getting pushed farther and farther out.

The first message was, “We need to do this to keep people safe and to keep the healthcare system from being overwhelmed.” Red line 1.

Okay. This is unknown, and temporary, so sure why not? We can do this so we can get more info.

Then the message was, “OK, this seems to be working, so let’s do it for just a little bit longer so testing can catch up.” Red line 2.

Seems reasonable, but this might actually not be needed. I am a reasonable adult and can make smart choices and be cautious without being told what I can’t and can’t do.

Now the message is, “We’re going to extend the ‘stay home, stay safe’ order because it worked and there isn’t a vaccine or a cure yet and we think everyone should continue to be isolated while we pick the winners and losers in the economy. Schools, businesses, and public areas may or may not open based on a plan that will take weeks, if not months, maybe years, to implement. Please heed the warnings of forecasts that are about as good as weather reports and trust us that we’re doing this because we know best.”

Red line 3.

So, we are being forced to obey the will of the government, by force in some cases, Constitution and rights be damned. Um, is the government working FOR us or AGAINST us here?

I get the red line. The first one was necessary. The second, questionable. But the third? Not so much.

There are few things more irritating than changing expectations or goals that can’t be met because the goal line keeps changing.

As citizens, I think it is time to step up and let the government know, again, who draws the lines and what we are willing and not willing to do, and when we are willing to do it.

Dreary

Posted on May 14, 2020 by backuphill

selective focus photography of corrugated metal sheet of house during rainy daytime

Photo by Nur Andi Ravsanjani Gusma on Pexels.com

The weather is dreary today.

I feel like the weather.

I have lost any and all motivation.

Whether or not the weather makes any changes will likely also have an affect on whether or not my attitude changes. It would help if the weather was sunny and warm, but the weatherman hasn’t given me any indication on whether that will happen or not.

So, dreary it is.

But, I suppose it could go downhill from there too. Whether that happens or not will also depend on the weather.

But dreary for now.

Refi

Posted on May 12, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Matthias Zomer on Pexels.com

I’ll tell you what, in a world where everything seemingly has to be done online right now, banks aren’t really trying to make the Refi process any easier.

When a bank contacts you about the possibility of lowering the interest rate on your mortgage it should be a breeze. They have all the info they need based on the current loan and short of a few updated documents for verification, it should be a seamless and painless process.

Nope.

At least not with Chase. Maybe others have been better.

Their website doesn’t work like it should. They are communicating, or at least trying to communicate with me, through two different portals instead of one. I can only upload documents in one of those portals, but have another portal to “e-sign” stuff in. Makes no sense.

Then the mortgage advisor assigned to me doesn’t communicate with me until nearly the end of each day so it takes another 24 hours to get anything done. This all could have been done last week, but they can’t print (or download) the documents already signed on their website, and they keep asking for things we have already done.

Irritating I tell ya! I stayed with them because it should be relatively easy if you’re already their customer. Nope. Not so much.

Frustration.

Money tree?

Posted on May 11, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

Apparently the Democrats have a money tree they aren’t telling people about. Actually, it must be more than one, because there is no explanation of how this government give-away can be paid for, let alone sustainable.

What I can’t figure out is where they think the money for this is going to come from. Higher taxes? Who can pay those since many business are shut down? Oh, and since business are shut down, they’re laying off or furloughed their workers. And those workers don’t have money to spend at the businesses that remain open. The business that remain open? Well, they reduced hours and laid people off.

You see how this works, right? The cycle the economy follows is self-generating. In order for it to work, all parts have to be working efficiently and effectively. There is no part of an economy that doesn’t rely on another part of itself to work, removing parts keeps it from working.

Guaranteed Minimum Income. Universal Basic Income.

Two bad ideas and perhaps this is all about a dress rehearsal for those. Sounds great on paper but doesn’t work in reality or practicality. It’s been tried and nearly always/completely leads to disaster. But the socialists in the country are gonna keep on pushing it because you know, the mirage of utopia is just one the other side…

Perhaps its an attempt to buy votes for the upcoming election in November.

“Look what we tried to do (or did) for you! But those big bad, typically small government and more fiscally responsible Republicans kept us from giving you free money that we don’t have and can’t afford. Aren’t they mean? They’re keeping you on the bottom on purpose by not giving you the opportunity to receive free money instead of earning it. “

If a politician is telling you that you can get something for nothing, you better look real hard and ask a lot of questions. It ain’t true, no matter what they tell you! There is always a cost, and it definitely won’t be what you think it is and it won’t be the first thing you find. Dig deeper.

Tag-alongs

Posted on May 7, 2020 by backuphill

Photo by Skitterphoto on Pexels.com

Nope. I’m not talking about small, over-priced cookies distributed by your little local vested gang…

I am talking about family members (adult children, really) who don’t ever make any plans on their own, but just “tag-along” on the plans of others.

Birthday parties, Thanksgiving, Mother’s/Father’s Day, etc…never their own plans, always the question that comes one of two ways, “What are the plans?” or “What are you doing?”

Both of those questions are then followed up by the assumption that they are automatically invited to the event (even if it doesn’t really involve them) and don’t have to put in any effort into it. Sure, sometimes they offer to bring something minimal but most of the time they just show up and consume with little to no appreciation.

I have watched from afar and up close and personal, so here’s an example of which I speak:

Mother’s Day planning is done for an elderly mother. Plans are made, set, decided upon, and food is purchased for said get together. Planning has been done by the child of this mother BUT what soon follows is the children (the adult grandchildren of the elderly mother) of said mother doing the planning don’t plan anything for their own mom. Instead, the children just horn in on the plans for the grandmother – they don’t make any effort to plan anything for their own mother, other than just going to the gathering for the grandmother.

Does that make sense? I tried to explain that as clearly as possible, but I am not sure I did it successfully.

Anyway, this kind of tag-along thing happens all the time and, quite frankly, the mother needs to say something about it but doesn’t have the heart to speak up and tell the kids they need to do their own planning.

Of course, I can’t speak up either because that is a battle I can’t win no matter how I approach it. I am sure you can assume you know how that would all go over.

Irritating, really. And all I can do is sit back and watch it happen…

Unsolicited Advice? If you have are an adult child with parents who are still around, make your damn own plans! That might be challenging depending on family situations and timing, but the effort is noticed and appreciated. DON’T just tag-along (even if you are invited to). Grow up, be responsible, and truly appreciate your parents instead of just relying on them.