Politics | Piss and Moan

Monkeys all

Posted on December 9, 2019 by backuphill

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I think it is safe to say that Congress continues to demonstrate that we, the American people, have elected a bunch of monkeys to run the country.

I am having a difficult time seeing anything else at this point. Both sides, Republicans and Democrats, continue to live up to the old Mark Twain quote, “There is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress.”

I am just tired of it.

Nonsense, from everyone, though some seem to be more nonsensical than others.

Monkeys actually might be more civilized. I am sure there could be a serious debate on that point, but in my mind I think it’s probably true. There has to be a better option than the yahoo’s we have “running the country.”

Anyone else tired of this poo slinging behavior and really want them to get about the business of something other than party agendas and political sabotage?

X factor

Posted on December 5, 2019 by backuphill

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When you are divorced and have had a child (or children), there is always the “X factor” to consider.

It’s sad to say, but as fathers we very typically get the shaft when it comes to co-parenting the children after a divorce. There is honestly no logical reasoning behind this precedent other than the mother is nearly always seen as “the fittest parent” in these situations, regardless of the circumstances. Even when you can demonstrate, with evidence, that as a father you would be a better choice for the child’s custodial parent it is a costly uphill battle that has no guaranteed outcome.

As I was preparing the visitation calendar for 2020 for my teen daughter, it just brought back all the times where I have had to consider the X factor over the last 14 years. We divorced when she was under two so I have had a lot of considering to do, and still have a little while longer to deal with it. It has been a challenge over the years.

How will the X respond to this? What will the X do now? Is there a way to get the X to be reasonable? How crazy is my X, really? I can’t believe the X responded the way she did. Why does the X have to make everything about herself? Why does the X always make this more challenging than it needs to be? How is the X gonna take this? How can I do this so it doesn’t piss the X off? Now what does the X want?

If you are a divorced father with children, you likely know all too well what I mean. Or, maybe you are even a mother with a crazy X, you know too. Really this post isn’t so much about fathers (though that is my experience) but about the fact that while raising children as divorced parents you are always having to consider the X factor. Everything you do seems to revolve around the other person even though you aren’t with that person every day.

I am thankful that it has gotten a little better since my daughter is now older and can transport herself, but as I was still working on a visitation calendar (which really hasn’t been followed since my daughter is old enough to have a job now) that I still have to consider the X factor when it comes to my daughter. Just a couple more years that I am REQUIRED to consider the X…then it will only have to be during major life events for my daughter. That will be a whole new chapter of X factor to deal with.

Can anyone else relate to this?

Like sheep

Posted on November 26, 2019 by backuphill

focus photo of brown sheep under blue sky

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I was reading a little this morning and I couldn’t help but agree entirely with a paragraph in a book that was published in 2004. The commentary is just as relevant today as it was back then. Maybe even more so today.

…people [are like] sheep because we humans have a tendency to follow. “The crowd” has a very powerful effect on us, and popular opinion is far too effective in shaping our thoughts and behavior. We prefer consensus to conviction, tolerance to truth. We can even be persuaded to be critical of some of the most impressive things on earth.

How true it is that people tend to go along with the crowd rather than stand out and stand up for something they feel/believe strongly about/in. And even more true, people and society don’t want “truth” any longer. Instead, they avoid conflict at all cost and call it tolerance. We often hear people say, “It is MY truth.” Sorry, peeps, there is no such thing.

The paragraph caused me to ponder for a bit. Where do I fall? Am I a follower, just another sheep in the flock, or am I standing up for what I believe in? That can be a hard question to evaluate myself against. Sometimes, I don’t think I like the truth. But, the truth is what is most important.

In the context of the quote above, where are you? How do you see yourself?

No complaint here

Posted on November 11, 2019 by backuphill

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Not today.

It’s hard to complain about people who sacrifice their time, energies, family life, and comfort (and sometimes even their lives) to protect me and my family.

Any time, any where, there have been men and women who have joined the military and answered a call to protect freedoms of the US and other countries around the world.

In simple words, “THANK YOU.”

No words can really express that enough.

Thanks to my family members (relatives I have known and not known; those who served in the past and those currently serving now) who have sacrificed a portion of their lives in service of their country. Your efforts have not gone unappreciated.

Thank you.

Tax revolt

Posted on November 8, 2019 by backuphill

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Once again, in WA state, there has been a tax revolt.

People are tired of paying unnecessarily high taxes on things like car registration tabs.

We have had two initiatives in this state in the last several decades where the people have clearly said, “ENOUGH!” Twice the citizens of the state (not just one city and county) have said, “$30 – no more, no less.” This is one of the very few times that the rest of the state has told Seattle and King County what it wants versus the other way around, where the population of Seattle and King County out vote the rest of the state to dictate what happens in areas around the state.

So, the latest version passed of the car tabs issue passed on Tuesday, again.

And for what will be the second time, the government is going to sue (yes, you read that right, the government) to get their taxes back. Let that sink in. The government is going to sue to stop the will of the people, who used the democratic process and voted on it, just so they can get their funding back.

If that doesn’t smack of government abuse and overreach, I don’t know what does.

It just goes to show you, once you give the government the ability to oversee your rights, freedom, and money…

…you’ll lose all three.

Get out and vote

Posted on November 5, 2019 by backuphill

I don’t know about your state, but we have elections in ours today. Want to know who’s really stupid? People who choose not to vote.

One thing that has never made sense to me is that people are actually willingly giving up their right to vote by not participating.

They haven’t registered to vote. They haven’t cast a ballot in a long time. They haven’t changed their registration location because they moved. They haven’t voted, for whatever reason…“Oh, I’m not political.”

Whatever! You are political. Every time you complain about the government or those working in it, for it, or around it. You’re political.

Voting is a fundamental right to CITIZENS of the United States. It’s your right. It’s your voice. No vote, no voice. But here’s the thing, it’s REALLY easy to do, if you really care. But even if it isn’t easy, you should still do it! Voting is like breathing, eating, and sleeping. You just should do it because it matters a lot.

Of course, there are those in our country who are not citizens and they vote, which is totally illegal and should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. How is it they care more than actual people who are citizens?

Get and vote. Seriously.

Today.

And every other opportunity you have.

Libel

Posted on October 21, 2019 by backuphill

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It’s hard to keep your mouth shut when you’re a Clinton. They have a desire to be in the spotlight that is undaunted by even the most painful of election results and other scandals.

The latest involving “Lady Clinton” is a stunner!

With no evidence offered and nothing to back up her statement, she is politically assassinating a fellow Democrat’s political career and character. The truly unbelievable audacity of such an accusation is mind-blowing. It once again demonstrates that the Clintons believe they are above the law, but this is yet another clearly defined instance where the law should be biting her in the ass.

Tulsi Gabbard should sue the living pant-suit off of Hillary for libel. Make her answer for her unfounded, libelous statement and produce evidence in a court of law to support such a claim, or make Hillary eat her words and reward Tulsi with a HUGE financial settlement.

Such an accusation can’t go unanswered. It just can’t.

Doctor doctor

Posted on October 18, 2019 by backuphill

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Is it getting near impossible to get good service at a doctor’s office any more?

I was reminiscing the other day about how when you used to go to the doctor that they would actually spend some time with you and actually show concern for you, not just your physical self but for other aspects of your life.

Those times are gone. Long gone.

Now, when you go to the doctor, you barely get 10 minutes with the doc and you only get “one thing at a time.” In other words, if I am visiting the doctor for one physical ailment I can’t also mention a different ailment. I am told that I will have to make another appointment for that. Really?

Heaven forbid that I take more time than my allotted 10 minutes!

Doctor’s offices have become all about production rather than quality and patients are feeling the effects. Its all about “How many patients can I see in a day?” rather than “I am going to do the best job possible for my patients so their care and health comes first.”

A relative recently visited the doc and was going because they were pretty sure they had a sinus infection but also something else is going on internally, like in the stomach or kidney area. Unsure of what is going on in one area but pretty positive in another, they hoped they could have both addressed in the same visit. At first they were told that another appointment would be needed. When it was brought up again with the nurse, the response was “I’ll see if the doctor has time.” The doctor “made time” and broke their policy to talk about the second issue without a second visit…only to have my relative go back to the doctor two days later because the second issue is getting worse.

Is that really care? Is that really best healthcare we can get? “If there is time…” ” I am not supposed to do this…” “We’ll try and squeeze you in…” Whatever.

Your life, your well-being, your health is at risk because our doctors (maybe not them, but whoever is making the money and holding the docs hostage) can’t time time to actually provide you with the care you need.

I am not really sure what the answer is, but I certainly know what the answer isn’t. It’s not the kind of care we are getting now.

“The good ol’ days” really were better when it comes to doctor office visits. Let’s put some personal level of care back into “healthcare.”

Do you miss the “Good ol’ days” of healthcare too?

Clean air

Posted on October 15, 2019 by backuphill

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If you are still doing this, then you’re an idiot.

selective focus photography of man doing vape trick

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Or if you are now doing this, you’re an idiot.

If you are trying to defending doing either of these, you’re an even bigger idiot.

We all know now that smoking is bad for you. There is no doubt about it. Not only does it waste your money, but it destroys your body…and you do it knowing full well the consequences.

However, this whole vaping thing replaced the smoking trend with a “safer” alternative. Yeah, so much for that right? If you have followed the news at all, you know it isn’t going to end well.

This “safer” trend has been around a lot less time than smoking. Yet, it has taken significantly less time to show that it isn’t any safer. But, for some reason people think that putting something that doesn’t come from a cigarette into your lungs is better for you. Weird logic, don’t you think?

Look, it is pretty simple. The only think that should be going into your lung, for any reason, is air. Clean air (as clean as it can be).

That is all. There is nothing you can substitute it with and you can’t logically make an argument for anything else. If the American Lung Association tells you to avoid smoking, smog, and household chemicals, etc. then obviously any foreign substance – “safer” or not – shouldn’t be put into your lungs.

Honestly, I don’t even understand how this can be a debatable issue.

Idiots.

Expectations

Posted on October 8, 2019 by backuphill

reflection photo of man standing on dirt road

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I’ll admit, I have a problem.

The problem? I have too many expectations. I don’t think I am an unreasonable person, but I do think that having expectations in the current days is slowly becoming an exercise in futility.

I expect that people mean what they say, and say what they mean.

I expect that people will be responsible for themselves.

I expect that people will own their actions, or inaction.

I expect that people will follow through. That they will honor their word.

I expect that family members will be productive citizens when they come of age.

I expect that my rights as a citizen of the United States are paramount to those of a non-citizen (obviously within limit as I am not a lawless individual).

I expect that the media should be fair and balanced.

I expect that my tax dollars are used for legitimate needs.

I expect that good customer service can’t be compromised.

I expect that respecting our elders and law enforcement is a given.

I could go on. But I won’t.

It doesn’t seem that there is a point to having expectations any longer. Yes, we all have our own expectations but there used to be those that everyone agreed upon and that just simply isn’t the case any longer.

What do you think? Is it unreasonable to have expectations these days?