Category: General

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Happy Fathers Day

 

I was fortunate enough to have two dads who love(d) me.

My Genetic Father is dead. My Step Father is alive and kicking.

Both of them love(d) me for who I am.

I am very lucky.

To all you men out there, Let your dad know you appreciate him.

If you’re not tied up with family of your own, go grab your dad and take some time to do something you enjoy doing together.

If your dad’s no longer with us, remember you honor him by adhering to the best lessons he taught you. Go do something you both enjoyed.

There’s that old saying something like Those we remember fondly are never truly dead.

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I see things like this and wonder

Was reading my morning news, yeah I know bad idea… and this headline leapt out at me.

Green Lantern’ is opening. Does it appeal only to white American males?

I thought to myself DOES IT MATTER?

Why did the writer of this article think it important to ask this question?

There are a number of movies that I personally have no interest in seeing.

Were I to ask the same question about  The Lottery Ticket for example with a headline like;

Lottery Ticket opens today, Does it appeal only to Black American Males?

I’d be crucified as a racist, so why doesn’t the blade of racism in America cut BOTH ways?

According to Wikipedia the first Green Lantern appeared in 1940.

Green Lantern is a reflection of the time in which it was created.

The story Line I’m most familiar with starts in 1959 with Hal Jordan who is a fighter test pilot. Since the 1959 story line involves a fighter test pilot, and the first African American test pilot (Ed Dwight) wasn’t appointed until 1961. It’ makes all the sense in the world that Hal Jordan would be white.

It is worth noting that later in the Green Lantern story arc as early as 1971, an African American (John Stewart) is chosen by the Green Lantern Corps. Again this is a reflection of the changing attitudes in the society. The John Stewart Green Lantern is an Architect, was a Marine, and is all about Justice and doing the right thing regardless of the consequences. He’s a strong character that everyone can understand and identify with.

There was always considerable diversity in the Green Lantern story. When you consider that  The Green Lantern Corps, is coalition of aliens from many worlds all of whom are given great power and responsibility based on the judgement of the Lantern rings.

I’ve noticed chatter in the ‘net where people are complaining that Hal Jordan, not  John Stewart is the Green Lantern in the current movie.

Since I haven’t yet seen the movie, I don’t know how relevant the internet chatter is.

If the movie is about the origins of the Green Lantern on Earth then the Hal Jordan story arc makes sense. If the movie is about the Green Lantern in general then it could have gone either way.

What I find disturbing is that people are bitching about the color of the Green Lanterns skin.

If anything, the development of the Green Lanterns story over the past 50 years shows that Green is the color of justice and the color of the persons skin is incidental  to the Character and Strength of the person wielding the ring.

It’s ashamed that life is not imitating art in this case.

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Well ask and ye shall receive!

 

Apparently the Doofusses at work have finally figured out who, how and when they want to lay us off.

So at the drop of a hat they want me to drive 160 miles round trip to pick up an “official” notice letter. Uhhhh Nope! Not interested in making that drive just to pick a letter up.

As far as I’m concerned, they can and should mail it registered letter to my home address. That way they have proof that I did in fact receive the letter and information about the layoff.

Unfortunately I have a couple of appointments today and those are far more important to my world than making that LA run.

I’ll pick this thing up at my convenience. If I work it right I can do it at the same time I turn in my company computer and badge.

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Even Canada?

I was sad to see the news about the riots in Vancouver this morning. It’s a pity that moronic sports fans can make make such a mess.

 I really thought that Los Angeles had the lock on stupid violent fans. We have riots over basketball games, and beat visitors to our city damn near to death.

In light of the behavior of the sports fans here in LA, and the obscenely high ticket and concession prices, I’ve been wondering if it would just make sense to tell the sports teams to find somewhere else to be. Not a basketball fan here, I do like Baseball and the occasional football game but I have zero desire to put my personal safety at risk by driving to the heart of LA just to see a game.

Universally it’s pretty much accepted you never visit any city or country that has a team in the soccer playoffs. Trampled in the stands being the least of your worries. The looting., and violence that happens regardless of the outcome of the match says something about the KIND of people that show up at soccer matches.

I suppose I’ll add Vancouver to the list of places NOT to visit during hockey events.  I never imagined Canadians as looters and thugs looking for an excuse to riot and steal.

I guess the shitty elements of society are everywhere.

I hope that the Canadians, make the folks arrested last night clean up the mess. I’ve always believed the TAX payers of any city or country shouldn’t have to foot the bill for the mess caused by a badly behaved fans.

Unfortunately, by the time you get through the court system, the mess has already been cleaned up and the tax dollars have been spent twofold. 

I guess that leaves harsh community service penalties. Humm…. 2 years of street sweeping with a broom, or cleaning up public parks by hand sounds about right.

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A busy day running around

 

Yesterday I had to go to the Long Beach. The drive wasn’t as bad as it could have been. And the drive home wasn’t all that bad either.

People are still doing stupid things on the road but it’s not nearly as irritating to me as it used to be. It’s amazing what NOT having to put up with LA traffic Day in and Day out will do for your attitude.

I noticed the other morning that I was smiling for no damn reason. In fact I couldn’t seem to wipe the smile off my face. I’m much happier today than I was say, 4 weeks ago.

AND in the foot in my mouth department….

I’m sitting in the eye doctors office. One of the nice ladies asks why I’m here, I say I’m having a problem with a trial set of contacts. She asks if I have an appointment I say yes. She looks at me quizzically and then at her book and says “wow you’re  really early”.

I say well it’s better for me to be early than late and demanding to be seen.

OOOOPPPPS..

There’s a dude sitting in the waiting area that did EXACTLY THAT! I’m getting the stink eye from him but that only tells me he’s very aware he’s in the wrong.

Ahhh I can’t help it sometimes… Being an asshole comes SOOO NATURALLY to me! Sometimes I don’t even know I’m being an ass.

Judging by the overheard phone conversations this guy is chronically having HE’S GOT PROBLEMS even without whatever problems he’s got with his eyes. I know way more about his personal & business life than I should.

Considering that he was practically yelling into his phone, and I could hear the other side of the conversation From the phone pressed to his ear. I think that in addition to needing help with his glasses, he probably needs either a new phone, or a hearing aid. Possibly both.

It’s grey and overcast on the coast. But further inland it’s sunny and pretty. All the more reason to smile, here at home it’s beautiful and while there is yet stuff to do in the yard and around the house I’m in such a good place I find myself smiling more often than not.

It’s amazing how much being really stressed and unhappy at work can affect your outlook on EVERYTHING!

I’m wondering how long it’s going to take the dofusses at work to actually send out the paperwork telling me when I’m really going to be laid off. Thus far they haven’t been able to actually decide on a layoff list much less when it’s going to happen.

Just a few weeks ago this would have driven me to a frothing rage. Now it’s like whatever, whenever, I just don’t care.

Until they actually tell me with a letter or something  I guess I keep turning in a time card.