Comments by Ex_Inmate
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Posted on January 2 at 7:12 a.m.
I would guess that reason that the dribble they call kids music is popular is that many parents are culturally deprived, so they have no concept of the arts. I grew up in a family that revered education with parents who had wide cultural interests. I was raised listening to a wide variety of cultural interests and thirst for knowledge. It has stood me well for many years.
Our culture is so dependent on television and marketing that we have raised a culturally illiterate generation of children who are becoming culturally illiterate adults. Don't believe me? Try sitting in a college classroom with these young people who are used to having everything fed to them and can't create an original thought to save their lives. It took one of my professors almost 4 months to engage a majority of the students in any meaningful discussion. It is sad and frightening as we are becoming a nation of mindless sheep.
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Posted on December 11 at 8:42 a.m.
What I think is needed is a different sort of reward for participation than for performance. If the kid does his job and shows up, he might get paper award or button, something small that identifies his/her contribution. By their definition, trophies are for winning and exceptional performance and should only be distributed to those who won or "placed" in the top of their league. This way you reward excellence but not participation, but still place value on participation.
Nobody is entitled to "win" and we are sending a very bad message to our kids that stays with them as they grow up. How many kids do you know who expect to drive and get new cars at 16 and do not have to get good grades or prove they are responsible enough for the privilege of driving? We have gone overboard as parents trying to give our kids a better life but instead have made them spoiled and selfish. Better to let them lose and deny them privileges they don't earn, than give them bonuses and trophies they don't deserve. In the end, they will be self sufficient, strong adults who appreciate what they do receive. They will also be better equipped to handle life's disappointments and work harder to achieve success.
Posted on November 1 at 11:14 a.m.
Most animals you eat come from factory farms. You have no idea how these poor animals spend their last days when you cut into that juicy steak, chop or breast. Have you ever actually stopped and toured any dairies in CA? They are horrible places for those cows. Many have never tasted grass, as they are fed some man made concoction full of crap. We are so far removed from the process that we have become insensitive to it or totally ignore where our food comes from. I am not against eating meat, but I am against wasting it and treating animals badly to mass produce food for a populace that is wasteful and obese. I feel it is better to treat the animals that feed us well, pay a little more and waste less.
Posted on September 12 at 5:46 a.m.
Take away the hype and rhetoric and take a really good look that the people who are vying to be president. There are several things that disturb me about both candidates:
Obama has been bought and sold by the Democrats to the people of this country. His candidacy is a just one big marketing campaign and most people are just too stupid to see it. Watch the man, it's all about him. I am suspicious of anybody who comes that far, that fast. This man was a nobody until he was introduced on 60 minutes a couple of years ago when he ran for the senate. He has been so busy running for president, he never really was a senator. I don't believe for a minute that he believes his own drivel. He has been packaged to be the next Kennedy.
McCain is a religious fundamentalist and is pandering to the radical right. In some ways I actually like him better than Obama. He is probably better qualified to run the country, but his overly hawkish evangelical stance overshadows what I do like. He chose a radical right running mate to satisfy the ultra conservatives. Any radical faction of a society, be it ultra conservative or ultra liberal is scary, period. History has proven that over and over. Does Palin's parenting count? Yes, it is a window into the type of person she is and how she will run the country should the worst happen. That should scare you right there! I moved to the South a few years ago, where the evangelicals rule and folks, be afraid, very afraid should the republicans be elected. You just have to live here and watch the local political ads to really understand the mentality. These people want to control every aspect of your life, just like their preachers and religion control theirs. It is their duty to save you!
So where does that leave us? Basically without a legitimate choice, and up the creek without a paddle.
Posted on August 6 at 7:08 a.m.
So handing out union leaflets is worse than being accosted by people peddling the NP or trying to get you to register to vote or sign a petition? Don't forget the do gooders like the Salvation Army at Christmas and the other groups asking for donations. As long as the NP people do not block doorways or accost shoppers, they have the right to distribute literature regarding their cause. It is ethical to distribute information regarding the issues and ask people for support as long as you leave it at that, and allow people to make up their own minds based on the information they receive. The NP is doing the same thing with their inserts, they are just using a different means of distribution. The Teamsters tactics are in no way related to Nazi's, and that is a very poor choice of comparisons. Just ask those who were subjected to their tyranny in Europe. Considering the fact that the NP refuses to negotiate in good faith with the union justifies the union putting pressure on the NP. It is the NP's choice to prolong this situation, not the union's.
Posted on July 18 at 5:20 a.m.
I am all for eliminating gangs and believe those who commit crimes should pay. I don't like gangs in any way, shape, or form. What surprises me is that people are advocating activities that violate the constitution. There are laws here that have nothing to do with the police, mayor, or gangs. You cannot arrest someone or harass someone without just cause. Wearing gang banger clothing is not just cause. LIke it or not, it is also a fashion thing and not everyone who wears those awful clothes are gang bangers. You can't discriminate against someone because they are gay, black ,or brown, or may have gang affiliation. Remember, like it or not the laws are for EVERYONE. This is what makes gangs so frustrating. You can assume the person is probably conducting illegal activities, but unless you have some evidence that they are doing it, our laws provide a measure of protection.
Larger cities than SB are struggling with this issue. They have far more resources and still cannot get rid of the gangs. The authorities also have to deal with drug dealing, theft, murder and the rest, besides gangs. It is a cop out to blame the mayor and police for not solving gang problem.
Personally, I would run them out of town but I prefer to live in a democratic society. This is not the only country dealing with such issues. Are you willing to give up some of your freedoms to remedy the gag situation like you did for 9/11? What other rights are you willing to give away? These are difficult questions and not easily answered if you take the time to really think about it.
Posted on July 5 at 7:46 a.m.
Sounds like environmental nirvana. This country could learn a lot from the Swedes but until you can get the population to buy into a program like this, it will never happen here. You don't mention the costs of implementation or tax rates for individuals in Sweden. I imagine all this is expensive, but the Swedes have decided it is worth the investment. Until oil is so expensive that Americans have no choice but to actively invest in alternative sources of energy, I can't see this country doing anything serious about it. Ethanol is not that great and production has seriously hurt small farmers by reducing the supply of feed grains, but our leaders hold it up as some great example of this country's effort to go green. I have been a promoter of gas from waste since the beginning as it works on 2 problems, renewable energy and waste management, but good luck getting the City of LA to actually do more than bury their trash.
On Sweden: Where Environmental Vision and Pragmatism Make an Irresistible Coupling
Posted on July 5 at 7:20 a.m.
I rarely buy bottled water. I purposely bought a refrigerator with a filtered water system and fill my own containers before leaving home. If I do buy a bottle of water, I bring the bottle home and reuse the bottle several times. You can do the same thing with other types of filtration systems and reduce your consumption of bottled water dramatically.
Posted on June 13 at 4:30 a.m.
I never did care too much for tiaras and sequins, but like you, I spent many happy hours at Dizzyland. That has to be one of the all time great advantages of growing up in So Cal. It has been almost 50 years since I first visited the park, and I never get tired of the magic. Disney was a true genius.
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Posted on February 9 at 5:32 a.m.
Duh! Sure took science a long time to figure out what us country folk have known all along. Nothing like some good clean dirt and sunshine to keep ya healthy! As a small child, my mother kept me super clean and I was always sick. My parents divorced and my dad moved to the country. My step-siblings and I spent our time playing outside, much of it with our horse. My immune system improved dramatically. As a mom, I kept my home reasonably clean and sent my kids to play outside. They spent hours down by the creek, in the mud and dirt, and were rarely sick. All these sterile wipes "germ-phobic" moms use are just full of toxic stuff anyway, so stop stressing about a little dirt and just use plain soap and water and go back to cleaning sensibly. Your budget will thank you too!
On The Dirty Truth