....that's the battle cry of thousands of those who lost their homes in the October fires. We have personal friends who are in this boat. The cost of materials and labor, if they are lucky enough to find a reputable contractor, add up very quickly.
Fire victims want a break of the cost of material and labor. However, where is this price break going to come from? Suppliers aren't non-profit charitable organizations. Contractors are not non-profit charitable organizations, but often times end up in non-profit situations. Many contractors lose money on jobs they bid incorrectly. Then there is the question of labor. Most workers in the residential construction realm are illegal Mexicans making $20 per hour with no benefits. Are the fire victims suggesting that the Mexicans have their slave wages cut even more? Construction labor doesn't get any cheaper than that, folks. The people who have the skill to rebuild your home can't even find housing for themselves.
Good luck.
Saturday, February 24, 2018
2018 winter Olympics
I have not been paying too much attention this 'round to the Olympics. Quiet Rage has been busy traveling and observing what would be summer Olympic sports.
With that being said, I'm a sucker for anything on skates or ice.
I can't help but notice the number of winter Olympic athletes representing the United States that come from the states Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota. We have a monopoly on it, folks. See, there is something to do in the wintertime when all you think we do is a whole bunch of nothing. We take that nothing and train for an Olympic sport.
Which begs the question.....What are YOU doing????
Which brings me to the definition of sport and art. So many things in the Olympics are judged by a panel. If something is judged, it's not a sport, but rather an art. If something is judged objectively using time or some other non-partisan means, it's a sport.
Ice dancing, pairs, figure skating: It's a very physical ART like dance. Those scores may be determined by the mood of the judging panel. On the flip side: Hockey, curling, skiing, etc., are SPORTS because they don't depend on a panel of judges but rather objective means like time and hard scores.
I guess I'm liking the Olympics less and less. For starters, the people representing their country are not even from there -- especially when it comes to skating. They all go shopping for countries like parents go shopping for schools for their kids with the preset idea of where can they go that is going to benefit them the most?
There are really only about three Olympic trainers, who train just about all the skaters competing. Did you watch it? The same trainer had their mug with all the different countries. The trainers kept making after performance appearances in the kiss and cry box from several countries. One after performance shot would show the trainer with the USA skater. The next after performance shot they would be with the French skater, etc. One trainer. One training site in the USA training multiple counties. IMHO that makes them ALL skaters from the USA if they travel to live and train here and their coach is from here.
The South Korean pairs skaters are washed up US skaters who only skated for Korea because they did not have a shot for representing the USA. They don't even speak Korean nor have they have any real ties there other than the female's grandma or something of the sort. Of course, they manufactured and embellished the ties to Korea. The US male skater who decided to skate for Korea was whiter than Vanilla Ice who claimed Korean citizenship just a couple years ago.
What exactly am I ranting about? I don't know. The Olympics are a bunch of sh** and most of the USA team comes from Minnesota.
With that being said, I'm a sucker for anything on skates or ice.
I can't help but notice the number of winter Olympic athletes representing the United States that come from the states Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota. We have a monopoly on it, folks. See, there is something to do in the wintertime when all you think we do is a whole bunch of nothing. We take that nothing and train for an Olympic sport.
Which begs the question.....What are YOU doing????
Which brings me to the definition of sport and art. So many things in the Olympics are judged by a panel. If something is judged, it's not a sport, but rather an art. If something is judged objectively using time or some other non-partisan means, it's a sport.
Ice dancing, pairs, figure skating: It's a very physical ART like dance. Those scores may be determined by the mood of the judging panel. On the flip side: Hockey, curling, skiing, etc., are SPORTS because they don't depend on a panel of judges but rather objective means like time and hard scores.
I guess I'm liking the Olympics less and less. For starters, the people representing their country are not even from there -- especially when it comes to skating. They all go shopping for countries like parents go shopping for schools for their kids with the preset idea of where can they go that is going to benefit them the most?
There are really only about three Olympic trainers, who train just about all the skaters competing. Did you watch it? The same trainer had their mug with all the different countries. The trainers kept making after performance appearances in the kiss and cry box from several countries. One after performance shot would show the trainer with the USA skater. The next after performance shot they would be with the French skater, etc. One trainer. One training site in the USA training multiple counties. IMHO that makes them ALL skaters from the USA if they travel to live and train here and their coach is from here.
The South Korean pairs skaters are washed up US skaters who only skated for Korea because they did not have a shot for representing the USA. They don't even speak Korean nor have they have any real ties there other than the female's grandma or something of the sort. Of course, they manufactured and embellished the ties to Korea. The US male skater who decided to skate for Korea was whiter than Vanilla Ice who claimed Korean citizenship just a couple years ago.
What exactly am I ranting about? I don't know. The Olympics are a bunch of sh** and most of the USA team comes from Minnesota.
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Another (yawn) mass shooting
Another mass shooting in a school. Sometimes there is no simple answer to crappy situations. Some people are just at their core bad and unfixable. No amount of counseling, therapy, drugs, etc., can “fix” some people. Is it the school’s responsibility to play psychoanalyst and suggest treatment and send the student to jail if the student doesn’t follow through? I don’t think so.
Nowadays teachers and the school system can’t do diddly because the students they are trying to teach are not taught how to respect anything nor anybody. Rules are for everybody else. If a kid gets a bad grade, you can bet the parents are on the phone to the teacher advocating for a better grade although the student does not deserve it. God help if disciplinary action is needed. Parents are the first ones to howl that Their Little Johnny is completely innocent or the teacher is out to get him.
There is so much pressure on kids these days to have over-the-top schedules they are one tick off from going off the deep end due to the stress. Frankly, I’m surprised there isn’t more violence in schools. Gun violence is the symptom of a much deeper problem.
I’m going to spare you the social media outcry on both ends of the gun control spectrum. Knee-jerk, emotional reactions plastered all over social media are for the self-righteous who think they are holier than thou. Ametures. Don’t bite on the political postings or postings claiming you should be doing this or that. Postings of such are devisive and polarizing our population. Everybody is out trying to shove their belief system down everybody’s throats. Everybody is on their soapbox. Everybody thinks they are right.
Be mindful of the source of your information and news. Social media is thick with half-truths wanting to manipulate you. Getting your news and forming options from social media that has not been vetted is dangerous. Anybody can write anything and post anything.....and they do. Get your news from multiple sources and from multiple nations.
Free speech and freedom of the press can be a double edged sword. Nobody ever said that what is printed or spoken has to be truth. Most of the time, it isn’t.
Nowadays teachers and the school system can’t do diddly because the students they are trying to teach are not taught how to respect anything nor anybody. Rules are for everybody else. If a kid gets a bad grade, you can bet the parents are on the phone to the teacher advocating for a better grade although the student does not deserve it. God help if disciplinary action is needed. Parents are the first ones to howl that Their Little Johnny is completely innocent or the teacher is out to get him.
There is so much pressure on kids these days to have over-the-top schedules they are one tick off from going off the deep end due to the stress. Frankly, I’m surprised there isn’t more violence in schools. Gun violence is the symptom of a much deeper problem.
I’m going to spare you the social media outcry on both ends of the gun control spectrum. Knee-jerk, emotional reactions plastered all over social media are for the self-righteous who think they are holier than thou. Ametures. Don’t bite on the political postings or postings claiming you should be doing this or that. Postings of such are devisive and polarizing our population. Everybody is out trying to shove their belief system down everybody’s throats. Everybody is on their soapbox. Everybody thinks they are right.
Be mindful of the source of your information and news. Social media is thick with half-truths wanting to manipulate you. Getting your news and forming options from social media that has not been vetted is dangerous. Anybody can write anything and post anything.....and they do. Get your news from multiple sources and from multiple nations.
Free speech and freedom of the press can be a double edged sword. Nobody ever said that what is printed or spoken has to be truth. Most of the time, it isn’t.
Monday, February 12, 2018
Millennial Breakfast
The Silicon Valley trend has reached Sonoma County. The trend is standing around and waiting for an hour for to eat breakfast at diners. The longer you stand around outside with a bunch of people waiting to be seated in a teeny diner, the more prestigious you are.
So cool.
Quiet Rage scratches her head at this trend. Breakfast is the easiest meal to make at home with cheap ingredients. I don't understanding paying $19.99 for eggs benedict - and that's sans tax and tip. It kills me to see people pay tons of money for simple foods.
Are people THAT adverse to cooking? How do they afford going out to eat all the time? How do they *really* know what's in their food and where it came from?
Wait. Did you hear that? It's opportunity knocking.
So cool.
Quiet Rage scratches her head at this trend. Breakfast is the easiest meal to make at home with cheap ingredients. I don't understanding paying $19.99 for eggs benedict - and that's sans tax and tip. It kills me to see people pay tons of money for simple foods.
Are people THAT adverse to cooking? How do they afford going out to eat all the time? How do they *really* know what's in their food and where it came from?
Wait. Did you hear that? It's opportunity knocking.
Saturday, February 10, 2018
Dinner with Fire Victims
Our old neighborhood, Coffey Park, was completely burned down in October. We still have friends who lived there and lost everything. The frustration, confusion, and hopelessness they feel is unbearable. Surviving the fire was the easy part.
Dealing with insurance companies and trying to figure out even *if* they are going to stay and rebuild is overwhelming. There are so many moving parts to this puzzle that even if the fire victims figure out one piece, the other piece they thought they had put back together no longer fits. Oh, then there are the constant solicitations from carpetbaggers who want to use the fire victims for personal profits.
I don't blame any of the fire victims for not even wanting to deal with any of it anymore and just leave. Sonoma County et al SAY they want to help life get back to normal, but there are too many bureaucrats, agencies, regulations, stipulations, policies, codes, etc., all talking over each other giving conflicting information. They can't make a decision in solidarity and stick to it if their lives depended on it as their are too many cooks in the kitchen. One entity will agree, the other will disagree or throw up red tape and yet even more obstacles.
Who wants to deal with all that? Like the fire victims haven't suffered enough?
Sonoma County: We can't get out of our own way to rebuild what was lost.
Dealing with insurance companies and trying to figure out even *if* they are going to stay and rebuild is overwhelming. There are so many moving parts to this puzzle that even if the fire victims figure out one piece, the other piece they thought they had put back together no longer fits. Oh, then there are the constant solicitations from carpetbaggers who want to use the fire victims for personal profits.
I don't blame any of the fire victims for not even wanting to deal with any of it anymore and just leave. Sonoma County et al SAY they want to help life get back to normal, but there are too many bureaucrats, agencies, regulations, stipulations, policies, codes, etc., all talking over each other giving conflicting information. They can't make a decision in solidarity and stick to it if their lives depended on it as their are too many cooks in the kitchen. One entity will agree, the other will disagree or throw up red tape and yet even more obstacles.
Who wants to deal with all that? Like the fire victims haven't suffered enough?
Sonoma County: We can't get out of our own way to rebuild what was lost.
Thursday, February 8, 2018
Walk On Song
I have a kid who plays D1 college sports. My kid *knows* what a music and dance freak I am. I also have the strange knack for getting a crowd jumping. I'm not afraid to start a dance flash mob anywhere -- even if I'm by myself.
When my kids were younger they used to be embarrassed of their "freak mom" who would bust a move in the grocery store. When they became teenagers, I was not afraid to interrupt them and their friends while they were in their teen bubbles and spontaneously start to dance to their music. My kids did a face palm while shaking their heads. Their friends thought it great and we had a blast.
Now that they are older, they are at a stage where they appreciate that mom is a little "different." No, I'm not your standard PTA neo-Nazi. I like to have fun. So what. I'm not hurting anybody except myself with some of the dance moves I attempt.
With that being said, my kid wants me to select the 'walk on song' for this year. It's when the player enters the game and it plays over the PA system for about 30 seconds or so. My trouble was trying to narrow it down as there are so many great songs. My kid doesn't want any thing from this decade, so I went back from the 1940's to the early 1990's looking for songs. Again, there are so many great ones it was hard to narrow it down. The walk on song is supposed to reflect a little something about the player. Most of my kid's teammates are selecting current hit songs from inner city rap artists. I'm not knocking rap songs. It's just that my kid wants something more "classic" meaning being slightly more original and something the entire audience can relate to.
I sent my kid a list of 20 or so songs to weed through. There were two that came to mind as the artist of one is an Oakland homie, and the other one screams bad ass. We will see which one is selected, but I thought I'd share here first. I have a list three pages long!!! These are only three songs. I love putting together playlists. I take the time to study the intent and also take into consideration the listeners. I should have been a DJ.
When my kids were younger they used to be embarrassed of their "freak mom" who would bust a move in the grocery store. When they became teenagers, I was not afraid to interrupt them and their friends while they were in their teen bubbles and spontaneously start to dance to their music. My kids did a face palm while shaking their heads. Their friends thought it great and we had a blast.
Now that they are older, they are at a stage where they appreciate that mom is a little "different." No, I'm not your standard PTA neo-Nazi. I like to have fun. So what. I'm not hurting anybody except myself with some of the dance moves I attempt.
With that being said, my kid wants me to select the 'walk on song' for this year. It's when the player enters the game and it plays over the PA system for about 30 seconds or so. My trouble was trying to narrow it down as there are so many great songs. My kid doesn't want any thing from this decade, so I went back from the 1940's to the early 1990's looking for songs. Again, there are so many great ones it was hard to narrow it down. The walk on song is supposed to reflect a little something about the player. Most of my kid's teammates are selecting current hit songs from inner city rap artists. I'm not knocking rap songs. It's just that my kid wants something more "classic" meaning being slightly more original and something the entire audience can relate to.
I sent my kid a list of 20 or so songs to weed through. There were two that came to mind as the artist of one is an Oakland homie, and the other one screams bad ass. We will see which one is selected, but I thought I'd share here first. I have a list three pages long!!! These are only three songs. I love putting together playlists. I take the time to study the intent and also take into consideration the listeners. I should have been a DJ.
Saturday, February 3, 2018
Subpoena
I'm sitting here in my chair snickering. It's finally caught up with the East Bay Whiners. Remember the entity that relieved me of my duties because I was honest? Well, they are going to have their day in court - literally. I cut ties with the organization when they took away me doing the books. I knew too much. A couple of years went by and they tried to woo me back into the fold. I would not have it. Nope. Nada. Get out of my face. I wanted NOTHING to do with them.
Now they are all being subpoenaed.....
I can't go into the details, but their arrogance and sliminess finally caught up with them. One of the "boys" on the other side of the fence simply had enough of and is going after them in court.
I dodged a bullet. So thankful I cut ties with them and I'm in the clear. I have not received a subpoena (yet) and I doubt I will at this point. Whew.
Now they are all being subpoenaed.....
I can't go into the details, but their arrogance and sliminess finally caught up with them. One of the "boys" on the other side of the fence simply had enough of and is going after them in court.
I dodged a bullet. So thankful I cut ties with them and I'm in the clear. I have not received a subpoena (yet) and I doubt I will at this point. Whew.
Thursday, February 1, 2018
Chainmail for the 21st Century
I'm sure you all thought that the only use of Medieval chainmail was for costumes these days. Alas! There remains a practical use of chainmail in the modern world. Check this out.
This handy chainmail gadget is for cleaning cast iron skillets. I have a cast iron skillet that is well over 100 years old and I LOVE IT. My cast iron skillet is high quality and not the cheap composite junk that's usually sold today. We all know that you're never supposed to get cast iron wet nor use soap on it. It ruins it. Instead, wiping the cast iron with chainmail does a surprisingly great job -- no water needed. Just wipe with the chainmail. All this time I had been using crumpled up foil to clean my cast iron skillet. Bonus: It can double as a hot pad. I had NO idea this even existed. Knights in armour still exist!!!!! My HERO. xxoo - THANK YOU, BABE, FOR THINKING OF ME.
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