Saturday, October 23, 2010

WERE YOU MAD WHEN..........? [A must-read for Teabaggers - answer truthfully...]

by Earlene Williams Hancock on Thursday, October 21, 2010 at 12:00pm 
After The 8 Years Of The Bush/Cheney Disaster, Now You Get  Mad?    

You didn't get mad when the Supreme Court stopped a legal recount and appointed a President.   

You didn't get mad when Cheney allowed Energy company officials to dictate Energy policy and push us to invade Iraq .  

You didn't get mad when a covert CIA operative got outed.

You didn't get mad when the Patriot Act got passed.     

You didn't get mad when we illegally invaded a country that posed no threat to us.   You didn't get mad when we spent over 800 billion (and counting) on said illegal war.     

You didn't get mad when Bush borrowed more money from foreign sources than the previous 42 Presidents combined.       

You didn't get mad when over 10 billion dollars in cash just disappeared in Iraq .       

You didn't get mad when you found out we were torturing people.        

You didn't get mad when Bush embraced trade and outsourcing policies that shipped 6 million American jobs out of the country.

You didn't get mad when the government was illegally wiretapping Americans.        

You didn't get mad when we didn't catch Bin Laden.

You didn't get mad when Bush rang up 10 trillion dollars in combined budget and current account deficits.       

You didn't get mad when you saw the horrible conditions at Walter Reed.     

You didn't get mad when we let a major US city, New Orleans drown.      

You didn't get mad when we gave people who had more money than they could spend, the filthy rich, over a trillion dollars in taxbreaks. You didn't get mad with the worst 8 years of job creations in several decades.      

You didn't get mad when over 200,000 US Citizens lost their lives because they had no health insurance.     

You didn't get mad when lack of oversight and regulations from the Bush Administration caused US Citizens to lose 12 trillion dollars in investments, retirement, and home values.      

No.....You finally got mad

When a black man was elected President and decided that people in America deserved the right to see a doctor if they are sick.

Yes, illegal wars, lies, corruption, torture, job losses by the millions, stealing your tax dollars to make the rich richer, and the worst economic disaster since 1929 are all okay with you, but helping fellow Americans who are sick...Oh, Hell No!!

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

People

I learned this a long time ago - and nothing I've learned since has changed my opinion. No one is perfect, and everyone has flaws. Often these flaws are quite large.

What is the balance point of a person? Is it positive? Then they are a good thing to the world and a good person to be around - usually.

(The above sparked by reading American Prometheus - a biography of J. Robert Oppenheimer, who was at times admirable, at times cruel, occasionally foolish and altogether rather human.)

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

What is a Curmudgeon anyway?

A curmudgeon's reputation for malevolence is undeserved. They're neither warped nor evil at heart. They don't hate mankind, just mankind's absurdities. They're just as sensitive and soft-hearted as the next guy, but they hide their vulnerability beneath a crust of misanthropy. They ease the pain by turning hurt into humor.  . . . . .   They attack maudlinism because it devalues genuine sentiment.   . . . . .   Nature, having failed to equip them with a servicable denial mechanism, has endowed them with astute perception and sly wit.
      Curmudgeons are mockers and debunkers whose bitterness is a symptom rather than a disease. They can't compromise their standards and can't manage the suspension of disbelief necessary for feigned cheerfulness. Their awareness is a curse.
      Perhaps curmudgeons have gotten a bad rap in the same way that the messenger is blamed for the message: They have the temerity to comment on the human condition without apology. They not only refuse to applaud mediocrity, they howl it down with morose glee. Their versions of the truth unsettle us, and we hold it against them, even though they soften it with humor. - JON WINOKUR

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Decisions

I once had a decision to make - would I go to bat for my co workers - who either did not like me or would never know or believe I helped them - or would I try to save my own ass?

Well - I went head to head with management. Me V them and it was a draw. You can't ask for better most of the time. And I got little or no credit - and as soon as they had a chance I was told my services were no longer required. I'd do it again in a second, you know.

Because I cannot stand bullies - I wouldn't tolerate it in my sons, my students, or my employers. I see in the current ed reform movement a tendency to bully teachers - portraying us as overpaid underworked and more concerned with saving our own asses than in teaching kids.


I also hear of people I know and care about who are being treated like dirt by bosses more concerned with their profit.


Why do I hate republicans - because of the direct connection between them and the bullies. I am growing tired of all this and am becoming of the mind that I need to once more take on these people.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

By the way

There is reason to believe I will be more than a little against my will dragged to see "waiting for superman"

I have a one word response to that and it ain't good.

reading

an open book can be
unlike what you imagine
because there is still the story within
and the life beyond
you know the writer
you read the story and
you still imagine
you guess the ending
yet to be written

You

My best work
once I worked in people
and did you know
how much it hurt to raise my arms
like that? No...

You saw a box made of nickle plated steel
that held for a time you
and you never looked inside
or thought about
what was there
after you left

So many echoes

drawn
with your box of crayons
old and stale
worn flat
and you never could stay
within the lines
despite 10,000 written reasons
to the contrary
and the result
floats
to the ground
and lies covered in dust

Reasons

Someone
Has laid a trap
for the excitement
of
depriving
the red hawk
of flight
and watching it
slowly
Die

Monday, September 27, 2010

Well

It seems I cannot commit murder.

I am SO disapointed...

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Superman




I posted this on facebook in response to some sad things that happened - and a response to the movie "Waiting for Superman"

Some of you have no idea at all what it means to do this thing I do - and you call me a hero. Maybe - but to quote the song "I'm not that naive."  I know I am just someone trying to do a job the best way I can. I am no Superman, I get tired, I get sad, worn out and sometimes I want to scream at the universe to just MAKE IT STOP for ONE DAY so both me and my students can breathe and catch up and heal. Monday morning we will be back at it and damn you sometimes because I get frustrated. And sad.

Not one time have I heard reforms proposed that would really make education better - but I have heard a lot of "reforms" mentioned that will cause me to work longer hours doing things not connected with education so people who really have no idea what is going on in a classroom can hold me and mine accountable.

By the way - the song says "Superman" but believe me when I say there are super women in every school. I work with them every day. Amazing people - please tell them so sometime.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Take the subway to the end

And you will be at AT&T - or so it seems.

Used to be the Pattison Avenue station. Hey Septa got some Bucks for it but I didn't think they would put it on their maps looking like this...

Hater

It's showing up in arguments great and small, and being treated like Socrates used the term. I'm not sure how "You're a hater" translates into ancient Greek, but seems people think it is fine debating form to call someone a hater.

Its cousin is some variant of "Bush derangement syndrome" meaning that I don't dislike the Republican't former Presdient because he lied us into wars, trashed the economy and arrested anyone he didn't like and in general behaved like a third world strongman - I am merely deranged. Apparently this kind of derangement comes in Palin form, too.

I am also it seems an Obama hater. Not really - but I am dissapointed in him. If a republican had been elected along with such strong majorities in Congress, they would have put Rush Limbaugh on the Supreme Court and Reagan on every US coin and you know it. They would have made being a liberal illegal. They would have done whatever they wanted to. Not Obama. He empowered them by letting the republicans know that it mattered what they thought, and this dissapointed me.

I admit, he was allowed to do this by some people who were starry eyed about him - no matter what he did we did not appreciate the genius of the man and his skills at 11 dimensional chess. I also loved the people who said we had to make him do what we hired him to do, as if Obama backing down on some of the things he said he'd do was our fault.

It happens in Philadelphia sports too. No way can I be uncomfortable with someone who tortured animals as the starting quarterback for my team - I am a "Vick hater".

To make things clear - my complaint is with the Eagles organization. I am tired of their lies. I do not care for people who try and say second chances are sacred to them but fire a game day employee for saying the Eagles sucked for getting rid of Brian Dawkins, saying "He broke a team rule." When will that guy get another chance? I guess I am just an Eagles hater.

I will, however, admit to being a hater of the Dallas Cowboys. They are, after all, evil.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Anniversary 2

By the way - first responders as heroes didn't last long, did it? Nope. Now police and fire departments are things to cut.

Did you see the debate over health care for 9/11 site workers? Gee, only 9 years later, we were going to take care of these people.

Got voted down, it did. No health care for you, because we might have to raise taxes! Really. I heard a republican say that - "They didn't go into those buildings to raise taxes."

Dead soldiers, as always, can be admired. After all, unlike wounded soldiers, they're already paid for.

Anniversary

So, it's September 11.

I am not going to entertain any discussions of the events of the day. I am especially not going to entertain discussions with anyone who is too familiar with WTC 7. Double for anyone who uses the phrase "collapsed in its own footprint" like they expected the tower to fall over like a tree or something. Nor will I have a conversation about how they "hate us for our freedom" or any of that stuff.



What I will do, is mourn with you. If you want to tell me how sad it all was, I'll listen. If you want me to tell you what it was like for me - standing on a train platform, trying to get home to my kids and looking at the Philadelphia skyline, we can talk.


We can mourn, and heal. What I cannot do and will not do is participate in anything that involves singing any song by Lee Greenwood. I am interested in healing this wound, not in celebrating it.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Monday, August 30, 2010

Time tunnels

time tunnels its way into my sight

through my older eyes the shadows

of a darkening city grow and infest dreams

I never had

marking the time

on the old church clock tower

wondering in a forgotten nightmare

why a church would have need of that kind of time

and especially

why the tower is lighted

why the streets are in shadow

Offended

I thought it was worth a shot.

Too many Faux Noise followers seem to think it is their right to never be offended. As former First lady and Village Idiot mother Barbara Bush once said "Why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that?"

Really - they should not have to deal with Muslims and other foreigners (even if the Hispanics are Christian as they are), their taxes should not have to fund anything they don't like, and they should not have to see anything that upsets them.

Ok. Then I get the same. I am offended my tax dollars go to this war. I am offended that Fox News exists. And, I never want to see Sarah Palin again - not even in a porn movie. Fair is fair.

Now, I am really pissed

As a result of an argument with someone on facebook, I looked up some stuff about the Cordoba House. To some of you that is the "Ground Zero Mosque" that the right in this country is in such a twist about.

One of the latest lies to come from the right is the idea that it is a tradition to build a triumphal mosque to celebrate great Islamic victories. This one site that I read gives Jerusalem's Dome of the Rock as an example of such Mosque's. After all, "they" built it on top of the rubble of Solomon's Temple.

True, but: Solomon's temple was rubble for 600 years before the Dome of the Rock was built! And (facts are such beastly things) the rock contained within? It's the rock from which Muhammad ascended to heaven. No big deal, right? although I am sure some pinhead will take this to mean that even then "they" were terrorists.

What we have here then is a lie being spread by people for political gain. A brief amount of research will uncover the lies. This is especially important for any Christians reading this - I thought lying was bad. As I recall ( I didn't go through 4 years of bible school for nothing!) there is a commandment that says Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. I remembered it as number 7, but it's actually 8 or 9, depending on how you look at it.

False witness would be what? Most theologians call it lying. Most theologians also say that if you honestly believe it's true you are not guilty of bearing false witness. However - now you know. I just told you, and you can look it up.

I also learned that bad things are waiting come the rapture for people who broke even the least of the commandments. So - it's your ass. Continue to back the Repuglican't party and its attempt to make political hay out of this and answer in the hereafter.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

They gave Chooch home plate from the game
They are giving Roy Halliday a lot of cool stuff. Got to love the Phillies!

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Ruminations

I am watching a documentary on Jefferson. They just talked about how Jefferson "grew in his seed garden..." and I am thinking he didn't grow a damn thing. His slaves did. The humans he owned did.

I know they are going to talk about how sad it is that Jefferson was so conflicted about slavery - POOR Tom!

I don't blame Jefferson for what he was - he is beyond that. I do however dislike the way we as a culture excuse the man who wrote "All men are created equal" his ownership of humans by saying that was the way it was in colonial Virginia.

In the South during the 1950s it was also part of the culture to lynch people. Shall we excuse the killers of Emmett Till because of the times they lived in?

Monday, August 23, 2010

Day One

I have to tell you that when I first began walking into classrooms,I was stressed out a LOT. I didn't believe anyone could really do this stuff. Four of us went around as a crew to cover classes, and we used to lean on each other hard.

I developed the habit of throwing a fist int he air and shouting "ONCE MORE INTO THE BREACH, DEAR FRIENDS!" upon entering a school to work. Why? I guess because it made Mona laugh and lowered my stress level.

Well, today we go back to begin having out first meetings of the year, it seems appropriate to say "ONCE MORE INTO THE BREACH, DEAR FRIENDS!"

Saturday, August 21, 2010

More Phanatics



I haven't seen them all, but I've seen many of them.

I am angry at the moment

Edging towards bitter and pissed off, actually... so I am going to dump some of it here and now. Shoe fits? Put it on. If it doesn't fit? Then don't.

There are lots of reasons why I am angry. I am, for one thing, tired of looking at my country, and what it does, and calling it good. I am tired of so many people calling people that I love evil - wrong - bad. Young Black men and women - full of love and talent and energy, bad. Young Hispanic men and women - let me see your papers. Gays and lesbians - hide in a corner, and be ashamed.

Homeless, transgendered - you know, I made a decision a long time ago. I decided I was not going to be afraid to get to know people different from me. And as a result, I have gotten to know a lot of different people. I can put a face to each of these groups and then some. But - you don't talk to each other, do you?

Ever ask a homeless person why they weren't in a shelter? Where they lived? Ever gotten to know someone who is transgendered? Gay? Lesbian? Bisexual? I have - and you know I have cared about them and what happens to them and dammit they are real people.

Let's not even go that far. Do you know any Muslims? Some of my kids babysitters were Muslim,  and Muslim children were guests in my home. One of my colleagues is Muslim. I've been to his house. Many of my students are Muslim - occasionally irritating, often among my best. So why do I say this stuff? It's not to say what a great guy I am - I'm just average, sometimes a saint sometimes a sinner, occasionally a boring idiot. So why say it?

It's the Muslim community center in New York. People object to it because ground zero is sacred. Have you ever been there? Actually, it's a construction site. With donut  shops and a strip joint closer than this community center is supposed to be. I was told the other day that "They" wouldn't allow a church "over there", so why should "we" allow one of "theirs" here?

And you just know that if "they" really did that, "we" would be squealing to high heaven, wouldn't "we"? That's just the start of what is wrong with the bullshit surrounding the Islamic community center. Object, say that it is wrong to allow the center, and you cannot help but connect Islam to terrorism. 9/11 was something "they" did. Yet when an American predator drone "accidentally" kills a wedding party "over there" do you think "they" hate all of us?

I would expect that they do. Don't expect success in countering this perception. WE own it because of all of us who complain about "them' building a Mosque someplace - oh and the alleged church in Florida who wants to celebrate 9/11 by burning copies of the Koran. Muslims see the Koran, by the way, as the literal word of Allah in a way that goes beyond what Christians think of the bible. Why do they hate us? For our freedom? No, because we do stupid shit like this.

It starts like this, people. The term is called "othering" and it involves making the "other" person a demon. I think we as Americans have successfully more than started the process with Muslims, and for some people, that othering will lead to hate. Liberals have also been othered by people like Fox News. Gays and Lesbians literally cannot walk the streets safely in some parts of America, and people of color are often shot and killed by the police.

I must be fair - Christians often are othered, and written off as idiots or bigots or fools. Guess what? I know many Christians, serious practicing Christians and some of them are as kind and wonderful a person as you could want.

Oh yeah. People who are older other young people of all types and colors. Been happening for years.

It's dangerous to see a person as a thing. Now it is happening to Muslims big time. Think they don't notice? One Islamic community has canceled their carnival that marks the end of Ramadan. They are fearful of the reaction to the fact that, this year, the carnival will fall on September 11. It was a place for kids to play and a community to get to know its Islamic neighbors. Now, it's not going to happen and if you objected to the Islamic community center in Manhattan, you helped make it happen. And the next time Muslims decide that they are pissed at being treated like shit by the west, will you wonder why?

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Mural around 20th and Arch

Mural on Fairmount Avenue

On the side of a bar called the Bishop's Collar. Pretty, isn't it?

On Spring Garden (Near Kellianne's) is this pizza place

John's place. The pizza is good. Not great, but definitely very good. So, why mention  them? The staff.

I mean, they were so friendly! So welcoming. BIG smiles and so forth. I liked it - and I'll be back tomorrow.

The greatest used book store I know

Bookhaven - across from the prison. They even have a really cool store cat, as any great used book store does.

The prison

Quite a place. Opened in 1829, it was state of the art for its day. Willie Sutton and Al Capone spent a little time here. Scenes from the movies 12 Monkeys and Transformers: revenge of the fallen were filmed here.

I think my leftist friends will appreciate this

A mural dedicated to Noam Chomsky!

It's on Fairmount Avenue, around 16th Street. Ironic that it's about 4 blocks from the old prison.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Ben Franklin

As I said he's all over the place - if you look.

This is a more traditional view.
Learning garageband today. Makes me a geek, don't it?

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Interesting wall in Camden

Ben Franklin

You see him all over the city - but I have to say this is the weirdest (or most unusual) image of Franklin to be found in the city.

Monday, August 9, 2010

Sidewalk art

In Kensington.

Phanatics!

Outside of the African American History Museum. Note the names of Negro League teams.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Iconoclasts


Dave Chapelle: This is something that I’m just now at this stage in my life am getting an appreciation for, and maybe being a public person kind of helped me appreciate it… what the 60s must have been like, for anybody. What was it – 8 or 9 assassinations? What does that do to a generation? Having lived through that and having known those people…this is me… I’d imagine I’d still be angry. I’d be angry with my country, I’d be angry with anybody who let that happen to my friends.

Maya Angelou: If you’re not angry, you’re either a stone, or you’re too sick to be angry. You should be angry.

Dave Chapelle: Well, what do you do?

Maya Angelou: You must not be bitter. Let me show you why. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats on the host. It doesn’t do anything to the object of its displeasure. So use that anger, yes. You write it, you paint it, you dance it, you march it, you vote it, you do everything about it, you talk it, never stop talking it. 

Words to live by - and I am indeed trying to.

Sometimes a freight goes by




Sometimes they go by the train you're on. If the train is moving you can get a clear picture, but if you're in a station it can go by you in a blur.

The lights and reflections are on the window of the car I am in. It was getting dark, and the lights can make it harder to get the shot.

For what it's worth - a lot of these cars had only one container on them. I am not seeing any fewer freights in my travels on the Septa system, but i am seeing fewer containers per car.

A rare visitor

Two Norfolk Southern engines in the Amtrak yard at 30th Street Station.

No idea why they were there.

Friday, August 6, 2010

On a wall

In Kensington. I love the history of it all.

The ATM at the Piazza at Schmidts

A certain symbolism in the hands around the thing, don't ya think.

The Old Reading Terminal



All in all, they did a good job of preserving the old train shed. Adaptive re - use is the way to go!

Embedded in the floor of the train shed are steel lines showing where the tracks were.

Comcast Center



They post these really cool things on an electronic board of some kind. I've never seen the same pictures twice.

Spring Garden Subway Stop


They are spending a little money on the Spring Garden stop. It really makes a difference and will be nice when it is done.

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Why that song and why now?

I am remembering that Reagan person we all used to know. Let me say this - I have to tell you compared to the current crop of Repiglican'ts Reagan looks like a Philosopher King. He was kind of like someone with old money - they were cranky old farts who expected their asses to be kissed but they did take care of their people and the local libraries and fire departments and such. Not perfect people but their hearts were more or less int he right places and they had a sense of community, even if it was warped.

So - why does this song remind me of Reagan? because he is largely responsible for what we find around us today. His policies of trickle down economics and deregulation in pursuit of profit damaged us seriously. His imperial military led us into the wars we have now. His social policies destroyed communities (see Michael Moore's Roger and Me for details) and his administration made Americans comfortable with their racism.

The man began his presidential campaign in Philadelphia, Mississippi. That is very near the place where Schwerner, Goodman and Cheney were killed by members of the Klan. In his speech he defended "States Rights",. the justification used for a century or more of racism and lynching. He knew what hew as doing and he did very well in the South in 1980.

I watched the war machine grow, the working class jobs vanish and the premier of a tv show called lifestyles of the rich and famous. If I dared object I was told "Good God, give the man a chance!" or just told I was a "Bleeding heart liberal."

From 1981 until 1993 the Republicans ruled the White House. They ruled it again from 2001 to 2009. This gives them 20 of the last 30 years in charge of the White house. The controlled the Senate from 1981 until 1987, from 1997 until 2001,  and from 2003 to 2007. This is 16 of the last 30 years. They have controlled the House of Representatives from 1995 until 2007 - 12 of the last 30 years. They have had the power and the inclination to follow Reagan's lead - and they have done so.

To follow up on my earlier post - I am NOT interested in responding to people who tell me that the democrats are the same. They're not. They might not be great but they're not "just as bad" as republicans. There is a difference - I don't believe Democrats would have followed Newt Gingrich in clutching his pearls and shrieking
"My GOD think of the CHILDREN" over Clinton's escapades. Mind you, Clinton was a greaseball, but Newt? Known for asking for BJ's so he could say "I never slept with her" and let's not forget divorcing his first wife while she was in the hospital recovering from cancer.

Repuglican'ts were shocked, SHOCKED that Clinton smoked dope - then they go and elect someone who used cocaine. And was arrested for drunk driving as an adult. I do not see Democrats doing anything similar.

This is just the start of me laying out how I think and why. I will be writing more.

Do understand - I am not interested in an exchange of opposing points of view. I have 30 years experience telling me debate with repugs is a waste of my time.

Eyes of the world



I see the innocent victims
Fighting to get to his door
No chain of events
Can shackle him down
He's not there anymore
Evil moves, evil ways
with his back to the wall
evil mind looking down
Without seeing at all
You ain't got a lot to say
Judging by the things you do
If only you could see the tears of pain
In the eyes of the world

Dust to dust by the million
Broken dreams in the ground
Aching hearts with the half dreams of hope
When their spirits are down
Evil takes, evil kills
With no shame or concern
Killing me, killing you
Watch the end of the burn
Maybe you don't understand
We don't need you anymore
If only you could see the tears of pain
In the eyes of the world

And damn the name of religion
For the hate in our soul
For the blind
and the sick in the heart
War has taken it's toll
Evil moves, evil ways
With his back to the wall
Evil mind, looking down
Without seeing at all...
If only you could feel the tears of pain
In the eyes of the world

A little slice of urban living

Why are shoes thrown over the wires like this? I don't know if anyone's ever studied the matter. But there they are.

Interesting because these shoes are clearly wearable.  

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Mural on a grocery store


Street Art

I'm not ready to make nice

Am I the only left / progressive person who is just pissed off? Who is no longer ready to make nice? I didn't think so.

Civil discourse has meant that we start 1/2 way to what the teabagger Christians want. Less Government (unless it's killing people overseas, that's still cool) (or you're gay and wish to marry) More freedom (especially if you want to carry a gun into Starbucks or are a corporation, not so much if you wish to speak out against a war) more responsibility (unless you're a corporation) less government intrusion into your life (unless you're gay).

I used to try to be nice about it - and was rewarded with "You goddam bleeding heart Libruls!" I used to respond to racist stuff politely and was rewarded with "Harrumph - you don't think I'm a racist, do you? I'm NOT! Why some of my friends are colored!"

Well yeah, yeah I do think you're racist.

I am especially done - I mean DONE with people who want to tell me what to do because it's their version of Christianity. I know a lot of wonderful, caring Christians who do a lot of good and give a lot of love into he world - and not a one of them voted for (or looks like) Sarah Palin. If you stick your religion on your chin and come at me claiming I am wrong, do NOT get your feelings hurt when I disagree - and I am going to.

I guess mostly I am done with they hypocrisy of the right. The right, who insisted we respect Mr. Bush (after all, he is the President) but cheer someone who shouts "You Lie!" at Mr Obama during the state of the union address. I shouldn't be shocked. This is the party whose vice president told a senator on the floor of the senate to go fuck himself - and shot someone int he face.

Then again, the right did make a big deal over the Catholic Church threatening to withhold communion from John Kerry for his stance on abortion but conveniently ignored the Pope saying the war in Iraq was immoral. Of course, these are the people who managed to take the national debt from under 1 trillion to one trillion a year - and yet they are still the party you can trust with the money.

I remember a repuglican't friend of mine in about 1982 who was just incensed that the "librul meeja" was calling Reagan Reagan - I mean my GOD show some respect he IS the President! Call him PRESIDENT Reagan! Weren't you one of the ones calling the last occupant of the White house "Jim boy" and "the teeth" and (my favorite) "Cahr-terrr" (said with a juvenile sneer - a favorite debating technique of the right. Another is, when you criticized Bush "Like you think GORE would have been BETTER? Heh.") Anyway - his response - "Err.. that's different you don't understand..."

I started responding "I not only think Gore would have been better, I am positive he would have been better". And I am. I also think Kerry would have been better. As a matter of fact, I can think of a fistful of people who would have been better. No, I will not spend my time trying to tell you why. You can tell me why you liked Bush - if you did. If you didn't you already know that Gore would have been far better than W., who will go down in history as one of the biggest fuckups ever. He took a surplus in a time of peace and prosperity and left us with a never ending war, a massive deficit and an economy in a shambles - not to mention having destroyed the image of the United States around he world.

Being civil to these people has cost me and mine. Being "Bipartisan" means do what we want, according to the right, and lord knows when they are in power they don't give a shit what the Democrats want.

Honestly, I'm still a nice person - I think. But I am done being nice to people who have dedicated their lives to crushing everything I believe in. They don't want to get along, they don't want to be nice, they want to get rid of people like me and my students and my kids and many of my friends. So it's come to this - I oppose the teabaggers and anyone else who supports their policies. And don't expect me to be the nice one. The conservatives, by their actions, gave up the right to expect that a long time ago.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

On the bridge over the tracks at Paoli Train Station







Mosque near ground zero

I'm ok with it. And if people want to equate Al Quaeda with Islam fine. Then I get to say Christianity equals Fred Phelps. Fair is fair.

Decisions

I watch the news these says and I really want to punch something. Part of me wishes I was the Christian I was raised to be - then I could say we're in "the end of days" and wait for God to smack the shit out of the world, who deserves it, of course. Because really, if you don't think the world sucks right now you are not paying attention.

I remember freezing my ass off in January, 2009, listening to Mr. Obama and thinking life would get better. We had a caring grownup in charge and he at least wouldn't fuck it up so bad. Well, by the time his fans stopped claiming that we just didn't understand the genius of the man, we have found that actually things aren't much better than they were.

No question they are better than they would have been had the republican'ts been elected. But - is this as good as it gets? Winding down Iraq to ramp up Afghanistan? Giving money to the rich and begging them to hire people?

Under Republican rule, we have destroyed communities all over the country. Starting back in the 80s people were encouraged to move to where the jobs were - so fuck places like Philadelphia, move your ass to Phoenix! Move, and then you no longer live near family, you no longer do business with someone who knew your father, and you knew theirs, and you trusted them because you'd known them for decades.

Community. It's how you get through tough times. It was damaged and destroyed by deliberate policies in the days since the Great Depression. It is damaged by an economy that requires us to work longer than ever.

So, as Howard Beale would say, we know things are bad. It might help to yell that you are mad as hell and are not going to take it anymore, but I think the teabaggers have that nailed down. Maybe we need to think how to get past this. How do we want the US to look?

Let me make this clear - anyone who used "markets" in their answer, just stop reading now.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

I just want to say

The Hale brothers are my mechanics. They are good, fair, reasonably priced, and all around great people.

 If you live in Philadelphia (near the Northeast) and need a mechanic, go to them! They deserve your business.
Someone on the train is using a duck call. I believe it's a cop. Ah the places you'll see... The places you'll go...

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Dull day, but -

I cleaned out the refrigerator, ran the dishwasher, took out a load a trash, did 6 loads of laundry, and cooked dinner.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

The end of the R's

Ok they ended the R's on Septa - why did they end color coding as well? I'd think that would help. I know sometimes seeing orange from a distance and knowing "oh, that's an R-3" is useful information. Now they're all the same color.

Not only that - apparently the trains don't connect like they used to. I rode the Media / Elwyn line today and it connected to Chestnut Hill East. it didn't use to...
On the train - listening to a suburbanite talk about getting out of Market East Station alive. They made it sound like they cheated death.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

The end of the R's

Meaning the R-1, R-2, R-3, R-5, R-6, R-7 and R-8. Now the R-3 will once again, in part, be back to the West Trenton I rode on as a kid.The other half will be the Media / Elwyn line.

SEPTA did it they say to minimize confusion.

You may wonder about people who can't tell Doylestown from Malvern, but I'll tell you this: More than once I've tried to help a lost suburbanite who wanted to get on the R-5. "How do I get on the R-5?" They would lose it "But.. but... I WANT THE R-5!!"

I actually told one person "Ma'am, the R-5 runs in 2 directions. One goes to Doylestown. One goes to Downingtown. They're not next to each other. Where exactly are you trying to go?"

This does not help the guy who told me he was trying to get to Trenton - so he figured he'd take the West Trenton and just walk, since the West Trenton was coming in about 40 minutes before the Trenton train. Why wait? He was shocked when I told him he'd be dumped in the middle of nowhere about 6 miles north of Trenton - at night - if the followed his plan. Go over there and catch the Trenton.

Why the F does the West Trenton go in one direction while the Trenton goes in another? That's another story.