The Ranting Game

[JDoors]

... [stoners] help the economy with purchases of BBQ potato chips..." ...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Although ... When I worked in a factory a nice guy who was often stoned, and on one particular day was fried out of his mind, decided to retrieve a tool that had dropped onto an extremely fast running conveyor belt. I don't think I have to draw a picture here, the guy's hand wound up getting crushed. The two things I remember most was his lack of expression as I ran over to help, like, "well this is bothersome." Dude! Your hand is getting crushed! And that he quietly repeated the same thing over and over, "ow <long pause> ow <long pause> ow." Ow? <shudder>

One of many stories involving that guy (and others) that leads me to lean toward leaving pot illegal (but ... don't ask about my past, um, ok?).

[bozodog]

That could have happened if he had been high on "coke" or "meth" all nite... Or a real drinker might have "needed" a belt to wake up.... Besides, you didn't get my drift. You can't pass a drug test to even get a job if you've smoked 90 days ago. You can piss clean after being drunk on you're ass only 12 hours before. (some drugs even less) So what's the trade off? Hire a drunk that swills half the nite and comes in compromised, or a "smoker" who is fresh and ready for a days work?

Sorry, it's not pot that destroys lives....... It's weak individuals that have no control over anything. They will addict themselves to whatever is available.

[mikex]

OK this hurricane crap needs to stop so we can get on with our daily grind. I watched the weather for most of the day. I am sick of it. Tired of worrying about loosing everything I own. Tired of thinking how am I going to get to work when the gas prices jump again. And I only live about 4 miles from work. Damn milk is nearly 4 bucks here. We will soon start seeing a sur charge on bread for fuel. I got everything I own from the oil and gas industry in the Gulf of Mexico. I have the scar on my back as a thank you. I loved the job, being in control of a boat that could carry the material for nearly every house on my block was exciting. Riding the hurricanes out in the Gulf because a decision maker was sitting on his $400 dollar a day butt trying to buy time with the one woman no one should P!SS OFF, Mother Nature. Now do I gat a penny off fuel for the price I pay every morning when I roll out of bed and hoble to the toilet? NNNOOOOO! Can I forecast barametric pressure changes there by forecast the weather? You Damn Skippy I can. Does this area get lower fuel prices because the refineries are in our backyard, therefore cutting down on transportation costs? NNNOOOOO!

Now I'm tired of ranting.

"Remember some one is worse off than you."

Yeah well let them post their own damn rant.

Mike

[JDoors]

Stay safe. Hope you have reason to recover some normalcy soon.

[macmarauder]

Stay safe. Hope you have reason to recover some normalcy soon.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

what he said mikex.

[JDoors]

... you didn't get my drift. ...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ahh, justification. It's a wonderful thing. You're damn straight it could have happened if the guy was on other mood altering drugs, but I know what his drug of choice was (at that time, he later really screwed up his life with much worse), so that's what I was addressing. It's not like he was smoking ON the job, it had been hours and hours before that particular accident.

I don't agree with your "it stays in the system longer but you're ok" premise. The active chemical is in your system and it still has an effect (explain how it cannot). Even if your buzz is gone you're still under the influence, you still have an easily detectable amount of a mind altering drug in your system. Like those who drink to excess and become nearly immune to lesser amounts, just because one feels it's no longer affecting them doesn't mean there cannot be any effects, that there are no significant effects, or that others can't easily see any that might exist.

My friend and I were at a third party's house when their teenaged kid came home. My friend and I knowingly looked at each other, the kid was obviously coming down off a high. The third party parents had never had any experience with drugs and were apparently clueless, even though the signs were blasting us in the face. Maybe it takes one to know one, maybe if others don't have any experience they won't see the effects, but there are clearly visible effects (if you know what to look for).

I understand this is one of those discussions that will go nowhere (drugs should be lumped in with religion and politics, people rarely change their position -- or preconceived notions) so ... Good luck with that point of view.

Edited September 23, 2005 by JDoors

[robroy]

Got to have a little rant here today as I have been upsetting people at work all week. As some may already know I am a Building inspector for my local county. I have been doing this job for 12 years and worked in construction, both residential and commercial for years before that. Well this week I went to do a final on a house being built by a builder who hires college grads as superintendants. He builds in three or four states around here. I failed the house on Monday with 3 items to be corrected. Went back Tuesday one item not corrected, so I failed it again, with a $50 reinsection fee. This is standard in our county for failing an inspection a second time. Well the house was supposed to go to cloing on Wednesday so the superintendant called me asking for a favor, to do the inspection early enough for him to get the occupancy permit for closing. I told him to get to the office and pay the reinspectionfee and I would try. On his way to the office he sees my boss and complains that I am an a$$hole because I wouldn't wait for him to make the correction. This from someone who wants me to do him a favor. He didn't get his inspection till Thursday. On Wednesday the same guy has a footing inspection scheduled in the same subdivision. We require soil erosion controls to be in place on every lot ( part of State Law) and it is an automatic $50 reinspection fee if not in place. It wasn't in place so I told him there was a reinspection fee and he called me 'f***ing unreasonable' , Oops, today he had another inspection that wasn't quite ready, another $50. Oh well, if he hadn't been a jerk I would have said call it back in when ready without the fee. He may be college smart but he doesn't have any field experience or people skills

Here endeth today's rant

[blim]

Ha! Yep, he may be College smart, but doesn't know that the $150 reinspection fees are "drops in the bucket" to the builder......good rant, Robroy.

Liz

[bearskin]

well I guess that's one of the good points about living in a small town...we have no building code....now back in dallas that was a different story...codes were tough....and I think there needs to be codes regardless where you live...it's for the benefit of all concerned.

[bozodog]

Nice going Robroy. Time that college smart "kid" learned the realities of life. Why weren't the corrections made, knowing you'd be back and closing was schedualed? And, Liz, I'll bet he hears about the $150 from yet another "college smart" accountant that has to answer to the man that signs the checks. We all know people like that are "penny wise, and pound foolish"

[JDoors]

... He may be college smart but he doesn't have any field experience or people skills ...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I understand having so much on your plate that some things just don't quite get done (especially if you use less experienced help), but it's definitely a personality flaw of his to lay any blame at your feet. Just smile and say, "I know you'll be able to get this taken care of, and we'll see you on <such-and-such>." That sentence will say a lot; It reminds him he is the one responsible for the problem, it avoids the implication he's part of the problem, it encourages him to resolve the problem by suggesting you have confidence he'll take care of it, and it reminds him of when it must be fixed. (Honestly? You can't change him, but you can't let him get to you either.)

[JSKY]

... He may be college smart but he doesn't have any field experience or people skills ...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I understand having so much on your plate that some things just don't quite get done (especially if you use less experienced help), but it's definitely a personality flaw of his to lay any blame at your feet. Just smile and say, "I know you'll be able to get this taken care of, and we'll see you on <such-and-such>." That sentence will say a lot; It reminds him he is the one responsible for the problem, it avoids the implication he's part of the problem, it encourages him to resolve the problem by suggesting you have confidence he'll take care of it, and it reminds him of when it must be fixed. (Honestly? You can't change him, but you can't let him get to you either.)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Another thing to remember is, He's still a kid (no offense to anyone). And like a kid, (sounds spoiled). Treat him as one. Just give him a choice. That has changed the attitude of most kids I know who started throwing a tantrum. No matter what age. They usually only get one choice. And they rebel against it. But given a choice, they don't know what to do. So they calm down and pick one.

[bozodog]

Alright, this one really pi$$es me off. A curse on everyone that throws trash out of their cars. You are all pigs! May your cars fill up with fast food bags, non-deposit plastic bottles, dirty diapers, and cigarette butts. You are a bunch of lazy, selfish, pimples on society.

[JDoors]

I agree litterers (wish there was a nastier-sounding word specific to them) suck. I see no hope however, when I see the neighborhood kids throwing candy wrappers on the ground. The next generation of litterers ...

[bozodog]

Man, when I was a kid, my mom would have smacked me up side the head if I dare threw trash on the ground.

Here's another [rant] The DNR maintains a boat launch and dock on a lake created by a dam on the Kalamazoo river. With parking for over a dozen trailers. The fishing is wonderful there, no houses or private docks. So no crazy jet ski traffic and speed boats. Nice huh?

Well duh0, there's an outhouse for... you know. But no trash can, no picnic tables, and no bar-b-q. That means there are open fires started along the banks, bottles, cans, condom wrappers, and other garbage everywhere. Do these folks sit on their brains? Why a public park without garbage cans?

[Brian_Holiday]

Alright, this one really pi$$es me off.  A curse on everyone that throws trash out of their cars. You are all pigs! May your cars fill up with fast food bags, non-deposit plastic bottles, dirty diapers, and cigarette butts. You are a bunch of lazy, selfish, pimples on society.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey! Someone needs to throw trash out of their cars so folks on community service have something to do!

BTW, I don't litter. that is WHY my truck is filled with fast food bags and non-returnable plastic bottles... What I hate is when my daughter leaves a soda in the back seat drink carrier. Eventually it eats through the cup...YUCK!

BH

[Vile_DR]

Alright, this one really pi$$es me off.  A curse on everyone that throws trash out of their cars. You are all pigs! May your cars fill up with fast food bags, non-deposit plastic bottles, dirty diapers, and cigarette butts. You are a bunch of lazy, selfish, pimples on society.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hey! Someone needs to throw trash out of their cars so folks on community service have something to do!

BH

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Funny, but that shizzle sucks...it is definitely nasty to see crap all over the road, streets, and parks (state or community). It isn't that hard to hold on to your shiz until you can find a place to THROW IT AWAY...cars and such may not be the best place, but recycling centers in FL will pay you to recycle not just cans and metals, but plastics, rubbers (not condoms...funny though), and some types of wood. Take your 70000000 snickers wrappers to a recycling facility and get paid for it...that is all I am saying...be curtious every once in a while! [/rant]

Edited September 26, 2005 by Vile_DR

[bozodog]

Woah! no rants for weeks? Ok, I'll take it on.

Why do the school busses have to stop at everyother house on ruals roads? For cryin' out loud, one stop at the corner puts the kids within a 1/4 mile from their homes. I see a generation of leggless kids with four surround eyes for gaming and a big flat bottom for stability sitting on a chair. What *ever* happened to walking?

[TheTerrorist_75]

Woah! no rants for weeks? Ok, I'll take it on.

Why do the school busses have to stop at everyother house on ruals roads? For cryin' out loud, one stop at the corner puts the kids within a 1/4 mile from their homes. I see a generation of leggless kids with four surround eyes for gaming and a big flat bottom for stability sitting on a chair. What *ever* happened to walking?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

What happened with the kids walking a 1/4 mile for bus pickup is pedophiles grabbing the kids especially during the dark hours of the shortest days. Whatever happened to parents walking with their kids to a bus stop? That is a better question.

[JDoors]

Must be that time of year or something 'cause I was (while stopping every two blocks) thinking the exact same thing.

And I'm sure it's the lawyers (inferred from previous post): If a kid had something happen to them and they COULD have stopped the bus a block closer, someone'd sue and blame the school district (umm, that'd be us taxpayers).

When I walked three quarters of a mile to school, back in the age of the dinosaurs, were there less pedophiles or what? Is the problem worse, or are we as a society just more paranoid? (Or maybe, better informed?)

[Brian_Holiday]

I think it is just paranoia. We see it on TV, the news puts it center stage, and we all start thinking of it as a common thing. That is what my logical brain tells me, but I still get that bad feeling every time my kid goes out to play. What kills me is these people are getting a couple of years for their crimes, and then they are set free. If we locked them up for 25 years on a first offence mandatory sentence, I would probably feel a little safer. Studies have shown you cant cure them, so keeping them away from kids is our only out.

What is bad is, this culture of fear is working both ways. On Friday I saw two kids walking in the rain in cloth hooded jackets. My 'Dad' brain said "Stop and pick them up, get them out of the rain, take them where they were going". But then I thought, they would be out of their minds to get in a strangers car, so I didn't stop.

Quite a shame that you can't even be kind anymore. 20 years ago I could have stopped and not thought anything of it.

BH

[JDoors]

That's actually worth a rant right there, that as adults we have to think and think hard before we help, or even talk to, someone else's kid. I live on a very steep hill and see kids struggling on their bikes to reach the top, "Hey, throw the bike in back & I'll take you to the top." Uh, nope. Can't do it. I don't even want to consider what kids think today when adults pass them by without volunteering to help them when they could use it.

Come to think of it, when I was a kid I wrecked my bike and had to drag the wreckage several miles home, nobody offered to help me then. Maybe it's not a new phenomena.

If you can stand intense, emotional movies, Kevin Bacon as a pedophile in The Woodsman is some serious stuff (and won't help anyone's paranoia one bit).

Edited October 9, 2005 by JDoors

[Brian_Holiday]

If you can stand intense, emotional movies, Kevin Bacon as a pedophile in The Woodsman is some serious stuff (and won't help anyone's paranoia one bit).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I rented it not knowing what it was about, and got about 5 min in and had to turn it off. As a parent, there are some things I just don't want to see. It is hard enough letting the kid out the door as it is.

BH

[blim]

OK, I'm temporarily turning the current rant on a different path, but I am so p*ssed off!!! Son was online and someone sent him a link via AIM---you guessed it, it was the AIM cootie. You guessed it, he clicked it. Fortunately, the "do you want to save this" box came up and he clicked cancel and he checked to make sure he didn't get the virus, but I've told the kids and told them and told them not to click AIM links, and emailed them every time I see a warning about the AIM virus and the dumbsh*t completely ignored or forgot all my warnings. It took every ounce of my strength not to slap him upside his head!!!

Geez, sometimes I feel like I'm talking to a brick wall!!!!! Arrrggghhh, I am so mad that it is 3am and I can't sleep because I'm still mad!!! What am I, chopped liver???? When I talk, do they hear what the Peanuts Characters hear when their teacher is speaking, "wha, wha, wha, wha, wha...."

Off to send yet another email to the kids reminding them again not to click any AIM links..... Arrrgghhh!

end rant (but I'm still mad)

Liz

[bozodog]

What Liz? And possibly miss some juicey AIM gossup? Bleh! I found out Friday one of the guys I work with (late 40's) got "phished" for his E-Bay account. He really did fill out the password info asked for in a e-mail. They then sold $800 worth of stuff hoping to collect on it before E-bay nailed them. BTW I received that same "phishing" mail last week.

It's no wonder it's all going on. There's a sucker in every crowd, and that makes it worthwhile to the scumballs that perpetuate this junk.