tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65391392024-03-05T04:48:33.127-08:00Michael Psycho's Word PollutionMichael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comBlogger290125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-73045822959255667022016-11-10T14:53:00.001-08:002016-11-10T23:59:38.991-08:00SHOCKING? NAH. JUST SINKING TO A NEW LOW.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In my lifetime, starting from birth, the following historic
events, among many others, happened in the good ol’ USA: </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The JFK assassination, Vietnam War, Watergate, Waco,
Oklahoma City, and 9/11, along with a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>whole bunch of mass killings and disasters. Also, every POTUS term from
JFK on through Obama. Even the Cuban Missile Crisis was just wrapping up soon
after I was born.</div>
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<br /></div>
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That’s a lot of fucked up national history. Oh sure, some cool
and entertaining things happened too, like Beatlemania and the first moon
landing and the Internet and the Red Sox finally winning a World Series and
being able to see the Ramones live before the whole fuckin’ front line died. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And now the man seemingly destined to take the title of “Worst
U.S. President Ever” is going to get the keys to the White House for four years
beginning around noon on January 20, 2017. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Donald Trump won the Electoral College count because a
shitload of self-centered insecure white people with closeted xenophobic issues
and a lack of understanding of how democracy, let alone government, works, happen
to live in parts of the country where nobody of color seems to want to live, and
decided to vote. If they were not Luddites who weren’t paying attention to Trump’s
rancid personality, public behavior and debating tactics, then they were
totally A-OK or even empathetic to his self-centeredness, misogyny and lack of
intelligence and compassion. I’m prone to buy into believing the latter as the
truth. </div>
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His opponent edged him out on the popular vote, and she won all
the states on the entire west coast of the continental USA as well as its northeast
corner (including Trump’s home state). Hillary Clinton won the more
demographically diverse urban areas and Trump won where, well, all the scared
white people fled to years ago. She fucked up on campaigning, with a good deal
of it spent on weak status quo stunts like trying to over-flash her opponent by
showing up at rallies in already-won urban areas with a shitload of celebrities
who didn’t normally strike a note with people who got off their asses and
actually voted. Okay, maybe Springsteen was an exception.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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To be honest, I wasn’t even that enthusiastic about voting
this time. My original idea was to vote for Bernie Sanders, and then never vote
again. At the time my attitude was this: I have no problem voting for the USA’s
first woman President, but Elizabeth Warren wasn’t running. If Clinton was
running against, say, Ted Cruz or Jeb Bush, I may have stayed home. </div>
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But, that fucker Trump got the GOP nomination. I have
despised that asshole for the entire time I have learned of his existence. All
the stupid name branding. The dumb ass TV show. The braindead tweets. The
conspicuous consumption. Everything about him. I have absolutely no
identification with the man or what he stands for. My rich daddy didn’t give me
a million dollars to start a business. I worked for and earned every penny I’ve
got, and I’m no billionaire, but I have a debt free life with no bankruptcies or
failed businesses to show for it. Trump likes to use the term “loser” a lot but
I only see a true loser of a human being in Trump. It has nothing to do with
wealth, fame or celebrity. The guy is simply scum. I sure as hell could not sit
idly and just let him win the White House. So, I fell into the “lesser of two
evils” bullshit and filled in the little ballot oval for Clinton. </div>
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The 2016 U.S. Presidential election’s results caused a lot
of shock for people, including those involved in the Establishment Media. I
must be more jaded than the average American news consumer, because if I can
describe my reactions to the result, shock would not be one of those feelings. </div>
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Am I disappointed in the people of the United States for
electing this ego drunk intellectually challenged turdbucket to the nation’s
highest office? Oh, sure, but I’ve been disappointed in people and the stupid
shit they’ve done on many occasions. Am I scared? Nope. Not at all. I feel like
I have a spiritual battle to prepare for, as well as nothing to lose and
everything to gain. That never leaves me feeling frightened. Quite the
opposite. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Am I angry? Oh, yeah. Over and over again, I have to see
citizens in the nation where I was born and raised get suckered in by the
dumbest shit. And it’s not necessarily in politics. For years, the Establishment
Media has conspired to help earn a living for selfish, ignorant, power hungry
assholes, whose only key to success is being able to call attention to themselves
and attract others like them who aren’t nearly as successful but want to live vicariously
through the anointed Celebrity Alpha Asshole du jour. So the masses watch TV, interact
on social media, buy the books, proclaim the love, and yes, this time, show up
at the ballot box and vote. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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This wasn’t an election. It was a mobilization of racist,
sexist, homophobic, Islamophobia drunk opportunists rallying up the stooges mixed
with wealth worshiping groupies. It was not a movement for change. It was an
opportunity for opportunistic individuals, most notably the winning candidate
himself, to use the rube suckers impressed by his fame, his money, and his rubbish
brand name to wreak vengeful havoc on a nation that had the audacity to elect a
black man to the nation’s highest office for not one, but two terms. They saw
an opportunity to strike in the fact that a woman was the ruling party’s opponent,
because the same demographic that hated anyone different also hated women and
felt threatened by the potential emasculation that, God forbid, a woman who
didn’t know “her place” would cause in leading this country. It didn’t have
anything to do with denial of a glass ceiling. They liked the glass ceiling and
wanted to keep it there. </div>
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<br /></div>
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It was the week before my 18<sup>th</sup> birthday when Ronald
Reagan was elected. It was the night before my 54<sup>th</sup> when Trump was
elected, and to me, some things feel the same. A lot of people (many in similar
Clinton-winning urban areas) back in 1980 reacted with shock and fear. They wondered
how the electorate at large could be stupid enough to elect The Gipper. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, the electoral vote for that contest was 489-49!
The Establishment Media did the same “gee shucks, guess people want change”
shoulder shrugging 36 years ago as well. It seems a lot more intense in the
reaction for 2016, but I can’t help but think that I’ve seen this all before.
The difference is, I’ve lived through a lot now, and feel much older, wiser and
conditioned. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Shocked? No, but I am amazed at how the USA electoral
process has sunk to a new low. And an absurd low at that. It’s like a lost Christopher
Guest mockumentary. It’s the most fucked up episode of <i>Black Mirror</i> ever. Except
this time it’s not onscreen. This is real life and no one can simply choose not
to watch.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nothing has changed. In a fundamental way for me, it’s 1980
all over again. It’s 2000 all over again. It’s time to put the authoritarian fuckers
in their place each and every time they even attempt to step out of line. Every
time the Trump Administration and the Republican U.S. government try to impede
on stuff like civil rights, a woman’s right to choose, environmental safety,
net neutrality, or freedom of expression and right to assemble and express
dissent, I will raise hell until the cows come home, just as I have done for practically
my entire life on this earth. And mark my words, they will try to do fucked up
things with all of that power and authority because that is the nature of the
beast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Fear, on so many levels, motivated the election of Donald Trump.
I will not fear. I will fight.</div>
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<br /></div>
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If it’s a fight they want, it’s a fight they are going to
get. I know that I don’t have to fight alone, nor do I have to. So if you are
as outraged with what individuals have done in the USA this time as I have, let’s
fight together. Let’s live by the words of a wise man who once telegraphed: “Don't
waste any time mourning. Organize!”</div>
Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-50940655583733424692016-10-01T16:13:00.000-07:002016-10-01T16:13:12.867-07:00DISPATCH FROM THE REAL CITY: AN OPEN LETTER TO PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh45USruviIZzK9KW7fSNmpR817LOmukdfXSCTDKUFckFSMvJUcDS-DBvg4VB6-O7ey-USHsj6Db_vB53uAbG_AUPEdLdRetQwzm8am_r0bxEtpy9lhIECEpEuH6y9WW8iMP3rM/s1600/sacpoop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh45USruviIZzK9KW7fSNmpR817LOmukdfXSCTDKUFckFSMvJUcDS-DBvg4VB6-O7ey-USHsj6Db_vB53uAbG_AUPEdLdRetQwzm8am_r0bxEtpy9lhIECEpEuH6y9WW8iMP3rM/s640/sacpoop.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footer"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="index heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of figures"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="envelope return"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="footnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="line number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="endnote text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="table of authorities"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="macro"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="toa heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I feel very fortunate to have grown up in the Boston area. Even
through the worst of times growing up (and there were plenty), I was convinced
that there was no more perfect city for me to be living in. It was my ancestors’
hometown. From the first day of their arrivals from Ireland, they called no
other city home. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My mom was a Jamaica Plain native, my dad from Winthrop.
Their parents and grandparents fought in the Civil War, ran tugboat crews,
chased Pancho Villa over the border, and worked wards for a guy named James
Michael Curley. My mom worked at Filene’s and Jordan Marsh; my dad delivered
heating oil to the homes of <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Carl</span>
<span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Yastrzemski</span> and Rico Petrocelli.
Thanks to my life in that area, I have fond memories of Fenway Park, the Boston
Garden, the Rat, the Channel, Harvard Square, and a chaotic road trip down to
NYC to see the Clash at Bond’s. Even field trips as an elementary school
student involved places that other kids only read about during their American
History classes. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If I could do it all over again, I would grow up in no other
city. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What I’m writing about here isn’t about Boston, however.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s about my current home city.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have lived as a grown man in Sacramento, California for 32
years. I have spent a couple of years in Oak Park, a few in Colonial Heights, and
a short stretch in Del Paso Heights. Most of my years here have been right smack
dab in the middle of Midtown, in five different residences within a six block
radius. I currently live in a neighborhood named Marshall School, three blocks and
a freeway overpass away from a city park where I saw my first punk band show, sang
my own music in its hall, got drunk in numerous times at night, and eventually got
married in its Rose Garden. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I got to Sacramento in 1984 with my first wife and serious
delusions of a fresh start. She had screwed around on me with a mutual friend,
we split up and, in pure 1980’s Brat Pack film action, I went over to her new
paramour’s place and walked into her bedroom (drunk) while she was nekkid in
bed with him to ask her to get back with me. She did. Funded for tickets by her
family, we caught a plane to SFO about three days later. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I made a lot of friends and got involved in a lot of art and
music. Unfortunately, the marriage slogged on for almost seven years and in
hindsight, I never should have stepped up to try and reconcile back in Boston,
and should have simply let her go to Sacramento alone. Déjà vu. She screwed
around with a mutual friend once again and this time drained the bank
account. Eventually, I ended up living on the streets. After some time, I found
a place to live, began to pull some work here and there, and started making a
decent living, at least for my own personal standards. I did all of that "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" bullshit and then some. I got married again, and
divorced again, though the second divorce wasn’t even remotely as ugly as the
first. I kept working and making money and life goes on.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The reason I’m sharing this information is not to pour out details
of my personal life to you or even embarrass any of the aforementioned parties.
I’m telling you about all of this because I feel that it is important to assure
you that I am, and have been, a longtime resident of Sacramento simply because
that is what the circumstances of my life led me to do. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I did not come to this city to buy and sell land, or try to
make a career out of vacuous homer cheerleading (and, I must clarify, by that I
mean literally move to Sacramento and try to make money promoting the city, aka
carpetbagging) and, most certainly, I did not move to Sacramento to make money in
any various form to promote, or give blind groupie-like allegiance in any form
to, the Sacramento Kings.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As a matter of fact, when I moved here to Sacramento in 1984,
there were no Sacramento Kings. There was no light rail transit, no high speed
internet or wifi, and cable television lines were barely getting up and
running. There were, however, some breathless blowhards whose job it was to
tell you about how Sacramento was destined to become a world class city and a
bunch of new building developments were going to usher in a new era of pride
and blah blah blah, rhetoric, rhetoric, rhetoric. Nothing but flowery words.
There just happens to be much more of those people crawling around today by the
hundredfold. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And to be perfectly honest, there are three big reasons why
I would never be a Sacramento Kings fan:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1 1. <span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span>As I said, when I moved here, there were no Kings. This
team is just a childhood memory of easy Celtics wins viewed on a black and
white TV in my bedroom as I tried to fall asleep on a school night (Kemper Arena
games started late in my time zone).</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> <span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span>2. What? Give up on the Celtics? Are you fuckin’ nuts?</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span> I 3. I grew up in the first American city that stood up to
the reigning King. There is no way in hell I am going to root for any kings,
period. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As my title implies, this is intended to be an open letter
to those of you outside of Sacramento. An open letter was already written to
the local residents by the same kind of opportunist carpetbagger I had described
to you earlier. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In it, he was trying to play Mother Superior to the people
of Sacramento by admonishing them not to say anything bad about our city
because there’s a big ass giant covered fruit bowl arena opening downtown with
a hideous sculpture in its plaza by a world famous artist whose early claim to
fame was photos with his then-porno star wife bought by an Indian tech tycoon
who thinks that he can help his team win because he coached his daughter’s
middle-school squad and the city run by its teen lusting mayor pitched in some
cash for the ugly public art and we don’t want any outsiders to get a bad
impression so go spend money and smile all the time and shut up and buy. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To which I say, fuck that guy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nobody has the right in this country to even so much as
attempt to coerce the general public to suppress dissent in the public arena,
whether by legal or illegal means. If anyone tried to stop me from speaking my
mind, especially if said parties resorted to physical violence, I would use every
possible means at my disposal to smack right back at them and teach them an
important lesson about civilized public discourse. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In that sense, I’m going to tell you the truth about this
city, right now.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There are many good things about Sacramento now that I have
witnessed, and there has been in the past. Hey, the trees, that alone! Not just
that, of course. This is a city where creative working class people have somehow
created unique and interesting stuff for the participation and enjoyment of other
unique and interesting people. Music and art festivals and related activities
abound, such as the Norcal Noisefest, the Porchfest in Midtown (a similar event
is held every year in my mom’s old Boston neighborhood of Jamaica Plain) and
other events that are somehow organized and operated by folks whose only
interest is making something worthwhile happen. In short, over the years, Sacramento
has been a city where people who are unusual and unique can be free to be
unusual and unique. I can't say I love living in the city, but there's a lot I've seen in Sacramento that I have really liked.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If the current crop of self-made movers and shakers tying to
take over this city have their way, that will change, and not for the better.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They want you to think that there is some sort of vibrant “world
class city” core and if you move to Sacramento or even visit, a winged talking unicorn
will greet you at the Tower Bridge or Terminal B at Sac International and carry
you into a magic journey through a Jeff Koons illustrated wonderland of
phantasmagorical whimsy and boundless slurping of magic purple nectar, the
likes of which you will not see even in your wildest idea of the afterlife.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In reality, Sacramento is more or less just another American
city of its population size. In terms of the major economic players, it’s
pretty much only two things:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
1. A government town, and<span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span><br />
<span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span> 2. A real estate racket.
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nobody, and I mean nobody, in the mainstream conformist circles
of this city is going to break it down that simply to you. Especially not the
local daily newspaper, since their parent company has been trying to dump more
real estate properties recently than the total dead bodies found on Dorothea Puente’s
property. Their blowhard paid mouthpiece for the land barons and homer
merchants would absolutely roll over and pee himself writing yet one more
business-friendly manifesto extolling the noble mission of the Sac Metro
Chamber of Commerce and throw down praise at the usual list of elitist
conspirators just to refute my take.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is a city where, currently, real estate speculators
have scooped up properties, tried to turn them for a profit, and generally, don’t
give a fuck about what gets built on them. They convince businesses to pay the increasingly
ridiculous sale prices and rents, and then the businesses panic to pay the
bills and goosestep right along with the “New Era of Proud” hymn. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then there are the residential properties.
Working class renters in existing places are being increasingly priced out of the
market by landlords who have been gobbling down way too much of the arena Kool-Aid
and think that their rentals will be populated by starry eyed yuppie scum
moving in from the Bay Area to revel in New World City success and glory. Some
new properties are overpriced <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Family
Affair </i>styled monstrosities that no one in their right mind would find to
be an attractive home destination. They put up targeted billboards around town
with generic pictures of “residents” for their new developments. On one
development ad, what seems like a vaguely hipster slightly pre-millennial straight
couple, and in another, what seems to imply a pair of… either dudebro roomates
or a gay couple; I’m honestly not sure which.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Somehow, the vision of this new civic junta seems to think
that the appearance of a “World Class City” depends upon meeting as many unnecessarily
expensive and generic benchmarks as possible. Practically everything that makes
this city unique and defines the best qualities of its historic cultural legacy
is being slowly destroyed. These people are not going to stop until the soul of
this city is being completely raped, pillaged, and plundered into their bank
accounts.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Personally, the only hope I seem to have anymore is my
ability over time to outlive things. If there’s one thing that I have proved to
myself over the course of my life, it’s that I have an ability to survive. I
can only hope that, in regards to the current state of affairs in Sacramento
that this is just one more unpleasant era of occurrences to outlive. Still, I
don’t see any reason to leave. My life has been invested here for over half of
my years here on Earth. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Still, I’m starting to look at other cities and some of them
do look a lot better at this point. Unlike what Sacramento is rapidly turning
into, at least other cities still seem to be part of the United States, where
it won’t be an attitude of “embrace the local leadership’s world class vision,
or get out”. The new insurgents attempting to pull a ruling junta in Sacramento
better hope that they are not encouraging a lot of people like me to consider
an exit. But then again, when your life is defined by profit, propaganda, and
vacant homeland huckstering in lieu of actual skills and talents, any old rube (with
money to spend) to replace me will do. Hopefully, in the event that I ever do
have to leave this city, I can join the world in watching their cheesy carnival
scam all falling to bits, gloriously.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And for those of you who have been living in Sacramento all your lives, especially who weren't even born when I arrived here, who want to turn this into a pissing contest, go on. I'm done here. Respond if you need to. I'll wait. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-12097330202461320302016-06-23T18:03:00.000-07:002016-06-23T18:20:30.728-07:00HI, I'M MICHAEL PSYCHO, FOUNDER OF BLACK HOLE MEDIA! AND I'M NOT THE PHONY, YOU'RE THE PHONY.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBdgOgCu_zArRxTnyORh18BD93whO_p5mSAyC7xzERqr2hAu7l08X62v1vrCKzs-SiyQwRj_acJK01khfHNDwYOW8Wnq5rhABkSQm5-VO9HJPcCnvh1RPOkg9yv8vbM-14Sut/s1600/realvfake.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiBdgOgCu_zArRxTnyORh18BD93whO_p5mSAyC7xzERqr2hAu7l08X62v1vrCKzs-SiyQwRj_acJK01khfHNDwYOW8Wnq5rhABkSQm5-VO9HJPcCnvh1RPOkg9yv8vbM-14Sut/s400/realvfake.JPG" width="330" /></a></div>
Hi there. Nice of you to drop by. Please allow me to introduce myself.<br />
<br />
I'm
Michael Psycho. I have been using the name Michael Psycho since 1981. I
founded an organization called Black Hole Media Co. in 1984. My various
exploits, in music, video, performance art, etc. have been fairly
public and noticed to some small degree for over three decades now, both
as Michael Psycho and from Black Hole Media Co. For years, before
there was any of this here newfangled interweb doohickey, what limited
(read: underground) print and video media exposure I had seemed to be enough evidence to
place my name(s) out there as unique and respected as any other original names.
Only a sleazebag would be lame enough to try to take the names on as
their own.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, the Internet blew up and
provided a breeding ground for a lot of inconsiderate and
desperate-for-attention assholes. Most of these mooks couldn't come up
with an original thought, even if someone had a .44 Mag on their
privates ready to blow them off if the fools didn't think of anything.<br />
<br />
Over
recent times, I have seemingly become a magnet for these types of
creeps. "Black Hole Media" is all over the map for copycats, which is a
semantic impossibility since "black hole" and "media" tend not to ever
have normal semantic relations... except in the case of my organization because I
had a definition of the term <i>when </i>I started to use the term. Not
a single one of these poseurs could give any meaning to the term "black
hole media" because they never had one to begin with.<br />
<br />
"Michael
Psycho" is another term co-opted all to shit in various forms. I can almost see the
tendency to copy that one by accident as it does have a phonetic beauty
all its own, no doubt about it.<br />
<br />
But here lies similar premise: not only
am I the original person of this name, but I have published and
released recorded works for years using this name (and by the way, under
the name of Black Hole Media Co.).<br />
<br />
I have, however, been
intrigued by some of the activity which these pathetic losers are
engaging in. Seriously, at least it's a learning experience. For
instance, I have learned that there are stupid assholes out there who
are under the impression that, if something isn't famous, it's okay to
steal from it. Somehow, each of these brokedicks think that <i>they </i>will
be the ones that will achieve fame and fortune as "Michael Psycho" or
"Black Hole Media". Sometimes it's just fools who are temporarily using a
social media handle or posting a comment or something of that nature.<br />
<br />
Apparently, none of these drones ever learned how to use Google, let alone the Internet Archive, and if they did then that makes them even bigger assholes and their motives even more selfish and evil. <br />
<br />
Let me go over a couple of things.<br />
<br />
The
name Black Hole Media Co. derives from my longtime philosophical
principle of Black Hole Media. I will eventually be publishing detailed
writings online and elsewhere, but minor writings are available at the <a href="http://blackholemediaco.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">BHMC Blog</a>. It's a philosophy with the goal of usurping the Establishment Media's grip on the psyche of the civilized world. It's not<a href="https://twitter.com/blackholemedia" target="_blank"> a bunch of fatass Cheeto sucking couch surfing no-lifes with nothing better to do than release lame ass podcasts about what they streamed on Netflix yesterday</a>.<br />
<br />
I have my own meaning for the last name "Psycho" as well. Although the term has been corrupted since the 1930s, I hold the unwavering opinion that Alfred Hitchcock completely fucked up the public image of an otherwise beautiful root term. For example, "psychopomp" is an ancient term used to describe the spiritual guide of a living person's soul. Even a "psychopath" is not specifically a dangerous person, but actually someone who is not remorseful or ashamed of antisocial behavior.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, most if not all other people who use the term "Psycho" seem to like it because it implies that they are crazy and dangerous and murderous, which, if they truly were, chances are they would not be competent enough to maintain a website or social media presence anyway. (On a side note, I believe that <a href="http://www.ea.com/uk/crysis-3/videos/crysis-3-michael-psycho-sykes-trailer" target="_blank">those geeks over at Electronic Arts may owe me some back royalties.</a>)<br />
<br />
Anyway, the point of this whole rant is to put my points across. I am Michael Psycho, always was and always will be. My organization is Black Hole Media Co., always was and always will be. Wicked, selfish, unoriginal people can put up web pages and hijack as many social media names as their hearts' desire.<br />
<br />
There's only one important thing to remember here if you are among those people. It's not me who should worry about you, it's you who should worry about me. You inconsiderate suckers out there may have an occasional Pyrrhic victory on the online battlefield, but I am going to win the historic war. I will be remembered as Michael Psycho of Black Hole Media Co. and my art and philosophy will be there for the ages. You will be that dork who couldn't come up with an original idea if it fell on your fuckin' head in the shape of a 16 ton weight. People will laugh at you and your stupidity if they even notice you at all.<br />
<br />
I have lived on the streets, and I have also worked my way to a 6 digit bank account and owned a Mercedes. I have been jobless, and I have walked off of a secure job without notice just because my values and purpose in life outweighed working for assholes in an organization I didn't support just to get a paycheck. I have suffered and fought for my art and the very essence of my existence for over half a century on this rock in space.<br />
<br />
Thus, I have names and ideas that I have and will put my life on the line for, to defend and exonerate. My names and ideas are what I work for, stand for and live for; I could be flat broke on the street and they will still be my prized possessions. You are just some dweeb who can't think for yourself and needed a cool name. I don't care how big, bad or organized you think that you are, or even if you actually are. I will outlast you and probably outlive you. <br />
<br />
There's still hope. There's still time. If you need help, let me know. We'll figure out an original name for you together. My hourly consultation fees are quite reasonable for someone as talented as myself.Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-33626008831864585042014-01-05T00:00:00.000-08:002014-01-05T00:00:01.738-08:00TIME TO MOVE ON. ABOUT TIME.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidysrYwuAK-i2ZawlvLEKwYm6F5q5vSfnO_WEa3-Mlc-icrU5AScRbyh9_6u-kC5m9Zd-I1crtrTu3nvokN9BapUIzxSja-c9Vgjp66enjya4FYrBVHcn6qBDKsw7egsXHoQF9/s1600/Observetime.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidysrYwuAK-i2ZawlvLEKwYm6F5q5vSfnO_WEa3-Mlc-icrU5AScRbyh9_6u-kC5m9Zd-I1crtrTu3nvokN9BapUIzxSja-c9Vgjp66enjya4FYrBVHcn6qBDKsw7egsXHoQF9/s640/Observetime.jpg" width="339" /></a></div>
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Hi there, fellow netizens and related shivering denizens.
Sorry I have been somewhat invisible on this blog thing lately, but it's been
ultimately for what I feel have been somewhat positive reasons and not because
I have been, like, dead, or some shit.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have been in the process of adjusting the type of stuff
that provides the employment which actually pays my rent and bills. I have
somewhat successfully set up a busy (and currently low paying) but potentially
rewarding balance between college classes and a job in the civil service sector
in which the workin' totally BFFs down with the schoolin'. Not only have I
managed to find a path to tread away from corporate whoredom, but in addition,
I am in a good place for adjusting from one IT field to another in which I
won't have to deal with so many assholes, and if I do on occasion, it won't be
as personally attached and I can actually leave all that shit at the door when
I clock out.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That said, I would like to let the general readership out
there know that, for all intents and purposes, I am doing just fine nowadays. I
am going to concentrate on the work thing, the school thing, and in between try
to cook up some musical and other creative thingamabobs that I am normally
obsessed with when I am not working or dealing with school. I might be blogging
some more in the next year or so, but don't be surprised if I am MIA 'round
these here parts for the next dozen or so moons, at the very least.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Out until quarter of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>sometime. Have a nice life in the meantime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/APpxQm7sH5k" width="420"></iframe> </span></div>
Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-89336692652587041722013-11-03T00:00:00.000-07:002013-11-03T00:00:09.481-07:00WHY THAT CRAZY AND ANGRY ANTISOCIAL GUY WHO USED TO WORK WITH YOU QUIT HIS JOB. OR SOME SHIT.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSs7h_Q_xwyntCWcgH0WzEw2l51hojTAKKUFZU0Tc6A-ZVzO0GOFs-FOQkURiGVjt3yWrQM5ubsD4gd33P-FfRrp8FKVaibIqQVqiT1ID_Abprnf1QUpbkz7HVYbBSWvZCss8/s1600/Shesabug3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSs7h_Q_xwyntCWcgH0WzEw2l51hojTAKKUFZU0Tc6A-ZVzO0GOFs-FOQkURiGVjt3yWrQM5ubsD4gd33P-FfRrp8FKVaibIqQVqiT1ID_Abprnf1QUpbkz7HVYbBSWvZCss8/s640/Shesabug3.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Once upon a time, in a working world far, far away, I had a
fairly decent paying job (at least well above a living wage) with a fairly good
sized company, until I decided to just walk away. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
On June 6, 2013, immediately after a closed door one on one
meeting with my division's vice president, I walked off, as in, quit without
notice. No two weeks, no new job lined up, nothing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am still unemployed. I have applied for numerous jobs and
have been formally rejected numerous times. I can not collect state
unemployment insurance because, well, duh, I quit without notice.<br />
<br />
I envision that, in future years, I will probably be used as the example of "the guy who quit without notice". I anticipate that no one will ever even consider to hire me again, and I will die broke on the streets.<br />
<br />
Which, actually, is just fine with me, should that happen. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I will never, ever, regret my decision to quit, and
especially without notice.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had worked 16 years for a large metropolitan newspaper. In
fact, by circulation numbers, it is one of the top 40 papers currently in
publication. Back in 1997,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I walked
into a job fair, responding to a want ad in the same paper for a part time
customer service call center position. After a spelling test, interview, and
physical exam, I was offered a job. I wasn't even that concerned about getting
hired back then. I already had a part time job and simply saw this as a long
shot opportunity to break away from outbound telemarketing and into inbound
call center experience. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Eventually, I gained enough hours to drop my second part
time job and work only at the newspaper, although still classified as part time, but working frequent 40-plus hour weeks. I worked very hard at my call
center job, and had added duties after the phones turned off, sorting and
sending out carrier and truck records for the next day's paper, and working
frequently until 10 or 11 at night due to technical and printer fuckups causing
delays. Things weren't exactly like paradise but it was tolerable.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then, around 2006 or so, the shit had begun to hit the fan.
After the corporation which owned the paper had piled up a shitload of debt
from a big acquisition and merger, suddenly the salad days were over. It was
time for the Corporate Gods to make some draconian cost cutting moves at every
single one of the newspaper properties, usually accompanied by excuses about
the increasing competition of the Internet and the sluggish economy. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Soon enough, working in the call center as a rep started to
become, um, more "challenging". To describe it as staff reduction by
attrition would be an understatement. The staffing each day became so skeletal
that it was routine for 40, or even 50-plus calls to be on hold for up to 20,
30, even 40 plus minutes at a time. Imagine as well how the callers were
expressing themselves to us once we could actually take their call. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One fine day, the department received a memo that a new
manager was taking over the area including the call center. This new leader,
for the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>purposes of this writing, is
someone who I will furthermore refer to as The Bug (because to me, she so
closely resembles the alien cockroach who took over Edgar's flesh in <i>Men In
Black</i>). The Bug has an interesting academic background. Fact: apparently her
MBA thesis was on call centers... and outsourcing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sure enough, exactly two months after The Bug's takeover announcement, we were notified that our call center was, indeed, being
outsourced. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was married at the time, and my then-wife and I had just
returned home from our second anniversary trip to San Francisco when the phone
rang. It was The Bug, calling to let me know that the call center was being
outsourced, but <i>"the good news" </i>was that I <i>"still have a job"</i>
because my seniority was only a few months below the ten year cutoff that all
of my other co-workers, save one guy with a couple of months more tenure than
I, was subjected to. Furthermore, my job duties were being shifted to focus on
an area in outbound calling known at the time as Retention, which, pretty much,
was just overglorified subscriber bill collection work. Somehow, I didn't feel
lucky to have "survived".</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The following week, The Bug called me into her office for a
transitional orientation meeting. Or some shit. The Bug
likes to speak in a rapid fire manner which promotes a pushy,
argument-winning-goal sort of manner, while attempting to cover up the fact
that she has little, if anything, constructive or intelligent to say. She
mentioned some vague goal of <i>"keeping transparency"</i> amongst our
customer base and retaining people who, though never stated in so many of her
actual words, are those realizing that they don't like to read the paper anymore and
are dropping like flies from the circulation numbers which padded her performance goal bonuses. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Needless to say, I wasn't even slightly impressed with The
Bug's rhetoric, and began to search for another job and work on writing my two
week notice letter. Several days after that meeting,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and about two weeks before the call center was officially
closing, I received a visit from the manager of the department that handled the
information systems work related to circulation at the newspaper. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
He informed me that he needed a systems coordinator in his area and
was not a fan of the outside hiring process. Essentially, if I was interested
in the position, it was mine. This was not a complete shock to me as I had
applied for the same job with another manager of that department, previous to
the one who was currently in charge and making me the job offer. I had been
passed over then for another guy who, in my opinion, was actually much more qualified
and adequate for the position than I. This time, feeling like a miracle had
happened and gladly welcoming an<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>escape
from under The Bug's tentacles, I quickly accepted the job offer.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Although the new position started out with tough lessons
(frequently learned from mistakes), long hours and mega-brain strain, the work
was much more preferable to me than what I would have been doing under The Bug.
I took college IT-related classes at night. I generally got along okay with
folks in my department. I felt a sense of self worth and accomplishment to some
degree. The money began getting better as well.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then, one fine day, the shit once again began to hit the
fan.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In 2008, the first round of buyouts were handed out among
the company workforce, and that included my own special white envelope,
containing a packet detailing my monetary offer and other information about
what I would get if I accepted (two weeks pay per year of service). I turned
down that offer. In 2009, it was yet another white envelope arriving in my
interoffice mail with a similar buyout attempt. I declined that offer as well. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
However, many of my fellow coworkers did accept a buyout. As a result of those reductions, and as well as some folks who simply
bailed for greener pastures (and then had their positions eliminated) a short
time later, a workload that was generally handled by about seven people was
suddenly the responsibility of around three. Personally, I was in the, um,
"challenging" position of doing the work of what previously would
have been at least four people on my own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Although I was handling it, the workload and the stress beat
me down tenfold compared to before. Somehow, I managed to persevere, and got
great performance reviews and recognition from higher-ups along the way. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then, the layoffs, or, as the publisher liked to euphemize
them, "staff reductions" began. Five of them over the next four
years. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There was a merry dance in play in my department featuring
what I began to call the "Death Seat". It was the workstation
directly to the right of my own. At least three, or maybe at least four
coworkers met their job-related execution there. They would be brought in from
other areas to back up our department's duties, and within a short time, be
summarily shitcanned in the next following staff reduction from that very
seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In 2010, a work area was brought into my department which
dealt with the initial edition, section and page creation of each day's
newspaper. A daily newspaper's production has to start somewhere, and this page
creation work was the particular area. My manager offered me the opportunity to
get involved in the page creation area as an addition to my existing duties,
and I accepted. At the time, I was supposed to be the third wheel, so to speak,
backing up the two page creation workers who were already in place. Little did
I know at the time that there were already machinations in place to get rid of
one of the workers, and sure enough, one month after I accepted the offer to
work in that area, the page creation employee in question was shitcanned in the
next wave of layoffs. This is not something that I was proud of witnessing by
any means, despite the fact that the damage done from my agreement was
unknowing, unwilling and indirect on my part.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In comparison to the database drudgery that I had been
previously been slogging through, I had considered it to be great work. First thing
I'd do, when it was my turn to work on the pages, was pull a data report on the
ad inches. Then I'd do some simple math, come up with column inches and add
those to the editorial column inches each section. Then I'd draw out a press
chart, and using page creation software, form the actual pages and lay out the
display ad space for each page. Eventually, I send the pages out and viola! The
Daily Miracle begins. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And, yes, I did make what I just described appear to you,
the reader, as being a lot less complicated than the work actually is,
especially in the area of making mistakes, in which you virtually are not
allowed to do so. One minor goof can hit the pressroom, the plateroom, the ad
layout people, and/or editorial, singularly or any combination thereof. Despite
the pressure, the work was a great learning experience about all areas of the
newspaper industry, and constant contact clear across the board with people
working in all areas. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The page creation work was, if anything, meaningful and
relevant, especially compared to my work in database administration, which was
becoming increasingly more banal. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Bug, at this point in time, was a director in charge of
matters related to circulation sales and marketing. Among her, ahem, bright
ideas was the brilliant move to sign the newspaper up as a client with online "deal of the day" websites.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While sites like Groupon, Living Social and the like might make sense to a sushi bar,
in terms of newspaper subscriptions, it's a complete waste of money, resources
and time. You can line up NAA and Inland flunkies left and right to try to
refute me, but having worked directly with<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>the raw data, fuck whatever they have to say in rebuttal. I stand by my
opinion. Using these sites to sell newspaper subscriptions is the dumbest marketing tactic
since New Coke.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The newspaper started selling Sunday only subscriptions
through Groupon for barely what it cost to print them, and as an added bonus,
Groupon was taking in half of the money from each and every subscription sold
for the privilege of using their service. Groupon offer codes are, to the untrained eye, gobbeldy gook. They are seemingly nonsensical (though actually sequential) text combinations, with the goal of creating a unique piece of data tied only to the specific coupon purchase. Expecting most, let alone any,
customers to accurately submit a Groupon offer code, much less expect an
overstressed data entry worker or customer service rep to avoid mistakes, is
wishful thinking at best. Additionally, Groupon's reporting on these codes
sucked ass. I had created a database query which somehow managed to corral
these codes with the customer records and send them down as paysheets to the
accounting department in order to actually associate a monetary payment for
each subscription. Of course, since there were numerous errors in the Groupon
codes with these subscription orders, many of them never got tracked and did
not make it through my database.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Somehow, The Bug's twisted, flawed thinking concluded that
the data entry errors were my responsibility, and she ordered all of the call
center reps to email me every single time a customer's Groupon
"payment" did not get posted, despite the fact that these were
because of data entry errors entered "upstream" from my reporting and
I could not do jackshit about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Of course, there were lots of errors, and therefore I was
forced to plow through literally hundreds of emails to let people know that the
codes had to be re-entered correctly before they could be counted as valid
payments. In other words, I was entrenched in needless and unnecessary work for
much of my day. My numerous attempts to appeal to my manager and anyone else
who would listen to stop this crap from being dumped on me went unresolved and
ignored. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As time went on, the supervisor handling the page creation
(and the only person left to do the work full time) became extremely stressed out due to the increasing communication breakdown with advertising
reps and managers, combined with the lack of support and the fact that our
department's manager, as well as the division leadership team (most notably among them, The Bug) had negligible
comprehension of her job duties. The weeks before the Thanksgiving Day
newspaper are always the most stressful period of the year for page creation,
and afterwards, at the end of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>November 2012, the
supervisor took a week long doctor-mandated stress leave. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I covered the entire week of page creation on my own, and
upon the supervisor's return, I personally arranged a meeting between the
supervisor, the department manager and myself to try and straighten out the
issues causing the turmoil. The meeting went well, with at least some
groundwork for improvements laid out, and the department manager sent us a
follow-up email acknowledging that there was positive progress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nine days later after our meeting, it was announced that the vice president of our division was getting kicked upstairs (some people would
say "failed upward") to Corporate in a similar but national VP role,
and suddenly, or so it seemed, there was a divisional schism in the cards. The
pressroom manager was now going to be director of a new division dealing
chiefly with the printing, transportation and general production of the
newspaper. There was a second division created which was responsible for, among
other things, the circulation customer service, distribution and sales. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Bug was announced as the VP for this new division, and
that was where the page creation supervisor and I ended up.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The page creation supervisor, however, did not stay under
The Bug for long. Four days after the divisional split took place, the supervisor received
a visit by the new production director, during which he informed her
that she was transferring to his new division. One hundred percent of her job
duties involved page creation, so for her, it was an easy transfer. Not so much
for me. At executive meetings over the following couple of weeks, the outgoing
VP as well as The Bug, according to the person informing me, had reportedly staged rather toddler-like tantrums, protesting
that under no circumstances was I going to do any work in another division,
much less transfer out of my current one. Needless to say, I didn't feel very
flattered after finding that out.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had invested a considerable amount of training, hard work
and effort into my page creation duties, and had no desire to end working in
that area. The page creation supervisor had no issue with me working with her,
and in fact, dreaded the prospect of having to train a replacement. It was a clear example of leaders and decision makers who were lacking a clue. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Despite the supervisor's efforts to retain me, and my
vociferous objections, the ball stayed in motion to drum me out of page
creation. My efforts to get help through the human resources department were
rejected. One HR official told me to "put (myself) in (my management's)
shoes" and work things out with them instead. More like put myself on
as<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Bug's skin. I informed the HR
person that any attempt to meet with the new VP would end badly, but my
objections and appeals were met with deaf ears. Trying to apply HR's advice, I
took up the subject with my department manager at my annual performance review,
which was scheduled by coincidence a week after my phone call to HR, but there
was no budging. The New Order was now in full effect, and my manager was going
to follow The Bug's dictates to the letter. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As fate would have it, about a week after my performance
review, The Bug and everybody else had no choice but to keep me working with
page creation. The page creation supervisor had slipped on the floor at home and
broke her ankle in three places. She was on doctor's orders to stay out of the
workplace for 6 to 10 weeks. As a result, I ran the page creation area for two
straight months. Every edition of the newspaper from<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the middle of February to the middle of April of 2013 was my
responsibility, including one memorable pre-President's Day weekend Friday
where I put up the initial pages for the entire Saturday, Sunday,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Monday, and Tuesday editions, as well as the
features section for the following Wednesday and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the home and garden tabloid section for the following Saturday.
Twelve and a half hours working straight through with barely a break. From what I understand, the Friday before the holiday weekend had rarely if ever been
handled by one person in the page creation area before. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The page creation supervisor eventually started a home-based
part time schedule. I was recognized to a certain degree for my extra work,
especially in the form of gift cards from the production director, which came to a final tally of somewhere in the neighborhood of $450. One Friday in April, the
director tracked me down to hand me one final installment of gift cards, and at
that point informed me that, since the supervisor was still going to be working
at home for a while, I will be starting to train my replacement starting the
following week. I replied that I wanted to remain in page creation and there
was no need for a replacement. He countered that there was nothing anyone could
do to change things since the order to replace me came from "on
high". I interpreted "on high" to mean that The Bug channeled
the order through that special superglued nose-asshole connection that she had
with the publisher.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The page creation supervisor, citing ongoing stress and
injury issues, extended her disability claim through the month of May and
continued to work from home part time for another month. This, combined with
the fact that, due to scheduling and staffing issues, my replacement could not
be trained after all, kept me in page creation more or less full time for
another four weeks or so. The supervisor eventually returned to the office on a
part time basis some time around the Memorial Day weekend.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then, the fateful day of June 6, 2013 came.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was planning to spend the entire day away from page
creation and fully concentrating on database-related duties. It's not like I
was looking forward to that situation. I was promised that my regular duties
would be covered during the two months I was working virtually full time in
page creation. That promise, of course, was a complete load of bullshit, and I
had a huge backlog of work to catch up on. It was late morning and I was making
fairly good progress catching up on several weeks of paysheets at the moment when
the email arrived at my Inbox.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was yet one more of those needless fuckin' Groupon
emails.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This one was dutifully (read: lazily) forwarded via
"Service Central" (i.e., one of the in-house customer service reps
emailing me anonymously through a central mailbox) from the outsourced call
center in the Phillipines. It read, verbatim, the following (and yes, the
outsourced rep from the original email was "shouting" in all caps):</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>"THE CUSTOMER STARTED A NEW SUBSCRIPTION FROM GROUPON
ON 05/12. SHE PAID $19.00 FOR 26 WEEKS DELIVERY OF THE SUNDAY PAPER AND
PROVIDED GROUPON CODE OF </i>[Groupon code redacted - ed.]<i>. CUS</i>(sic)<i> RECEIVED A
CALL FROM THE</i> [newspaper name redacted -ed.]<i> ASKING FOR PAYMENT. PLEASE
VALIDATE THE VOUCHER CODE SO THAT PAYMENT IS APPLIED ON THE ACCOUNT.
THANKS"</i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Here's my take on what happened. The rep who forwarded this
email read,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>"THE CUSTOMER STARTED A NEW SUBSCRIPTION FROM
GROUPON..."</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
ignored the rest of the email and forwarded it to me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I had worked as a customer service rep in the call center
for almost ten years. I know that, when receiving an email from a customer, the rep needs to
read the customer's email thoroughly, figure out the specific issue, and try to
resolve it properly. Having actually read the entire email, I deduced that the
problem the customer wasn't having was with a Groupon code. It was with the
fact that they should not have been called for payment and validating the code
would not have made any difference anyway. The customer, having only started a
subscription less than 30 days ago, and started through Groupon, should not
have received a phone call for payment. Period. That was what should have been
resolved.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I emailed the sales manager with the following: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>"</i>[Name of sales manager redacted - ed.]<i>, whose call
list is this customer ending up on? They started less than 30 days ago..."
</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The sales manager responded: </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: sans-serif;">"Odd, she
shouldn't have been called by anyone, but I will find out."</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: sans-serif;">I replied:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>"Good, I thought something was sort of fishy there.
Thanks."</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
During this exchange, I CCed the original sender from<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"Service Central" to keep the
then-anonymous originator of this mess in the loop on this customer. At this
point, I received the following reply from "Service Central": </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>"They weren't called by anyone, their groupon voucher
wasn't applied." </i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Um. Say what?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I sent back the following to "Service Central":</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>"Did you even bother to read the note from APAC
(below?)" </i>[note: APAC = company for the rep in the Phillipines-ed.]</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And "Service Central" replied, yet again:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>"Yes, I read it. That is why you were copied on
it Michael. They do not have a Groupon payment as of yet. Do you
not hande</i>(sic)<i> this anymore?"</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At this point, I just had to know who the fuck "Service
Central" was. After a few minutes of fuming (and yes, I probably did drop
several cuss words while still seated at my workstation), I walked over to the
customer service area, located near my work area, in the same room. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(A little backtracking before I go on. You see, The Bug's
original experiment in outsourcing turned out to be a complete and utter
fiasco. The original company, West At Home, was supposed to handle the calls
with stay-at-home moms in their jammies holding a cup of Sanka, and most
importantly, within the borders of one of the 50 states. That venture was
completely fucked up, so the West contract was cancelled and APAC was signed up
to handle the call center work. They sucked too, so the remaining Retention
reps were retrained to be "VIP reps", in other words, restoring the
old domestic call center to a certain degree to pick up escalated calls when
customers are fed up with APAC's shitty job. Long story short, The Bug's
efforts for "transparency" failed miserably.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So. I found out that the mysterious "Service
Central" emailer was a part time rep who, 15 years previous, was one of my
supervisors back when I started in the old call center, and who, for reasons I
don't know and could care less about, came crawling back with her tail between
her legs many years later out of desperation for employment. The conversation
we had was only about ten seconds long at best, because I quickly reasoned that
she was a damage case and I was wasting my breath. I went back to my
workstation, tried to regain composure, and typed a final reply:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>"The APAC note says that they were called. They should
not be getting called. As (the sales manager) noted, they weren't supposed to
be called period. This isn't because their Groupon payment wasn't
applied."</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My manager was on disability leave for surgery. The call
center manager was off for the day. Thus, there was no one immediately in the
chain of command to talk to right away. I realize in retrospect that this was
probably a tactical error on my part, but in light of the absences, and in
order to try and cover my ass, I CCed The Bug on the final email. I thought, at
the time, that The Bug would have some sort of basic reasoning ability and there
could be some sort of civilized resolution to this whole Groupon escapade and
its related problems.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What the fuck was I thinking?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
About a half hour after my last email reply, The Bug dropped
by my workstation, and asked me to meet with her in her office for a few
minutes. Although I suspected that we were going to be discussing the email
exchange, I wasn't too concerned initially. We entered her office, The Bug
closed the door behind us, and we sat down. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Bug told me that the call center rep has informed her
that I was speaking to the rep in a <i>"confrontational" </i>manner. Or some
shit. The rep <i>"felt threatened"</i>. Or some shit. Wow, really? That must
have been an amazing ten seconds of venting on my part. Anyway, whatever the
rep was telling The Bug sounded like complete bullshit. Yes, to a certain
degree I was confrontational. She was writing to me like a comment board troll,
and anonymously at that. Yes, I was pissed off. At this point I tried to remain
as calm as possible and give The Bug my side of the story. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was of no use. The Bug had already decided to play judge,
jury and executioner and proposed that I apologize to the rep for any behavior.
I replied, straightforwardly, that I am not going to apologize, and the rep is
the person who should be apologizing to me. When I tried to go over the points
of the email exchange, The Bug dismissed anything I had to say with the typical
horseshit sentiment about how the rep was simply helping the customer. I
countered that, if the rep had truly wanted to help the customer, then she
would have done what I did and read the entire email and acted accordingly
instead of forwarding the email and making someone else, i.e. me, do her job
for her. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After a few more minutes of useless verbal parrying, The Bug
tried to close things out by stating that she was <i>"concerned" </i>about
my treatment of <i>"the part time rep"</i>. Somewhat of a roundabout verbal
warning, and the proposal to apologize was certainly off the table. At this
point, I decided to go in for the kill.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i>"Before I go, I'd like to know if<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>we could take a few minutes to discuss my
role in </i>(page creation)<i>."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Bug agreed to talk. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So I got to the point. <i>"It's my understanding that
you've been trying to take me off of those duties. Is that true?"</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Bug launched into an even more rapid fire and illegible
rant than usual, in which, seemingly, she name checked the production director
at least five times in one run on sentence. Now, in all honesty, I can't quote
her verbatim, but to my best recollection, to me it sounded something like;
<i>"Well, (the production director) can't budget another full time position,
and (the production director) is having staffing issues, and that work moved
into (the production director)'s area, and so (the production director) is
responsible for the staffing and we can't have you working outside in (the
production director)'s area due to the payroll and company policy. But... [quick
breath] if (the page creation supervisor) leaves, you may have an opportunity
to apply for her position." </i></div>
<i>
</i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then The Bug paused and stayed locked on her usual forced
smirk. It was at this point when I noticed that her skin was hanging off of her
bones. However, moving forward, I continued the conversation.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I stated that I considered my work in page creation to
encompass my future career with the newspaper. The Bug replied with a customer
service like <i>'Well, I'm sorry but..." </i>and launched into scripted blather
about plans of the division and my important responsibilities with the
databases. Or some shit. I then stated that I did not want to stay in the
division, that I wanted to be transferred out to other work. The Bug, of
course, told me what I had already expected to hear, which was that
transferring outside of that division was not an option, with more nonsensical
run-on babble. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At that point, my mind was made up. As I was getting up to
leave the office, The Bug made one last comment: <i>"We have plenty of work
for you here."</i> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, I was sure in my mind by then that The Bug was wrong,
because as of that moment, under no circumstances was I ever going to work for
her. Therefore, there was absolutely no more work for me in that division.
However, I didn't want to give The Bug the satisfaction of hearing me tell her
that I was quitting, let alone giving any notice. The way I see it, saying
anything like that would have been showing respect that she certainly had not
deserved. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Immediately after that meeting with The Bug, at that point
in time was when I usually would take a lunch break. I grabbed my water bottle
from my desk and headed towards the exit, but first, I stopped off in Human
Resources and asked for a voluntary resignation form. On the way out, I ran
into the page creation supervisor, and we went back to her office to discuss my
plans. I told her about my final meeting with The Bug. The supervisor told me
that she would support whatever decision I would ultimately make. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I lived a block away from the newspaper. I went home, sat
back for about a half hour, and after trying to contemplate the options,
decided to go for it. I filled out the voluntary resignation form, and left it
at home while I went back and picked up a few personal things from my
workstation. I didn't speak to any co-workers or say goodbye to anyone. Then I
went home to get my resignation form and returned one last time to Human
Resources. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The HR people were unbelievably efficient and
coldly procedural in processing my paperwork. It could not have taken me more
than three minutes to have officially signed off on quitting my job of sixteen
years, and absolutely no one had tried to find out the reasons why I was
resigning, much less stop me from doing otherwise. As a matter of fact, HR made
it incredibly easy for me to pick up my final paycheck (including my 110 hours
of accumulated vacation pay) at the guard's desk less than twenty four hours
after I showed up in the HR office to resign.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Fine with me. I wanted the quickest clean break possible. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">In the end, my old job as a systems coordinator was filled. True to form, after posting a help wanted ad for about a month, the manager made an internal hire, and naturally, from the ranks of the call center. My page creation duties were also filled, by someone working in the advertising division, in other words, someone from a division other than where the page creation supervisor is located. The Bug is probably just happy at this point that at least it's not somebody from her division. Or some shit. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
During my 16 years at the newspaper, I was never living
paycheck to paycheck. I had made an effort to save money whenever possible,
especially after the buyouts started and things were looking more sour each day.<br />
<br />
That said,
I realize that, although there are still quite a few people trapped under The
Bug who would love to escape, the fact of the matter is that many of these former co-workers are in their 50s and 60s
and, virtually held hostage at this point by their paychecks and company health
insurance coverage, none of them see any means of a safe exit. So, sure,
they'll complain about how fucked up it is to work under The Bug behind her back
until the cows come home, but they will always be way too frightened to
actually do anything about it, let alone say anything to her face. Still, I probably feel a lot more sorry for them and their situation than any of them ever would for mine, and that's probably the way that both parties should be feeling.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My take on my future? As if anyone out there really cares?
Not like I don't blame you. But anyway. Well, if I run out of money eventually,
and no one ever hires me again and I find out the hard way that working for The
Bug was the only true option, I would gladly accept death on the streets. What
the hell, I'm 50 years old and I should get worn out and killed by the elements
fairly quickly at my age.I already spent 20 years literally working my way off of the streets. If this is the result of all that hard work, frankly, I don't see any point in attempting to come back a second time.<br />
<br />
The thought has crossed my mind that perhaps it was a mistake not to have committed suicide immediately after quitting. At least under those circumstances a number of people would have had to answer to something. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Many people who don't work under The Bug still have to work
with her and deal with her, and that's why many people at the newspaper despise
her. Most of the people outside of her direct leadership, however, have at
least taken solace in the fact that they are not directly under her rule. That
sense of reprieve may change, and I hope for their sake, later as opposed to
sooner. Why's that? Well. You see...</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There have been somewhat longstanding and credible rumors
that have been circulating which indicate that The Bug is practically
guaranteed to be in line to become the next publisher for the newspaper.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hopefully, there's a lot of resumes being updated at a
certain place of business nowadays.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-6285765619339143682013-10-06T00:00:00.000-07:002013-10-10T13:34:26.165-07:00CHOICE? MORE LIKE FORCED COMPLIANCE.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I finally did it. It was a decision that I had wanted to follow through upon
for so many years, but then one day the opportunity arose, and it finally
happened.<br />
<br />
I officially became an independently registered voter.<br />
<br />
I have always been, for no actual reason, registered in the party of my
father. My mom didn’t bother to ever vote for her entire life for some
inexplicable reason. It’s not that I had any strong disagreements with the
party of my ancestors… well, let’s revisit that last opinion. I had plenty of strong
disagreement on more than one occasion. I have determined over time that “this
party” was worth joining because I had learned to despise “that party” so much,
and “this party” was the only thing stopping “that party” from completely
fucking up the country.<br />
<br />
Then I, in not quite so bold of a revelation, admitted to myself that it
simply didn’t make any difference. The major players of both of these
monopolizing parties are going to serve toxic special interests on one level or
another. And in addition, the smaller so-called "third" parties don't
have anything special to pull me into registering with them, so the wise route
for me at this point is to simply stay independent.<br />
<br />
Ah, the feeling of independent thought.<br />
<br />
There's a few owned, scared, dogmatic slaves to conformity out there who
should try it sometime.<br />
<br />
Perhaps we'd have some actual positive change for once.<br />
<br />
Yeah, I know, that's asking too much.<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span><br />Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-67199626076325174012013-09-01T00:00:00.000-07:002013-09-01T00:00:02.726-07:00YOUR EMPLOYER'S BUSINESS PLAN SIMPLIFIED: FEAR, GREED AND HERD INSTINCT. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
The fast food workers of the world, or to be specific, those
who have stood up and demanded a living wage for their labor, are in my opinion
the bravest and most righteous workers that I have seen or heard of from in a
long, long, time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fast food: it's not a teenager's rite of employment passage
anymore. Nowadays the college educated head of a family is out flipping burgers
and running the register. Why? Well, it's the economy, stupid. As manufacturing
and tech jobs make their way overseas and corporations get greedier and more
skinflint-like with their strategy, many companies are hideously understaffed
on purpose. For any of the work still paying anything halfway decent, and even
(or rather especially) for skilled occupations, the jobs are limited thanks to
the psychopathic level of profit taking and preservation.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The pathetic environment created by this economic idiocracy
is only further cultivated by the cowards remaining in the labor pool who can
(usually barely) pay their bills. They are scared shitless to address staffing
issues, or the ongoing decimation of their pensions and health benefits, or the
numerous other cost cutting stunts seemingly only in action in order to ensure
that executives get fat paydays, with management thrown a semi-meaty bone
occasionally for aiding in the bloodletting.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have a suggestion for resolving the fast food plight. The
gummint can do the following: specifically reach out to fast food employees earning
starvation wages. Give each and every one of these employees food stamp
assistance, free or greatly reduced cost health care, and as many forms of
assistance as can be conceived to help their financial shortcomings. In return,
tax the FUCK out of the franchise owners paying these pitiful wages. Give them
an alternative, though. If they raise pay to a living wage for their employees,
the taxes are reduced to an amount which would give them incentive to do so. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The alternative to that plan would be if rank and file
workers from all areas finally had the spine to organize and address the
shortcomings and employment tactics in their respective workplaces. The power
of today's social media, combined with good old fashioned in-person meet and
greet networking, can go a long way to lash back against the fools who are
trying to squeeze the sponge of the economy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-33275154772859695142013-08-04T00:00:00.000-07:002013-08-04T00:00:02.240-07:00CARPE DIEM. YOU CAN'T OUTFOX THE ANGEL OF DEATH.<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Wbpg-j0zNLU" width="560"></iframe><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes, people need to endure considerable hardship for
what they believe in. On relatively rare occasions, this most certainly
involves a risk of death.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Economic terrorism at the hands of controlling class has
been a standard for too many centuries to count. The subtle, and in frequent
cases, blatant methodology in forcing conformity among workers by industrial
despots has been proven largely effective in environments where there is little
to no resistance or solidarity against the despotism. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At times in history, the death has been quite quick and
violent, such as the numerous labor riots and insurrections which had often
resulted in murder of the proletariat protestor at the hands of the
authoritarian oppressor. Other times, the death is prolonged, with hunger
strikes or life imprisonment or remote banishment. There is a sick pathological
need for many in the realm of power and control to force suffering upon the
less fortunate when the opportunity arises. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I see it this way. If I have to die rather than give in to
these oppressors then so be it. If I get by, with or without the level of
comfort I could have otherwise, that's just fine as well, but in no way am I
going to submit to a submissive life of voluntary puppetry at the hands and
strings of this evil force. And suicide is a quick and easy copout, which would
only make certain parties with power and control very happy. Suicide is simply
not an option for me. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have realized that, within the essence of my own
existence, that I would rather be dead than living in a lie. It may not be the
key to happiness, but it sure is liberating, and that's a victory beyond
value.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span></span>Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-82327944982784692592013-07-07T00:00:00.000-07:002013-07-07T09:20:26.480-07:00GO AHEAD. MAKE MY VOLUNTARY QUIT. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hey American Worker,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hi there. You know me, don't you? Of course you do. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I'm your boss.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, not exactly the public face of your boss. I'm your
boss's psyche, or perhaps, it may be more accurate to describe me as your
boss's conscience. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I'd like to take this opportunity to share some of my true
feelings toward you right here, right now. You will never get this kind of
candor from your boss in your actual workplace, because, quite frankly, your
actual boss is too much of a fucking coward to tell you what I'm about to tell
you to your face. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That said, I'd like to take a moment to discuss a matter
which I find rather urgent and troublesome with you.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Remember that employee who quit? Yeah, the one who didn't
give any notice? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Well, I have a message for all the rest of you who are
staying behind, and putting up with the same shit, and not doing anything about
it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You'd better not get any fucking ideas.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For starters, you're probably not even nearly as financially
secure as that motherfucker who quit without notice. That guy was saving his
money paycheck after paycheck, for the entire 16 years he was working here.
That motherfucker might put in for Unemployment Insurance and even get awarded
for checks since, although he quit, he really wanted to keep his job and we
treated him like shit by overworking him and then taking away his most skilled
job duties without cause. Even if, or more probably, when our high paid
corporate attorney wins the case for us and he's denied, he's not going to have
to start worrying about where his next rent payment comes from for at least the
next five, six years or so. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You sad sacks of shit, on the other hand, don't have it so
good. Now, do you? You decided to pretty much live paycheck to paycheck and put
yourselves up to your asses in debt with nice houses and cars and fancy
restaurants and vacations and bar tabs at clubs, spending a whole fuckload of
money you don't have on shit you don't need. Right? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Yep, you're my kind of people. A bunch of servile stuck pigs
in my poke, scared shitless about being the next one to go to slaughter. I'm
going to do anything I want to do to you, within legal boundaries, and without
them if I can get away with it. What are you going to do about it? Quit? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Go ahead. Get sick of my bullshit and give me two weeks
notice. You'll be back. You might even leave because you've found another job.
But they'll just treat you like shit. Just like I did. You'll be back, with
your tail between your legs and more subordinate than ever. And I'll gladly take
you back, you pathetic little bitch ass fool, because that will only make me
look good. Now that you have returned to my dungeon, I can totally shit all
over you for the slightest reason and you can't do a fucking thing about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Face reality. You're not going to do anything. You're
becoming less and less united and organized as the days go by. Have you seen
the steady drop in the percentage of workers who are actually in trade unions
nowadays?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That's the best news I've
heard in years! Beyond encouraging. For me, maybe not for you.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You know, my mistress and I were on a little vacation
ourselves in a third world resort just a few weeks back, and we both marveled
at how reverently subservient those people are. When they were refilling our
glasses with water, or opening the car doors or scraping the dog shit off our
shoes for us, we couldn't help but notice how happy and smiling and docile they
were, and both of us concluded that it must be because they were so happy to
have their jobs, and just thankful for what they've got, no matter how
overworked, underpaid and generally abused they are.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The mere sight of all that brought a tear to my eye. It
truly did. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Because that is my vision... of my United States of America.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I see a nation that someday pounds an iron fist into these
pathetic labor rights that fools back in the old days died for in those silly
labor riots. We need to eliminate all of this eight hour day, forty hour week,
minimum wage nonsense and teach all of you filthy uncouth serfs what it's like
to really work for a living. And gradually, day by day, that is exactly what we
are moving towards. You, American Worker, will help us to reach that utopian
oligarchy of my dreams. Just keep that attitude going where you are completely
scared shitless of losing your job, whether that fear is based on rational
thinking or not. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Do you even realize, how many assholes I had to lick clean
to get to where I am today? I am going to celebrate that accomplishment every
day for the rest of my career, by knocking you down to the ground and walking
all over you, grinding my heel on your head, every chance I get.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now, get down on your knees and start sucking the plastic
dildo of Corporate America! You know you love it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And then, go get me a Venti 7 Pump no Whip White Mocha, like
a good little voluntary slave.</div>
Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-52401994630007446542013-05-05T00:00:00.000-07:002013-05-05T00:00:03.482-07:00HOME SWEET HOME WOULD BE SWEET FOR MOST HOMELESS.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Being a long time city dweller, I have
had enough direct encounters with the homeless population. To
compound this knowledge, I have also had a few extended stints of
not-quite-voluntary “urban camping” myself over the course of my
life.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I suppose that it can be considered to
be some sort of educational advantage, in striving to understand the
issues surrounding homelessness, that I have looked at the situation
from both sides of the fence. I'm at a loss to determine if I feel
any deep sense of empathy with other homeless people from my
experience, and yet I can't feel absolutely sure that I would not end
up right back on the street again someday.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
From what I've witnessed over time,
both from a homeless and sheltered perspective, personality types and
traits run the gamut regardless of one's place in society. For
instance, I can focus upon the types of folks that I encounter on a
regular basis moving through the alley behind my kitchen window, who
poke through the garbage and recycling bins at the apartment complex
just across the way.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Most folks seem to be reasonably
considerate and don't make a mess or much noise with their
scavenging, and are considerate enough to close the bin lids and
leave things like they had practically never been there. Others go
out of their way to fuck shit up, slamming anything they can,
scattering debris everywhere, and occasionally shitting and pissing
whenever and wherever the moment works for them, and sometimes
defecating right in front of the gate where I go in and out of my
home each day. The range of civilized behavior (of lack thereof)
doesn't seem any different to me in relative scale in comparison to
people in a sheltered lifestyle. It's just that the daily routines
and challenges required for daily survival happen to be radically
different on many fronts.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As far as I can tell, folks that I have
encountered who hold the most contempt for the homeless tend to have
had the least need to struggle to survive. They tend to complain
about freeloaders but also tend to be beneficiaries of trust funds,
parent-funded educations, inherited homes, family owned businesses
(or jobs acquired through nepotism and patronage favors), and /or
“opportunities” that could easily be defined as a free ride.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The only solution to homelessness is
actual permanent housing. Instead of the fairly inhumane strategy of
warehousing people into human corrals, there must be a genuine effort
to expand the level of actual residence to permanently shelter those
who are homeless and not by personal choice. Once the wheels are
rolling to house people who are circumstantially in need, the ability
to concentrate on those who are unable to cope with sufficiently
taking care of themselves, just lingering around out there and messed
up, can be sharpened and improved.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Nowadays more than ever, the situation
of homeless individuals can not be pigeonholed, much less dismissed
as a mere nuisance or hindrance.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-58236126883923430142013-04-07T00:00:00.000-07:002013-04-07T00:00:13.402-07:00DO THE RIGHT THING, PEOPLE. DOWNSIZE THE HUMAN RACE.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
No, I don't have children, never wanted
them, and never will. Of course, aging past the half century mark has
lowered the odds of that ever happening, although many other guys
much older than myself have shot their sperm into a younger more
fertile reproductive tract just to replicate.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Perhaps being forced by life to “grow
up” too fast and too soon had something to do with this, but the
fact is that I just can't stand children. When a bunch of screaming,
running brats are anywhere near me, I can't help but think that even
a pack of barking playing puppies are far less annoying and not even
nearly as potentially dangerous. Get some little snots in a
relatively unsupervised environment and someone's property or even
person is guaranteed to get damaged one way or the other.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Among other things that annoy the
living hell out of me about human nature is how those people who have
chosen to spawn offspring are under some sort of belief that they are
entitled to a higher position of privilege in society than those of
us who have chosen not to do so. These idiot breeders are somehow
self-absorbed in the belief that their offspring is divinely destined
to the inherit sole control of the universe.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
There has been a completely unproven
premise presented by some folks that if the population rate turned
negative, there would be a shortage of the caretakers and innovators
of the future. I would present the opposite opinion. Education as
well as subsequent career fulfillment would actually be far less
competitive, and therefore we would have educated professionals who
are truly choosing their fields and not just settling for them.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Downsizing the human race would be the
smartest and most logical way to save the planet. The only truly
dangerous and destructive threat to Earth's well being seems to be
humanity itself. Its extinction would most probably be of utmost
benefit to the ecosystem, save for all of the shit it has already
created and would leave behind.</div>
Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-64901984248889748302013-03-03T00:00:00.000-08:002013-03-03T00:00:08.747-08:00IGNORE ALL ADVERTISING.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6l9GnAr4n6tmQtHyrL37ggS4XVdqAYET8OlW59pk5Bs3_UE7skYGLoGCzvQ5taW_-a_taoe-t4eX0gFAiMeZabrY4up7xdm1ZYv4PWXVBOakxw36llPZ3oimmW7hIuJa5rrsi/s1600/buyuselsss.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6l9GnAr4n6tmQtHyrL37ggS4XVdqAYET8OlW59pk5Bs3_UE7skYGLoGCzvQ5taW_-a_taoe-t4eX0gFAiMeZabrY4up7xdm1ZYv4PWXVBOakxw36llPZ3oimmW7hIuJa5rrsi/s400/buyuselsss.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Advertising has got to be one of the
most egregiously evil ideas in the history of humankind, and
somewhere down there on an ethical level with fascism and pedophilia.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Advertising spreads itself like a
fungal infection across urban landscapes, freeways, TV shows, radio
broadcasts and mailboxes. People in the advertising industry are
insatiably money hungry leeches upon the skin of society. If they
could get paid to completely cover every wall, pavement, vehicle,
tree trunk, leaf, article of clothing, rock and animal carcass with
some sort of cheesy ad or another, which would be trying to sell
useless, stupid shit to the public, then they would jump at the
opportunity in a heartbeat.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The most revolutionary way to rebel
against advertising is to simply ignore it. Sure, I look at an ad
insert once in a blue moon, but for the most part, my shopping habits
are controlled simply by walking into a store and checking out what's
available. Occasionally I will use store discount "club" cards, but at least
I can select among items that I always buy all the time. I'm a
creature of habit and pretty much know what I like at this point in
life by now. I loathe even the contemplation of using coupons,
especially since they tend to be insignificant discounts on a bunch
of useless shit that I would never normally buy. To top it off,
newspaper and mass mailing manufacturers' coupons usually are for
heavily media-advertised items anyway.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The challenge for most people who are
unable to ignore advertising, from what I can gather, is rooted in
the same self-imposed repression of critical thinking which is caused
by an amplified struggle to work and earn a living, combined with the
nonstop attempts to brainwash folks into buying things that they
don't really need (or even want that much, in many cases) with
credit, a.k.a. money that they don't really have available to spend. There may be a bigger picture to contemplate here. Perhaps the true
challenge lies in the individual to grow accustomed to trust in his
or her own opinion, innate intelligence, and personal sense of
judgment. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
If advertising has succeeded in anything re: an ability to
impact and influence the modern world, it has worked wonders in its
ability to instill self-doubt, low self esteem and bourgeois
materialism in its targeted denizens.</div>
Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-68604364853430375222013-02-03T00:00:00.000-08:002013-02-03T00:00:11.996-08:00LOCAL NEWS. AN ENDANGERED SPECIES.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgraz8wIRvlpll0xSGo8BeW6QgnE7rS8B3cNfNGvmpE8fda0y6_SxtGhtzU6rg_nmF1Ia2GoEDP9vu_yLY_roTKrgiNT6mrcdZnVUDAmFKpByq52FPAB_40Y1e5OyNlxoqngW8O/s1600/TVCorpcontrol.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgraz8wIRvlpll0xSGo8BeW6QgnE7rS8B3cNfNGvmpE8fda0y6_SxtGhtzU6rg_nmF1Ia2GoEDP9vu_yLY_roTKrgiNT6mrcdZnVUDAmFKpByq52FPAB_40Y1e5OyNlxoqngW8O/s640/TVCorpcontrol.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Establishment Media at the local
level is becoming more and more pathetic by the day.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Newspapers are turning into a sad pile
of advertorial and wire-service-padded dreck. With unceasing cutbacks
in staffing and penny pinching efforts at production costs come
reduced newsholes and the appearance of each daily edition as no more
than an advertising circular with a wee bit of content thrown in,
fortified increasingly with ego drunk, barely readable self centered
opinion pieces with no use to the public trust whatsoever. There
should be little if any puzzlement as to why print news media is
losing readership in a never ending free fall over the past several
years. What the fuck is left to read anymore? Why plow through a
newspaper with a page featuring a five column by eighteen inch ad (on
a six column by twenty one inch page) just to jump to a continuation
of an article when you can probably read the same stuff online with
less attempts to interfere with your concentration?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Local television increasingly isn't.
Oh, sure, TV news is still mostly led with the usual murders and
fires, but anything of relevance to anyone at the neighborhood level
(especially after the first five to ten minutes of the newscast) is
dwindling. Desperate for viewer ratings, newscasts substitute the
latest whiz bang mobile live truck technology for any sort of
reporting of substance. Local stations are padding their daily and
nightly broadcasts with increasing amounts of corporate sponsored ad
spots disguised as public interest items mixed with infotainment.
Most of the “breaking news” shit is usually fires, accidents and
cop chases in cities clear across the state or even the country, with
no local relevance at all.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Is this perhaps a sign of the times?
Many people seem simply disinterested at increasing levels in what is
going on in their world, whether locally, globally or otherwise. It
may well be true that the local Establishment Media is giving its
audience what they want in the sense that, not only does the audience
seem to even know what the fuck they want anymore, but deteriorating
resources at news outlets are incapable of determining local
information needs anyway. What local communities get as a result is a
hodge podge of flashy but limited ability all gussied up and
disguised as actual journalism.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Is it time to start ignoring,
boycotting and subsequently shutting down all this shit? Would it
really do any good? These unholy alliances between the media outlets
and advertisers are simply too strong to see any sort of marked
termination of the current practices, much less their operations. A
core element of any local populace is going to slink right along like
rats to the Establishment Media's Pied Piper tunes. Maybe it's time
for some of us who are not quite as afraid or lazy in employing our
critical thinking abilities to start an open and vocal critique of
the what these corporate swill pushers are trying to shove on us as
relevant news and information for the useless garbage that it truly
is.</div>
<br />
Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-496644513884031862013-01-06T00:00:00.000-08:002013-01-06T00:00:11.865-08:00THOU SHALT NOT KILL, BUT DON'T EXPECT ANYONE TO MENTION THAT.<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFO5JSBnbhyvH5NcceKXftIdCQUk8XB09_YMH55G2IMPsFNp809oR4grUM5EgddqlyKmnA3MWPg_rRwC-q-NI3cc4vUVadAf0sjLIsgbYdkXZCZ0vkbZ0zB57DeFzbW4HSVdDz/s1600/loveamergun.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="345" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFO5JSBnbhyvH5NcceKXftIdCQUk8XB09_YMH55G2IMPsFNp809oR4grUM5EgddqlyKmnA3MWPg_rRwC-q-NI3cc4vUVadAf0sjLIsgbYdkXZCZ0vkbZ0zB57DeFzbW4HSVdDz/s400/loveamergun.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Whatever happened to proactive concern
for safety and well being in this country? Or, to be realistic, has
proactive concern for safety and well being of the nation as a whole
ever really existed?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
American Establishment society,
especially through its various organs of communication, almost seems to
enjoy the opportunity to gnash teeth and wax philosophical whenever a
mass murder occurs. Well, at least when it happens domestically.
There's this inherent paradox which consists of the expression of
shock and sorrow whenever these shootings occur, as if these
incidents shouldn't happen in America, despite how many times they
occur in relatively short periods.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I don't have any sympathy, and
certainly no level of empathy, for anyone who would go and kill
others as these mass shooters have done. Still, with the emphasis on
concern to keep people safe and unharmed, it can't hurt to send out a
message to anyone considering such a pointless and destructive
action. Suicide prevention is presented in public service
announcements as a general call to anyone considering harming
themselves, or knowing of someone who might, to avoid allowing harm
to happen and seeking help. If that approach is used to deter people
from hurting themselves, why can't a similar tactic be deployed to
keep people from hurting others?
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
No one in the public arena stands up
and says to the faceless ones who may kill in the future: “You must
reconsider your plans. You must not allow these selfish destructive
plans to consume you and destroy the lives of others. You must stand
down.” Instead, they just stick to the usual pointless diatribes
about gun control and indoctrination to media influence. Folks with a
cynical streak in their thinking may feel like a proactive message of
that nature may be a waste of time. Can anyone show me a suggested
“solution” that has worked at all so far?
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The focus on looking at improvements in
mental health treatment is interesting but doesn't seem to come even
close to doing anything to making any real impact on future violence
from happening again. Most people diagnosed with mental illness
aren't violent anyway, and are actually more likely to be victims of
violence than their fellow citizens in the the allegedly sane
population. You know, those folks who pass the Personal Firearms
Eligibility Check and then stock up on umpteen guns and thousands of
rounds of ammo.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Instead of treating this problem as an
afterthought, waiting until the next batch of funerals to engage in
broadcasting the hand wringing and useless diatribes from all of the
usual talking heads, why not at least make a serious effort to affect
the sensibility and attitude of an entire population? Perhaps Mr.
Lennon was on the right track with that “War Is Over” stuff after
all.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-4657258202580575962012-12-02T00:00:00.000-08:002012-12-02T00:00:02.147-08:00RING OUT THE OLD, RING IN THE NEW.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRQJgX3IbDvSSIkD37yhRnMceNGlhK0jFz05qvfYE49Mmrd8XJJCyw9DZc4KUqqPZHzZqobgVdAMjl7eEP6nCxWFokArZCZeEEk8MaB6wX3nwcLQZ-5vhcQUql1PVf4eawzkq/s1600/MayaFool.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRQJgX3IbDvSSIkD37yhRnMceNGlhK0jFz05qvfYE49Mmrd8XJJCyw9DZc4KUqqPZHzZqobgVdAMjl7eEP6nCxWFokArZCZeEEk8MaB6wX3nwcLQZ-5vhcQUql1PVf4eawzkq/s400/MayaFool.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ultimately, it's just another cycle.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
End of the world. Yeah, whatever.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The Maya simply devised a calendar.
Nothing more, nothing less. When a calendar ends, a new calendar
begins. I would consider it to be not only optimistic but simply
commonsense to assume that the Maya had no interest in predicting the
end of anyone's world, much less the one that the Maya had been
living in at the time. Perhaps the Maya just figured that they'd be
around today to devise the new calendar in time to start anew, but,
you know, Spanish conquest and forced subjugation attempts and shit.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The intelligent and practical will see
this time as an era of renewal. It's s great time to take stock in
your future. After all, preparation for the future is, in reality,
the only thing that has meaning to life. There are people out there
who like to keep yammering on about living in “the now”, but
usually the ones who walk their talk the most are no longer in any
good shape, if even alive at all, in “the now”. Their best
moments, as well as their fixated thoughts, end up merely existing in
the past. This is never healthy or worthwhile thinking.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Time in its ultimate existence is
infinite. Sure, when our mortal coil is up against time, it can feel
frustrating in that one can sense that goals of personal
accomplishment look unpromising in terms of actual achievement. But
it can be beneficial to see this situation as simply one more
challenge of life, or better yet, just another discipline like that
required of physical exercise or intellectual growth. In any case,
getting obsessed with when the world is going to end is simply a
waste of time and thought. A will indicative of survival, and not
death, is what the essence of life is made of.
</div>
Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-63183242000188342622012-11-04T00:00:00.000-07:002012-11-04T00:00:10.345-07:00SHOW UP AND VOTE. OR DON'T.<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/efKguI0NFek" width="420"></iframe><br />
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<i>"When the political columnists say 'Every thinking
man' they mean themselves, and when candidates appeal to 'Every intelligent
voter' they mean everybody who is going to vote for them." <b>- Franklin
P. Adams, American journalist-humorist</b></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
People are faulted for only supporting one of the two major
American political parties, but the reasons for such isolated support may be
similar as to why someone shops at a big box corporate retailer instead of a
locally owned small business. Perhaps they don’t see any alternative. Thus, the
fault lies more in the Establishment Media political machine than the people it
allegedly serves.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
People should have the conscience to vote for whomever they
want, regardless of the chances of victory for any particular candidate. In an
extreme circumstance, as a show of protest or disgust at the lack of suitable
candidates, choosing to simply leave the office choice blank should be
considered a perfectly acceptable choice. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Showing up to vote, and turning in a blank ballot, would be
the true protest as opposed to simply staying away from the polling place and
not voting. Imagine if every qualified American voter who did not feel like
voting in a particular election turned up and dropped a bunch of votes for nobody
in the box.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In the end, it does not matter who you choose in the ballot
box. Elected officials are in office to represent all of the people, not just
those who voted for them. Despite the traditional rhetoric of the pundits,
there is really no such thing as a “mandate” of the electorate.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-62517475873655025942012-10-07T11:30:00.000-07:002012-10-07T11:30:00.473-07:00WARNING. ETERNAL LIFE CAN KILL YOU.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARUbiWKbWSQfaZrckIgzXe9FsDFNYz312OMhKWCJAeaxHVKVM-im83t-3dVuPTWv80Ypb1Vkgt6jejVm1cb8KVaxrLDrOkzRtBRRs5oxWDjDWkGGRrxYHo4Nb_p-Goyrd0grC/s1600/Whchsymbol.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgARUbiWKbWSQfaZrckIgzXe9FsDFNYz312OMhKWCJAeaxHVKVM-im83t-3dVuPTWv80Ypb1Vkgt6jejVm1cb8KVaxrLDrOkzRtBRRs5oxWDjDWkGGRrxYHo4Nb_p-Goyrd0grC/s640/Whchsymbol.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Let us be intolerant of the violent fringe element of organized
religion. For centuries, various paths of belief, for certain individuals, have
been just a good excuse to kill each other. Of course, the vast majority of the
clerics, practitioners and followers of the world’s creeds are not violent and
abhor the extremist element of their own faiths. Unfortunately, no one religion
is innocent; all have had some level of historic infamy at one time or another.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There should be an island out on an atoll somewhere where
religious fanatics of all faiths can get isolated and feel free to kill each
other without any bystanders getting affected. We can name it Dogma Island. Let
me help. How about someplace at the edge of Antarctica as a home for these
fools? It doesn’t matter if it’s a little cold down there. They’re going to off
each other soon enough anyway. Just take ‘em to the final location CIA Black
Site style, and airdrop down enough food, short-range weaponry and ammo, etc.
to last a while and help them do the job right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In reality, of course, I jest. Those of us who value
tolerance and living in shared respect of each others’ personal beliefs need to
stay patient in our mutual acceptance of our right to exist in peace. Just for
once, though, it would be nice to see those who attempt (and unfortunately
sometimes succeed) at fanning the flames of mob destruction and murder to be
taken out of their sheltered environment and thrust into the middle of the
chaos that they instigate. Let’s see how brave and resolved they are, with
their hateful rhetoric, at that point and place. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-64290102207828408752012-09-02T00:00:00.000-07:002012-09-02T11:44:26.911-07:00DON'T WORK SO HARD.<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_BjIMVW7rj4" width="560"></iframe>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
American Worker:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Are you currently employed? Good for you. Is your job in a
large corporation? My sympathies. Anyway, if you answered yes to both of those
questions, here’s an important bit of advice for you.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Do your job. Just don’t work so hard.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sure, you have certain levels of job requirements that you
must maintain in order to keep your gig. You just don’t need to exceed those
requirements. You may be one of those folks who think that you need to push
full speed ahead in order to advance in the company. I will tell you now, in no
uncertain terms that you will simply be wasting your time and effort.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Your added effort will only serve to fatten stock prices and
CEO bonuses. In the end, when the company decides that you are no longer an
asset, too expensive for their payroll, or interfering with the profit margin,
they will simply dispose of you, with no fear of repercussion and no remorse on
their part. You are cannon fodder for the next fiscal quarter’s flash report
stats. Nothing more, nothing less. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Do yourself a big favor. Just do your job. Perform the job
abilities that are asked of you, and fergoshsakes, do not volunteer for
anything extra. Overtime pay is very tempting and can be useful for extra cash when
available. If you do get stuck with extra duties, and need to work some
overtime to do so, don’t feel guilty about taking it. They want to get the work
done, and since they are not volunteering to keep the business operating,
neither should you. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you are not feeling the company line, don’t go along with
it. If your higher-ups are trying to get you to go along with the corporation’s
pet charity du jour or feel-good community PR stunt, and you don’t feel like
getting involved, simply refuse to do it. Sure, there are plenty of charitable
organizations that are worth donating and volunteering for, but that should be
reserved to your personal choices and your own free time as an individual. By
all means I encourage that level of participation, but on your own time and
judgment. You will feel even better with your efforts in the end if you keep
them personally in your own realm instead of “like the hypocrites”.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you have paid vacation available, take it. Make sure that
you are unavailable to be contacted on your days off, even if you are not
leaving town. If you have a health insurance plan, scrutinize the coverage and
take full advantage of it. Don’t feel guilty about any company-related awards
or prizes given to you, and don't end up feeling like you owe them anything. That’s
all simply intermittent reinforcement that gets handed out at random to
practically the entire workforce eventually. That’s why you shouldn’t feel
concerned about that type of recognition not coming to you, because it will get
to you eventually if you stick around long enough. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You may actually desire advancement to a management or
supervisory position. Consider, then, to pursue an advanced position at another
company, most especially a small business, nonprofit or even in the government,
where in the latter, you can at least feel like you are working in some level
of public service. You may not be hired for an upper level job right away, but
your experience will ensure consideration much more strongly in most cases.
Plus, you may have made some friends in your current job that you don’t want to
ruin by suddenly supervising or managing them, or make you subject to
accusations of favoritism from those you are not close to.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Don’t fall into the fear trap about high unemployment, lack
of available jobs, or any of that typa crap. As long as you are doing your job
satisfactorily, they won’t consider you any more or less for layoffs or
termination than any of your co-workers. It takes a great deal of time,
resources and expense for a corporation to hire and train new people from the
outside, and besides, if you do get laid off or have had enough and hand in
your two weeks notice, your chances of getting hired for a new position are
actually higher than someone who has been unemployed over an extended period of
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Most importantly, do whatever you can to save every extra
penny you earn and, at least, try your best to avoid living paycheck to paycheck. The one truly effective
survival tool for the worker in the capitalist world is capital. Keep your
expenses down to a bare minimum and try not to fall into the trap of usury.
When you own a home instead of renting, you are actually allowing the lender to
“own” the home for the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>up to 30 years
or so that you are paying off the mortgage. In many cases, renting and saving
the money that you would otherwise blow on house payments can pay off for the
better in the long run. Ideally, you want to maintain an emergency fund that
will ensure security in case the company cuts you loose and you need to depend
on only a severance package or unemployment checks for a while. That way,
during the hard times you will stress less over not only the future, but the
present as well.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This all requires a considerable amount of self-discipline,
but it can be done. Your sanity and self esteem is more important than their shareholder obligations or quarterly conference calls. Begin to live for you, not for
them. You are earning a paycheck, not selling your soul.</div>
<br />Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-90920252758521956282012-08-05T00:00:00.000-07:002012-08-05T00:00:06.313-07:00FOR FUCK’S SAKE, DON’T CHANGE SO HARD.<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxfq2HHB9sXTo3KRBWn5Jx9l7EpAr-Iw8ShInILXGzZF86yIFXWEOjRZLqxHDLyCcFiw-vRBq5yoi35ynpDqujyf7KhCVQba43_9F0NmUw-rYirODk0K62rd19zo8JR6FHH6Y/s1600/twoprong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxfq2HHB9sXTo3KRBWn5Jx9l7EpAr-Iw8ShInILXGzZF86yIFXWEOjRZLqxHDLyCcFiw-vRBq5yoi35ynpDqujyf7KhCVQba43_9F0NmUw-rYirODk0K62rd19zo8JR6FHH6Y/s400/twoprong.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
In some circumstances of life, change is necessary. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Unfortunately, folks are into changing simply for the sake
of change, which is alternately inefficient, pointless and/or just plain
stupid.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Businesses, or to be more accurate, the people who run them,
are notorious for invoking change merely for the sake of change. I like to call
this particular practice “The Two Pronged Management Approach”. Its basic
implementation involves merely two steps:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in; text-align: justify;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal">Change
it.</li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Change
it back.</li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
To clarify, they make a change to something and, after
allowing for a certain stretch of time, change things back to what they once
were.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
There are executives and also managers all over America, and
probably the world, who have built and maintained their careers out of this
practice for years on end, straight through eventual retirement, earning fat
performance bonuses and spectacular annual reviews from the bosses along the
way. Nothing really changes, but that’s not what’s important. What’s important
is that a change was technically made, and therefore these so-called leaders
are doing their jobs. Confused? Well, I don’t blame you. Think it through for a
while. It will make sense eventually. It may also seem totally fucked up, but
still, it will make sense. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Actual innovation or development seems too difficult to
undertake, it seems, for so many nowadays. Instead, we witness in the world
endless cycles of useless replacement again and again, and never ending
ineffectual change at that. In a society of increasing throwaway trends and
planned obsolescence, such misguided strategy is not that surprising to me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Very few people in this world have a single good reason to
put themselves through any significant level of constant alteration in their
lives. I’m generally in agreement with the notions that if a person does not
intellectually and/or experientially grow consistently in life, then they could
very likely shrivel up and die. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
But it also seems that many folks confuse personal growth
with change. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Sure, there’s plenty of stuff in my life that I wish I could
change. I know for a fact, however, that simply changing certain things isn’t
going to make my life any better. On the other hand, change simply for the sake
of change would, more often than not, just make things worse. </div>Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-67252781611716446112012-07-01T00:00:00.000-07:002012-07-01T00:00:06.098-07:00WANT TO MOVE MOUNTAINS? JUST TELL THE TRUTH.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1boO-L4QB25BbnOSOCquP6g9-90SuuEU4LR9NMD7CXFqE9R0-WORU8NF-IftOd2bhcWhkk80hmToxiFNaqj-kQo3rSYSIm1m8NGsYnkh6-zKT8SYT0kGI_eylr0ofA-BBmgx/s1600/Honestcong.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx1boO-L4QB25BbnOSOCquP6g9-90SuuEU4LR9NMD7CXFqE9R0-WORU8NF-IftOd2bhcWhkk80hmToxiFNaqj-kQo3rSYSIm1m8NGsYnkh6-zKT8SYT0kGI_eylr0ofA-BBmgx/s400/Honestcong.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Too many people nowadays live in their own little silo worlds where they assume that they can say or do anything and get away with it, no matter how completely full of shit they are. This kind of behavior is driving the national psyche, but inspires me to seek and speak the truth, at all times, under all circumstances, no matter how difficult it may seem sometimes to do so.<br />
<br />
In a worst case scenario, staying silent is an alternative to a situation where an honest opinion is neither constructive nor quite necessary.
A lot of the polluting effect of misrepresentation comes from promises that simply can’t be kept. It is important to remember that avoidance of avowing commitments that can’t be met is equal to speaking the truth.<br />
<br />
I have discovered that dedication to an honest outlook on life has given me the advantage over practically everyone else who chooses to buy in to the fake option. It is ridiculous to think that simply telling the truth is a revolutionary and even rebellious act, but nonetheless, it’s the sad state of affairs that we face in today’s society.Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-60957202707484589292012-06-03T00:00:00.000-07:002012-06-03T00:00:06.135-07:00DISSENT. THE OTHER LEADERSHIP.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78YkIhqZ9FGkiWFJAYizTrjTHVud4MdkJvZuiuy-fNoJrPqi0gasAT_28F8hzIuJ3KcERZDcQHTzG0xcOx5J6XkaQxDYJ3YmRFWzrpD0ch9DpeDTtiFT74kg3Xv4doWS5FcIc/s1600/ifbushadldr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="467" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj78YkIhqZ9FGkiWFJAYizTrjTHVud4MdkJvZuiuy-fNoJrPqi0gasAT_28F8hzIuJ3KcERZDcQHTzG0xcOx5J6XkaQxDYJ3YmRFWzrpD0ch9DpeDTtiFT74kg3Xv4doWS5FcIc/s640/ifbushadldr.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
Leadership. It’s a word that challenges and befuddles the
(mostly self-proclaimed) movers and shakers of the business world.
Unfortunately, those who strain the greatest in attempting to describe and
teach leadership to others are the same folks who fail miserably in being any
sorts of leaders themselves. They’re usually middle management or, at best,
corporate executive submissive types who just sit, heel and fetch on command
for the company status quo, attempting to pass such behavior off as “leadership”.<br />
<br />
Dissent is the least appreciated yet possibly the purest demonstration of leadership.
Consider the fact that there have been so many dissident leaders in recorded
history. I won’t bother to list examples, and there are a wide variety of
dissidents whose actions have resulted in both good and evil results. Still, I can't help but surmise that innovation and progress are necessities which could have not truly happened in modern civilization had it not been for those brave enough to question the status quo from time to time.<br />
<br />
From what I have witnessed and experienced in this
world, I feel strongly that any true change results from leadership through
dissent as opposed to unquestioning devotion to questionable dogma. Dissent,
more often than not, is leadership through the dialectic of the search for
truth. We need more honest evaluation in our leaders from all levels of
society, and therefore perhaps we need more questions asked from ourselves as
well as among us all. <br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt;"></span></div>Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-42419799074305413442012-05-06T00:00:00.000-07:002012-05-06T00:00:03.205-07:00A WORKING CLASS POSEUR IS NOTHING TO BE.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqT8NYCK3xn1_CaUusFj2jcSGkaUcMqFrgQeS2HG5aXiudfIoZaUvhKxaY4tvqfiaGhD-rxCH6adQboNbnKV23AcGemCQj5VFXYXLIgL1H_T8Rvz-t6bhK7nNrZ7PSOz4C8qUS/s1600/bossreview.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqT8NYCK3xn1_CaUusFj2jcSGkaUcMqFrgQeS2HG5aXiudfIoZaUvhKxaY4tvqfiaGhD-rxCH6adQboNbnKV23AcGemCQj5VFXYXLIgL1H_T8Rvz-t6bhK7nNrZ7PSOz4C8qUS/s400/bossreview.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Too many members of the American working class piss me off with their attitude.<br />
<br />
They think that just because they have a flimsy tract house in the suburbs, are up to their necks in debt, and have jobs where they probably have to wash the bosses’ poop off of their mouths and noses every (really late) night after work, that somehow they are in the same league as the owners of their very short and tight leashes.
<br />
<br />
These drones are convinced that they will someday be in the top tier, running their own businesses, owning their own McMansion in an exclusive zip code, and receiving awards from the local Chamber of Commerce. They are utterly clueless to the fact that advancement in Corporate America is, more or less, a predestined and fixed game. If you are not a friend, relative, relative of friend or friend of relative to these pukes pulling the corporate puppet strings, then you will be kept in the same old position of subordinate servitude for possibly years on end. There is a slim chance that you will be noticed and considered for promotion to middle management if you are an asshole, but only if it is toward your fellow workers and not your bosses.
<br />
<br />
You will be dragged through their dumb ass company meetings, leadership and motivational programs, and functions where the employees are “voluntarily” enslaved to work in public on behalf of the company’s pet charity in order to provide good PR to the local community. In the end, you will not only fail to achieve any level of advancement in the company, but when the time comes to cut the fat from the quarterly budget, you will be shown the door, hopefully with a few weeks of severance pay to show for it. With a little luck, you will end up at yet another corporation, kneepads on at the ready to ride in the vicious circle yet again.
<br />
<br />
Keep pretending to manage those pipe dreams, suckers.Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-1293020482852292122012-04-01T00:00:00.002-07:002012-04-01T00:00:06.135-07:00FAME. BULLY FOR YOU, CHILLY FOR ME.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsQVoVct9yldU_iZNwgNaqrBFexayWGfE5XQSWxdnJf-M6QVwGh9Az6MYgwkVx1mDuDJv4yiyZ13VkFvNdQqYfGW_VWvsDKu2U7iC72jmM8r9uU19ufLNICcHEUEi0jZici4eL/s1600/wgsmag.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 307px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsQVoVct9yldU_iZNwgNaqrBFexayWGfE5XQSWxdnJf-M6QVwGh9Az6MYgwkVx1mDuDJv4yiyZ13VkFvNdQqYfGW_VWvsDKu2U7iC72jmM8r9uU19ufLNICcHEUEi0jZici4eL/s400/wgsmag.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5725542329147926466" /></a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">"Hero-worship is strongest where there is least regard for human freedom."</span> - <span style="font-style:italic;">Herbert Spencer<br /></span><br />Who needs dictatorial rule and jackbooted enforcers when you can get the general public to remain obedient, passive and docile thanks to the Establishment Media’s well oiled and extensive fame machine?<br /><br />It is liberating to reject any attempt to quest for fame. <br /><br />The genuine artist needs to pursue pure creation, without any intention of notice whatsoever. What is important above all is the ability to be original, vital and relevant. Any underlying quest for fame is simply going to pollute the output. <br /><br />Critical thinking needs to be instilled and encouraged at an early age. <br /><br />Too many famous people exist nowadays whose only accomplishment seems to be achieving fame. This trend can only serve to sicken the future of humanity at large, since the only examples of role models for future generations are those with no relevant talent, accomplishment or abilities to demonstrate. Instead of achievement in science, art or any other sort of pursuit of substance, heroes and heroines of tomorrow’s world will be admired simply for the act of gaining media attention. <br /><br />Don’t confuse success with fame. Success is doing what you want to do, no matter how much money you make or how many other people notice, save any. Success is creating something vital and worthwhile, and also can be the state of self-realization. Fame doesn’t care about if something is good or bad; it’s just a condition of false gratification, very similar to the highs from drugs or alcohol. <br /><br />People need to stop mindlessly monitoring the Establishment Media, eyes and ears pathetically fixated upon the latest straw dogs of corporate idolatry, set upon the masses for the purposes of stealing hard earned workers’ pay and program ratings.Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-70661918261148798472012-03-04T00:00:00.001-08:002012-03-04T00:00:05.886-08:00CLEAN, SOBER AND NEVER BORED.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJfO3sP1XTb2H52ECCf5mCWKh4veLZxv_fbbfrs8h5oliM987bu9u8mpb9f0Z3pnqnNZJtH2BerO8Z2mn-Ecz_0wrUMa86AGoFK0dPpgchyDVNp0RN-hqAGeg-wyzYpQi3TSW/s1600/notmissed.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 396px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaJfO3sP1XTb2H52ECCf5mCWKh4veLZxv_fbbfrs8h5oliM987bu9u8mpb9f0Z3pnqnNZJtH2BerO8Z2mn-Ecz_0wrUMa86AGoFK0dPpgchyDVNp0RN-hqAGeg-wyzYpQi3TSW/s400/notmissed.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5711310686495975810" /></a><br /><br />On the evening of March 4, 1992, I drank two beers. They were the last two alcoholic beverages that I would have drunk for the rest of my life. In the months previous to that day as well as the time that soon followed, I had become completely drug free as well. Well, unless you count caffeine.<br /><br />I don’t regret a single day of my decision. I had never experienced any sort of moment of epiphany when I had some guilty moral revelation about quitting all my shit; I simply came to the gradual conclusion in my mind that I was through with drug and alcohol use.<br /> <br />I feel that whatever works for someone to help with quitting an addiction, within reason, is something that I fully support. However, I had never felt any real need for such groups to be necessary for me. I’ve spent perhaps about 30 minutes in an AA meeting (at the behest of friends), but in the end, I wasn't interested. Somehow, it just seemed like I had eventually come to a conclusion in which I thought to myself: “You know what? I don’t even like alcoholic beverages.” To be quite accurately descriptive, I had finished drinking. No DTs. No jonesin’ for a drink. There was nothing even close to that stuff. <br /><br />Family history may have contributed heavily to my eventual choice to go alcohol-free, what with my mother dying of cirrhosis at 55, my father staying drunk for most of the last 30 years of his life, and my brother probably heavily intoxicated when he committed suicide at 31. Perhaps the decision drew heavily upon personal health contemplations. After a bout with pneumonia in late 1991 that brought me down to a rather svelte weight of 123 pounds (at six feet tall), I began to take stock of the stuff that I learned about during my four days of hospitalization such as the importance of maintaining adequate blood oxygen levels. In time after quitting alcohol, I began to notice the difference on how my body felt. It seemed as if my veins were feeling, well… cleaner, actually. The new high was now to do without what was making me high. Imagine that. <br /><br />Between the ages of 12 and 29, I had used or at least tried pretty much every narcotic as well as alcoholic beverage known to Western civilization. If I had to ponder the question of whether I would do it all again, I would be slightly torn on the answer. Although I don’t have any regrets, and feel that I have learned a lot about the wilder, darker and underground side of culture (thanks to 17 years of experimentation), I would probably have avoided all of that with only a slight twist of fate early on in life.<br /><br />Artistically, I don’t think that substance use affected or influenced my output any differently than sobriety has done. I do hold the personal opinion that my songwriting actually improved after getting clean, but I can also write that improvement off to age and experience. I doubt that I would have had the discipline (or extra cash) to get into oil painting, even with the relatively low output of ten works total, had I continued drinking, although that didn’t seem to stop a lot of famous painters in history. (Well, perhaps in the end, it did stop them permanently.)<br /><br />The extra money I have saved over the years, admittedly, is rather nice. For example, I can look at my Telecaster and see it replaced by several six packs of beer combined with hours blown away socializing in various bars and nightclubs and, well, not be playing the same guitar today. That’s simply a matter of personal monetary policy. In the matter of gainful employment, I can only speculate that I would be in a far less secure position in the work world if I had continued the typical habit of calling in “sick” following the then-standard all nighter (or, in my case, frequently, the two-dayer), that is, if I bother to call in at all and don’t become a no show for the day. The time I’ve gained back to pursue various endeavors of the mind and body, as opposed to simply sitting around and drinking with only some trivial conversation and lost sleep to show for the time wasted, has been a beneficial side benefit as well.<br /><br />I don’t feel that I’m any sort of militant prohibitionist by any stretch of the imagination. What goes into a person’s body is simply and solely a matter of the personal choice of each individual. It’s what comes out as a result that might piss me off. That’s why I tend to be unsympathetic on any level whatsoever when someone uses substance abuse as an excuse for behaving badly. If a person is being a drunken asshole, it’s because he or she actually is an asshole deep down inside the personality and the booze is simply amplifying those character flaws. I don’t exclude myself from that analysis, which was probably one more motivation to finish drinking. I feel that I came to the ultimate conclusion that I like to be in control of myself – my mind, as well as my body - and alcohol, as well as other drugs, can pose way too much of a risk to lose that kind of personal control.<br /><br />Ultimately, I would put forth that alcohol is just one of many unnatural substances in life that humankind has harnessed and embraced, and if one enjoys imbibing in strong drink then more power to them. On my end, I found out eventually that I don’t like alcohol in the same way that I don’t like certain foods and I am feeling much better without any of that stuff in my system whatsoever. Additionally, I feel much more mature and sophisticated without a social accessory which is perceived by so many as a symbol of maturity and sophistication. I’m never putting another drop of an alcoholic beverage in my system again. Ever. Why the hell would I need to?Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6539139.post-14580139300784609752012-02-05T00:00:00.000-08:002012-02-05T14:09:31.445-08:00DON’T FORGET… THE HUMANET.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmc5Pd2bJYD1CAu6dgApmK2kVcKFb_okXMvcW-3hm9kq-dzMDB7szDJUGQ6TNxwUc8G30rsoOmNO92HPLElIHWSZ0T33deGioPfBWnlyFfDlDpL0e530V0U9tTV1rmS2ZO8FAH/s1600/humanet.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 315px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmc5Pd2bJYD1CAu6dgApmK2kVcKFb_okXMvcW-3hm9kq-dzMDB7szDJUGQ6TNxwUc8G30rsoOmNO92HPLElIHWSZ0T33deGioPfBWnlyFfDlDpL0e530V0U9tTV1rmS2ZO8FAH/s400/humanet.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704551691493113538" /></a><br /><br />It’s pretty easy to assume that the power and influence of today’s world is carried solely through channels of modern technological communication. The real change and progress always happens directly through the direct interaction between, at first, two people and then perhaps spreading to more.<br /><br />In history, disasters have destroyed electronic lines of communication, and even if telephones, radio transmissions and the like were not operating, it all came down to the direct cooperation of real live people working together. It’s amazing what people can do when they know that, as a group, they need to work together in order to survive.<br /><br />High technology du jour can be a wonderful tool in helping to accomplish great things, but ultimately, only people moving forth on their own willful device will actually accomplish anything worthwhile. The technology has never been, is not and never will be realized without us. Always place the people as the primary purpose. Technology should be implemented and utilized to improve and serve the human race, and not just to placate and pander to it with irrelevant toys and pastimes simply for profit.<br /><br />The people of this planet are the hub of the very essence of technological progress. Too much backwards thinking is applied in this regard nowadays. This basic human network is the only true hope we have in the future. It is the oldest communications pipeline in history. <br /><br />Call it The Humanet. <br /><br />Let’s keep on developing and upgrading it.Michael Psychohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05166333394555600648noreply@blogger.com