Fascist Groups Best Understood As 'Nationwide Paramilitary Army': Expert

    These pieces of shit apparently think they have something to add to the national dialog about race in America. WTF? Violence threatened because they were thwarted in their efforts to disrupt a Pride event in Idaho? Gathering from 6 states to disrupt that same Pride event? Who are these stupid fucks? Did their parents raise these pieces of shit to spread violence in order to promote racial purity? Do they have jobs and contribute towards the overall good or do they predominantly live in their parent's fucking basements? What the fuck is wrong with these angry young white dudes who choose to hate? Violence solves nothing assholes. It only makes to clear that you haven't a fucking clue. Too fucking stupid to know how fucking stupid you are in my book. Just sayin'.    

JAN 6 INSURRECTION HEARINGS LIVE | DAY 2

    Nothing they will confirm is really a shock to me or surprising in any way. I've always known he would not accept the will of the voters and that there would not be a peaceful transition of power. Who we really need to vote out of office or put in prison are his enablers in the Republican Party. He should have been impeached and removed from office twice but they refused to do the right thing and let him slide and hoped he'd get his act together. Hope springs a turtle and Trump figured that he's bullet proof instead of heeding the warning. I'll hope that the orange jumpsuit rides up his ass continually and that he gets to wear it until he fucking dies. Justice may be late but it's coming like a freight train from what I can see. Watch for indictments coming to a news outlet near you very soon. Possibly this week.

Cheney To Republicans

    "Your dishonor will remain" Kind words from their Republican colleague. I'd be more like screaming at these assholes who are trying to take away my vote. WTF Republicans? Fox News can lie all they want but the facts remain the same. There be some prison time for some of these fools.  

Trump Aide Navarro has HUMILIATING MELTDOWN on Live TV after Arrest

    How sad for him. Getting cuffed, brought to the police station and booked is a normal part of being an American dude. Where have you been? When you commit crimes in this country there's always a possibility that you'll get caught. Especially when you talk about them on national television. What the fuck were you thinking dude? Plan a coup, go to jail. That's my motto.  

WATCH: House committee holds hearing on gun legislation

    Clearly there are steps we can take that will help reduce these tragedies. At the least age limits and registration. Mostly military style weapons of war like AR-15's need to be made illegal. Republicans are in the fucking minority and should listen to the majority of their constituents, get their heads out of their asses and pass some gun legislation that will start addressing the real issues. Instead we're going to hear their continued defense quoting 2nd amendment rights written over 200 years ago. They are the party of death and continue to prove that fact each day they oppose sensible gun legislation.      

Merrick Garland Takes HUGE STEP Toward ARRESTING Trump

    We can only wait and see when that traitorous piece of garbage Trump get's his ticket to the nearest Federal Prison. That's where this needs to end in my opinion. His crimes are multitude, his remorse non-existent. Justice will be served slowly and completely from what I've seen so far. In these unprecedented times that's a good thing.   

Bourbon Blues - Dark and Elegant Blues Music to Escape To

    I am entertained. It's playing in the music room right now and Nancy is working on her base playing. I just got through playing leads to this stuff and acting like I know what I'm doing. Great fun for the musically inclined. It's just begging for a harp player to do it justice.

Hayes: NRA’s ‘Good Guy With A Gun’ Theory Failed In Real Time In Uvalde

    It failed big time. The "Good Guys" hung out, listened to the occasional gun shots and failed to go after the shooter for fear of their lives. Forty minutes they were there and did nothing but fuck with the parents who were screaming at them to do their jobs. Un-fucking-believable. Fuck you Cruz. Still calling for the "Good Guy with a Gun" to solve the issue. A five year old could do better.    

Joe: What Beto Said To Reporters Is Supported By The Majority Of Americans

    That's what I'm saying folks. The Majority of Americans want this senseless violence stopped and AR-15s do not belong in 18 year old hands. Republicans proving once again that they give not one fuck for our children or the folks that voted them in office. Very bad behavior by the assholes on stage, especially Abbott. Calling out anyone who speaks truth to their bullshit for politicizing the issue speaks volumes for those with the ears to hear. This is our nation on Republican policies that do nothing but make the real issues worse. You can't solve a problem until you're willing to see the actual causes, not some made up crap that keeps you in office. Do your fucking jobs Republicans. You're the minority for a fucking reason and if you'd get your fucking heads out of your fucking asses then maybe you wouldn't have to lie so much to stay power.

Marjorie Taylor Greene HIDES after SCANDAL Breaks

    Christo says what needs to be said about the piece of traitorous garbage named Marjorie Taylor Greene. Wait until her role on January 6 is fully exposed for some real action. She won't see another term when that happens and will more than likely face prison time. So sad. 

Parent brings THE HOUSE DOWN after board member tries to justify bigotry...

    Using Jesus to justify her bigotry? WTF? Did He approve the bigotry that bitch used His name to justify? What would Jesus do? He'd kick her ass as I would. Keep your perfect bullshit to yourself bitch. We don't need your fucked up values being promoted in our schools. 

What is bipolar disorder? - Helen M. Farrell

    5 years at mental health answering the the crisis line gave me a pretty good idea of what's going on with the various types of mental illness. Bipolar gets used incorrectly way too much from my experience. Here's a great explanation of what it is. 

Slip of the Tongue or Sign?

    Russell riffs on the inadvertently truthful verbal slip made by George Bush during a recent speech admonishing Putin for his invasion of Ukraine. Hypocrisy anyone? 

He Learned It From Tucker

    What a piece of shit Tucker is. He's always been a piece of shit and obviously he's found his audience of stupid people with guns and the mental acuity of gnats. Good job Tucker. You've helped strike another blow for the Racist Right.

Goodbye Mojo

 

    Mojo, one of our rescue dogs from last December (Ginger's daughter) has moved to a new home in Leggett with a retired couple that are old enough to be our parents. Met them via a yard sale and found out that they were looking for a small dog. Since we got Ginger and Mojo last year, we've learned that we haven't been able to really bond with theses two and giving one of them away was easier than I thought. As far as bonding goes I mostly think it's due to the fact that these dogs were so fucked up when we got them. Getting them to a civilized state didn't endear us to their tiny selves I'm guessing but that's neither here nor there. Hopefully Ginger will rise to the occasion and start acting like our dog instead of an independent contractor now that her daughter has found a good home elsewhere. Time will tell.  

Texas Paul REACTS to Texas Governor Costing State Billions

    Lets add Texas to the states who are loosing billions of dollars due to their governor's grandstanding bullshit along with Florida. Texas Paul explains why Abbott's bullshit is costing Texas billions of dollars as his recent decisions have inspired Mexico to decide to ship their products through New Mexico instead of Texas. They also decided to change their rail destination to New Mexico. What a stupid piece of shit Abbott is proving to be in his efforts to become the next Donald Trump. He's right up there with #DeathSantis when it comes to fucking over his constituency. Stupid is as stupid does and Abbott is one stupid son of a bitch.   

Pranks Destroy Scam Callers- GlitterBomb Payback

    These guys deserve a medal for going after these bullshit scammers. Unbelievable how they scam the most vulnerable in our population (65+) using their empathy against them. My recommendation is to know that the IRS and Social Security never do business by phone and if anyone wants personal information like bank accounts and such they better be related. Please share and get the word out about these scammers and their evil tactics.  

Matt Gaetz Thinks "Over-Educated" Is an Insult and It' a Sign

    More on the Trump judge selection process, the Supreme Court debacle along with Matt Gaetz get the treatment in "A Closer Look". A note on each follows.

    Judges, Supreme or otherwise, have taken a beating lately for their partisan bullshit and rightly so. They give not one fuck for the law, only their religious beliefs which guide their decisions. Fuck them and fuck their religious beliefs. They wouldn't recognize Jesus if he was mowing their fucking lawns. Have I made it clear that like our founding fathers, I believe that religion should have nothing to do with our government? We shouldn't support religion nor should we tolerate their efforts in the political arena. This shit needs to fucking stop. I say tax those fuckers who play politics at the very least. They're doing some fucked up shit to our country with their bullshit.

    Then there's Matt Gaetz, expressing his preference for women with a high school education or better yet, still in high school. He likes them stupid and that's what they'd have to be to date that piece of shit. Stupid is as stupid does and Matt Gaetz does stupid well.

    All and all, more fucked up Republicans than you can shake a stick at. All of them ignoring the fact that they represent a minority of voters in this country. We need to remind them of this fact come the mid-terms and send these fascist pieces of shit home.      

Erin Burnett At Her Wits' End With Right-Wing Psychos Or Q? Really?

    Personally I feel that you might be just a little out there like alien abduction victims are if you believe the shit that Q is dishing out. Bat Shit Crazy. The fact that some evangelical church goers are susceptible to this crazy shit shouldn't be a surprise. This kind of shit is candy for simpler minds. Minds that already believe some pretty crazy shit. They already believe that 40,000 true believers will be Raptured into Heaven when the End of Times starts. Many of them are looking forward to those End of Times and actively helping bring it about. Stupid is as stupid does with those beliefs. They're putting targets on those of us who disagree with their perverted view of what would Jesus do? We are surely sinners and not true Christians by their reckoning. Believers that wouldn't know a true Christian if one knocked on their front door. Judge not lest you be judged by that same measure. The Sword of Truth has 2 edges for a reason. Speak your "Truth" with this in mind. I certainly do.      

Elon vs Big Pharma: It Begins

    Nice to hear some truth making it's way into more people's lives. Russel Brand asks the questions we should all ask ourselves. That is, unless the answers will clash with your view of the world. Open your eyes and see what's there in front of you. That is my wish for humanity in general.

Roe V. Wade Overturned According To SCOTUS (LEAKED) Draft Opinion

    No surprise here if it's true. But even if it turns out to be a false report it's still only a matter of time before they overturn it for real. After all, this was what the Right has been all about from the start.  Get their people onto the Supreme Court to overturn Roe V. Wade. They did it. Congratulations you stupid fucking old rich motherfuckers, you put women back in their rightful place as second class citizens in our fucked up country. Make America Great Again my ass. This is a large step in the wrong direction for American equality. My heart hurts to think of the pain and suffering this will inflict on those least able to defend themselves. All this from the party that supported Trump and his greed over whatever constitutional oaths they swore in order to remain in power. Losers one and all. Thank God for that at least.

Sign of the King Snake

 

    Here's a California King Snake that I saved from death via vehicle on the way to pick up my mail. I took the picture after releasing him by our woodpile. He's the second snake I've run across this Spring. When I say run across I'm saying that I got my hands on them. I personally inspect all captured critters then put them back. Under one of our rocks in the front yard was a Sharp-tailed Snake which was only a little over 6" long. All and all snakes are good signs in one's dreams and in the real world. They're about personal power and growth. That's a sign of things to come if Putin refrains from starting World War III but that's another post.  

The Five Laws Of Stupidity or Why Things are So Fucked Up

    Stupid has nothing to do with intelligence and everything to do with bad behavior. Behavior that's not only damaging to everyone around them but to the stupid fucks themselves. Stupid people are their own worst enemies. Donald Trump comes to mind along with his supporters who are all very stupid fuckers. Then there are Republicans that, for the most part, are also acting quite stupidly. Add many of Democratic persuasion to that body of stupidity if I'm being 100% honest. Then ask yourself "Who will save us now?"   

The Rant is Due for a Sign

     Here's what I'm going to send to Lewis Black for his "The Rant is Due" series. Hope he gives it a read.

    Howdy Lewis. I've been a fan of yours for a long time and during that time I've heard you say a great many things exactly as I would have if I chose to rant online. I have even developed a fairly good imitation of you when you're in full rant mode which I'm told is the sincerest form of flattery. Thought you might like to give this rant the treatment it deserves.

    What has me foaming at the mouth lately is the bad behavior of miracle face cream and health care sellers. They advertise free fucking samples of a proprietary formula that makes your face look decades younger or cures your COPD. They show you before and after photos that I'm sure remain untouched by our current technology and testimonials that we're told are from satisfied customers (not). Then there's the health care quacks favorite tactic of subjecting us to long detailed videos that you can't fast forward through while they drill their bullshit deep into your frontal lobes. Anyway, the best part where they tell you that all you pay are the shipping costs. Just think, for only a few dollars you can try out our fantastic product and enjoy a whole month's worth of creamy smooth skin or better health. Everybody wants to look and feel better after all.

    So my wife, like many boomers, looks in the mirror and sees a face that doesn't look like she feels. She hates what gravity does to us all once we've reached retirement age and would like to reverse some of that damage. Along come the miracle face cream adds on Facebook or where ever and she'd like to try one of them. I got her a gift VISA card so that she could pay the $6.95 shipping and handling fee and not expose us to any financial shenanigans. These assholes refused it and would only take a credit card in her name. That's when I waded through their “Terms and Conditions” and you'll never guess what I found. By ordering the free bottle you're committing yourself to a monthly subscription cost of $129! You heard me, 129 fucking dollars a month! They'll bill you 14 days after they ship your free sample so that you'll have plenty of time to cancel the fucking subscription that you didn't know you were fucking signing up for in the first place. By the way, the number they want you to call to cancel that fucking subscription? I tried it out and it's been busy every time I called it. What the fuck? Talk about buyer beware. These unethical sellers depend on their customers/victims lack of understanding of online business practices and the fucked up tactics they use to get their greedy fucking hands on your money. I can easily imagine retired folks falling for this crap and if they're on a limited income that barely keeps them afloat like we are, that surprise deduction can mean the difference between feeding the cat or eating its food.

    I read every “Terms and Conditions” now at these type of sites and they're basically the same. Sometimes it's right at the beginning but usually it's near the end of that vast sea of bullshit that few of us can read properly let alone understand. It's hard to get my head around the amount of money that these cocksuckers must have taken from their unsuspecting customers. All I can say is Fuck those greedy fucked up thieving bastards with their extravagant fucking claims for the next miracle cure. Fuck them all.

US Authorities Zero in on Detained Super Yacht in Fiji!

    So sad. So enjoyable to watch as incomprehensibly wealthy Putin and his cronies lose their expensive toys. The rule of thumb is it takes 10% of whatever the cost of the Super Yacht to maintain it for a year on the sea. Some of these obscene pleasure boats are well over a football field long and can cost over 200 million dollars. There are currently over 3 billion dollars worth (soon to be 4 billion if it isn't already) in Super Yachts that have been detained. I am so fucking entertained by this channel as it helps the balance a tad. I give not one fuck for the hidden owners losses. Fuck those rich bastards. They're the greedy fucks that screwed their workers to pocket the profits. They are reaping what they've sown in some small way by losing their stuff. Personally I'd rather see them repent and use their money to help give this world of ours a future. But since that will never happen I'm more inclined to entertain the hope that they will get their just desserts sometime in the near future. 

    Here's what I'd like to tell them: Losing the yacht should be taken as a sign that you're on the wrong path and you might want to keep your eyes open for further losses if you continue as you have.

Signs of the Times

     There's one fact that chaps my hide and that's the fact that most Americans are clueless. They have no idea of how complicated issues are these days and insist on clinging to simple solutions for these issues. They are blind to the inherent racism built into our society nor do they wish to be reminded of it. They blame the wrong people for problems that are of their own making. Too many of them watch Fox News (which is more propaganda than news) and believe the bullshit they're peddling there. 

    Most damning of all is the Right's support for Putin and their continuing adoration of Trump in all his felonious glory. What the fuck is wrong with Republicans? Are they tired of Democracy? How can you support someone who is such a piece of shit that he belongs in a prison cell? Someone who lies constantly and is too stupid to understand how our Democracy works. Someone who failed to meet the pandemic head on for fear that it would ruin his presidency. 

    I'm also fucking tired of the constant 24/7 news cycle that has turned into bullshit corner instead of real news. I don't need to hear anyone's fucking opinion about how we almost lost our Democracy. I need to see this felonious piece of shit that we recently voted out of office on trial for his crimes along with all the scum of the Earth that he brought with him. Drain the swamp? He populated it with like minded assholes bent on profit and lean on caring for anyone but themselves. 

    Most of all I find it exasperating that so many Americans are buying into this bullshit while so many others are ignoring it entirely. If this continues we are fucked as a Democracy and will descend into the chaos that marks the end of a once great nation. Just sayin'.  

Second Sign of the Thumb?

     I haven't decided if this is a sign or more of usual things that happen in one's life. Shut the Honda door on my thumb yesterday and if it didn't hurt so bad I would have laughed at myself for trying to use that same hand to open the door. Once it was clear that my left hand was held from doing its normal duty by my thumb, I switched hands and finally released my crushed and bleeding thumb from the door jam. Nothing was broken but it looks as though my thumbnail may not survive. Only time will tell. Meanwhile I'm wondering at any deeper meaning other than to pay attention to what I'm doing. Shit happens. 

Lawrence: McConnell Knows Evidence Against Justice Thomas Is 'Damning'

    I've known that since before the second Bush Administration. His wife was an off the hook Tea Party fan and he didn't recuse himself then either. From what I've heard from credible sources, he's a partisan fucking hack with the personality of a garden slug. I've known that he's not qualified to hold a position on the Supreme Court since his confirmation hearings. Everything he's done since has confirmed my initial assessment so the current hullabaloo is no surprise to me. Mitch waxing eloquent on his work was amusing to say the least and does imply that he knows it looks bad for his Right Wingnut Justice this time. He didn't recuse himself from a high profile case that involved his wife's political activities, not the first time he's failed the oath. Hopefully this piece of trash will eventually be removed to a place where he won't bother us anymore. As for me, I'm not holding my breath for that to happen anytime soon.      

The Sign of the Thumb

    This is me removing another piece of scar tissue from my thumb a few days ago. I've been doing this for more than 3 1/2 decades now and still haven't gotten to all the wood I injected in it. I was assembling a piece of furniture with 1 3/4" staples and glue and while stapling a miter corner, one went through and into my thumb. This was over 40 years ago. The injury initially healed over and looked normal until it began swelling 4 years later. I'd already been back to the doctor's about it previously as it was still painful when used certain ways. Dr. Slater was no help at all. He didn't believe that it hit the bone despite my statement to the contrary. So I'd been putting up with it until it began swelling during a particularly busy period of guitar playing. It increased in size to the point where I needed to have it lanced. 

    The doctor's at the clinic told me that it was unlikely that there was wood still in my thumb but after putting some of what came out under the scope they were proven wrong. They removed as much of the scar tissue surrounding the wood as they could but were unable to go all the way to the bone to do so in the clinic. For a while afterward it looked like a normal thumb but soon it began swelling again. I was at work when it popped and drained some ugly looking puss all over the parts counter (my nickname there was Thumbs). One last stop afterwards at the doctors resulted in a negative bone scan and that was it for me. I was left with a ball of scar tissue the size of a small marble next to the bone after it stopped draining. The drain hole never closed. I've removed scar tissue from it every month or so since then. 35 years and my thumb is still rejecting pieces of wood/scar tissue. It's now nearly gone with a small bump left near the skins surface that hopefully will finish ejecting the foreign material and seal over soon.  

    The first time it was lanced was after I'd booted my cheating wife out of our apartment. For the next 2 days everything I'd denied while she was out and about played back in my memory, like a never ending stream of YouTube videos commemorating the high points of her infidelity. So I had known all along but could neither face nor acknowledge it before the final confrontation. I knew who. I knew when. I also observed my behavior throughout and found disliked what I saw. I beat myself up over and over with it and swore I'd never let it happen again (a promise I failed to keep). The feeling I got from the initial draining was religious in nature. I let my internal rage go and reached an understanding that I was going to survive and learn from this. I reached an understanding that If I live long enough and help remove the material it expels I'll see the day that my eternal wound finally heals. 

    This whole experience parallels my internal healing process to the bone. Buried traumas from my childhood seek the sunlight. They no longer hide exclusively in my subconscious. They ask for an accounting and incorporation into a healthier mental state. They want to be dealt with in a loving and kind way. They want to be understood and accepted before becoming part of my whole person. So that's what I continue to do. Hopefully I will continue to heal both physically and mentally as I continue forward.                         

Signs that Putin is in the Drivers Seat

     Republicans can blame Biden all they want but the truth is Trumps treatment of Putin while he was in office helped set this war in motion. Add up all the attempts at mitigating sanctions on Russia along with holding military aid hostage to Ukraine for dirt on the Bidens and this is what you get. Trump also trashed NATO during his divisive fours years in office so the bullshit Republicans spew that Biden caused this doesn't fly with me.  

    As far as what can be done to stop Putin, Republicans have no clue. Seems to me that anything more than sanctions will risk nuclear escalation by Putin as he's made it clear that he's prepared to end the world as we know it. For our world to be safe the Russian people need to remove Putin from power. That's the only solution that comes to my mind that won't risk nuclear war. If anyone has a better idea or ideas they should share as we need possible solutions, not recriminations.   

Trump Suggests Putting Chinese Flags on U.S. Fighter Jets to Bomb Russia...It's a Sign

    Republicans are blaming Biden for the invasion of Ukraine but I put the blame squarely on Trump's shoulders. As far as Biden being weak, what would Republicans do? I haven't heard a realistic plan from them that will do any more than what's being done now. Putin has nuclear weapons and has made it clear that he will use them if we get too involved. Trump set this situation into play with his fawning over big strong Putin. Putting Chinese markings on our jets is a great idea if your 5 years old. Thank God he's not still president.

Signs of End Times

    Here's one of the channels I watch to keep up on inclement events around the world. The Two Preachers are an over the top version of disasters with a religious end time theme. Lest one think that there are many more disasters, natural or otherwise, one needs to take into account that everyone has a smart phone these days. We see more now than ever before due to the internet and the videos that inhabit it. Balance is the key to deriving input from these sources.   

Signs That I Am Not Entertained

     I am not entertained when Putin decides to invade another country.

    I am not entertained when Trump praises Putin's intelligence for killing innocent people.

    I am not entertained by Republicans calling Biden's response weak when it's been the opposite. Biden helped unite the world's governments to respond to Putin's insane power grab. Republicans got shit to say about what they'd do different.

    I am not entertained by people dying in a war and the media bringing this to our attention 24/7. Nothing but hot air and bullshit as the networks compete for our attention. 

    Last of all, I am not entertained as I watch America slowly but surely tear itself apart. That's Putin's ultimate goal and he's getting closer to achieving it than he's ever been.  

Signs of Weakness

    Trump set the stage for this invasion. Taiwan is next. All due to his love of strong men in charge. Traitor.

Signs that Trump May Be Reaching The End Of His Rope

    It was too much to ignore. All that free cash. All that power. He went at acquiring it with his usual mix of larceny and bullshit and now that he's no longer president it's time to pay the piper. Justice fucking matters and the rule of law should apply to all of us equally. It's Time!

BIGBUG = I Am Entertained

    Fun watch. This one is really out there yet still keeps you entertained. Manufactured security workers who believe they are smarter than humans and see no need to take their orders anymore. Realistically points out the end result of where we're headed as a society if things continue as they are and it's not pretty. Ignorance never is.  

Signs of Willful Ignorance and Denial

    It's mostly a discussion about Don't Look Up, the #2 watched Netflix movie of all time, which highlights the Republican aversion to facts and the consequences there of. It rings so true that it resonates across one's senses. Stupid people are deadly when given the opportunity and they scare the shit out of me. That's what I got out of it. What's your take?   

Signs of Kevin Hart's Super Power

    What is Kevin Hart's super power? It's his ability to bring out the best in any group or person he engages with. That's what makes him so enjoyable to watch. His personality is the tool he uses to lift those around him to the same level as entertainers. The chemistry videos have all been Kevin Hart along with the Rock or Snoop Dog or whomever. Kevin is the common denominator, the go to funny guy that drags everyone else into the zone with him. He's da bomb.  

Right-Wing Crack Pipe Lie Gets Smoked

    So this is all Republicans have. Lies and bullshit. No facts. No policy. Pretty much everything they talk about has nothing to do with bringing this country together. Outrage over teaching critical race theory in our schools when it isn't happening and there is no agenda to make it happen. Lies and bullshit, that's all they got. 

Signs of Adjustment

     Our two Chihuahuas are finally starting to get the hang of things and we're finding them more charming each time we correct their behavior. Positive reinforcement seems to work most of the time and we now spend less of that time trying to design positive reinforcement strategies for specific behaviors. In other words we're getting used to each other. Adjustments take time and patience. We have plenty of time these days but we may be a little short on patience.  

Signs of More of the Same

    More details, more outrage. Yes, it was planned from the day Trump lost the election. The paperwork starts shortly thereafter but really, do we need any more evidence? Just put that piece of shit in prison along with all the fuckwads that helped commit these crimes. There is no justice until those people pay the price for attempting to overthrow the legally elected president, Joe Biden.

      

Signs of More of the Same

45 Bombshell: Explosive Oval Office Meeting On Voting Machine Plot Revealed

    What bombshell? That he attempted to overthrow the most audited election in history because he lost? That he's been lying about the election being corrupt? All we're seeing now are the details. We already know enough to reach the logical conclusion that Trump is a piss poor loser. His ego can't handle the truth that the American voters rejected a would be dictator with sympathies for Russia. The vast majority of Republicans still act like Trump has their balls in a little magical sack that will shred them if they step out of line. WTF is this crap and why isn't that traitor in fucking prison? Enough is enough. Stop gawking at and bullshitting about what this piece of human excrement has done and make him fucking pay for it. That includes his criminal family members too.

    If you think I'm tired of Covid you'd be right. But I'm way more tired of the continuing coverage of every little detail about how America almost lost it's Democracy with zero accountability (so far) for the pieces of shit who organized and funded that effort.

The Rug Washing Sign

How is it that videos about washing rugs are a thing? Could it be the simple joy of a dirty job done well with a clean rug to prove it? Are the times we're in becoming so chaotic that we'd rather watch someone wash rugs than deal with it? Inquiring fool seeks answers.

Signs of Life

     Someone I knew from work has IM'd me and wants me to give him a call. I find my self reluctant to do so and am searching for whatever elusive feelings are causing this reluctance. Strange how changes in who you normally encounter now involve questions like, "Are you vaccinated?" before committing to a face to face. Now that I'm retired there are 2 people that get within 6 feet of me and that's it. More than likely this is also an issue of trust and there I go, off on another tangent. What I'm trying to say is I should let the chips fall where they may and call him back already. That might the change I'm waiting for.  

Signs of the Afterlife

     I have no idea what that means entirely but I'm going with it. I hear some music we recorded a few weeks ago and am reminded that it's time for a little practice. With that in mind I'll go after telling you that I will soon be posting a song or two I've written that are topical in these times. That's right, I can see it coming and I've written some songs about it. We live in interesting times and many will continue to ramp up the hype about how the end is nigh and all that biblical crap. To my mind it's only a matter of timing and content, both of which are open to conjecture. I'll try to share more of those thoughts as we get closer to the end of the world as we know it. 

Signs of Fascism

     Definition: a political philosophy, movement, or regime (such as that of the Fascisti) that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition. 

    Sounds like Trump and his supporters to me. They meet the definition. I wonder how many of Trump's supporters are aware enough to see it? They blame Antifa for any violence the Right perpetrates so I'm thinking not many. The ones who stand to make some big bucks if Trump returns to power certainly should know better. But I'm betting the majority of them are ignorant of where that support is taking us as a country. If they knew I'd doubt they would continue to support their former criminal and thief. 

Fear of Flying Signs

     Just got back from visiting with my son and his family in Georgia. Had anxiety attacks throughout both flights there and back. Partially due to wearing a mask for 11 hours straight getting there and 7 hours on the way back (direct) but mostly due to being in that big ol' jet airliner. Who knew I was this scared to fly. I sure didn't. Previous flights caused no were near the level of anxiety that these did although my last was nearly 20 years ago. I'm thinking that I'm much more in touch with my feelings about flying as I'm not in as much denial about those feelings. Becoming aware of and changing my behavior has gradually released many things that I previously buried and among those things were my actual feelings as I made my way through life. Crazy high were the walls that I maintained for too long. It was no fun but it's hard to deal with one's fears when one ignores them. Now I can face them and sort them out. Grateful be I.

Smart Phone Initialized

     So Tuesday I got the phone to work for outgoing calls and messages only. I could also receive messages but not phone calls and when someone called there was nothing on the line. No voice mail, no anything. Spent an hour on the phone and still couldn't get any love. While AT&T was sending me to their techs I was sidetracked by some BS while on hold and lost the connection. That was my last call for Tuesday as I'd reached my limit for profanity free conversation with people who were no help.

    Wednesday I made my final call and after an hour of holding and whatever I was in business. They reset the connection and I've finally joined the smart phone crowd.

    I'd like to thank You Tube for the many videos about how to navigate your new I-Phone 12 and get the most out of your phone. I'm finding them very helpful.

Signs Concerning a Smart Phone Purchase

     So I finally decided to get a smart phone. I've held off but as my home phone is useless in a power outage, I felt it was time. I did a bunch of online research and then began my journey began last Tuesday when I stopped by the T-Mobile store in Ukiah.

    They had the phone I wanted in stock at their warehouse and said it would be in shortly. I left with a sim card and thought we were through. Called them back Thursday to find that the phone was on back order and it would be several weeks before it would arrive. They'd be more than happy to upgrade to a more expensive phone that they had in stock which chapped my hide. Since I couldn't log into my T-Mobile account without my smartphone I was unable to cancel my order online which forced me to drive back to their Ukiah store in order to cancel the whole thing. Verizon was next.

    They had a store in Lakeport so I stopped by to get some quotes and was disappointed to say the least. I went home Thursday evening and started looking at what AT&T had to offer online.

    Decided to give AT&T a shot as I already had an account with them for my current phone and internet. This despite previously horrible interactions with their customer service department, including nearly a month where I was without internet during the holidays. Got someone on their website via phone and 90 minutes later I thought we'd completed the order. One problem during that process was that they were unable to ship the phone to my physical address. You know, the place where my utility lines end. Their wireless department seems to be using a USPS database to confirm shipping addresses and they won't ship to the PO Box that I'm given free due to USPS not delivering mail to our house. They can't seem to wrap their minds around the concept that the address where I get their services isn't in the USPS database. I asked him to look up my address via Google Maps to see that it fucking existed and that Fed-X and UPS delivered here at least once a month but that didn't matter to his software. I was forced to use the UPS Store's address in Lakeport for the phone's destination and my credit card company flagged the transaction and requested that I confirm it. I did that but the order is still on hold. AT&T tells me that it will ship shortly but it's Monday, the transaction hasn't cleared yet (Now I'm worried that they have the billing address wrong) and I'm getting nowhere with customer service. Even called the order department directly and got the same bullshit. The only order that they've confirmed is the one to stop my current phone and increase my internet payment. That's right, I'm keeping my phone number to go wireless with them and their dinging me for shutting my phoneline down to go wireless.....with them. Maybe once I've activated my new phone and combined my accounts (they opened a new one for the wireless order but I can't access it until I activate the phone) that might lower it again but I doubt it. Looks like I'm being royally fucked in about every aspect of this transaction. I haven't even seen exactly what I signed up for. They finally emailed a copy of the order I requested via phone today but there's nothing on it other than the phone I ordered. 

    As it stands, I'm starting to think this might be a sign but of what exactly I'm clueless. Maybe I should have let T-Mobile screw me without complaint. Possibly it means I'm in over my head with this type of transaction. My favorite so far is that these companies are here to get every fucking dollar out of you that they can by any means necessary and Jeffery don't do that. That's a problem but I doubt it's my problem. Just sayin'.   

More Signs of Rain

     Made it through our recent rains in pretty good shape. Clearlake has recovered quite a bit in a short period of time, that's for sure. The seasonal creek that runs behind our house surprised our backyard neighbor with the amount of water it carries. She installed a culvert last Summer that wasn't up to the task. Nancy tried to tell her that the creek would have it's way come Winter but they buried part of it anyway. Oh well, at least it left our backyard in good shape.

Chimney Sweeper Signs aka Retired and Suicidal

     It was time for our annual chimney sweep so we called a local guy who got back to us quickly and we scheduled him for last Saturday at noon. My first impressions when he got here was that he was older than dirt and barely walking. To say he looked frail would be an understatement. Needless to say, I stayed out of his way and let him do his thing. When he came down the ladder the first time he missed it with his second step off the roof and nearly fell. Nancy was there for that. He was able to pull out our fireplace insert but unable to push it back which I ended up doing. Then he cut himself on the new chimney top and just let the blood run down his hand as he joked about having less blood for dialysis next week. When he was through he expressed his wish to keep working until he died. He wanted to bite the big one on someone's roof then crash to the ground one last time. I still don't know what to think of that statement but something tells me we were close to it becoming reality. He did a great job though so he gets a pass for now. I'll keep an eye on the local paper to see if he gets his wish. 

Signs of Rain

     Not much so far but enough to chap Blaxter's hide. He can't decide where he wants to be and acts disgusted when he forces himself to venture forth in the rain. At least Blaxter doesn't require a litter box like most cats. This allows us to have a cat without the obnoxious odors that usually accompany ownership. Not that Blaxter would ever consider himself as being owned. Guests have had odd looks on their faces when he saunters in to inspect them a short time after their arrival. They've commented and asked what our secret was. Did I train him to use the toilet? Hardly. Nancy trained him to sit, to lay down and to shake but that's as far as she got. He lets us know when he needs to go out and we open the door. He's in charge of our relationship because eight years ago he chose to walk into our lives. 

    Blaxter initially lived at the local dentist's office with two other cats. All three were dropped off at our next door neighbors when the dentist closed his office. That was a year or so before we bought the house next door. During that time the other two cats died from the usual things that kill cats but not Blaxter. He survived the streets and the racoons and the coyotes then decided that we were his new humans. I think the brushings had more to do with that choice than anything else but I believe there's some love involved too. At least on our part.   

Signs of Language Issues Online

     I've recently had issues with a few orders I've made online and they were made worse by what I thought at first was just poor customer service. Once I applied my mind fully to the most recent incident it turns out the cause was more than likely translation errors. When I wrote the vendor to let them know that my laptop hadn't arrived they replied with the same Fed-X tracking number I'd been given previously which showed that it had been delivered. I started a claim through Fed-X and found out that the tracking number was for an order that was delivered to my town but not my address. An order that weighted over 60 pounds. Wrote the vendor with these details and was once again told that my order was delivered. My third reply to them started with a question, "Did you even read my previous email?" I then went on to detail (again) that the tracking number was not for my order. Shortly after they replied with a different tracking number that's going to ship today. No explanation. No apology. Just the tracking number. Hopefully they got it right this time. I'll know when the laptop gets delivered and until then I've been given signs that I might not receive exactly what I ordered. It's been quite entertaining so far but I expected that. After all, the laptop they sold me was top of the line and only $99 with shipping. What are the odds it's legit? Thought I'd have an answer by now.    

Signs of Racism (Yes, it's still happening in America)

     Check this out and tell me that systematic racism doesn't exist in America. In Georgia no less. 

MrMBB333 Signs

     Looking to see what's happening in the world? MrMBB333 is the place to go. His voice needs work but he comes up with some interesting videos. Enjoy.

Pedo Signs

     QAnon conspiracy theory is about top Democrats running pedophile rings and being generally fucked up human beings. Here's Trump with Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew at an exclusive pedophile event because Republicans always accuse their opponents of doing what they themselves are engaged in. In other words, here are some fucked up human beings and it turns out that they're Republicans. Imagine that.

Signs of Fear

     Trump ordered his former partners in crime to defy the subpoenas and not testify before the congressional committee that's investigating the January 6th insurrection. Obstruction of justice anyone? Where have we seen this before? Mueler's Report detailed at least 8 instances where Trump had obstructed justice. That's where you've seen it before. When the fuck will the justice department put out the indictments for the crimes that this piece of shit has committed? He needs to pay for his poor choices or any semblance of real justice in this country goes down the toilet. Just sayin'.  

Retirement Signs

     Thankfully the dreams about work are going away. My blood pressure is down along with my standing heart rate. It's taken a while to wind down from the workload I was handling but I'm getting there slowly but surely. Getting ready to buy some airline tickets to Georgia to see my son and his family. Expect I'll be there before years end. It's good to be retired.

More Bullshit Signs

     So nearly 4 out of 5 Republicans claim to believe that the 2020 presidential election was fraudulent and now Texas is out to prove it. Never mind the Arizona debacle with Cyber Ninjas and whomever else mucking about where they have little understanding and no fucking business being. WTF Republicans? You're the fucking minority and you get fewer votes. That's it. You have no coherent policies. Only your greed and avarice are consistently evident while you go about spreading lies and misinformation. You're the death party now. Anti-vaxxers are welcome in your press conferences and can spew their bullshit unchallenged on national television. When Republicans cry freedom they're actually saying fuck Democracy, we're the ones who need to be in charge. I hate your lies and bullshit as do the majority of Americans and it will be a cold day in hell before I ever vote for or support a Republican candidate again.  

Signs of Sorry Antivaxxer.com

     Yep, here's a sight that gives you a rundown of folks who followed their own bad advise and have died or become severely ill by Covid-19. Unlike myself, this site does not mock these idiots so much as it portrays the damage such disinformation causes to everyday folks. Enjoy.  

Signs to be Thankful For

     Every morning I get up and I'm thankful for another day in paradise. With all the crazy shit going on that's enough to set anyone off I'm still here, participating in this thing we call living. My partner in crime insures that I'm not alone while I go about each day, still trying to figure out what retirement means to me. When I figure it out I'll let you know. 

Mother and Daughter Bite the Dust Together

     They shared conspiracy claims online against vaccinations and never got their shots. They worked together, lived together and died together. Oh, and they shared anti-vaxxer crap online. Sad to say the least.

Another Pastor Bites the Dust

     R. Loren Sanford has shared his last anti-vaxxer rant and now sleeps with the fishes. God saves but not in his case. Possibly that's because The Big Guy loves science and hates un-Christian like pastors who endanger their flock by ignoring it. This qualifies as sign not matter what your religion or lack there of. Keep an eye out for more signs in the near future. 

Another One Bites the Dust

     Once again, another outspoken critic of mask mandates and Dr. Fauci bites the dust. Because not getting the vaccine or doing what it takes to stop the spread of Covid-19 (wear a mask!) is bad fucking behavior and has consequences. In this case the reward is an eternal dirt nap and it's getting difficult to have any empathy for these fools. They made their choice and it was the wrong one.

    Mocking these idiots as they die is piss poor behavior on my part but it's a sign, and every time it happens it will be featured here. Fox News will tell you whatever lies you choose to believe but the Grim Reaper will winnow out the false from the true every time.  

Signs of the Big Lie

     Larry Elder was making claims of voter fraud before election day, just like Trump because that's all they have. Neither won their election and it wasn't due to voter fraud in either case. They were rejected because the majority of Americans saw through their bullshit. Enough said.

DeathSantis Doubles Down

     What an ass wipe this guy is. Going after cities that mandate Covid-19 vaccinations to pursue his political asperations and consequences be damned. How many of the dead in Florida are due to this guy's insane policies? Then, at the same press conference, some "It Changes Your RNA" dude voices conspiracy bullshit about the vaccine and DeathSantis lets it pass without correction. Like that bullshit had merit and deserved to share the stage. So the governor of Florida consorts with the anti-vax crowd during a pandemic that has cost over 600,000 lives and counting and doesn't give one fuck about the carnage his political ambition is causing. After all, Fox News will have his back and be sure to spread that manure far and wide to entertain their audience by telling them the lies they want to hear. He'll be a hero in their eyes when in fact he's a repulsive, deranged caricature of a human being. 

    

Signs from the Vaccination Challenged

     What can you say to someone who refuses to get vaccinated? Telling them that they're part of the problem when it comes to this country getting a handle on Covid-19 and it's various mutations only pisses them off. The truth is hard to take when you're fucking up. What's even tougher is the strife it causes between family members trying to get the ones they love to do the right thing. Let me make this clear, if you won't get vaccinated then you're part of the problem. There is no solution until damn near everyone gets the shot. Learn to tell the difference between science based fact and political bullshit. Your life and the lives of those you love are in jeopardy because of your ignorance and your refusal to rectify that ignorance with the facts.    

Signs from the Flintstones

     Unsolicited phone calls from all sorts of people trying to part you from your money are ubiquitous these days. My phone announces them as "Unavailable" or "Toll free" but only allows me to block 100 numbers before telling me it's full so we've gotten good at answering them. Good means that we never hear a human voice once we've answered the phone with the following phrase "Yabba dabba doo". That's right, the AI's do not know how to reply and end the call. Thought some of you out there might find your own answering phrase that confounds those automated calls. If not, feel free to use mine. Your welcome.  

Signs that Ted Cruz is a Dildo

     An honest unflattering look at exactly who this piece of Republican excrement is and what he stands for. Texas gets a shout out first for their gun laws. Best use of dildos ever.  

Signs of a Failed Administration

     So Steven Miller is once again in the news for sabotaging the processing of special visas for Afghans who helped us out during the last 20 years. People who face possible death if left behind to the Taliban's tender mercies. He helped fubar the process while Trump was negotiating with the Taliban in order to withdraw our troops. In this case, the right hand definitely knew what the left hand was doing. Steven Miller is one fucked up excuse for a human being. Must be that reptile DNA he has. 

Signs of Fire and Smoke

    Until recently we had fairly smoke free skies but the smoke has once again obscured the lake from view and made outdoor activities dangerous for your health. Did some stuff outside this morning before it got hot but that's about it. In the last 3+ months I don't think we've seen more that 5 or 6 days where the high temperature was under 100 degrees. We're also at Stage 3 for conserving water which adds to the enjoyment. All in all it's been a strange Summer unlike any I've experienced before.

Signs of My Last Day at Mendocino County

    Two hours to say goodbye today. A bunch of hugs. Thank you Brandie, Taylor, Yadira, Becky, Rachel, Pauline and last but not least Ms. Sunshine. Thanks for the wonderful parting gifts and words. It's been wonderful working with you to make this place a great place to work. Adios Amigos.

It's a Sign

    Last full work day from home. I'm up early as I couldn't sleep. Life is about change and this is a big one. Still haven't wrapped my head around it but a new adventure awaits. Bought us a 1995 F150 with a lumber rack and tool boxes that we'll be using to collect the materials we need to fix some things around the house. Got the free used windows for the greenhouse we're planning to build delivered by a neighbor who's planning on giving us his upright piano too. Nancy's finally getting the piano she wanted and he's delivering it gratis! Quite the start. 

    Here's a sign from the Right. Rand Paul's wife invested in the company that makes Remdesivir. A drug that Trump told us would cure Covid. She made the investment back in February 2020 and just reported it now. The sign is the fact that they lost money on their investment. Sad, so sad.

17 Days Until Retirement

Yep, I'm counting the days. 13+ years at the County of Mendocino served. Retirement activated. Like Tom Petty said,"The waiting is the hardest part".

Signs of Fascism

They be all about the Republican efforts to overthrow the 2020 election and keep that piece of excrement Trump in office. All I have to say is that the majority of Americans did not vote for Trump and he lost the fucking election. But he's too big of a baby to accept defeat and continues to rant about the election being corrupt. What about 2016 big boy? You needed Russia's help and asked for it. You even gave them propriatary polling information to help their efforts in succuring your victory. Those are the facts. Fuck You Trump and all your little fascist supporters, better known as the New Republican Fascist Party.

Signs of Retirement

Yes. It's finally here. August 22nd is the big day. It's time to focus on the home front and get our house in order. Have the tools. Most of the materials. Soon I'll have the time. Looking forward to it. Counting the days. This space will soon follow suite with more postings on a regular basis. At least that's the plan. See you in August for sure. Later.

Signs of Letting Go?

Not! Trump has folks all through the government that are doing everything within their power to turn Joe Biden's presidency to shit. It wasn't enough that they broke the law while separating families at the border. Now they're trying to make what's going on there Biden's fault when in fact it was their illegal policies that created this fucking problem in the first place. A special Fuck You to Steven Miller who's diseased brain came up with the illegal policy in the first place and who continues to play a roll in demonizing Biden's attempts to return to legality. Republicans Suck At Government. All They Care About Is Power, Not Policy.

Georgia, Georgia, Why so UnDemocratic?

Republicans care not for the majority of American people voting. They care not for Representative Democracy and act in all ways like fascists. Nazis and the Alt Right find acceptance there. That is some fucked up shit Republicans. You can kiss my liberal ass.

Still Not Smoking

Yep, still no cigarettes or tobacco of any kind since 1/20/2021. 63 days total. Just sayin'.

Idiocracy All Over Again

What is it with the Republican Party's fixation with Trump? Looks like they're on their way to becoming the fascist party to me. Their agenda is increasingly anti democratic, they don't want the majority of Americans voting and they're willing to use violence to advance their "just" cause. Conspiracy fuckwits is what they're becoming, believing in their self created fantasies instead of the real world where most of us exist. Willfully ignorant pieces of excrement that are too stupid to know how fucking stupid they are. `

Signs of Change

I had my last cigarette on 1/20/2021. I was so relieved that we still had a Democracy here in America that I used that energy to help me end an addiction I've had for more 45 years. It's been surprisingly easy so far. Severe feelings of loss lasting up to a minute are happening less and less with each day. There were several yesterday. Only one so far today. My lungs are starting to clean up what they can and my blood pressure is a tad lower. I've gained around 15 pounds but I'm not really worried about that aspect of quitting. If I can do one then I can do the other too. Loosing weight is my next target anyway.

Happy Valentine's Day

One day after Republican Senators once again fail their duty to the constitution of these United States. Who cares how many American lives he has prematurely ended during his presidency? Our Republican Senators don't. 5 more deaths on top of the 400,000 plus his mismanagement of our Covid~19 responce has already caused is nothing to them. Let's not let that piece of human garbage hold office again is all I ask and they can't even do that. Chicket shit pieces of useless fucking humanity. All they care about is power, not policy. Fuck all 43 of them who voted not to convict. May you pay for your perfidity.

Signs of Karma and Covid~19

Does he really have it? Or this a ploy towards throwing a wrench in our elections? He's generating more chaos by the hour on social media and across the country in general. Over 200,000 Americans have died due to this virus and Trump's attitude throughout has been dismissive of the danger this virus poses. Now he's possibly infected. Considering his behavior and the lives lost because of it, I'm having difficulty feeling any empathy for his fate. I was thinking that this would happen as I believed it to be inevitable. I'm still in shock.

More Signs of Anxiety

Fires. More each year. So far we've been lucky although more than half of Lake County has burned in the last few years. Now the highway is closed South of Middletown and it's starting to feel like it's closing in. We're in Nice and you can't see the lake from our house for the smoke. What a year 2020 has been so far. I'm working from home and waking up thankful for each new day despite what comes my way. There's always tomorrow.

Signs of Anxiety

I have a history of anxiety issues and I’ve made great progress in addressing them over the last decade or so. Which is good considering that all of us here in America are currently subject a major anxiety producing event we affectionately call a pandemic. Between that, Black Lives Matter and the Alt Right Nazis, I’m anxiety ridden all over again. At least now there are some concrete reasons for that anxiety. Covid~19 is on fire in America making us the #1 Hot Spot in the world for virus infections. >No more Federal funding for Covid~19 testing according to the White House. >The White House has bypassed the CDC and now collects all of the data from the pandemic directly. >The Pandemic will just disappear according to Trump. >Armed Federal officers with unmarked vans picking up random protesters and taking them to unknown locations in Portland. >The White House tells us that they are targeting liberally run (read Democratic run) cities like Chicago or Milwaukee with their goon squads next. >The 1st Amendment is being ignored throughout these Black Lives Matter protests as peaceful protesters are being conflated with violent anarchists and targeted. Every time I wear a mask I’m reminded of how fucked up things are during these pandemic times here in America. What increases my anxiety is the never ending chaos fomented by our current President as he single handedly brings Democracy to its knees. Republicans Suck At Government.

Signs of the Times

We live in interesting times. Here in Lake County, California, I watch from a safe distance as America is pulled apart by hatred and fear. Now add The Virus and Black Lives Matter protests. It's difficult for me to comprehend what life is like in the cities. Here in the sticks we can limit our contact with the outside world rather easily. Not so in the big cities. Here you can feel like you have more control over how much I'm exposed to The Virus. Unfortunately, many here in Lake County feel that masks are not needed. Some stores do not enforce nor encourage wearing masks. Those stores lose my business. That's an easy way for me to reduce my exposure to inconsiderate pieces of shit who complain about their rights being violated by being forced to wear a mask. You know, pussies. Happy 4th Everyone!

Seriously, What Is “Obamagate”? | The Daily Social Distancing Show

Signs of COVID~19

Just dropped Nancy off at the emergency room and here I am back home alone. There are no visitors allowed. They'll call me in an hour or two. Found that out the hard way when I went to follow her into the ER. She took her back out several days ago and this morning the pain went through the roof. Her left side was drooping although her speech was fine but it was bad enough to warrant the drive to the ER. Glad we didn't know about the separation before hand. She was hard enough to convince that it was ER time. I'll be back with more once I get that call.

Signs That Republicans Suck at Government

The last 2 Republican presidents have faced disaster during their terms. 9/11 belongs to Bush all the way. The previous administration's warnings were ignored and we all know what happened next. Now there's Trump. He eliminated an agency put into place by Obama after Ebola knocked on our door to handle exactly the kind of emergency we are now facing. Now he's failing to provide the leadership that will save lives and instead acts as if this is all about him. He refuses to take responsibility for the Federal Government's poor response to this emergency. Now hundreds of thousands of Americans will needlessly die- because your Republican president has his head up his ass. His unsuitability for the office of President of the United States should have been obvious to anyone with enough brains to fill a shot glass and I know you all got more brains than that. To my way of thinking, all Republicans share the blame for what happens in the next few weeks as the number of deaths from this virus rise. Republicans suck at government.

Signs of an Uncommon Cold

Welcome to the new world. A killer cold and a failing president are combining in very special ways to make our lives more interesting. I am not entertained.

The Sign of AT&T

Here's a rundown of a customer services issue that AT&T handled in their own special way. I get a few shots in towards Earthlink but they're more of a side note. It's December 24th, 2019 and it is, the 3rd day into our exclusion from the Internet thanks to AT&T's wonderful customer service. We called in about slow service. We did the “check the modem” dance and they scheduled a tech to come on December 14th. This was the 11th. They said he or she would call first to make sure we were home. No call. No show. No follow up. On the 16th I let them know under no uncertain terms that someone needed to come by, no appointment needed. That apparently isn't an option that they have access to. No calls. No visiting AT&T repair man. Then my Internet and phone died in the early morning of December 22nd. I used our emergency cell phone to give them a call. We had a long conversation where I told them that I was ready to switch deck chairs on the Titanic and go back to Media com but I'm pretty sure that they missed the reference. It's a cultural thing. Anyway the end result was that the soonest they can get someone here is the 29th. No calls from family wishing us a Merry Christmas. No Netfix. No Utube. No e-mail. Can't track my Amazon purchases to insure that they have arrived safely. So I wait impatiently for that promised day when the AT&T technician is scheduled to come and restore my services. If they miss this appointment I won't be too upset because I'm expecting them to fail me once again. I'd go back to Media.com but they failed me previously and I was without service for nearly a month before I switched to AT&T. I had experienced AT&T's indifference to their customers needs but they were the only alternative in our area at that time. So as near as I can figure, AT&T has severed all connections between their service call centers and their technicians in the field. The call center was unable to place an open order to repair my service. They were forced to schedule me out through their appointment system. I was lead to understand that there was no alternative available to them. They were invariably polite even though I made my displeasure obvious. No person that I spoke with except one had a name I could understand after they said it and it was obvious that English was not their primary language. I had no issues understanding them though and they had no issues understanding me but this has been an issue with my wife as her hearing is not the best. I can only conclude that AT&T has contrived this cavernous hole in their customer service system by design. The remotely situated call center is one of the main ingredients. They obviously don't care about their customers unless their late with their payment so I've made arrangements with another internet provider. Earthlink gets my business this time. Maybe they'll keep me happy (or at least satisfied) for more than 3 years but I'm not counting on it. So far I'm getting the feeling that they are as distant as AT&T. I'm still waiting for a text from their affiliate to set up an installation date and it's been 2 days but you can be damn sure they got their money already. Merry Christmas indeed.

12/25/2020

Merry Christmas everyone. No changes on the home front. Still no internet or phone but that was expected. No text from the Earthlink installer but that was also expected. After all, it is Christmas Day. My brother will be coming over for dinner and he'll bring his mobile modem so that I can connect for a short while. At least I'll be able to update my family on our situation and wish them a Merry Christmas electronically. We sent cards but who knows if they made it to their destinations this busy time of year in a timely fashion. That's all for now. Time to get ready for a wonderful afternoon. Looks like Earthlink will be here the 27th to connect me once more with the world at large. Still miffed that they didn't text but that means when/if AT&T gets here the 29th, I'll be able to make a dramatic presentation of returning their equipment. Better not get my hopes up though and remember that AT&T employees are not the target of my wrath. After all 'tis the season.

12/27/2020

It's 3 PM Friday the 27th of December and Earthlink has yet to show up. Their call center called this morning to see if I got their text. Nope, no text. How about our e-mails? Hard to know because I have no internet service and we do not have a smart phone. Then they tell me that it may be an AT&T service truck that shows up for the installation because Earthlink has contracted with AT&T. Now I'm fairly sure that I'm just switching deck chairs on the Titanic. Wonderful. It's 10 PM and I still have no internet. No call. Nada. The grand kids arrived though so I've been too busy to think about it much. Now that I am thinking about it I'd have to say that I'm not angry anymore. Disappointed? Yes.

12/28/2020

It's Saturday morning on the 28th of December and I can get no satisfaction. Called Earthlink and was told that they're sorry they missed their installation appointment, Then they told me that they didn't do installs on the weekend and would call me Monday to set up another appointment time. I let them know that they were skating on thin ice in not so many words. I brought up AT&T's lack of service and compared their same lack of follow through as equally egregious. Hope they put that in their notes. Next I called AT&T to confirm my service appointment for tomorrow. Never did talk to a human and eventually got stuck in a loop where the recorded voice/robot asked if I wanted to change or cancel my appointment and I told them “No”. After repeating that step several times I hung up hoping that I hadn't just canceled my appointment. Words fail me. Time to go chop some wood. Another wonderful morning in Northern California. Finished chopping wood and was enjoying a smoke on our front porch.. It's now 3:30 PM and I just watched an AT&T service truck roll by our house. If I'd have seen him soon enough I could have run out in the street and waved him over. I sat on the porch after he passed wondering if he was turning around to fix our connection. Guess that's too much to expect. After all, our appointment is for tomorrow. After a while you just get a helpless feeling about your chances of getting to your e-mails before there are several hundred to go through. Netflix would have been nice to entertain the grand kids in the evenings while they're here. I'm wondering how long this rage engendering process will take to finally come to a conclusion. If AT&T shows up tomorrow and gets us back online I may tell Earthlink to take a flying leap and cancel their order. Since they contract with AT&T I'm hoping to get some insights from their technician tomorrow. If they even show up. If I keep AT&T it will only be until I find a viable alternative to these large, out of touch corporations. Unfortunately there are few alternatives in this economically depressed area.

12/30/2020

It's December 30th, 2019. Another day without internet. Earthlink called us this morning. Nancy went to pick up the phone, heard someone's voice as she said hello several times before they hung up. They didn't leave a message. Shortly after I called Earthlink from work and was told that the installation folks would be calling me to set up an appointment today. I expressed my doubts and let her know that they were already on thin ice with me. I'm getting very sick of hearing apologies. Now it's 5:20 PM and we still haven't heard from them. I call again from work, go through the whole process to speak to a human and hear the same B.S. I did before. Still no appointment. I'm getting to really dislike automated systems. I hope they record me yelling at their AI for giggles and yes, it's getting ridiculous. My anger has run its righteous course without result. It's time to view this as a wonderfully absurd opportunity to befuddle ones foes with kindness and witty conversation, Yep, that's the ticket. Still, it's hard to pay the bills when there's NO INTERNET. Sorry, slipped a little. Later.

12/31/2020

It's December 31st, 2019. Got an e-mail this morning and fortunately I came into work early so was able to see it. Our installation date is January 3rd next year. No call. No text. I'm not holding my breath for them to show up Friday morning but stranger things have happened. Another day hanging around with better things to do with our time. But enough of that crap. Expect to hear from me Friday, one way or another.

01/03/2020

Happy New Year! It's the 3rd of January. It's the day Earthlink installs their stuff at my home. At 9 AM I get a call from technical service and they tell me that my installer will be here between 8 AM and 12 PM and that it may be an AT&T technician because they contract with AT&T for service in our area. Oh, and please make sure someone at least 18 years of age is at the location if you leave. It is now 4:30 PM. I called earlier at 1 PM and spoke with someone who wanted to put me on hold while she consulted her technical department. I explained that I was paying by the minute for our back up phone and that waiting on hold wasn't working for me. She told me that she would call me back but I could tell it was forced. So here we are. No call. No text. We did get a partial text this morning that only said we had an appointment. No time. No date. It's now 4:45 PM and I'm suffering because even after all that's happened I still kind of expected them to show up. What a fool am I for thinking that they might behave differently from AT&T. I'm so discouraged that I'm not even going to call them until Monday when I'm at work. There I can read the e=mails they're sending about their failures and respond accordingly. Meanwhile it's been 13 days since our phone and internet connection failed and 24 days since I 1st called to request service. Oh, and the kitchen sink drain plugged up last night and 20 feet of snake did not alleviate the issue. Also the pipe is now leaking where the p-trap slides in. Wonderful. Plumbing is my favorite thing to do on a weekend. Later. It's still Friday but now it's 7 PM and the RotoRooter dude has come and gone. The kitchen drain has eluded the electric-powered snake. It did so by convincing the spinning snake to go through the air vent instead of down where the trouble is. The dude said something about backward tees or standard tees where they don't belong. Anyway, he ran about 60 feet of that spinning snake through the air vent where it twisted into a rather large knot of steel cable under tension. The dude hopped on our roof to untangle the thing which he had to do twice as it didn't take the 1st time. In the dark. I gather that this is what home owners insurance is for. He'll be back Monday with another dude so that they can unclog our sink. It's a 2 dude job to take the snake through the roof vent so the 1 dude told me and I believe him. By the way, he'll be getting a new snake before then as his old one bit the dust. It got kinked up and apparently that's all it takes to render them useless. That's one mean drain. Meanwhile, the guest bathroom sink is getting an unusual amount of use. All and all, we're wondering what we might have done to deserve this stuff. Is it a sign of things to come? Talk at ya Monday. Peace.

01/04/2020

It's now Saturday, January 4th and we just got a text from Earthlink telling us that our installation is scheduled for January 3rd. Took them a while but at least they actually texted me correctly. Too bad they're a day late and their installation folks didn't show up. Then there's AT&T. I called to get my 4 digit pin number, which is different than the 4 digit number that confirms my account. Without it, I have no access to my voice mail which requires a 4 digit pin number and I have no idea what my my 4 digit pin number is. The woman I spoke to put in the start date of my outage so that they can adjust the bill. Then she offered to transfer me to the line for folks who need pin numbers. I get the usual B.S. advertizing extolling the virtues of their up to date technology. After that I hear a recorded voice telling me that they only work weekdays before they hang up. Needless to say, my voice messages will have to wait until Monday. I'd call AT&T back but it would be a waste of my emergency phone minutes and time. AT&T is really starting to piss me off.

01/06/2020

It's January 6th at 12:30 PM and AT&T has missed their 3rd appointment. It's been 27 days since I 1st called for service and 16 days without service. I called AT&T at 11 AM to check on my appointment and to get transferred to the folks who can help me with my pin number which is different from my 4 digit security number. After the transfer I was told that there would be up to a 10 minute wait. I gave up after 20 minutes of being on hold. AT&T sucks. The hold music really sucked too. I just got off the phone with an AT&T service rep who lied to me and told me that a service person was still on the way. Meanwhile, Earthink has yet to contact me with a new installation appointment time. They told me when I called this morning that their service tech made notes that there was no access. We were home all day. Why no access? Is it the tree next to the pole that's giving them issues? There's clear access to the pole which is where they need access to. Even if that's not it it's time to remove that Scrub Oak. So now I have calls out to several local tree service companies. It never ends. I'll write later today once the AT&T dude shows up but my money is on another no show. AT&T is batting a thousand. It's now 4:15 PM and the Roto dudes have just left the scene. We have use of the kitchen sink again. No call from AT&T service tech. No call from AT&T service center. Could they be trying to reach me on my dead AT&T number? More than likely. No call from Earthlink either. No text telling me when their next appointment will be. Looks like I'll be at work very early tomorrow morning getting caught up.

01/07/2020

It's January 7th, I'm at work and Nancy just called me to let me know that the AT&T repair tech has finally arrived. We learned that their supply cable had grown into the tree and should have been replaced when they did their initial install 3 years ago. They replaced it. The next time she called me was from our home phone number and we were back in business. Still haven't heard from Earthlink. I'll follow up with their story on their 3rd try to install their service in 3 days time.