Eminent Domain

Hey, it's only been two months since I posted last. Gimme a break...a lot's been going on. Since y'all don't like to part with money and fund my adventures here, I had to get a real job. It's stressful and leaves me not really wanting to write much.

But, I couldn't pass this one up.

From the Pittsburgh, PA news: U.S. Government Backs Off. Yeah, don't we wish that was true. Seems the Government wants to use eminent domain to seize land for a memorial for Flight 93. That's a great idea! Build a memorial to commemorate the 40 men and women who gave their lives to keep the terrorists from accomplishing their plans on that morning in September of 2001.

It's a 2,200 acre memorial.

Lemme repeat that: it's a 2,200 acre memorial.

The Twin Towers took up only 2 acres of the 16 acre complex. So, what, exactly, are we commemorating with a 2,200 acre memorial? The acreage the government is wanting to seize is currently farm land. Ya know, where people grow things for other people to eat. Like vegetables. And cows. But, we want to take that land and make it a National Park!

Capitalism. Gotta love it.

But, RA! It's a memorial! Indeed! But National Parks ain't free. They charge admission. When was the last time you paid to walk up to the Vietnam War Memorial or the Iwo Jima memorial or the World War II memorial? When was the last time you were charged a fee to visit the battlefield in Gettysburg or the Lincoln Memorial?

I'm sorry, I'm failing to see how a 2,200 acre National Park in the middle of Nowheresville, PA is going to help us remember the 40 souls on Flight 93. "But, they said they'd give the landowners fair market value for the land!" Big whoop. If they open that National Park, they'll make more money in a year than what they paid the landowners. Fair market value my left eye tooth!

The governement really needs to cut the crap and figure out why we're in debt and having to rely on other countries for our goods. Could it be...we like seizing farm land to build highways or National Parks or other things? Chances are likely YES. Eminent Domain reaks of communism. Oh, shhh! We can't use that word because communism is dead! Okay, so socialism...or do you prefer fascism? Whatever ism you want add, it sure ain't deomocracy-within-a-republic-ism.

The founding fathers are probably rolling so fast in their graves that they're causing those earthquakes in California.

Drug-induced Benefits

It's been a long time comin'. I've been saving up my ire for something so controversial and juicy that it just had to be ranted upon.

This is it.

Lemme just say this: If I'm paying for you not to work, you don't get to spend my hard-earned money on drugs.

Period.

I totally and whole-heartedly endorse this. ACLU, SCREW YOU! In this recession, I think it's COMPLETELY fair to know that my money isn't paying for a druggie to continue to get high. I'd like to make sure that the money I'm paying into the system isn't paying to help reinforce a bad and illegal habit. I think I have that right.

Screw privacy issues here. We're not talking about full cavity searches or pat-downs at the airport. We're talking about making sure that the money you're trying to collect for unemployment isn't being squandered on something illegal. Because, you know what? THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING!!! I'm not paying my money for you to sit on your butt and smoke crack while your ninety billion kids from fifty thousand daddies are running about and spray-painting James Hetfield's house.

We've lost our sense of responsibility. I don't think I need to give you links on where I came up with that thought. There's a little thing to the right that lists dates. Pick a blog...just about any blog (except this one, this one, and this one)...and you will be inundated with the stupidity and lack of American responsibility.

It's what I do.

I bring you Darwin's Greatests. This is evidence that evolution is false: survival of the fittest doesn't work. It's survival of the lucky. That's the Leprechaun's thing... along with his pink hearts, yellow moons, green clovers, blue diamonds, and purple horseshoes. Shows how old I am. Lucky Charms used to be mostly "X"'s with the five shapes. I remember when they added the purple horseshoes. I liked the marshmellows, but I actually liked the "X"'s more.

If I wanted marshmellows, I just ate Frankenberry, Booberry, or Count Chocula cereals. I miss those cereals.

Religious Bend

So, God provided.

Yeah, yeah, you think I'm one of those right-wing nutjobs, right? Wrong. I'm very much...not. Most of the right-wingers make me cringe and cry and say, "Please...stop telling people you're one of us...it makes it more difficult for me." I'm not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, but, man, am I ashamed of some of my spiritual family.

Anyway.

I was planning on getting inked on April 6. Why? You ask. Well, ya see, my dad always said that if you were gonna have something permanently etched on your body, you should make sure it's something you could live with. I finally found that thing. The design is a cross made of three nails over 3 sets of wings with the date, March 3, 1982 etched onto the crossbeam. That's it. Why that date? Because that's the date I accepted Christ as my savior. The wings and the cross have personal significance to me and is a blog entry all its own for another time.

Moving on... I decided to move that date back to May so I could use the $200 for the inking for my licensure. Friday, my SO and I went to Santa Monica to sell his grandfather's coin collection. These coins, by the way, were pure silver. We were expecting a couple hundred dollars.

We got nearly $2-grand.

After excitedly calling my potential boss to schedule my final interview, we drove to DriveTime and purchased a used PT Cruiser. I'm still waiting to hear back from John on the interview, but I'm hoping to get everything taken care of within the next two weeks so that I'll be working by mid-April.

I also moved my inking back to the original date and time. The money remaining from all this is going to help us get things together for moving to Chicago.

So. God provides. Even if y'all didn't.

I tease. Thank you for your prayer-support and friendship-support.

More Money Hawking

Yeah, I'm shameless. I need more money.

This time, however, it's for CA-State insurance licensure. That's right, you heard me. I'm very much interested in an opportunity to work for a life insurance company. In order to do it, though, I need a total of $370 for the exam and the course. Who wants to help me out?

The company is AIL/NILICO. I know I can do this job. I know I can make pretty good money. How do I know? Because I've convinced y'all once before to donate money to my cause.

Actually, the job's pretty easy. The product sells itself, there's no cold-calling, the company is very established, and has a high market return (as in 32% of mailers are returned). It's an easy sell and it's a good launch pad into several areas that I could use as "fall back" areas for my life.

The sooner I get the money, the faster I can make it back. They've all but promised that I'd earn the $370 back within the first week in the field. Yes, it's that kind of good job. I won't go into all the details here--I'll save it for when I have interested parties who need work and I'm starting into my management training.

Anyway. There's a donate button to the right. Please use it. If I can get the first $185, I can register for the test. I'd like to do that this week. The other $185 would be to take the class (which I'd have to do before the test). It's 52 hours of work--something I can do very easily and quickly (I did 400 hours in a week... twice!) So. You know you love me.

I know I haven't been updating here. Know why? LIFE. Okay? Life sucks. A lot. To make a long story short, my husband and I were having troubles. Considered a divorce. Not considering that at the moment, anymore. So, getting better. I'll get back to ranting about stuff as soon as I find a bit of stability. A job would help. This job would be VERY helpful.

So, there ya have it. Want more rants? Donate to my "RA Needs a Job" fund.

Personal Experiences

Yeah, yeah, yeah... I haven't updated since January. Chill.

Let me tell you why.

First, I was preparing myself to take the FSOT. It was a lot of mental work and a great experience. I used the study guide and worked on understanding the questions and the reasoning for the questions--not that any of them appeared on my test. The test was to start at 2pm on Wednesday, February 11. I dutifully left my apartment at 12:30pm for the bus with an estimated arrival time of 1:24pm.

That, of course, didn't account for the two-mile-per-hour train that cut through our route. I missed my connecting bus. So, after all was said and done, I arrived at the testing facility AT 2pm. I was the last one to get there. I had called ahead, so they knew I'd be there.

I sat down to take the test and breezed through the questions. The essay questions made my brain hurt, but I had fun with them. I just assumed the people grading the tests would need to laugh at some point...hyperbole can be a lot of fun.

The last to arrive...the first to leave. Great feeling.

Then, I was preparing to leave for Nashville, TN to perform for Band with a Mission. That went well. I'll have video posted of it Soon(TM), but in the meantime, just know that I received average to above average marks. The only negative feedback I received was that I looked tense (mostly because, well, I was) and that I need to move more when I sing--oh, and back off my vibrato. Funny thing about classical training.... you're taught to sing with vibrato as it's the most natural way to sing and you're also taught not to move when showcasing because...they're there for your voice (novel concept).

My stay in Nashville was not without moments of grand stupidity, however. My loyal reader and dear friend, Artemis Tau, decided to take me ice skating. I have the physical dexterity of a flailing marmoset. Sure, I can sorta dance, but strap two pieces of metal to my feet and make me walk on ice and you'll not see anything remotely resembling beautiful. You will, however, see something resembling a muppet.

I'd finally gotten to the point where I did not have to cling to him or the wall in order to remain semi-vertical and we were actually laughing and talking about things other than my falling to the ice (and all the potential injuries I could sustain). Suddenly and without warning, my left skate caught a rut in the ice. So as not to end up in a twisted split, I lifted my left foot...and caught my toe pick on the ice.

If you've never been ice skating and don't know what a toe pick is, let alone what it does, go watch The Cutting Edge, then come back to me.

Now, normally, I can stop my fall with, say, my knees or my hands--but, apparently this time, I put my Double D's to work. I landed diaphragm-first on the ice, knocking the wind out of myself. The diaphragm was very quickly followed by my boobs. Somewhere in there, I smacked my right elbow on the ice, too, but I was too busy coughing and gasping for air to notice. All three other people skated over to me to make sure I was okay. What they asked was, "Are you alright? Is she alright?!" Their answer came as: " I'm fine!" and "I ... think so? She...Uh...RA?" Artemis was probably more frea--no, no, I can't say that. I was pretty freaked out at the not being able to breath thing. He was just worried I'd broken something.

...which I had...

The front closure of my bra.

If I hadn't been a freaking DD, I'd have probably cracked my sternum or my ribs. Lord knows I've got a nice bruise on my chest. Never thought I'd live to see the day where I was actually happy I'd gained weight in my chest.

Beyond that action-packed and comedy-filled moment, I got to sing on stage at the Ryman Auditorium and record "Amazing Grace" in their studio. Nanny, that was for you. I miss you and I love you and I don't think I've ever cried so much in a building as I did at the Ryman. Thank you for believing in me and never giving up hope...when (not if) I get my first award for my vocals...it's for you.

RIP.

MARY ELIZABETH HAMMAKER
November 1915-December 1996

Hope For America

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

As the 44th President of the United States, President Obama made history. Frederick Douglass may have been the first African-American to be nominated to the office of Vice President, but Barack Obama is the first African-American to be elected President. Change is here. Change is good.

...of course...if you listen to the video, you'll notice that he was so excited about change that he couldn't remember the words to the oath. I guess I'm just a cynic, but I found it funny.

Sunday, Bloody Sunday

Okay.

Lemme start this by saying I'm not racist.

I'm about accuracy. And this article from CNN--compelling and empathetic as it may be--is not accurate.

Oh, sure. The events occurred and everything that's in there is true--except for one small thing. Anyone catch it?

The Voting Rights Act of 1965.

This Act did not, in my opinion, do anything. Why do I say this? Because.

IT WAS ALREADY WRITTEN IN THE CONSTITUTION ALMOST 100 YEARS EARLIER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One of my all-time favorite orators is Frederick Douglass. This man fought for what wanted. As a slave, he taught himself to read. He educated himself. He became the very thing that the white men were so afraid of--a literate slave. He escaped his slavery and began speaking around the country for abolition. Do NOT tarnish this man's work simply because there were Southern states who were NOT upholding the US Constitution!

It's there in black and white, folks. Amendment 15, ratified in 1870:

1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

That's right! No STATE can deny the right of a black, red, yellow, brown, pink, purple, turquoise man (at that time) the right to vote. None. Zero. Zip. And the States knew this! How do I know? Because it's a Constitutional Amendment which requires 2/3 majority for ratification.

Guess what?

The Voting Rights Act is REDUNDANT! The Civil Rights Division even states that Act follows the 15th Amendment's wording. They claim that there was no way to effectively enforce the 15th Amendment. Sure there is! If I were to violate the Constitution, my butt get slapped in prison with a felony charge. Why not try levying that on the people responsible for not following the Constitution that they've sworn to uphold?

Oh, right...because the entire GOVERNMENT would be in the slammer.

I fully believe that the government is trying to disempower its own people because, where there's a lack of knowledge and understanding, the people become sheep and accept whatever malarky is shoveled in their faces.

Is the Voting Rights Act wrong? No. It did do some very important things. What is -wrong- is that people believe this to be the time when blacks were given the right to vote.

WRONG.

Blacks had the right to vote (covered in a legal, federal document) in 1870. In some states, blacks always had the right to vote. Don't buy the bull that the 1960's brought all these revolutionary changes that had already happened long before you and I were even thought about. Did great things come out of the '60's? Yep. Is it something to celebrate? If you really want. But, know your history. Know your rights under the Constitution. Know these documents the government likes to say they hold in high regard.

...and when you go on Final Jeopardy, just remember, 1870 granted blacks the right to vote and 1920 gave women the right to vote. Douglass made this very telling statement to a rather vocal Women's Rights advocate: "When women because they are women are dragged from their homes and hung upon lampposts, .....then they will have the urgency to obtain the ballot."

Happy New Year

It's been a while. Sue me. I have this thing called "a life." I happen to celebrate the beginning of that life at a very busy time of year. So, deal with it.

Now that I'm another year older, but not so much wiser, I bring to you more acerbic wit and nasty charm that I know you all love and adore. How do I know? Because some of you have said to me, "When are you going to update your blog?! I miss your twisted view of the world!"

So. For you. I bring you this video.

Do I really need to say anything? I think the news commentators say it best.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, AMERICA! We haven't changed in the least...good to know I will still have plenty of stupidity to report and rant upon this year. I was worried that, perhaps, people had been reading my blog, getting a clue, and thinking.

Glad to see I was only half right.

You guys are just trying to give me material now. I thank you for your generous offers and support.

I will go back to the near daily updates as I am able. As mentioned before, I have a rather important (at least to me) trip coming up in February. So, there will be about a week where you're not going to hear a blip from me. I'll be in Nashville. No, I'm not going red-neck. I'm going to be singing for some music people in the hopes of getting a recording contract.

That's right! Rogue Assassin could be coming to a record label near you! We'll see how things go.

In the meantime, enjoy the cesspool that is the internet. It's flowing with idiocy. Just...try not to fall in, mkay?