Recently my father-in-law decided to downsize from a three-bedroom house to a one-bedroom condo. As a result, our family became the beneficiaries of several pieces of furniture. Moving said furniture items from the East Bay to Elk Grove required that we rent a vehicle large enough to do it in one move. Like millions of Americans, we looked to U-Haul.
My wife went on the internet to make the arrangements. We decided to pick up the vehicle near our point of origin and then return it to a location near our house. My wife selected the ten-foot-long truck. Upon review of the dimensions of the vehicle and the furniture, I had her upgrade the vehicle size to one fifteen feet in length about five days before the move.
On the day of the move, we discovered that the pick-up location had been changed to one about eight miles further away. When we arrived to pick-up the rental truck, we were asked where to drop-off the truck. Apparently, the location near our home was not open on Sundays so I had to pick a place further from our home. We selected one that was open Sundays from 9 AM to 4 PM. We signed the paperwork and were off on the moving adventure.
Five of us loaded the truck in about an hour. After eating lunch and touring the new place with grandpa, we headed back to Elk Grove. We got home just after 5 PM and unloaded the truck. Shortly after 6 PM we had emptied the vehicle. As far as we could tell, all the U-Haul locations near us were closed so we got ready to drop-off the truck on Sunday morning as scheduled.
I took the truck to Safeway for fuel because it was the cheapest gasoline that I could buy on the route to the rental place. Not being familiar with the vehicle, I overfilled the gas tank from the level required on the contract.
I then drove to the special U-Haul location that was open at this time of the morning on a Sunday to drop off the truck. I followed my GPS instructions to the letter. I ended up at a place with Tattoo painted on it in 2 ½ foot letters.
Photo via Google streetview
This place was supposedly an auto repair business. The building was buttoned-up tighter than a … (sorry no metaphor really comes to mind so make one up yourself). All the rolling doors were shut, and all the walk doors were too. On the paper from U-Haul it said call this phone number when you arrive. I called the number and it tried to go to voicemail but couldn’t because the voice mailbox was not set-up.
OK, so the business is closed, no one answers the phone number provided by U-Haul, oh, and I had 45 minutes to turn the truck in or I would be charged another day’s rental. The building had two small U-Haul signs on it, so I knew it was the right place. Upon further examination, there was a U-Haul logo near one of the walk doors, this was a key drop. (Tiny white box on wall behind white car in center of above photo.)The key drop had a sign above it with a URL to go on the internet and return the truck.
I entered the URL in my fancy Samsung phone. It asked me for my last name and a phone number. As I began to click thru the prompts, the program sent a confirmation code to me via text message. I entered the code that was supposed to let me begin the return process and then I got kicked completely out of the program. This happened three times.
In desperation, I tried calling another U-Haul location, but they too were closed. I began looking thru the text messages from U-Haul looking for a lifeline. I found a link in one of the messages sent before I picked up the truck. It was a direct link to the return process. Finally, I could begin the self-check-in.
The check-in process was multiple pages of yes or no questions mixed with requests to take photos of various types related to the truck and upload them directly to U-Haul. Once I had completed what I thought was the process, I got hit with another screen. This one for going over the mileage. The overage in mileage was due to the moving of pick-up and drop-off locations.
Interestingly, none of the photos taken with this U-Haul provided URL were stored on my phone. They were uploaded and then gone.
So, from the time I was handed the keys to the truck, I never interacted with another human again., U-Haul never told us that humans were irrelevant to the rental return process, not even the biker looking guy that handed us the keys.
Total cost from Pleasanton to Elk Grove $376
Truck Rental $312
Gasoline $55
Over mileage charge $9
So, if you’re looking for an adventure in moving, be sure you have patience and a good internet signal. You’ll need it.
Meal kits are becoming very popular, with all kinds of players entering this space: Sun Basket, Home Chef, Blue Apron to name few. Recently Albertson’s parent of Safeway bought Plated, and I was offered a free kit with my club card. Johnnie Does loves free stuff, so I had to check this out. The selection was not great, and they were a little picked over, and frankly there were some really exotic meal kits available. I chose steak au poivre, of the other kits available, there was Moroccan chicken, shrimp with glass noodles, and lasagna. This review will differ from my other reviews as ambiance does not apply.
Meal in a box: Steak au Poivre for two
First an introduction, meal kits are very popular. In essence you sign up for service and they send you a meal kit for two, proportioned out and essentially ready to cook. These kits usually run about $20 each and you can pick what meals you want sent so you don’t end up with tofu with marijuana buds. Just kidding about the last part, but they cater to every lifestyle, active, dieting, keto you name it. The steak kit is a meal for two consisting of steak, kale, and fingerling potatoes; also it came with all spices/liquids to fix the meal. That’s right you cook it yourself. A very detailed direction manual came with it, walking you step by step to complete each part of the meal.
Step-by-step instructions
First I had to cut the potatoes in half length-wise, put them face down on a baking sheet, season with salt, pepper and olive oil and bake for 12 minutes. While they were baking I had to sear the steaks on a pan on the stove, I minced a shallot (fancy name for an onion) and added half of it to the potatoes and roasted for another 10 minutes. When the steaks were done I removed from the pan, and in a different pan added the kale (I had to chop it), olive oil, and garlic and cooked that down. While that was occurring I had to prepare the sauce for my steaks, it consisted of cooking wine, cream, and black peppercorns, all included with the kit. This took a few minutes, using the same pan with the steak’s juices. Just like that, it was time to plate the meal. Easy 4.5/5
Front to back– kale, steak, taters, onion, drug bottle
I was eating this kit by myself, so I plated it all on one large plate, sliced the steaks, and poured the sauce over them; I added some to the roasted potatoes as well. The kale cooked down nicely and I placed it between the potatoes and the steaks. The meal was very tasty, I’m not a huge kale fan but you cannot make any changes to the kit. 4.7/5
Overall: The ingredients were fresh so that was a definite plus; the directions were super easy to follow. All the spices and other items were included, so it saved on last minute trips to the store. The meal was awesome, but now the hard part, the negatives. The meal doesn’t seem like 2 people could eat it and then be full, almost like you needed a dessert or an appetizer. Additions and subtractions can’t be made, so you’re stuck with the box’s contents. You will use quite a bit in terms of dishes, this meal called for a baking sheet, and 2 different pans, so in essence you will fill the dishwasher up. On the issue of pricing; $20 seems fair if it’s being shipped to you, which all of these companies do by the way, however the cost of said ingredients are far less expensive at the store. I understand convenience, and most people cannot cook these days, so I guess it’s a decent product. Seems like a really cool date night, or like a night with the spouse dinner, but I think overall it’s a bit pricey, now for $15 like it’s advertised sometimes, I would be intrigued. I’ll go 4.5/5 I like the concept and ease of the meal, and you can get quite adventurous as well.
Not a day goes by where I (a millennial mind you) hear older generations crapping all over mine. You know the criticisms, they are dumb, addicted to their phones, aren’t motivated, what do they do all day? etc. etc. etc. While in most cases these denunciations are correct, you were the enabler!
This started back during school for us, when you as parents would make excuse after excuse for our misbehavior, poor productivity, or general laziness. “He is a good kid”, “She has a learning disability”, “His homework is at home we left too quickly”, etc. Sure on occasion you may have spanked us, grounded us, sent us to bed without dinner; however, these were also enabling tactics, as the following day you acted as if nothing happened. You made us play basketball, football, soccer, baseball, band, you name it, we gorged on activities year round, your enabled us by burning us out. By burning us out, we couldn’t compete on a sports team in high school, so we came right home after school, sometimes 3 hours before a parent would return from work. We never did our chores, but that’s ok because you said “homework” was more important but we usually had none so we played on the video game system you bought for us or dabbled in drugs.
We spent our homework hours with Master Chief
You caught us, but you remembered your own drug use, so you let it pass, rationalizing that “it’s a fad.” You caught us cutting class, cheating, etc. yet you still let us hang out with our friends, because we needed a social life. You let your daughter dress however she wanted, leaving little to the imagination, now you’re upset she has self-esteem issues. However due to your absenteeism, she has downloaded Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and any other app, only to see other girls half-dressed looking better than her and as a result she wants plastic surgery. Mental health anyone? As a result, we no longer talk to people like adults, we now exist only in cyberspace as an anonymous internet bully. We talk to people the same way, we tell our parent to f*** off, shut up, etc. Our own parents, those who brought us into the world…. However, you never punished us. Again, indicting your generation. We speak through emojis, texts, and emails, we have “friends” not friends.
We fell in love with TV, specifically “reality TV.” This molded our thoughts and started a sympathetic mentality. We binged on “My 600lb Life”, “Teenage and Pregnant” and “John and Kate plus 8.” As adults, you should have told us this is no way to live our lives.
Instead these people have become sympathetic figures with us wanting social justice for them. This combined with teachers who run their classroom like a courtroom, not allowing a difference of opinion, have now made two generations sympathetic and now have deeply ingrained beliefs of equality. It is no longer what you believe or think, it’s how you feel. Poor Caitlyn Jenner should use any bathroom she wants. Colin Kaepernick should be allowed to kneel during the National Anthem because that is him expressing himself. The “Octomom” is a single mother who should get all the care she needs.
Colin Kaepernick of the SF 49ers kneels during the anthem
We have been ingrained to ignore the plight of the working person, forcing them to subsidize the life of people who make horrendous life choices.
Your lack of parenting caused us to identify with a group as opposed to listening to you. We have a tribal mentality as opposed to a family or faith based mentality. We rely on the opinions of friends and close associates as opposed to thinking for ourselves or real life experiences from you. As a result, our friends and teachers have molded our thoughts, all while you looked the other way. You may try to retort, but we saw it on TV, and everyone is watching/talking about the show.
Your generation didn’t stop there, you expected us to attend college whether we were prepared or not under the guise that “no degree means no good job.” Our teachers agreed, clearly this ideal worked for them. It was almost as if the college imperative was a form of collusion amongst your generation. Our professors got in on it as well saying a salary offer of 70k a year or less is a slap in the face with a degree from our institution. We drank deep and long on this Kool-Aide offered to us. So we went to college, signing on to significant student loan debt, all the while majoring in; political science, the humanities, communication, or sports management….all worthless degrees in the real world. On freshman move in day at the dorms, you even bought booze for us, your offspring. You wanted to be the cool parent and what better way for us to meet people. Sadly, lesson learned. You taught us the rules didn’t apply. Even worse, the go-go days of easy credit and a fake economy were booming so you bought a boat, way bigger house, two big vehicles, put a pool in…everything was great, if you got it flaunt it, forget keeping up with any Jones’s you were the Jones’s.
Then things stopped, it got very ugly….your boat? Sold it to try to cover house payments. You or your spouse or both of you lost your jobs. The cars were repossessed and the house foreclosed on. Rather than blame your own splurging, you blamed the banks, or President Bush or Clinton, depending on your party of choice, they ruined everything. Those job offers we were promised? The guaranteed salaries? Nowhere to be found. Instead, we graduated with a mountain of debt and moved right back home, albeit a likely smaller version of it. You made excuses about the economy being bad and rather than implore us to get jobs, you paid our bills and looked the other way. We tried pushing the “reset button” yet this is not a video game, it didn’t work. That 70k a year? You parents aren’t clearing that anymore, if you ever really did. Oh and we just fell off our parents insurance, because Republicans. You kept paying our bills and the excuses continued. Now you want us to be independent. We balked because we enjoy you paying for everything while we live our lives like any MTV star or Kardashian did. You then realized retirement was on hold due to you still paying your adult child’s bills. It’s ok though, you moved us out of the house, but you would still cover the rent for a year; which has turned into 3 years. You also pay all utilities because we says it isn’t fair that we pay. I have customers who continue to pay expenses for their child who is now married: car, rent, phone, cable, and insurance payments.
Worse yet, the ones who are somewhat independent go right back to your old bag of tricks when they don’t get their way. “I never got a bill!” “Yeah, I did pay it!” “No you’re wrong.” Fear not, dad and mom were there to bail you out again, so it continues. Then Christmas came (or your inspired word for “the Holidays”) and you spent the time with us sad that no son-in-law (or daughter-in-law) and grandkids were present. Again you went into helicopter mode. You made a million excuses and tried to convince us to get a partner. Our response, “I am looking.” You retort that we weren’t looking hard enough so you found one for us. Predictably, it didn’t work out and you blamed us. Still barely employed, you tried to get us to find some motivation…sorry. We rebelled against you. You told us this was a land of milk and honey, it wasn’t. We abandoned any values or ethics you thought you taught us…they, like the good paying jobs, are gone forever. You tried to instill discipline, but you failed. We haven’t heard the word “NO” before and, you unprepared, did not realize that like you, we mastered the art of excuse making and rhetoric. The student has become the master. You told us the government would handle our retirement but that prospect looks very bleak. You told us hard work pays off, that didn’t translate into a job. You showed us how to live a lie; however, that lifestyle isn’t available anymore. You filed bankruptcy and got a clean slate. We can file, but our student loans aren’t dischargeable (yet). Everything we were told ended up being untrue, so we now have a jaded view of just about anything, and now we are stuck.
You couldn’t understand why we voted for Obama in masse, or why we flock to Sanders, Warren or Booker, yet strayed far from Hillary. Truth is Obama represented a hope, everything you told us about, then he failed us, and he, just like you, fired up the excuses. We rebelled on Trump because he reminds us of the current you; someone angry with results and determined for to force a change. Harris, Warren and Sanders represent the values we want, no corporations, no debt, and no hard work, and the ultimate benefit, payback to your generation for the lies you told us.
For those of us who are married and with kids, you are likely still providing a roof over our heads and in most cases paying for everything else. You can’t understand why we don’t vaccinate our kids, but we point to obscure internet articles stating vaccinations cause autism, ignoring the grave history of measles, polio, and tetanus. But still you defend our position even though it is wholly without merit.
Concluding thoughts: While your descriptions and stereotypes are correct, fault lies with you. Harken back to the days of our youth when everyone was getting a trophy in their sports league, even though keeping score was looked upon unfavorably. Everyone was a winner, and even if we lacked the talent or ability, we were told how great and inspiring we were!
If you had fun, you won!
The seed was planted and later when we tried out for a high school team and inexplicitly got cut, devastation ensued. Remember when we got our first job and when told by a supervisor we made a mistake, again devastation, why is that? Because we were told our entire life how great of a job we did, and the word “no” never computed. So what if we were 20 minutes late…again. We are finding out the “real world” isn’t a TV show run on MTV when we were younger. Actions have consequences, things your parents shielded us from. You allowed us to hang out with like-minded friends, we got tattoos, we dyed our hair, we got piercings, etc. you said we were out of line but again no consequences. Remember when you went out for date night downtown, and you, act surprised that you had a waitress with pink hair, a bartender with many tattoos, and a nary a “normal looking” person to be found. Guess they has parents like you too.
I know what you’re thinking, chain restaurant? Has Johnnie gone soft on us? He literally put a store out of business…. rest in peace Side Burn BBQ. However, we saw a commercial for loaded queso fajitas and were intrigued. We found a $5 off coupon in a local newspaper, which conveniently doubles as flooring for a pet’s cage! Here is the review.
Ambiance: It’s a chain so it’s hard to quantify it, but no hostess during the height of lunch hour is a bad look. I seated myself at the high-top table near the bar and was predictably ignored by the wait staff and bartender (it’s her serving area) for about 15 minutes. They had very loud music blaring on the sound system which didn’t make for the greatest experience but at last I was helped. I ordered the loaded queso shrimp fajitas, and a water. The waitress informed me she was also the manager; I respect the hustle and won’t downgrade too many points here. Nevertheless, prior to helping me, she was seated at the bar eating lunch…. whoa that’s weird! Why are employees eating at the peak time that they should be waiting on customers? Well, like the Col Sanders ad or any hands-on manager you see on T.V., at least she eats the food produced in her kitchen! Generally, the place seemed very disorganized, with patrons approaching any crew member to ask if they could cash them out, or place and order etc. Possibly the worst and making it a lower grade was a crew member (female) bent over to pick up food scraps near the bar revealing, well let’s just say the secret is no more, Victoria! 3.2/5 on the ambiance, not bad for a chain, but man they need some work.
Menu: Again, it’s a chain so they serve a little bit of everything, burgers, steaks, fish, apps, chicken, it runs the gamut. After finally placing my order, I’m waiting about 10 minutes to score the fajitas. I’m hoping they were worth it. They came out of the kitchen piping hot very similar to a Chevy’s. They did not disappoint!
Loaded queso shrimp fajitas
A large sizzling plate with Spanish rice, peppers, onions, a bunch of shrimp, cilantro and a separate plate with 3 tortillas (not enough) pico de gallo, and cheese, accompanied by some guacamole that Johnnie is heavily allergic to, and asked to BE LEFT OFF!!!!! However, this was awesome! I felt it was a very good deal at $11 after the coupon, but its normally $16 and for lunch that hits a high price point, again understanding it’s a franchise store and increased labor costs, I’d say it’s a solid 4.2/5
Overall: Again it’s a chain, so it is what it is, I don’t know if I would take a date their but it’s a decent place, and at the end of the day it’s like any other place; you know what you’re getting and that is saying something. It has its flaws, but at least they don’t season with Franks Red Hot. 3.7/5. I got my check paid and handed over said coupon. It took about 10 minutes to get a manager to override the system to accept it, so it was like paying with EBT at a local store for food…. oh well.
In this week’s edition, we spoke to a charter school leader regarding the future of charter schools in California.
Charter school expert
If you’re not aware, charter schools are kind of a hybrid, they get all their funding from the state just not as much per student as traditional public schools. The teachers are not union, but get CalSTRS (California State Teachers’ Retirement System) pensions. Charters are in demand and frequently have a lottery to determine admission. Charters have been popping up all over the country as an alternative to poor performing public schools; usually in the inner-city with high numbers of people of color. To say traditional public schools hate charter schools is putting it lightly. As a result they have been under siege in California. No less than four bills are floating around the capital trying to limit/reduce the number of charter schools in this state. One bill wants a permanent cap on the number of charter schools in the state, with new schools allowed to open only after one closes, so no growth.
I had a conversation on this subject with an executive at a group of six charter schools in the Sacramento area and to call this person naïve is an understatement. Here are a few examples that this person didn’t perceive as threats to charter schools.
This person had no idea that there was even a movement in the legislature to restrict or limit charter schools, let alone a series of bills for this express purpose working their way towards the governor as we spoke. Please keep in mind that the livelihoods of this person and their employees are at stake here.
The state has tightened their grip on local schools with such mandates as serving hot meals for breakfast and lunch; however, charters have no facilities or capabilities to comply. The person that I spoke with is under the belief that the traditional districts are willingly going to pick up the stack in this area since they have a good working relationship. Such wishful optimism is literally sticking your head in the sand. At some point, charters will be forced under the authority and control of traditional districts. In this particular case, they have charter schools operating in areas governed by three different traditional districts. While the EGUSD (Elk Grove Unified School District) is doing decent financially, Sacramento City Unified is a complete dumpster fire. If you don’t think Sac City isn’t gunning for your state per capita money then you are very naïve.
This person speaks about the curriculum being different from traditional public schools….this is disingenuous at best and an outright lie at worst. The state dictates the curriculum (he who has the gold, makes the rules) and if you don’t teach it….well, you’ll pay for it. Ask the Blog Father, he knows someone who is a teacher at a public school, not teaching the curriculum gets you “axed the question.”
Adding insult to injury, this person is completely aloof to what public schools can “offer.” A cynical view is that basically the only difference between traditional public schools and charter schools is about $7K in teacher pay. This naïve person scoffed at the notion of teachers leaving charters for public schools over money because get this…. “they drank the Kool-Aid.” (Bonus: this person had no clue where the drink the Kool-Aid saying came from.) On the one hand, such a comment is calling their staff mindless drones incapable of thinking for themselves, yet also thinking they are superior for working at a charter?
I think a drill to unionize charter schools is in play and will be seen in the next few years. I foresee a scenario in which the state’s education apparatus becomes more hostile to charter schools and uses the power of the budget to compel them to merge with existing districts or else…
Controlling benefits and linking them to union membership is the reason why you will never see a mass exodus from the CTA. Teachers get no benefits or legal representation without union membership. If charters were denied these benefits without union membership, their teachers would jump ship in a heartbeat.
The problem here is this, this charter group is banking on Fortune Charter schools (led by a black lady) carrying their water. This group didn’t even know about a charter school protest being held at the capital literally a stone’s throw away from one of their schools! Leaving Fortune to fend for themselves!
Margaret Fortune–Charter School leader (not interviewee of this post)
Turns out this group, like many other charters, would prefer not to “stir the pot or speak up.” Problem is they are likely going to be legislated right out of existence in California. The CTA (Communist California Teachers Association) is very strong and a huge player in this state, they want charters gone and charters seem to have no interest in speaking up or defending themselves.
Unions equate charter schools with corporate greed
I could throw in a, they came for the gypsies first, then the Pols, then the Russians, … but I won’t stoop to that level; since I’m a Trump supporter, it would be racist.
Hopefully the charter schools don’t get whacked, but I can’t think of many reasons to keep them around, as this group of schools have been accused of grade inflation.
“What’s up ya bastads. It’s me, the troll. My folks are gone for the three-day weekend, so I’m back for my take on the news that needs abuse.”
Rep. Jarrold Nadler faints while at a news conference with Bill De Blasio.
Jarrold Nadler takes a dive
I guess he was reacting live after reading the non-redacted Mueller Report!? Must stink when you pin all your hopes on collusion and its literally gone in a few minutes. I do hope he had to wait at the ER for 3 or 4 hours like the rest of us plebes living under Obamacare; at least then, he’d get a taste of his own medicine. Oh, wait, Congress exempts themselves from the same laws that they expect us to live under; especially when it comes to benefits and insider trading. You don’t really think they come out of Congress as millionaires because the salary is so great, do you? Also, that’s got to be a sociopathic move wearing your pants up to your pectorals, but maybe it’s a New Jersey fashion thing?
Rachel Madcow
Lastly, anyone want to take a bet that mad Rachel Maddow will report that Nadler hit the deck as the result of an older white male wearing a Make America Great Again hat brandishing a firearm?
Bradley/Chelsea binary manifestations of same person
The con artist pardoned by Obama Is headed back to the joint for refusing to testify against fellow Benedict Arnold, Julian Assange. This “person”, actually I should call Manning “a thing,” used to be an intelligence analyst for the army. Doesn’t seem too intelligent to me ignoring a Grand Jury’s order to testify but neither is chopping off your manhood. Manning will now head to jail, no word on which gender he/she/it will select or identify with while in prison, but I don’t think Obama can grant a pardon again!
You just can’t fix stupid and some people have a terminal case. Maybe an appropriate punishment would be having to live in Assange’s poop stained, dirty as hell room with no Internet in the Ecuadorian Embassy. Does our federal prison system cover a sex change if it decides it wants to become a man again or is that only in our fine correction system in here California? I hear California’s prisoner medical care is second only to that given to members of Congress. Regardless, I really wish this idiot would take a long walk off a short pier.
This is really bizarre; you can be ground up like hamburger and made into compost. This really is strange. Sounds like burial by The Sopranos.
Like how trippy would it be? Aunt Ethel dies, you get this compost, spread it around your cherry tree, and later harvest the fruit which is very bitter…just like Aunt Ethel! Or spread around your pot plants, and watch them die…how ironic would that be? How soon until this becomes the choice of serial killers all over the world? I can picture the call to police, “The dead person I’m reporting? She was adopted and I have no indication of any next of kin…grind‘em up please!” What if they did this to the guy who played fat bastard in Austin Powers?
Austin Powers fat bastard
Can you order your compost like you get ground beef? 93% lean or 80% lean? That state is trippy, and not just because they legalized pot. This seems like a great loophole for the mob to use.
Editor’s Note: This law sounds like a strange cross of Dorothea Puente and the movie Fargo. If only Dorothea had run the old people thru the woodchipper first and then planted them in her garden, she’d be righteous. Then she could have continued collection their Social Security just as long as the dead still voted Democrat. She was just ahead of the times. Speaking of that, Charlton Heston was a prophet of the future because now Soylent Green isn’t just people, its grandma.
Elephant Bar restaurant in Citrus Heights to close.
Elephant Bar in Campbell
I assume this means the bar part of the restaurant too? Is this discriminatory against fat people? They should be able to congregate somewhere too. I guess this means every brand with connections to the Republican Party (Elephant) is leaving California, what a sad time to be a member of that party in this state.
Mississippi state representative Doug Macleod punches his wife in the face after taking too long to undress to have intercourse with him.
This is the ultimate power move, talk about an Alpha male…. when the broads get out of line punch ‘em in the face! Don’t even stop to think that women have an extra article of clothing to remove, just punch ‘em! Or maybe this guy could mix in a little blue pill, and just seek medical assistance if it lasts longer than 4 hours! Imagine what this guy would do if he ordered a hooker….wow just wow. I’m sure the police report is pure gold…yeah, she took too long to remove her pants…so yeah, I punched her! I tell you what, if he did this to that little minx at the salsa bar, Johnny Does jail time would be an interesting blog…maybe William can suggest it?
The worst kept secret of the 20th Century is out again, a news story was published over the weekend that civil rights icon, Martin Luther King, cheated on his wife with 40 to 45 different women–many that the FBI has on tape. He also participated in orgies and rape. J. Edgar Hoover had him dead to rights, but I guess Attorney General, Bobby Kennedy, didn’t see what the big deal was.
FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover
The tape sounded like a typical weekend at the Kennedy Compound. Heck had things turned out differently, Uncle Teddy and Chris Dodd would probably invite King over to share a sandwich or two. Maybe Dr. King had a different dream that he never shared publicly about a blond, a redhead, and a brunet all peacefully frolicking together…. Anyway, King is quoted in the article as telling one of the women that what he was about to do was good for her soul. So, when she screams, “Oh, god” he adds his “Hallelujah”? Not letting reality get in the way of a useful narrative, I don’t think King will be added to the pound metoo list.
That will do it for this installment of troll on the news. I’m going to head back under my bridge; hopefully a homeless man didn’t execute a hostile takeover since I left!
Disclaimer: this is a mostly satirical reaction by a fake journalist to real news.
In the circle of people we know here at ReallyRight, are some gents, try as they might, just can’t seem to find the “right” girl. After hitting their mid-to-late 20’s, the selections dwindle. By the time men enter their 30’s, it’s just darn hard to find a women without the baggage that accompanies broken relationships.
Guys take heart, for your problems may be solved. No more do you need to rely on Grindr, Tindr, Retriever, Dogpatch, Match, or other websites. No, all you need a few simple items: Your good ole Facebook account and “… (about $50), along with two goats, a pig and some yams.”
What a bargain. For the same price as a date to Ruth Chris’ Steakhouse and a bottle of wine you can have your very own wife.
Below are excerpts from Monica, a real Facebook bride.
Monica, 16, is one of two sisters sold as wives to men who found their photographs on their father’s Facebook page and contacted him. She and her 14-year-old younger sister never wanted to get married until …
The sisters belong to the Becheve community, a large tribe of 17 villages in Obanliku where there is a long tradition in which young girls—often referred to as “money women” or “money wives”—are sold in exchange for food or livestock or cash, or to settle debts.
Their respective husbands got in touch with their father after seeing the Facebook page where he posted photos of his six daughters to draw the attention of his tribesmen. The men of the clan have found the new technology helps to extend and expand their … traditions.
“My father knew nothing about Facebook until my elder brother bought him a smartphone and convinced him to join Facebook and post our photographs whenever he likes,” Monica told The Daily Beast.
“It is young people who convince old men to look for wives on Facebook,” said Monica
In effect, they use Facebook, quite literally, as a face book, although the actual exchange of money or goods does not take place online.
So gents, here’s another avenue to explore for relationship opportunities.
Disclaimer
Getting married is a risk which may cause you great distress instead of happiness. Brides come as is, with no instructions, pre-nup, or warranty. The article implies that such women are trainable and willing to work but that is based on the testimonial of one bride and may not be your experience. If this doesn’t work for you, please sue Facebook and not us because they have lots more money. Thanks — ReallyRight management
Last week, I accompanied my family along with 16 eighth graders and some other adults to Washington D.C. The tour was thru an organization called “World Strides”. The cost is about $2,300 a person which included airfare, meals, admission to all venues, tour guide and bus to haul you about the area.
I plan to blog about the various places that we visited in future installments but to begin with I wanted to address the question of what makes DC different? Donald Trump and others call this region “The Swamp”. In the 1970’s Gary S Paxton called it “Potomac Fever”. Over the years, others have questioned whether there is something in the water that makes D.C. different. In short what makes this region so disjointed from the rest of the country. However, this is question is phrased, it remains, “Why don’t our representatives represent us?”
I will offer a few thoughts based on my brief observations.
Washington DC is a rich and prosperous area. With trillions of dollars flowing thru the Federal government coffers, having a bureaucracy able to direct this amount of wealth is a daunting task. Government produces nothing but consumes much. Tens of thousands work in and around DC in support of “Uncle Sam”.
As the nation’s capital, much of the best housing, entertainment, and goods available are readily accessible. Gasoline is over a dollar a gallon cheaper than California. Housing costs are high but so are wages. Also, much housing is available just outside the District. Roads are not well maintained but mass transit of various sorts is accessible as well.
One thing that is clear is that elected representatives never have to interact with the public unless they choose to do so. While touring Congress, we entered thru the public entrance and elected folks have a private entrance. Members have token office space at the Capital and larger accommodations at nearby office buildings.
One example of the disconnect between California and its representatives is the statues on display in the capital building. Each state gets two statutes—typically bronze or marble—to represent them. I recall seeing Thomas Edison, Robert E Lee, Jefferson Davis, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, etc. The statutes representing California were Ronald Reagan and Father Junípero Serra.
Reagan was a President from California (as was Richard Nixon) and both were Republicans. I can understand Reagan but I’m not sure the average voter in the once Golden State would agree. Folks, I doubt the Reagan statute would be allowed to be prominently displayed, if at all, in our own Capital in Sacramento.
Ronald Reagan bronze statue in Capital Rotunda
The second statute, an image of Father Junípero Serra, represents California too. In the current political climate, there is no way in hell that Father Junípero Serra would be regarded by those in power as a representative of what is unique and good about California. Last I heard, Serra was about to get the Christopher Columbus treatment and be purged from our history and recast as an exploiter of native peoples. Serra was not the face of salvation and Christianity but an enslaver and exploiter of those that were—up to that time—living in blessed harmony with nature.
Father Junípero Serra lifting high the Cross of Christ
Visitors to our nation’s capital get to see both statutes as those that represent California’s best. Apparently, the California contingent led on the House side by Maxine Waters, Adam Schiff, and Nancy Pelosi and on the Senate side by Diane Feinstein, Barbara Boxer, and Kamala Harris have never noticed the incongruity or really don’t believe all the B.S. that they spout when they are back home.
Those elected to D.C. are part of an exclusive club that is far more select than the so call one percent. These guys get drivers, armed security, special access, and are part of the aristocracy of power that makes our world go around.
Occasionally they make honest mistakes which in their world means when they are honest that it’s a mistake. Take our local jewel of colossal ignorance, Doris Matsui. For many years, Doris listed her residence as Maryland not California.
Sacramento Democratic Rep. Doris Matsui has repaid $2,800 in back taxes on her $1.5 million Maryland home after state officials said she received tax breaks for erroneously claiming it was her permanent residence. Matsui, 65, indicated earlier this year that she wanted to withdraw her application for the tax breaks and that she would voluntarily repay the back taxes, said Robert Young, associate director of Maryland’s tax office. The tax credit she sought is a homestead tax benefit for residents of Maryland. Young said Matsui had to answer a questionnaire that asked whether her property in Montgomery County, Md., was her “principal residence” and whether she was registered to vote in the state, among other things.
Matsui said she has paid in full; however, the state of Maryland disagrees. Young said Tuesday that Matsui still owes thousands and that she will be assessed penalties and interest for not paying back taxes dating to 2005. “What I can tell you is those monies have not been repaid,” he said. Rob Hagedoorn, chief of Montgomery County’s Division of Treasury, said Matsui and her husband, Robert, the former congressman who died on Jan. 1, 2005, in all likelihood had received the tax break even before 2005.
Matsui lied for many years, as did her husband before her, just to get a tax break. But I disagree about one thing, Matsui lied, not about her principal residence being in Maryland, but that her principal residence is in Sacramento. Truth is that she hasn’t lived in the area for decades. She is only occasionally in the area near election time. She doesn’t represent anyone in California, she is a Democrat first and a loyal vote for their leadership and thus insulated from the consequences of her stupidity—as long as she votes right.
Sorry, I can’t quantify what’s wrong with “The Swamp” but for those of us outside that bubble, its easy to see what’s wrong with it. I hope the examples above illustrate that fact.
I know many are talking about the movie Unplanned and rightly so but being pro-life is more than being opposed to abortion.
Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
James 1:27
I saw this story about not just visiting orphans but loving them. Surprisingly, it is from the Washington Post. In journalism class, this was called a human interest story.
Two years ago, Liz Smith, director of nursing at Franciscan Children’s Hospital in Brighton, Mass., was headed toward the elevator at work when she saw her: a tiny girl with bright blue eyes and a single soft brown curl swept across her forehead. “Who’s this beautiful angel?” Smith asked the nurse who was wheeling the infant down the hall. “Her name is Gisele,” the nurse told her. The infant, a ward of the state, had been at the hospital for five months, but Smith had never seen her before. Smith learned that Gisele, then 8 months old, had been born premature at another hospital in July 2016, weighing just under 2 pounds. She had neonatal abstinence syndrome — a result of her birth mother using heroin, cocaine and methadone during pregnancy. The state of Massachusetts took custody of Gisele when she was 3 months old and transferred her to Franciscan Children’s because her lungs needed specialized care, and she had a feeding tube. The baby did not have a single visitor in her five months at the hospital.
