Facebook Follies: Emauled by Facebook

Facebook behaves as though they own you, or me: just try to remove your Facebook listing,
if you created one, and an outrageously enlightening experience may ensue. I followed all the prompts, sent VERY FIRM emails TO Facebook, promising legal action, etc....but I'm still out there, in limbo in the "cloud", very possibly electronically bothering every person or organization I have ever emailed, quite against my will or prior knowledge. But the young "genius" creator of Facebook, and all his addlepated admin colleagues don't know me: I have age, experience, a fierce tenacity, and a high I.Q. I have and know something else, too: FACEBOOK DOES NOT OWN ME.

About two years ago, I tried MySpace. I wasn't crazy about the setup, so, after ten days, MySpace graciously, easily acceded to my cancel request, issuing me a cancellation
confirmation number. So the technology DOES exist....but Facebook wants to count EVERY
PERSON who ever tried to obtain a Facebook Account, publishing the lamest rationale in their defense, paraphrased to wit: "Well, when someone wants to reactivate his account, it will be
ready..." Oh rubbish! There are new social websites every year (-or month, perhaps) and competition is brisk, so, once a customer, always a customer, like it or not...a numbers game, even if the numbers mislead.

Facebook allegedly already faces some legal embarrassments regarding this and other technical/policy snafus. I suggest these young turks obtain objective, rigorous legal advice, THEN TAKE IT.

Remember the Milwaukee "414's"? They were sooo clever, hacking away with impunity, but
finally caught, embarrassed, brought down a peg or two. This current eproblem is reminiscent
of that scene from years back, but then, history is often repeated, idiot humans refusing to learn
and retain important lessons.

Emauled by Facebook? A class action suit could be in its future.

Stay tuned.

Public Outcry Denies Public "Option"

-Boy oh boy! The town hall I saw, recently televised by PBS, showed me a bewilderingly dangerous lack of understanding among the American polity.

I don't remember what town, which week, which experts appeared on the panel, because I was
immediately overtaken by a shocking insight:

Neither the panelists, nor the audience, seemed to realize what the word "option" actually means. Option means choice, meaning one can CHOOSE...which should not have taken on the politically-loaded, pejorative connotation perceived by the anti-abortion contingent in the U.S. (oh, YES, Democrats ARE involved, so that must mean the issues are exactly the SAME, all across the factual, moral, ethical, practical landscape.)

For anyone still confused, dismissive, or merely suspicious:

Any American would have the right to retain their current insurance provider, purchase private
insurance if they don't have any now, --OR--

Choose THE PUBLIC OPTION. There would, most probably, be income limitations to qualify for the Option, so as to not bankrupt insurance companies across the country. This is not a mandate, command, demand, etc.

Why then, since this seems like a straightforward notion, has The Tower of Babble been erected again over this?

Everybody, this ISN'T THAT HARD.....let's recur to a dictionary when obvious confusion erupts.

A Grave Situation at Suburban Cemeteries

It might be wise to stay in the car these days when visiting your loved one's graves;
cemeteries are the new "strong arm" locations in some smaller suburbs around Chicagoland.
A few thefts have been reported within the past few weeks, possibly more.

At least two savvy ladies I know have changed their "visitation style" recently: They simply drive to within 30 feet of the grave marker, remain locked in the car, windows up and locked, cell at the ready.

The one I'm thinking of was last Sunday, between Noon and 1 p.m., which is somewhat startling,
since most of us probably still generally feel safer in broad daylight; this was a perfect sunny day,
only a few fluff-puffs of cloud....

I have NOT been protected, carefully kept, etc. Somehow, though, this shocked me more for human and aesthetic reasons than the usual painful litany of weapons violence, deaths, etc. This situation, even without violent outcomes, ranks with harm to young children, animals, and...

Remember "Hill Street Blues"? Let's be smart and careful out there.

Can We Let Anybody Fall by the Wayside?

Reams are being written about all the complexities swirling around the current administration's

health care proposals. I propose to simplify the entire agument, because it IS simple, stark

as well:

(1) Those who object to a public health plan simply don't want to contribute to any stranger's

well-being. They don't care what happens to those less fortunate, bitterly resenting the necessity of putting in any of their kale to help someone else....never mind the fact that wealthy Americans
realize their success in this country, so should be willing to do their part and support those in need. Those blessed with wealth better know that they might become needy someday, themselves.

(2) There are other, public health and safety issues which occur when too many are allowed to become ill and untreated: the spread of contagious diseases, like TB, pneumonia, many others. Resentment bred of unfeeling neglect often contributes to a rise in crime, creating more costs,
disorder and tragedy, ultimately undermining the nation's health.

So, yes, let's not let too many fall by the wayside--we could eventually find ourselves there as
well.

The Knee-Jerk Stupidity of Profiling Prof. Gates

If it's true that Professor Henry Louis Gates of Harvard was already inside his home, having proven residency before the officer arrested him, then I think the officer WAS indeed stupid,
and yes, "profiling" (racism) seems to have occurred. This policeman's colleagues didn't distinguish themselves, either; they appeared to be shocked that they could ever be accused of less than stellar behavior. So here's a news flash for them and everybody else: everyone commits acts of stupidity before they die, a bitter, inevitable fact of life. The president was right to defend his friend; I would have recognized Prof. Gates, but then, I've seen him often on PBS.

Mr. Obama, don't bother setting up a future "kumbaya" meeting with this cop, you have far more important issues to attend to--the economy, health care, Afghanistan, foreign relations, etc. You really don't have the time, and shouldn't have the focus.....please move on. Let Prof. Gates, a very capable individual, handle this; he may choose to file for harassment, or take other action.

Meanwhile, the rest of us need you.

Mistaken Mix: Guns and Alcohol

Arizona's governor has just signed legislation permitting guns to be taken into his state's bars.
Has he taken leave of his senses? I bet Arizona police officers and bar owners are jumping
for joy over this one....aren't alcohol-fueled fist fights enough excitement? Just who sponsored
this legislation to begin with? Who gains? It will be interesting to see the reaction after the first
fatality by a gun-toting drunk in a bar. (Good luck!)

To make matters more absurd, the NRA pushed Congress to pass a bill allowing these conceal
and carry gun toters the freedom to travel to any other state with their weapons; the proposal
failed, thankfully, if narrowly. That means some of our representatives have also taken leave
of THEIR senses. Recently a woman dropped her gun in a public washroom stall and it discharged, shooting a woman in the thigh. Has no one on the pro-gun side realized just how many klutzes there are, how many accidental injuries and deaths will occur if everybody is allowed to carry at will?

Just what IS America's love affair with guns about, anyway? Behind it all I detect a massive
insecurity and fear, a keen desire to feel powerful....but carrying a gun doesn't really make someone powerful, just dangerous.

There are much better ways to improve self-esteem.

Errors Galore, These and More

How to choose? I've noticed so many wrong statements and actions lately my head
is spinning! But here are a few:

(1) What was the cousin thinking? She leaves a two year old girl, her cousin, in an UNLOCKED
car, while she runs into a convenience store. When she returned, the child was missing. Why is it
sooo much work to carry a two year old into a store? How careless, thoughtless, and lazy, are the people who employ such a "shortcut"?

(2) The author of a new children's book is spreading a bad idea: It's ok to feed pets chocolate.
But dogs and cats can't eat chocolate, it can be fatal. Sugar Would Not Eat It, by Emily Jenkins,
tells the tale of a cat owner who attempts to feed his cat chocolate cake; the cat, sensibly, turns
up her nose at this treat, refusing it. I didn't read this book, only a review, but if Ms. Jenkins doesn't emphasize the dangers of chocolate here, she is doing a great disservice to pets everywhere.

(3) Now to PETA: Oh good grief, leave Mr. Obama alone! He didn't kill a butterfly or a ladybug,
but a housefly. These insects are filthy, not caring where they alight, such as on a pile of dog
detritus, and they bite. So why the great hue and cry? PETA needs to find something else
to DO.

(4) Then there is the storm chaser who took his 8 and four year old sons along while chasing a giant tornado, getting WAY too close. Where was the boys' mother? Did she approve? What is wrong with this father, anyway? How about the local child welfare authorities, they also dropped
the ball here.

(5) There is also the father who abused his children, one of which is only three, on network TV.
He favored smacking them in the mouth, frequently walking around the house clutching a leather belt. Why didn't the network notify police? It took a neighbor, watching the show, to be alarmed
enough to make that call.

I'm beginning to believe adults who want to have children should be required to be tested and
licensed before being allowed such a privilege.