Comments for Cog in the Wheel

Comment on Where is the line of overreaction? by A.Y. Siu

A.Y. Siu — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:19:43 +0000

That’s a toxic work environment. You aren’t overreacting. Unfortunately, if you complain, your co-workers will consider you no longer part of the water cooler group, or they may retaliate in other ways (think the Friends episode in which Rachel doesn’t get to be part of any projects, because everything happens during the smoke break on the rooftop).

Basically (and unfortunately) you have to decide whether you want to:
1. Raise a stink about it and possibly change your workplace while having your life be made more miserable in the process
2. Just put up with it
3. Switch jobs

Comment on I don’t like dogs by Dog Guy

Dog Guy — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:30:22 +0000

I’m a dog person and am guilty of treating my dog like a member of the family. He’s a labrador retreiver but stays inside mostly. He sleeps with my on the bed with me and my girlfriend. He’s spoiled rotten (yet obiedient) and I enjoy spoiling him. I take him outside frequently for a game of fetch or to go swimming in the pond. I love my dog….love him. He gives me so much joy that I often wonder why other people wouldn’t or couldn’t understand this. I did a google search on why people don’t like dogs and it brought me here. I must say that after reading the posts that I have a much better understanding. It just goes to show that we all have our likes and dislikes…. The next time I have a guest in my home I am going to assume that he/she doesn’t like dogs…just to be safe. I’ve probably unknowingly pissed off a lot of people by assuming that they’ll like my dog as much as me.

Comment on …and it really only gets better after they’re 30 by badphonekarmagirl

badphonekarmagirl — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:50:49 +0000

Not at all pushy! It just helps to know everyone goes through things like this. Actually one of the best thing I’ve done is volunteer to help out by copying things for his teachers. I know what to expect to come home and what they will be working on at school and it allows me to be in contact with the teacher on a weekly basis. It worked better last year when he only had one teacher, still, I am up at the school and see his teachers and they see me. I also see his classmates. It is a win-win for everyone. You help them and you get the benefit of being in the loop. This is the main reason we always know when he is not telling us the truth about his work.

Comment on …and it really only gets better after they’re 30 by poverty_dieter

poverty_dieter — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:30:28 +0000

Hi there! Sounds like you’ve got your hands full. Speaking as someone who has been through it all and has a great kid, here’s some advice: tell your son that you are going to really get to know all his teachers and actually follow through and do it. Don’t tell him that as a threat, but rather act as if it’s the most fun idea in the world. Then, make sure that his teachers send you his weekly assignments. Then, ask to see his assignments every day and make sure they match with what his teachers have sent. If they don’t match, email the teacher and talk to your son. The whole ordeal is such an inconvenience for all involved that it’ll probably clear itself up. At least that’s what worked for me! If your child knows that you email his teachers all the time, he’ll definitely do his homework. If not, your only other solution is to move to a small college town into a middle class neighborhood near the university. Your son will be surrounded by all races of the faculty’s children. He’ll have a broad sense of the world and what he can accomplish from being around all those cool academic types. OR….you can ignore this email. I just reread it and it sounds sort of elitist and pushy. Sorry!

Comment on All we are saying is give pot a chance by jon

jon — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 23:09:57 +0000

Here here! I want medical marijuana to be legal as a foothold for across the board legalization. Can I admit that? Sure I can because 44% of Americans agree – legal for any use. As it is, a prescription can be had for anything in a “medical marijuana state”. And that’s good. We’ve spent so long looking over our shoulders that we are still uncomfortable talking about it in public. Pot should be legal. Say it with me. Pot should be legal. Alcohol does a lot more damage but it’s legal. It’s legal because we tried to do away with it and just empowered a bunch of gangsters. Sound familiar? And think of the tax money!! Lots and lots of people smoke pot. A bunch more would if it was legal. We’ve been ranting so long about why it should be legal…I’d like to hear the argument against from the opposition.
Ok, end of rant. I forget about the cancer patients and the people taking cocktails for life-threatening diseases. I feel a little guilty. They need this. It’s right there and they can’t have it…and it helps. A lot.

Comment on A Beautiful Mind on Healthcare by jon

jon — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 01:21:06 +0000

I don’t think the debate is about health care OR control. I think it’s about change. People still remembered W enough to go out on a limb and vote for someone completely different: Barack Obama. BUT, and it’s a big but, it took a president who, to quote John Stewart, “broke the world” to inspire people to pick up the balls to vote for something so outside the status quo.

And that brings us to healthcare. We know we’re in a financial hole and had to take drastic measures to fix the problem so we “allowed” ANOTHER big change: massive spending. Ironically, everything done by our President seems to be working. The problem he faces is continuing to foment change. Everyone knows the status quo cannot continue but universal healthcare is a lot of change to swallow. It’s not that it’s right or wrong (it’s right) but that it’s change.

If the President wants to get this done, he is going to have to get public opinion to sway the Senate…and that’s why he does talk shows. I just hope it works.

Comment on Crazy Mad by n2blues

n2blues — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 06:06:22 +0000

Same story where I live. eThe school district here is getting inundated with parents complaining that the speech will be aired. The school district is telling them to keep their kid home that day if they are opposed to it.

Interesting way to deal with it. As I think about it, I think I like it. We’ll see how serious they are about their politics when they decide it’s not worth paying for a sitter, or burning vacation time staying home to watch the kids.

I don’t necessarily think the world is going mad. It is just that the nuts make the most noise. Besides, nuts sell…

Get the widow on the set we need dirty laundry…

Comment on Women in the church, Suzie Homemaker and the Pastor on Facebook by jon

jon — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:26:17 +0000

To thine own self be true.
You don’t have to go out of your way to tell the “churchier” members of your tribe that you disagree but you do yourself a disservice if you hide your opinions – you who NEVER hide them!

Comment on Ted and Hope by Splash

Splash — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:31:42 +0000

It is hard to imagine a world without Teddy. Love him or hate him he has been a senator for my entire life.

Unfortunately, it appears that the negative reviews are far outweighing the positives. It is sad that Teddy is remembered by most for Chappequiddick instead of the great words you just quoted.

That being said, he is still a person, a person who died. Politics aside that is always a sad thing. And like any person with a spirit for life, Teddy struggled to survive, using all the resources at his disposal to get the best possible care he could find; but in the end, although time is money, money could buy teddy no more time.

http://splashinthepacific.wordpress.com/2009/08/26/the-power-of-money-the-sands-of-time/

Comment on Speaking Truth in an Emotional Way by jon

jon — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 10:44:04 +0000

Two More Cents

The Republican Party, about the time of the rise of Gingrich, decided to stop trying to run the country directly and to just attack the Democrats, whatever they did. This, they assumed, would seal their control. That is the point where the Grand Old Party went astray. Since that time they have villified intelligence, allowed the likes of Limbaugh and Coulter to assume the roles of spokespersons for their party and, most importantly, worked hard to disassemble all the social advances the Democratic Party had made, especially Social Security. It is some kind of sick plan to prove that the Republican way is the only way, regardless of what it does to the country.

Because of this mentality, and because most Republicans just can’t seem to face the fact that they are no longer in control, they will do ANYTHING to derail health care reform. Every major, 1st world country in the world has it EXCEPT us. How bad can it be?

Republicans have made words like “liberal” and “social” into bad words. They aren’t. Republicans aren’t even worried over losing money from big business anymore. They are afraid of not being in control and will say or do whatever it takes to try to gain control again.