UO Thursday!

TXBaby2 · September 2011

I think with all the drama, we forgot about UO Thursday. Let's get this party started!

My UO: All this political spin up over 2012 elections? I don't care. Politics are politics no matter what party you are. And politics are dirty. I guess I stopped caring because nothing ever seems to really change...and whenever I get involved, I just end up frustrated and disappointed.

OK, your turn!

Kitiara5512 · September 2011

I just have a lot of strong opinions right now, and got judgey with family on FB last night. Therefore, I will post one later, after I have calmed down and not so judgey.

KoalaBear103 · September 2011

TXBaby2:

I think with all the drama, we forgot about UO Thursday. Let's get this party started!

My UO: All this political spin up over 2012 elections? I don't care. Politics are politics no matter what party you are. And politics are dirty. I guess I stopped caring because nothing ever seems to really change...and whenever I get involved, I just end up frustrated and disappointed.

OK, your turn!

I missed something??

I have no UO today...yet.

bstrangely · September 2011

i think that people who refuse to get involved in politics are part of the problem. things are a lot better than they were and that took a lot of work. i don't know why our generation doesn't do more with the tools and time we have.

"America at the end of the 1890s.

The litany of complaints may sound familiar, but the truth is that many things were worse at the start of this century than they are today. Then, thousands of children worked full-time in mines, mills and sweatshops. Most workers labored 10 hours a day, often six days a week, which left them little time or energy for family life. Race riots were more frequent and more deadly than those experienced by recent generations. Women couldn't vote, and their wages were so low that many turned to prostitution. In 1900 a white child had one chance in three of losing a brother or sister before age 15, and a black child had a fifty-fifty chance of seeing a sibling die. Children's-aid groups reported widespread abuse and neglect by parents. Men who deserted or divorced their wives rarely paid child support. And only 6 percent of the children graduated from high school, compared with 88 percent today."

and even more people looked like my siggy.

TXBaby2 · September 2011

bstrangely:

i think that people who refuse to get involved in politics are part of the problem. things are a lot better than they were and that took a lot of work. i don't know why our generation doesn't do more with the tools and time we have.

"America at the end of the 1890s.

The litany of complaints may sound familiar, but the truth is that many things were worse at the start of this century than they are today. Then, thousands of children worked full-time in mines, mills and sweatshops. Most workers labored 10 hours a day, often six days a week, which left them little time or energy for family life. Race riots were more frequent and more deadly than those experienced by recent generations. Women couldn't vote, and their wages were so low that many turned to prostitution. In 1900 a white child had one chance in three of losing a brother or sister before age 15, and a black child had a fifty-fifty chance of seeing a sibling die. Children's-aid groups reported widespread abuse and neglect by parents. Men who deserted or divorced their wives rarely paid child support. And only 6 percent of the children graduated from high school, compared with 88 percent today."

and even more people looked like my siggy.

I actually agree with you. That's why I've tried and tried to get involved. And there's a part of me that hates myself for NOT being involved now...and that part of me also admits maybe I'm part of the problem.

But I ALWAYS get let down and disappointed by the same old greed, stubborness, party-line bull$hit, egos, special interest groups, etc.

And here's my CHIEF complaint - I don't identify with any of the major parties. I think it's foolish to think that the American public falls into two major (and a few fringe) categories. THAT'S where I think we need major reform - bipartisanship doesn't seem to be working out too well right now. Wink And I guess I would rather not vote at all than vote for someone that doesn't represent my views because I'm forced to choose from a very, very short list. I would feel like I was compromising my belief system just to say I was "involved". Or I could choose someone that does represent my views, and have that vote count for nothing because it's eclipsed by the majority that vote for one of the two major parties.

AnabelsMama · September 2011

TXBaby2:
bstrangely:

i think that people who refuse to get involved in politics are part of the problem. things are a lot better than they were and that took a lot of work. i don't know why our generation doesn't do more with the tools and time we have.

"America at the end of the 1890s.

The litany of complaints may sound familiar, but the truth is that many things were worse at the start of this century than they are today. Then, thousands of children worked full-time in mines, mills and sweatshops. Most workers labored 10 hours a day, often six days a week, which left them little time or energy for family life. Race riots were more frequent and more deadly than those experienced by recent generations. Women couldn't vote, and their wages were so low that many turned to prostitution. In 1900 a white child had one chance in three of losing a brother or sister before age 15, and a black child had a fifty-fifty chance of seeing a sibling die. Children's-aid groups reported widespread abuse and neglect by parents. Men who deserted or divorced their wives rarely paid child support. And only 6 percent of the children graduated from high school, compared with 88 percent today."

and even more people looked like my siggy.

I actually agree with you. That's why I've tried and tried to get involved. And there's a part of me that hates myself for NOT being involved now...and that part of me also admits maybe I'm part of the problem.

But I ALWAYS get let down and disappointed by the same old greed, stubborness, party-line bull$hit, egos, special interest groups, etc.

And here's my CHIEF complaint - I don't identify with any of the major parties. I think it's foolish to think that the American public falls into two major (and a few fringe) categories. THAT'S where I think we need major reform - bipartisanship doesn't seem to be working out too well right now. And I guess I would rather not vote at all than vote for someone that doesn't represent my views because I'm forced to choose from a very, very short list. I would feel like I was compromising my belief system just to say I was "involved". Or I could choose someone that does represent my views, and have that vote count for nothing because it's eclipsed by the majority that vote for one of the two major parties.

Yes

I think this actually might be a very PO.

sawyerthedestroyer · September 2011

The world would be a better place if it was wrapped in bacon.

bstrangely · September 2011

TXBaby2:
And here's my CHIEF complaint - I don't identify with any of the major parties. I think it's foolish to think that the American public falls into two major (and a few fringe) categories. THAT'S where I think we need major reform - bipartisanship doesn't seem to be working out too well right now. And I guess I would rather not vote at all than vote for someone that doesn't represent my views because I'm forced to choose from a very, very short list. I would feel like I was compromising my belief system just to say I was "involved". Or I could choose someone that does represent my views, and have that vote count for nothing because it's eclipsed by the majority that vote for one of the two major parties.

compromising your belief system? this isn't church. you can see the politicians and chase after them. they're real people and sometimes you can actually make headway.

i used to help run a green group in northern california. i saw more fights between about 20 people who all basically agreed with each other. we wanted to make and distribute reusable bags to the community. simple, right? WRONG! we all voted on a design for the bag and then we couldn't agree on the material/manufacturer. then we realized that we could only afford enough bags from a company that did recycled plastic ones. problem solved, right? WRONG! the woman who made the winning design flips out and withdraws it and quits the group, so we have to start all over.

the icing on the cake? she was the other co-chair's mother. you can imagine that there is some perfect group out there somewhere, that you just can't join so you have to sit on your hands instead of compromising your beliefs.

or you could actually get in there and see if there's something you could support. just voting is never enough.

Kitiara5512 · September 2011

bstrangely:

i think that people who refuse to get involved in politics are part of the problem. things are a lot better than they were and that took a lot of work. i don't know why our generation doesn't do more with the tools and time we have.

"America at the end of the 1890s.

The litany of complaints may sound familiar, but the truth is that many things were worse at the start of this century than they are today. Then, thousands of children worked full-time in mines, mills and sweatshops. Most workers labored 10 hours a day, often six days a week, which left them little time or energy for family life. Race riots were more frequent and more deadly than those experienced by recent generations. Women couldn't vote, and their wages were so low that many turned to prostitution. In 1900 a white child had one chance in three of losing a brother or sister before age 15, and a black child had a fifty-fifty chance of seeing a sibling die. Children's-aid groups reported widespread abuse and neglect by parents. Men who deserted or divorced their wives rarely paid child support. And only 6 percent of the children graduated from high school, compared with 88 percent today."

and even more people looked like my siggy.

I liked the end: The biggest problem facing most families as this century draws to a close is not that our families have changed too much but that our institutions have changed too little. America's work policies are 50 years out of date, designed for a time when most moms weren't in the workforce and most dads didn't understand the joys of being involved in childcare. Our school schedules are 150 years out of date, designed for a time when kids needed to be home to help with the milking and haying. And many political leaders feel they have to decide whether to help parents stay home longer with their kids or invest in better childcare, preschool and afterschool programs, when most industrialized nations have long since learned it's possible to do both.

TXBaby2 · September 2011

bstrangely:
TXBaby2:

And here's my CHIEF complaint - I don't identify with any of the major parties. I think it's foolish to think that the American public falls into two major (and a few fringe) categories. THAT'S where I think we need major reform - bipartisanship doesn't seem to be working out too well right now. And I guess I would rather not vote at all than vote for someone that doesn't represent my views because I'm forced to choose from a very, very short list. I would feel like I was compromising my belief system just to say I was "involved". Or I could choose someone that does represent my views, and have that vote count for nothing because it's eclipsed by the majority that vote for one of the two major parties.

compromising your belief system? this isn't church. you can see the politicians and chase after them. they're real people and sometimes you can actually make headway.

i used to help run a green group in northern california. i saw more fights between about 20 people who all basically agreed with each other. we wanted to make and distribute reusable bags to the community. simple, right? WRONG! we all voted on a design for the bag and then we couldn't agree on the material/manufacturer. then we realized that we could only afford enough bags from a company that did recycled plastic ones. problem solved, right? WRONG! the woman who made the winning design flips out and withdraws it and quits the group, so we have to start all over.

the icing on the cake? she was the other co-chair's mother. you can imagine that there is some perfect group out there somewhere, that you just can't join so you have to sit on your hands instead of compromising your beliefs.

or you could actually get in there and see if there's something you could support. just voting is never enough.

Again, totally agree with you. I'm just talking about political elections here. I'm actually quite involved in my community, and THAT'S where I feel like I'm making a change. I'm an active board member of a local LGBT rights group, was chair of the Dallas March of Dimes campaign for my (very large) company last year, and I volunteer with a green group to plant trees at least every few months.

I guess I didn't even mention it in my UO because I see my involvement in the community as totally different from presidential elections, etc. Maybe that's my UO.

I can see the change I'm making with community involvement. And you're right - no group is perfect. But I don't see how what I do in my community has any effect whatsoever on politicians at the 50,000 foot level. I'd rather help people I can see and actually impact than support someone who doesn't give a $hit about me.

And I don't go to church - my belief system does mean a lot to me. So I'm not going to vote for someone that doesn't represent me, then have them make decisions on my behalf. I guess I'm cynical. I used to care a lot when I was young, to be honest. Now that I'm an old fogie, I've been around the block enough to be completely jaded.

Honestly, I do agree with you in many, many aspects. And I honestly do hope that the storm in Washington right now does lead to some change...because what they're doing there isn't working. I'm not going to support and perpetuate something that's broken. If our entire political system changes for the better, I assure you I'll reconsider my view and start caring about politics again.

Maybe I should have brought my UO over to the politics board. LOL!

bstrangely · September 2011

Kitiara0364:
I liked the end...

i like that author quite a bit. i heard her once on pacifica and was in love.

bstrangely · September 2011

TXBaby2:
Again, totally agree with you. I'm just talking about political elections here. I'm actually quite involved in my community, and THAT'S where I feel like I'm making a change. I'm an active board member of a local LGBT rights group, was chair of the Dallas March of Dimes campaign for my (very large) company last year, and I volunteer with a green group to plant trees at least every few months.

I guess I didn't even mention it in my UO because I see my involvement in the community as totally different from presidential elections, etc. Maybe that's my UO.

I can see the change I'm making with community involvement. And you're right - no group is perfect. But I don't see how what I do in my community has any effect whatsoever on politicians at the 50,000 foot level. I'd rather help people I can see and actually impact than support someone who doesn't give a $hit about me.

And I don't go to church - my belief system does mean a lot to me. So I'm not going to vote for someone that doesn't represent me, then have them make decisions on my behalf. I guess I'm cynical. I used to care a lot when I was young, to be honest. Now that I'm an old fogie, I've been around the block enough to be completely jaded.

Honestly, I do agree with you in many, many aspects. And I honestly do hope that the storm in Washington right now does lead to some change...because what they're doing there isn't working. I'm not going to support and perpetuate something that's broken. If our entire political system changes for the better, I assure you I'll reconsider my view and start caring about politics again.

Maybe I should have brought my UO over to the politics board. LOL!

i think being involved locally helps a lot. our political conversation gets so abstracted in the media, i think it must be very difficult for politicians to wade in and lead when. i mean, you can't be pro-peace or pro-gay or pro-choice without creating an awful din of crazy. it's much easier to be able to point to some other person and then comment on their participation. that's how we got joe the plumber, for example (not that i'm comparing him to you! it's just that the politicians have so much to lose/gain that they're never going to say anything very interesting).

so, i misunderstood you. most of the people i've heard express that opinion don't do anything, so it's refreshing to hear that you are active. and you can't be too old if you're here!

cndmexbaby · September 2011

I don't think 10 month old babies should eat Lean Cuisine, especially 1-2 times a day.

cndmexbaby · September 2011

Unpossible:
cndmexbaby:
I don't think 10 month old babies should eat Lean Cuisine, especially 1-2 times a day.

I don't think anyone should be eating Lean Cuisine every day. Yuck.

True.

TXBaby2 · September 2011

Duplicate. SORRY!

TXBaby2 · September 2011

bstrangely:
TXBaby2:

Again, totally agree with you. I'm just talking about political elections here. I'm actually quite involved in my community, and THAT'S where I feel like I'm making a change. I'm an active board member of a local LGBT rights group, was chair of the Dallas March of Dimes campaign for my (very large) company last year, and I volunteer with a green group to plant trees at least every few months.

I guess I didn't even mention it in my UO because I see my involvement in the community as totally different from presidential elections, etc. Maybe that's my UO.

I can see the change I'm making with community involvement. And you're right - no group is perfect. But I don't see how what I do in my community has any effect whatsoever on politicians at the 50,000 foot level. I'd rather help people I can see and actually impact than support someone who doesn't give a $hit about me.

And I don't go to church - my belief system does mean a lot to me. So I'm not going to vote for someone that doesn't represent me, then have them make decisions on my behalf. I guess I'm cynical. I used to care a lot when I was young, to be honest. Now that I'm an old fogie, I've been around the block enough to be completely jaded.

Honestly, I do agree with you in many, many aspects. And I honestly do hope that the storm in Washington right now does lead to some change...because what they're doing there isn't working. I'm not going to support and perpetuate something that's broken. If our entire political system changes for the better, I assure you I'll reconsider my view and start caring about politics again.

Maybe I should have brought my UO over to the politics board. LOL!

i think being involved locally helps a lot. our political conversation gets so abstracted in the media, i think it must be very difficult for politicians to wade in and lead when. i mean, you can't be pro-peace or pro-gay or pro-choice without creating an awful din of crazy. it's much easier to be able to point to some other person and then comment on their participation. that's how we got joe the plumber, for example (not that i'm comparing him to you! it's just that the politicians have so much to lose/gain that they're never going to say anything very interesting).

so, i misunderstood you. most of the people i've heard express that opinion don't do anything, so it's refreshing to hear that you are active. and you can't be too old if you're here!

Great point about politicians having too much to lose to be frank with the media - ITA. One of the things that's broken about our system, IMO. I long for the day that politicians can say what they actually believe in and not what some spin-doctor has written for them. Dare to dream, right?

Turns out we're probably more similar than we thought! ::Creepy internet olive branch:: And no worries - you made an assumption that I wasn't involved at all, and I didn't even mention my community involvement because IMO, social responsibility =/= political involvement. So I'd call it more a lack of information than anything.

Oh and yes, I'm old. Stick out tongue ::sips her prune juice::

Thanks for the great conversation!

TXBaby2 · September 2011

t watley:
Who is feeding their baby Lean Cuisine twice a day?
LET'S BURN THEM AT THE STAKE!

EXACTLY!!! Who???

::runs to other room to get her torch and pitchfork::

NewFamily09 · September 2011

Here's my political UO. I think we should get rid of income taxes and instead have a huge sales tax. That way, everyone, even illegal immigrants pay it. It's not fair that citizens of our country have to pay taxes, pay their medical bills, and support their families, and people here illegally don't.

Jake's Mom · September 2011

NewFamily09:
Here's my political UO. I think we should get rid of income taxes and instead have a huge sales tax. That way, everyone, even illegal immigrants pay it. It's not fair that citizens of our country have to pay taxes, pay their medical bills, and support their families, and people here illegally don't.

Hey now, an illegal alien uses my hubs social to pay his taxes. Guess what SS said about it- "We won't give you a new number, he isn't using your credit or anything. He is using it to pay his taxes."

What a stand up guy.

Kitiara5512 · September 2011

I am going to go with a very popular opinion it seems - legalize the potz and tax the shnot out of it. Just like tabakky and likurz.

bumpuser260585 · September 2011

sockmonkey109:
I don't like bacon.

Me neither!

Spookster · September 2011

SpitsNGiggles:
sockmonkey109:
I don't like bacon.
Me neither!

blasphemy! turkey bacon perhaps?

bstrangely · September 2011

NewFamily09:
Here's my political UO. I think we should get rid of income taxes and instead have a huge sales tax. That way, everyone, even illegal immigrants pay it. It's not fair that citizens of our country have to pay taxes, pay their medical bills, and support their families, and people here illegally don't.

oh great, let's punish poor people!

hooray!

ToledoDeux · September 2011

NewFamily09:
Here's my political UO. I think we should get rid of income taxes and instead have a huge sales tax. That way, everyone, even illegal immigrants pay it. It's not fair that citizens of our country have to pay taxes, pay their medical bills, and support their families, and people here illegally don't.

Where the hell do you get the idea that illegal workers don't pay any taxes, don't pay medical bills, and don't support their families? WTF?

cndmexbaby · September 2011

ToledoDeux:
NewFamily09:
Here's my political UO. I think we should get rid of income taxes and instead have a huge sales tax. That way, everyone, even illegal immigrants pay it. It's not fair that citizens of our country have to pay taxes, pay their medical bills, and support their families, and people here illegally don't.
Where the hell do you get the idea that illegal workers don't pay any taxes, don't pay medical bills, and don't support their families? WTF?

Ignorance abounds.

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