If Nothing Else, There's Always You

6 billion (+) people on this planet. That's 6 billion lives, 6 billion perspectives, 6 billion views, 6 billion opinions.
There are 365 (+/-) days in the year.
In no single day will 6 billion people be simultaneously pissed off.
In no single day will 6 billion people be simultaneously ecstatic.
In no single day will 6 billion people be simultaneously [fill in emotional verb].

Isn't it strange to know that no matter what the day brings 6 billion people will not share the experience?
Some experiences just shouldn't be shared.

Okay, you were wondering the point of this little exercise:

With that many crazy bastards running around, I harbor no delusions that animosity and long-bred hatreds might dissipate in my life time. Yet, I feel it necessary to remind folks (yes, you, you crazy bastard, and me, too):

• We cannot "all just get along" because we're coming at social life from 6 billion perspectives and 6 billion "I am right" perspectives leave little room for discussion.

• What we can do? Tend our own gardens, mind our own business, and leave other people the hell alone.

Of course, we can always continue on:
perpetuating the cycle,
invading each others' lives,
criminalizing harmlessness,
breeding contempt,
creating superiority and inferiority complexes
vying as sheep within military-industrial complexes,
getting technologically intelligent and
common sense stupid.

I tell you, it's not up to me and it is not up to you; it is up to 6 billion of us. But, it starts with two.

Questions of "Queer" Morality and Small "Victories"

Just two little tid-bits I thought you might be interested in:

http://www.military.com/news/article/fake-general-free-speech-not-fraud.html?wh=news&ESRC=dod.nl
Guy caught impersonating military officer claims to be protesting DADT. Not really sure how these relate, but, okay guy.

http://www.military.com/news/article/judge-orders-lesbian-reinstated-to-air-force.html?ESRC=dod.nl
Air Force Major discharged under DADT still fighting the good fight! We are supporting you, hon! Don't give up!

Firefighters Watch House Burn Over $75 Unpaid Fee

Oh, this is a great one people! Seriously, the state of Tennessee and Obion County have a lot to answer for. The link below is the first piece I saw regarding this issue. I'm going to do a little back ground and let you know WTF is up.
Yahoo!News: "Rural Tennessee fire sparks conservative ideological debate"


The "facts":
Firefighters are fighters of fires, not watchers of fires.
Firefighters follow orders from Fire Department Supervisors (Fire chiefs, etc).
Fire Department Heads follow orders from City Management (Mayor, City Council, etc.).
City Management creates and follows laws put in place by city management (elected officials).
Elected officials and non-elected officials enact, enable, and enforce laws meant to "punish" members of the community (officials included) for myriad violations.
Elected officials are elected by members of the community.
City officials and community members each agree to be held responsible for their own violations.
The Constitution and Judicial Commentary affords that "punishment cannot outweigh the crime".

My Opinion (as it stands now):
Watching the fire department watch your house burn down while preventing neighboring property from catching fire is not a proportionate punishment for failure to pay the $75 annual fire protection fee.
As such, the city order mandating the fire department to not respond to fires on properties that are not up-to-date on fee payment is not a proportionate response to the "crime of not paying." Those people responsible for ordering the firefighters to not respond have violated the Constitution, violated their responsibilities to the community, and have acted more like extortionists than community leaders.  


My Verdict:
The city officials that are responsible for ordering the fire department to ignore a house on fire ought to be fired and the city should pay to rebuild, refurnish, and apologize to the property owner. The law should be changed to include firefighting services at-cost for those who fail to pay the annual fee. In other words, if you fail to pay $75 annual fee, the fire department will still fight the fire, and the property owner will be billed for the service at the price of the service (cost of water, equipment, firefighters, etc).

Damn it, I did it, I Forgot to Save a Copy--Again

Okay, so, I'm guilty. I wrote Senator Landrieu and forgot to copy the letter before pressing send. I really need to quit doing that. Regardless, I did have a piece of the letter saved to my clipboard, so, I shall share that with ya! As always, if she writes back, I'll let you know what's up.

*Oh yeah, Louisiana, VOTE VITTER OUT on November 2.

Here's the piece I managed to retain:

"As a Navy veteran, Louisiana resident, and Lesbian voter, I know first hand the horrors of living the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" lie forced upon LGBT service members by the 1992 government miscalculation that introduced the 1993 implementation of DADT. My time in service was greatly impacted by the DADT law, and my experience was tainted by the knives of homophobia institutionalized by the very government I served. All around me were people legally allowed to talk about their loved ones. I was denied, for mention of a girlfriend would have begun the discharge proceedings. Can you imagine living in the frame of mind where you must watch your Pronouns? Where a slipped "girlfriend" could equate to the end of your career?"

Needless to say, I will make every effort to blog the entire letter...It's about time I send Rep. Fleming something, I'm sure he'll have something offensively diplomatic to say.