Randomocity...
***** Scott Weiner is the Castro District's city supervisor, he has been on a kick to get the city to regulate that nudists must put down something to sit on in public and to wear clothes into restaurants. Let's start by mentioning the "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service" adage. Did that stop being the norm for eating in public??? Next, let's say that there are VERY few nekkid people running around in the Castro or in the rest of the city for the most part, so it's a waste of time and energy to be pushing a stupid set of laws through for it. We own a business and live in the Castro. We hear every other day (at least) that somebody has been robbed or mugged in the neighborhood. Have you ever walked down Castro or Market Street after sunset? Half to two-thirds of the street lights are out or not working, so you walk in a VERY poorly lit environment. Darkness creates the perfect atmosphere for crime. If you can't see who is around you or what is happening in your surroundings, you are likely to become a target to be robbed. Why isn't Weiner fighting for a safer community instead of worrying about ass-butter on a park bench? It's absolutely absurd!!!
***** Next up is the "Keep Right" idea. When I was in school (and Rich too) we were taught to walk on the right. It was taught from day one of school, when you are going to recess, the cafeteria, P.E., fire drills, etc. You always walked on the right. This is a standard in our culture. You keep right when you drive except for passing. We have discussed this with many of our friends and it seems to be the general consensus that in California this has never been taught in schools. ??????? How bizarre! So I guess that is the excuse people use to walk wherever they want to on the sidewalk. Like when it's raining and people with umbrellas walk on their left side under the awnings. Ummmm, you have an umbrella, do you need double protection from the awning also?
***** That brings me to doggie etiquette. There is a leash law. I know it's hard to believe, but yes Virginia there is a leash law. You might think that your dog is special, that your dog is too well behaved to have to follow the law. You wannna know something? Your dog is an animal, not a person. They don't have the capacity to know wrong from right. Just because your dog is so well behaved that infringes on my dog's rights. She is scared to death of other dogs, so when your dog comes running at her trying to be friendly, my dog takes it as a threat and will fight back. I don't want to be held responsible because you are above the law, nor do I want my little girl hurt.
Next doggie etiquette is... Why is it that everytime I go to the grocery store, I see at least 5 or 6 dogs being walked around??? Did we not get the memo that we are supposed to take our dogs grocery shopping with us? I thought that only guide dogs were allowed in food service businesses, not homeless people with their mangy pitbulls, nor idiots that don't have half a brain to leave their dogs at home when they go to the store. I'm all for doggies being allowed in businesses, we take ours into stores that allow it, and our business allows people to bring their dogs in, but food service is completely different. It's just gross!
Then there is the doggie etiquette of taking your dog with you when you go to the gym (or a restaurant, etc.). If you know you are going into a business for an extended period of time, don't take your dog, I don't think most of them really enjoy being tied to a parking meter with hardly any room to move and no fresh water and hundreds of strangers passing by constantly. It's a very stressful thing. And it's just wrong. Be kind leave your baby behind!
And I can't forget the expandy leashes.... Your dog doesn't need a fifty foot leash to go where ever they damn well please when you're not paying attention. I watched somebody across the street last week that was standing on the sidewalk having a conversation with somebody while their dog was walking off into a business on its expandy leash. The master was totally clueless. Also a couple weeks ago, Ruby and I were walking to work when we were approaching a corner. We were about 25 feet from the corner when this huge woolly beast came bounding around the corner. It scared the hell out of both of us! I was ready to kick the dog because there was nobody around and it wouldn't leave Ru alone. Then many seconds later the owner comes walking around the corner, once again clueless and not caring that his beast had scared the crap out of another dog.
***** Continuing with the randomocity theme is the whole "Free Market" system that the conservatives use, and the "trickle down" theory. The republicans have dismantled regulations since Reagan in the 80's, saying that less regulation is the way to go. That when there is less regulation and there is more competition, that prices will be driven down because of competitiveness. After almost 30 years of this though, what have we seen and experienced? Cell phone companies that raise prices and cut back on service. The prices go up, not down. Then look at the airlines. One airline decides to charge fees for a checked bag, all the other airlines see that, and they do the same. How is this driving prices down? It's the same way all across the board. Cable services, internet, bank fees, absolutely everything. No, the market doesn't work the way the "Free Market"ers say it does. It's all about capitalism and making as much money as possible. Why are the American people so stupid to figure this out? They are getting screwed by it, but they still support it. Even people like my mother, who is a very intelligent woman, but she can't see the trees through the forest or the forest through the trees, she just sees the pulp mill.
***** Last thing I'm going to rant about, is those new fangled light bulbs. They have actually started to outlaw standard light bulbs little by little. In California, you can't get light bulbs above 75 watts (I think that's the correct wattage) and each year they will phase out to the point that all old fashioned bulbs will be outlawed. You have to buy the new fluorescent bulbs. They last a lifetime!!! So you save money because even though they cost 5 times as much as the old bulbs, they NEVER die! Ummmmm.... then why do all of the ones I get live a much shorter life than standard bulbs??? I've got lights that have been working in our apartment for the 16 years I have lived there without being changed. But the kitchen bulb dies about every 3 months as does the hallway bulb. Then, because there are toxic carcinogens in them, you can't just throw them away, you have to take them to a recycle place. Even worse is if they break! Have you ever read how to clean up a broken fluorescent bulb? You have to get the pets out of the house, open all windows and vent for 15 minutes, then with a mask and gloves clean up and dispose of in a ziplock bag, and wipe down with water and paper towels that also must be bagged and tagged. It is just totally insane, but that's what our government tells us to do.
***** Next up is the "Keep Right" idea. When I was in school (and Rich too) we were taught to walk on the right. It was taught from day one of school, when you are going to recess, the cafeteria, P.E., fire drills, etc. You always walked on the right. This is a standard in our culture. You keep right when you drive except for passing. We have discussed this with many of our friends and it seems to be the general consensus that in California this has never been taught in schools. ??????? How bizarre! So I guess that is the excuse people use to walk wherever they want to on the sidewalk. Like when it's raining and people with umbrellas walk on their left side under the awnings. Ummmm, you have an umbrella, do you need double protection from the awning also?
***** That brings me to doggie etiquette. There is a leash law. I know it's hard to believe, but yes Virginia there is a leash law. You might think that your dog is special, that your dog is too well behaved to have to follow the law. You wannna know something? Your dog is an animal, not a person. They don't have the capacity to know wrong from right. Just because your dog is so well behaved that infringes on my dog's rights. She is scared to death of other dogs, so when your dog comes running at her trying to be friendly, my dog takes it as a threat and will fight back. I don't want to be held responsible because you are above the law, nor do I want my little girl hurt.
Next doggie etiquette is... Why is it that everytime I go to the grocery store, I see at least 5 or 6 dogs being walked around??? Did we not get the memo that we are supposed to take our dogs grocery shopping with us? I thought that only guide dogs were allowed in food service businesses, not homeless people with their mangy pitbulls, nor idiots that don't have half a brain to leave their dogs at home when they go to the store. I'm all for doggies being allowed in businesses, we take ours into stores that allow it, and our business allows people to bring their dogs in, but food service is completely different. It's just gross!
Then there is the doggie etiquette of taking your dog with you when you go to the gym (or a restaurant, etc.). If you know you are going into a business for an extended period of time, don't take your dog, I don't think most of them really enjoy being tied to a parking meter with hardly any room to move and no fresh water and hundreds of strangers passing by constantly. It's a very stressful thing. And it's just wrong. Be kind leave your baby behind!
And I can't forget the expandy leashes.... Your dog doesn't need a fifty foot leash to go where ever they damn well please when you're not paying attention. I watched somebody across the street last week that was standing on the sidewalk having a conversation with somebody while their dog was walking off into a business on its expandy leash. The master was totally clueless. Also a couple weeks ago, Ruby and I were walking to work when we were approaching a corner. We were about 25 feet from the corner when this huge woolly beast came bounding around the corner. It scared the hell out of both of us! I was ready to kick the dog because there was nobody around and it wouldn't leave Ru alone. Then many seconds later the owner comes walking around the corner, once again clueless and not caring that his beast had scared the crap out of another dog.
***** Continuing with the randomocity theme is the whole "Free Market" system that the conservatives use, and the "trickle down" theory. The republicans have dismantled regulations since Reagan in the 80's, saying that less regulation is the way to go. That when there is less regulation and there is more competition, that prices will be driven down because of competitiveness. After almost 30 years of this though, what have we seen and experienced? Cell phone companies that raise prices and cut back on service. The prices go up, not down. Then look at the airlines. One airline decides to charge fees for a checked bag, all the other airlines see that, and they do the same. How is this driving prices down? It's the same way all across the board. Cable services, internet, bank fees, absolutely everything. No, the market doesn't work the way the "Free Market"ers say it does. It's all about capitalism and making as much money as possible. Why are the American people so stupid to figure this out? They are getting screwed by it, but they still support it. Even people like my mother, who is a very intelligent woman, but she can't see the trees through the forest or the forest through the trees, she just sees the pulp mill.
***** Last thing I'm going to rant about, is those new fangled light bulbs. They have actually started to outlaw standard light bulbs little by little. In California, you can't get light bulbs above 75 watts (I think that's the correct wattage) and each year they will phase out to the point that all old fashioned bulbs will be outlawed. You have to buy the new fluorescent bulbs. They last a lifetime!!! So you save money because even though they cost 5 times as much as the old bulbs, they NEVER die! Ummmmm.... then why do all of the ones I get live a much shorter life than standard bulbs??? I've got lights that have been working in our apartment for the 16 years I have lived there without being changed. But the kitchen bulb dies about every 3 months as does the hallway bulb. Then, because there are toxic carcinogens in them, you can't just throw them away, you have to take them to a recycle place. Even worse is if they break! Have you ever read how to clean up a broken fluorescent bulb? You have to get the pets out of the house, open all windows and vent for 15 minutes, then with a mask and gloves clean up and dispose of in a ziplock bag, and wipe down with water and paper towels that also must be bagged and tagged. It is just totally insane, but that's what our government tells us to do.