The Bucket People Are Back...and the Network Is Down

[dawn_felagund]

The network at work is down. Again. That means no Internet, no email, no warrant database, no CJIS...no work. Only I have to be here anyway, so I've spent the majority of the morning reading National Geographic, working on various piddly projects, and listening to Johnny gripe about the lack of network--but mostly about the lack of Internet--and

Comments

[atanwende]

Over here when it comes to donating money, a certain method seems to have become popular recently: They do not want you to give a singular donation (which I'm more than okay with), but they immediately want you to suscribe some sort of contract for regular monthly donations. And I tell you, these people have a way of making you feel guilty should you refuse! Now, I really object to that monthly thingy; I'm a student, and if I'm having any money left to donate at all, I'd wish to do so spontaneously. I really don't have the funds to donate regularly to several different organisations.

By the way, I definitely agree with your view on Christian/Catholic etc. organizations. I mean, WTF; some people are more deserving of help than others? Hello?

[dawn_felagund]

I've yet to encounter donations on a "monthly plan" yet here, but I'm sure that they exist! I tend to be very cautious in my donations anyway, sticking to a few organizations that I really support and trust. Even then, some disappoint, like when the Red Cross was using 9/11 donations to buy computers and stuff...or whatever that scandal was.

I'm sure that there are good Christian/Catholic groups out there...but I fear that I have a terrible lack of trust for religious charities. Even the mainstream groups like to use their clout against same-sex couples and the like, and I refuse to support any organization that promotes discrimination and hate.

Mostly, I prefer to donate my time. When Bobby and I get SCUBA certified, there's a group of divers that works in our area to restore the Chesapeake Bay, diving underwater to rebuild oyster banks and the like. I can't wait to start with that...though I think I'm a mite crazy for actually wanting to swim in the Chesapeake Bay! :^D

[atanwende]

I'm sure that there are good Christian/Catholic groups out there...but I fear that I have a terrible lack of trust for religious charities.

Well, I think I share your lack of trust concerning this. Mainly because I see no reason why a charity should even feel the need to state their Christian, whatever.

And now I have to ask; what's so bad about swimming in Chesapeake Bay?

[dawn_felagund]

The poor Chesapeake is very dirty. Blame years of runoff and everything else being dumped into it. We get dead zones sometimes and every few years have scares where the oyster or blue crab populations aren't up to snuff. Oysters and blue crabs both are central to the income of much of the state--as well as our Maryland culture--so that always makes headlines around here.

Hubby and I took Environmental Science in high school, and we had a trip out on the Bay, and they took a sampling from the bottom. It literally looked like oil. The group was asked if anyone wanted to volunteer to touch it (with gloves on, of course) and, naturally, Bobby and I did. We were the only ones. :^P It felt like oil too. Yech.

[dawn_felagund]

Hey, it's not like I was neglecting work to LJ. I can't help it that I work extra-fast. If they gave me more work, I'd gladly do it.

Well, maybe not "gladly".... :^P

[isil_elensar]

Bucket people are on the point system, right? Say, 35 pts. each for the ones out in traffic, 50 pts. if they at least make the effort to dodge, yet are still out in traffic. 65 pts. if they still have the bucket in their hands after contact. ;-)

Open season on tourists and bucket people! *evol grin*

[dawn_felagund]

BWAH! I support your plan! Especially on tourists too...we get a lot of them in both Ellicott City and DC, and they're a pain in the rear, certainly. At least, they take all of the good parking! :^P

[ssotknapsack]

65 pts. if they still have the bucket in their hands after contact. ;-)

LOL I shifted my liver laughing at that one! *Major thumbs up*

[frenchpony]

What's worse than the bucket people are the kids who are out in traffic selling candy. Because what kind of sick "charity" or "school" sends ten-year-olds wandering through traffic on Columbus Drive hawking stale peanut M&Ms? That's criminal child neglect, that is, at the very least. At least the bucket people are adults.

[dawn_felagund]

Good Eru! We don't have anything like that here...at least not that I've seen. In fact, our schools generally don't even allow kids to hawk things door-to-door anymore.

[ssotknapsack]

You mean you never saw the school organizations on the Rt. 24/BR-1 intersection? It was usually, like, soccer teams or boy scouts, but they were out there a lot whenever I came home from MAC/grocery shopping/bank/etc.

[dawn_felagund]

No! o.O But aside from going to GW--usually later at night--I wasn't down that way too much.

[tarion_anarore]

Aw, I was actually hoping it was the Pole. :\

Yeah, I'm wary about giving money to anybody on the road. Oh, I swear I saw subliminal Christian/Catholic advertising on a video game commercial - I'm pretty sure there was an image of Jesus on the jumbotron. O.o

[dawn_felagund]

Jesus on the Jumbotron?? BWAH!!!

I'm wary of religious charities too (doh) which is a shame because I have lots of tolerant and wonderful Christian friends...but the vibe I get off of some of these groups sends my nutjob radar off the scale!

I mean, we had to pass a law in Maryland to ban picketing at funerals because people are actually staging protests at the funerals of servicepeople killed in Iraq because (this is a doozy) they are "defending a nation that allows the abomination of homosexuality." o.O I mean, not to be blunt, but what kind of sick fuck do you have to be to protest at a soldier's funeral??

[tarion_anarore]

Not even kidding. I was like, "Wtf, was that Jesus I just saw?"

Yeah, I feel like Im surrounded by nutjobs a lot (The South, anyone?). Especially since two of my friends go to what I deem "brainwashing schools". One of them is that guy I've told you about who drives me crazy, but the other is a good friend who seems more conservative since going to school. *is sad* Actually, we kept getting calls from this Christian school, and when someone finally answered, we said my brother was not at all interested in their school. The girl asked why, and I was tempted to say that we didn't want him to come back an intolerant egomaniac.

I mean, we had to pass a law in Maryland to ban picketing at funerals

Ok, that is just sick. I mean wow. I can't even form a coherent response because that is just so ridiculous.