trippydude's Blog

Well Folks,

Not only do we have to deal with foreign acts of terrorism but local acts as well. Did you know that over 150 bomb threats are received to somewhere in America daily. Domestic terrorism in one form or another takes place in every country in the free world every 30 seconds It begs the question, How can this happen? We have the best and most expensive Homeland Security operation on going, yet it's not without flaws. Thousands of acts are planned and some carried out randomly from church burnings to threats of violence against public officials and that includes our colleges and universities ergo the recent shootings. Is there a way of preventing these, yes it starts with me & you, it's called Operation: WatchTower of Freedom. This operation involves us the American citizen getting involved, working with local Police, Federal & State, by just doing one simple thing being alert, we have a term that comes from being on the battlefield, "Eyes 360", situational awareness of your surroundings.  While you were standing at a light, or on a subway platform, waiting at a bus stop have you ever really focused on that one person, or something that you found odd.  You wouldn't know what to look for unless you were trained or schooled you think? You don't have to be but it does help.  40 million Americans could've stop these acts, merely by putting to use 2 of their 5 senses. When I travel I pay particular attention to where I'm at, whom I'm making contact with. Strangely many take their situation for granted, but being aware of their surroundings isn't on their minds.

     Two Students as an experiment, done so with the knowledge of local authorities, carried a brief case into a subway along with a backpack, one had an empty coke bottle filled with lighter fluid, the other a stink bomb, both were rigged with phony timer's. One boarded a train the other set his briefcase down behind a trash can then walked away, although they never set these items off, as they later stated not one potential eye witness couldn't even remember what they were wearing nor looked like, some denied wanting to get involved. Bad news for us Good for the Terrorists. There's a book out I'm  not sure who wrote it, but it's called "The Self Preservation handbook ". It's a guide in showing you techniques of how to spot and protect yourself against terrorism, and personal attacks. It shows you what types of behavior, change in surroundings, to steer clear of and to be alerted to. Also  you can contact your local office of Homeland Security for other literature on theses topics. For your own safety I'd advise doing this who knows, you just might save your life and those of thousands of others. Just to let you know, Im always watching my back as well as yours.:(!)..trippy  

     Well it's going on week three of the job hunt, and things aren't going so well. Not many offerings have come across as a matter of fact posting my resume' has gotten me into some darker areas of Internet searching, Recruiters, have been hitting me with offers from tech schooling, to in home businesses.  Every job I've applied for has had these carnsared aptitude tests. it beats all I've ever seen, I guess they want to test you on character, and honesty before you get hired.  I have a lot of reasons here for not getting hired rather than being hired. One Career Consultant said that I rank down there with Parolee's on the job viability & appeal scale,  because of my lack of positive work references, longevity on the job, and very poor career choices, geewhiz that was a blow to my already fragile ego. But I guess the truth hurts, but it's also something that can't be rectified. Sure I made a lot of mistakes in judgement back down the road, but I've learned from those little hiccups. So where do I go from here ? I've got over Forty years in the work place and my experiences vary sorta like a jack of all trades and a master of none.  well I've mastered one thing so my consultant says, quitting. But I've had a lot of good viable reasons for doing so, I've  sacrificed  good jobs for my family, mainly for my wife's advancement in her career, we moved a lot over the years, relocation also to many is seen as a minus, the willingness not to stay in one place long term, to an employer that's not a good hiring incentive. The reason for quitting my last place of employment was because I could no longer stand the management's master /slave mentality, the brutal work schedule, and the pay versus workload ratio, all viable excuses admittedly, by the way my former company is rated as three on Jobvent.Com's  best work environment scale, ten being the highest. But future employer's don't get your version until the interview, and if they get a bad reference from your former employer then that day never comes.  Another minus on my scale is education, I never finished high school, I dropped out, partly my fault, but mainly my Stepfathers, you see he was an alcoholic and even though he was a tradesman and made very good money, because of his drinking he'd lose job's on a regular basis, so I was forced to go to work rather than school. And what about a GED you ask , well I never really got around to it, not having one never hindered me before in finding work and besides I know how to read & write fairly well, but lack a little bit in math skills. So in looking at my minuses you might concur with my "Career Consultant" But if given the opportunity I could show employer's a great deal of pluses to their benefit. I've got plenty of life experiences ready to be put to good use, So if your an employer reading this and be willing to look over some of my disadvantages, I'm still trainable, eager, ready to impart on a new positive footing , I promise to give my best effort to the endeavor. Thing's I'd like to do in the employment field are yet to be accomplished. Who knows I might be the one your looking for to fill a niche that no one else can, All I have to sell in this market place is whats between my ears and a strong backbone, my willingness to go to the line, and get off to a running start.  By the way many thanks to all whom commented on my other blog. It gave me some good insights, and a great lift of spirit...:(!)..trippy 

  Well here we are again doing our saber rattling & sparing with Russia over the invasion of Georgia.  We're involving ourselves in a high stakes real life game of "COMAND & CONQUER".  Poland has asked for and is receiving a Missile Defence package from us. Shades of the Cuban missiles crisis flashes through my minds eye.  Russia has stated by, some sources that if this is put in place it may launch a nuclear strike or do other measures, to counter act this. Rut Ro! Pooten's got a helluva nerve, well I for one am looking for a place to dig a big hole for my bomb shelter, I don't do well  glowing in the dark. Russia has been placating us for the last few years, it's the old Wolf in sheep's clothing thingy, or I should say Bear in the Berries, the picture looks cute, but the fangs & claws are as sharp as ever, and very real.  I' m wondering what ever happened to the concept of M.A.D. , Mutually Assured Destruction.  A big chill runs down my back on this topic. For a country that on the surface seemed to stand with us in one minute for Terrorism, now is the   Terrorist, And that my friends is something to worry about. Now bring in to the picture Russia's possible allies, Iran , Argentina, North Korea, Cuba, and smaller Warsaw Pact nations.  Russia could use any of these for a base of operations to pose a very deadly  strike or use operatives, sleepers if you will to reek havoc to any place on the globe. I'm not trying to be "Chicken Little", but folks this situation could escalate very easily. And remember we're in the middle of the process of changing the Guard so to speak. Whatever happens next, will have a profound effect on the next President's decisions. After 9/11 we're already skittish, and fearful enough, now with the Iraqi situation & Afghanistan becoming actively more intense, this reopening of cold war wounds couldn't have come at a more dire time. If we're not cautious the start World War III, and folks this WOULD  be a Geo-Thermal War of epic proportions, Without Some sense of a big sanity shot from somewhere to end this Mankind could find himself  on the road to mass extinction very quickly. Let us pray that cooler heads prevail...:(!)..trippy

I recently heard something that really bothered me.  It was where a person was standing in line at the G.D.L., (Ga Dept. of labor) ,  I was about the third in line. This guy was really miffed. It seems he'd been sent on a job interview in a part of the city where it wasn't let's just say a very good part.  He was white and the job was at a black owned business,  well it seems he  didn't get the job or something to that effect, and he was making comments about reverse discrimination, and affirmative action, and how he'd went to all the expense of getting there only to be turned down.  Well when he got to the person at the desk, he flatly asked that he not be sent on a work interview where he might encounter  a person of color as the interviewer, I was a little curious as to how this was going to happen since the case worker never meets the employer person to person.

   Listen, I previously worked at a business where the majority of the employees were of color.  as a matter of fact I was only one of two whites working there. The Supervisor was black, the Manager, and Assistant Manager, there wasn't a single white person in a supervisory position there. Why ?, sometimes I wondered  why weren't there any whites holding any of those positions?  The only conclusion I could imagine was  because no one qualified had applied.  But still, is there some basis for this to be perceived, as perhaps reverse discrimination?  I know the law forbids it, but it doesn't mean that it doesn't happen.  Skin color should never be a factor in getting a job, but yet when a black manager or owner is faced with hiring ether a quailified white or black worker. Does Affirmative Action play a role in the hiring process?,  thus allowing a black owned business owner to get around discrimination laws and hire the person of color over the white person?  Is Ga. a right to work state?   I myself hope to be hired on my quailifications not my color of skin.  Still yet sometimes I wonder "Wassup wiff This ?"...:(!)...trippy       

I heard on the news late last night where our fighting men& women are having to pay as much as $200 for their extra luggage.  Haven't our Airline Companies  got a patriotic bone in their bodies,  These Soldiers are heading to a war zone, and putting their lives on the line so that they can be  gouged. It's shameful!   A disgrace!  That our fighting men & women are put in this position.  Doesn't the military have a transport wing?  Fuel cost be damned. It's our loved ones dying in Iraq & Afghanistan  I think they should be flown First Class Free!  It's the least we can do for the sacrifices they make.  Also the Military should pickup the tab. We taxpayers pay dearly for our military budgets, you mean to tell me that these soldiers have to pay their own transport costs.  These are Patriots going into the mouth of hell to protect our rights and freedoms!  It's an injustice and a slap in the face to every American fighting Man & Woman!  I'd like to see a travel fund set up where the American public can make a cash donation to help defer the cost & travel expenses.  These persons do make the supreme sacrifice, paying with their lives! at least we can do is deliver them on the frontlines with the Honor they deserve...: (!)....trippy                   

I lost my job last week, and am having to put my work applications and resumes online. What a pain to fill out these online apps. Is there anyone who takes the good old paper applications any more? Kroger, Publix, Save-Rite, Walgreens's you must go to their websites to fill out these applications. I've spent more time on this computer doing those than out in the streets finding a job. And then once you fill them out, your told they have 60 to 90 days to  notify you while your application is on file. I'm so frustrated, no contacting them on the phone they just tell you " hey your application is online we'll contact you".  In the meantime I'm facing crisis mode. I guess the fact that the unemployment pool is so saturated  that many of the big name companies have big big pools of application data to sift through. I went to the usual places the Ga.Dept. of Labor center, again you must apply online to most of their work entries, or send a resume, (I'm resume challenged) and couldn't write one if I had to. Being 57 years old and trying to catch up in the telecommunication world sucks big time, all I want is to work!  No wonder the unemployment rate is rising. What peeves me is there's no face to face contact, only if and when your contacted for an interview, which by the way may never come(fact). It use to be that a person got hired by a first contact meeting after all impressions are 50% of the hiring criteria at least that was true when I was coming up in the workplace. Many, many a poor soul are like me trying to find suitable employment but are so bewildered and set a back by the whole process that you get befuddled just trying to complete some of these application processes. Well if I don't find a job soon I'll become another soul on the statistic list you know the one that counts the Homeless!..:(!)..trippy

Well, we heard it being played on the networks, mainly Fox ,now it's full content has been leeched on to the Internet and the "N" word was said. Jessie Jackson's  open mic phoopa is being debated by everyone. Good!  But here's the not so good part. That word  still exist on the lips of black Americans, by use. And so I asked why?  Is it a segregated term used holy within the black American community  for their use to address one to another?, then me being white it shouldn't be used by me  at all then right. No problem here I hate the word simply because of the context in which I grew up hearing it being used, in the um, not so good term of endearment, but as a negative slant toward Blacks as a whole.  Even blacks use it as a slur to one another. In my opinion  I think it shows ignorance, a defaming intolerable term of personal & racial degradement. Another  term is "Cracker", it's a term used in the derogatory addressing toward whites, yep I been called that by a black person or two.   like " You Cracker's don't know how we, n-word feel about you using the n-word when speaking to us!" Listen I'm tired of diatomic  labels altogether, no matter what they are. But what I'd like to see is more of the word "Friend" when we Whites & Black Americans address each other. Skin tones maybe of two colors, but the color of friendship should always be that of opacity, clear, clean ,and true....:{!)..trippy  

 OK, now with the recent floods in the upper mid-west the primary food belt of the U.S. Are we entering into a worsening state of economic dire straits?  Food prices are climbing at an alarming rate even now because of rising fuel costs.  Even now basic commodities such as corn, wheat, and soy crops, beef, poultry are being devastated by natural & economic disasters, farmers are being driven into bankruptcy. Job layoffs are at an all-time high. the very prosperity of our country is in threat call it, (def-con yellow). Yet our idle brained politicians can't seem to be effectively helping more like hindering with all there in- fighting and bickering, tell me is it just my paranoia here or are we heading for an economic bankruptcy of epic proportions? Our monetary situation is even bleaker the dollar is at it's lowest ever all over the world's markets. If your not the least bit shaken by these events occurring then please allow me to be not only stressed by them, but damn well scared...:(!)..trippy

 Arggggh! $3.98 a gallon, boy that $1.75 fare for a ride on Marta sure is looking better, if only I could get door to door pickup.  I'm working for my gas to go to work, to the store, and home from work I just bought a used 1997 Ford taurus with a 3.0 v6, cost me $51.00 to fill it up.  I commute about 16 miles round trip, what I wonder is how are those whom have to commute upwards of 60 miles a day affording it? I make around $500.00 every 2 weeks, my gas bill is around $120.00 for those 2 weeks, now that leaves me around $380.00  or about $760.00 a month my car payment is $325.00 a month and then car insurance I'm left with about $ 300.00 a month to live on, or bout $125.00 a month after paying my share of the rent. So much for the american dream. Now I pity those poor soccer moms and dads with those big vans & suv's, and I wonder if those gas co. exec's are having the same probs as me. Umm nope you say, well your right they don't have a care about having to work for gas cause they get their's at a discount. Now I have to go figure how I'm going to make a choice of buying food or gas to go buy food. Argggh Rats should'a bought a scooter....:(^)....trippy.

  Oh, I'm so tired of seeing this Uma Thurman's safety and life style being put in jeopardy by this loony dude's infatuation, I'm a fan of some local female T.V. celebs, but I ain't no stalker!, That's going a bit to far for me. I'm grateful for the service they preform and how they preform it, Their professionalism, and dedication in deliverance of their chosen profession is what makes me a fan. These persons have husbands, Boy friends ,& families, and their right to privacy should be respected. To solicit into their personal lives by injecting wrongful and as well unwanted advances of romantic intent and or infatuations is so wrong. I'm amazed at the depth of depravity some of these loony fanatics will go to. I think that Stalking should carry with it a heavy sentence in the courts it's a form of terrorism wholly unto its own. I revere, those in the celebrity spotlight, but I don't want to share it with them, they've earned the right to be there. That's why I'm The Fan :)......Trippy

  Prepare yourself for the onslaught of $ 4.00  a gallon gas by summer. Higher food prices, airfares, layoffs, ah but no wage increases to compensate, for higher medical insurance premiums, Let's see our tax rebates evaporate into someone else's pocket book. what!, me a pessimist you say? Damn right, when it takes 2 1/2 incomes now to live comfortably above the poverty line barely above it for most families, and your being sandbagged by higher everything, you'd see the down side too. Of course the Oil Barons are living the high life and so are their investors.

If Clinton/Obama want to do something, how about raising the earned income tax credit , the national minimum wage, stop overseas outsourcing of tech jobs, Come on! How bout giving the Fair Tax movement a shot? After all I'd rather be taxed on what I spent rather than the meager wages I earned. Oh yea, and give farmers a good reason to do what they're suppose to, and that's to provide food for the nation, not gas for an oilman's SUV. Wanna go green?, put some turnips on my plate at a reasonable price, look all I want is milk from the cow not buy the damn thing! Now I'm not advocating bringing back price controls, &  constraints, but something's gotta be done. We need to kill the, "Greed Gremlin" for sure. we need to do more than just saying, "Whatever!".......... Trippy

Accused killer Gary Hilton is defending himself in extradition hearing, was the headline I caught this morning.   Meredith  Emerson  wasn't his only victim. Florida is seeking the death penalty in their case against Hilton.

OK, I could save them some bucks, I know me, and 10 other guys would carry out that sentence with no problem. Line him against a wall, my old squirrel gun never misses. I'd not feel any thing pulling the trigger. Same goes for Brian Nicoles, hell line them up together. Their victims hadn't a choice why should they!  Now that being said, I can hear the civil libbers & Anti Death sentence advocates screaming at the top of their lungs. The victims had no chance for "Due Process" nor did their pleas for life get heard, so why should these vermin have the luxury. Our justice system has gotten weak on crime thanks to liberal minded Judges and legal loop holes. It's moved away from rights for the victims and more for the criminal.

Give me one good reason why these persons shouldn't die as horribly as their victims did, and I'll give you a few why they should. Yes, bring back the death penalty, and swifter speedier trials with fewer chances for appeals. Heck make executions public again think of it as a deterrent, Just think of violent crimes stats., they'd drop in a heart beat if criminals knew they'd have less of a chance at getting a life sentence versus the death penalty. Death Row has become nothing more than a warehouse for 20 to 30 years while the long winded appeals process is carried out. I think it's high time we reform our legal system and revamp the sentencing process for violent criminals. Remember it could be you as the next one in some loonies gun sight or with a knife point at your throat. We need to bring back the death penalty on the Federal level and end this reign of terror that grips our nation's public safety. Think of it as a W.M.D. for violent crimes.

Gee the Fox Blog Gods heard my pleas,cries, and whimpers, I made it to the community page although it wasn't my best blogs. Yet for an aspiring blogger I'm gratified.  And thanks to Google I now have a spell checker tool, so look out blog world.  The comments my fellow bloggers send are both fuel & ammo for my thought/blog process. The topics, themes, & comments give me insights I never dreamed of. Hats off to  you brave few whom offer yourselves up to the slings & arrows of criticism, ridacule and ego bustin' verbal assaults, I never realized how cruel some folks can be by making their comments a personal pen poison, but I guess if you make a lame comment to a rich narrative view point you get what you deserve. (lesson learned well); I shat fail to give back what is given opinion wise my fellow bloggers, this I promise..... Trippy 

 I've been trying to write good blogs to get people interested in my litany of spiel. But,alas to no avail. What I need is a page full of tips& tricks,or a tutor to whit I can't afford to pay, <feel sorry for me yet?> Inspirations from others help but I refuse to plagiarize <:thank goodness for spell chek fer dat word Ah maybe I'll inject my hic Ga. accent in my writin's it'd be somethin like this.> Do ya'll do yur writtins on the blog thingyyy in tha' same way ya' talk? Ifn ya do I'ma hopin' yur aint sounded likes me<. Ok get my point? Crom called me names gee at least he read my blog! So I persevere on. What kills me is that Fox only has a few category headers {news flash! how bout one called open vent. :U } Would go to the boards but I'm afraid I'd get my writing hand whacked off. or my thin ego deflated. My opinions are really from my beliefs and my heart, and I thank Fox for giving me a place to put them. My pea size brain only has room for so much. Besides who doesn't like to rant huh? Picked a few favorite blogs on here so if I pop up with a retorted or retarded comment, please be merciful.........Trippy