Former Ebay CEO called out

California Watch reports that Republican Governor hopeful, Meg Whitman, abused the Ebay corporate jet. She abused it so much and charged shareholders $3.2 million for personal use that Ebay changed how much a CEO could utilize the jet. Clearly they were not happy at the manner in which she flew herself around the country. Yes, a CEO should have some perks in gaining ranks to this position, but when you are running on fiscal responsibility this does not bode well. This is not only disingenuous of her but also shows her feelings on the environment. Oh and by the way … she has spent $39 million of her own cash on her campaign.

I say it again California. Wake up! Fight this chick from gaining office. Do not sit on your hands and watch democracy roll by you and over you.

Wake Up California

Borrowed from http://www.jerrybrown.org/

The governor’s race is upon us and one commercial has started. Watch out for this woman: Meg Whitman. Oh, she won’t tell you which party she represents (but considering that Jerry Brown is the Democrat running one can only presume) … noooo. But, what she will tell you is that she tried to get the McCain/Palin ticket elected. What does this mean??? This means she thought Palin was a good VP candidate. Are you rolling your eyes yet? Well, get your money out and donate to Jerry Brown

Do not let what happens to California a lot of the time happen this time. Where we get caught with our pants down because we think how could Meg Whitman possibly get elected? Who would vote for her? Need I remind you of Prop 8??? The money will be pouring in from outside the state. POURING IN! Get involved NOW and make sure we do not watch election day with tears in our eyes scratching our head. Pull it together people. California is a mess right now and we do not need someone who thinks Sarah Palin in all of her glory was a good option for this country. Jerry Brown has done some great things for the state. He has always been very vocal about white collar crime and the evils of it.

Peace and leaf blowers

I am on vacation from work but apparently this does not entitle me to be on vacation from noise. Leaf blowers, tree munchers and general garden killer noise was what woke me up this morning. Allow me to explain the complete illogic behind this particular noise this morning. It rained last night and this morning. What pray tell does this have to do with my slumber? A leaf cannot be blown around when it is wet; this renders the leaf blower entirely useless and the person operating it a complete douche bag. Why oh why would they use them after it has rained? Well, the gardeners in our hood either have completely fried all brain cells from inhaling the gas exhaust that comes out of the leaf blower or they just don’t give a fuck. Could be both…what I do know is that they have not the slightest clue about plants. 

They re-seed grass and then cut it the next week. They “prune” plants by chopping off everything but the base. They weed gardens by pulling every living thing out of them. These fuckers kill all things living. Maybe I am hostile towards them this morning because they woke me and waking me up is akin to waking a bear out of hibernation (let’s just say that last year my neighbors woke me up on the 4th of July at 3am with fireworks and what they received was a verbal assault so severe they are now scared of our household – I am fortunate that I was not arrested). It is not pretty to wake me up and I advise all not to try it. 

You may not know this but California is in a serious drought. Los Angeles County has restricted the days you can water, when you can water, will fine you $300.00 to start if you violate the outside rules and has asked all residents to reduce their water usage by 15%. So, what do the gardeners do??? They start to water. Not something they have ever done before. It’s kinda like a big fuck you to California. 

The irony in all of this is that these hostile plant murders from this morning are not even our gardeners. They are our neighbors gang of sadists for the sleeping. This disruption this morning has solidified two things: I need to live somewhere where I do not hear my neighbors flushing their toilet next door, where there is not a police helicopter flying over million dollar homes at 10pm, where people do not feel fireworks are a rite of passage and where people tend to their own gardens. 

Oh yeah …….one last thing: if you want to check out a very nifty way to sift through blogs – try http://alphainventions.com/   it provides you blogs that have literally just been created.

Love and Brooklynn

I am struggling with the religious folk lately. I have attempted to discuss their positions with them. I attempted to show why people feel their rhetoric can be hateful. I have asked them to see a different perspective. The response? Well, I have been told that I am illogical, in denial, faithless, a boy, without reference, unlearned, in need of Jesus and flatly wrong. One poster actually requested that I read their blog and provide feedback. I did and the response was a complete rejection of what I provided. I am still rather perplexed why my feedback was sought since it was not even remotely received, but alas my attempts to understand the super relgious run me in circles.

After Proposition 8 in California I decided to make an effort to explain my position to those that sought to deny Gay couples the civil right to be civilly married. I succeeded with some. I was able to invite them to see a different perspective away from their religious views, because civil rights are not based in faith they are based in rights of the state and goverment. With some, we respectfully opted not to discuss it any longer….these folk included some of my oldest friendships. Religion and state are in theory supposed to remain separate. We know that for the most part they are not. Politicians consistently use their religion as a means to be elected. They try to appeal to a base of people who for all purposes are not supposed to be discussing politics on Saturday’s or Sunday’s at their place of worship listening to the discussion from the pulpit. But, the people I spoke to, I discussed with, I debated with – they were ready and willing to see another person’s point of view. I am willing to listen to them – to see where their passion comes from and they were willing to hear me and see where my passion is rooted. I can say with all honesty that our discussions swayed their positions. Not their faith, but their positions on civil rights.

Yes, I undoubtably have issues with organized religions. I am not against people believing; I actually support their beliefs in a higher power. My disenchantment is with those who refuse to look at anything other than their own religion. Their faith is the best. They know best. And, if you are not with them then you are against them. In their eyes, they are here to save you and if you will not be saved then you are destined for hell. I see this as pompous. This position is what polarizes people. How can you talk to anyone who is unwilling to look at a different point of light? When you study other faiths, other beliefs and other ways of life you are able to make your life richer because you see other people in a way that you could not have had you not opened up. Faith is such a personal topic and in my opinion is not something you spend a lot of time debating. What you can debate is the practice and the teachings because these are ever changing.

So, for now I have taken my lickings and I am opting to step out of this topic for the time being. I do thank those who have visited my website and provided critique on my writing. It is always welcomed and appreciated.

Part 2 Chapter 1

Off my dad went to California and off my mom went in the abyss of drug abuse. My memories from this period are post cards. They are quick snap shots of scenes some of which I would prefer to forget. These post cards are filled in with tales told by family members during times in which young girls should have been in bed and not eavesdropping on adults. My mother was trying. She was trying to keep it together and trying to be a mother. But, who could expect someone still trying to recover from their parents dying when she was not even 10 years old only to be separated from her brother and sisters; sent to be raised by her strict religious aunt and uncle in Texas who were a far cry from the freedom encouraged by her parents who were no longer present to protect her from herself. My mother was a suffering soul and not even I was the salve she needed. She was just 23 years old.

She was leaving me with people I knew and did not know. She would tell them it would just be for one night; two weeks later she would return. I was 2 years old. I recall feeling extreme abandonment when she would leave me. In retrospect it was a worry that she would never come back; maybe I was a little fortune teller. I was often left with various family members, so there was a happiness being around my cousins and feeling protected from the rough edges of the neighborhood that surrounded me. Eventually after I spent many nights tuned months at my dad’s youngest sister’s house, word got back to my dad’s mother that I was not being cared for. My dad was her favorite of her three children. While she was still furious at my grandfather for leaving her for his mistress, my dad looked just like him and for this she cherished him. He doted on her and this translated to me being the favorite grandchild. My grandmother called my dad, now in California, and insisted he take back his roll as parent. My dad was scared. He was in a new relationship and did not know how is lover would take my grandmothers insistence that a child be moved into the home. 

What my dad did not know was before he moved down his lover had 2 options before he was asked to move in with him. He also had a lover in Philadelphia and he was trying to decide who he should ask to come live with him. The deciding factor was me. When my dad said he had a daughter his lover felt it could be his opportunity to have or be a part of family; something he had always wanted but because of his inability to bed with a woman and laws at that current time it was not something likely to happen. And to add a little spice to this decision, the lover went to see a psychic who told him that a little girl with blue eyes, big cheeks and blonde hair would be coming into his life. The decision was made and my dad was invited to California. 

The unexpected reaction from the lover was not something anyone would have anticipated. Normally a very pensive man, Oliver, made an instant decision that yes he would like for me to brought down to live with them as a family. And so another decision was made; another decision my mother was not yet aware of. A plan was created because my mother would undoubtably disagree to have me move away from her. But, then again my dad was never quite good at predicting my mother’s reactions. My grandmother was to come take me the next time my mother left me with my dad’s youngest sister. She would take me across the Canadian border and then I would stay at her house for 6 months while my new house was prepared (and so my two dad’s could have their last freedoms as a new couple in a house to themselves). 

To be continued………..