Dumb Idgit Galoot

This is so stupid. 

I want my Christian friends to hear me out, lest they misunderstand.

John DeBerry has introduced a bill in the state house that bans adoption by non-married couples.  I’m sure its intent was to ban gay adoptions in a way that could pass constitutional muster.  As someone who is philosophically pro-life, this angers me.  You don’t ever discourage adoptions.  Ever. 

Never mind your preconceptions about the foster care system.  Vetting for permanent adoptions is very thorough - I know, I’ve been through it twice.  People who are not fit to parent, married, unmarried, gay, straight - will be ruled out by the home-study and the other state run processes.  And this bill is discriminatory: people who aren’t married but fertile can have all the children they want. 

There is already a hodgepodge of prerequisite rules for adoption; each agency has its own set of rules and requirements.  Our adoption agency only took applications from married couples, under a certain age, who weren’t overweight.

No doubt, these requirements, at the agency level, have discouraged many from choosing adoption to build their families.  But there are many agencies with much more liberal rules.  The important thing is that these rules were enforced by the agency and not the state.  This is as it should be.  We chose an agency we were comfortable with.  A very libertarian philosophy, if you ask me.

Back on point - some people just don’t think these things through.  They get so hung up about ”teh gays” or couples who shack up, they diminish the pool of potential adoptive parents.  Don’t let anyone fool you, there is NOT a waiting list for special needs children, older children, non-white children.  These kids are near impossible to place.

You know what?  I was raised by sinners.  So were you.  I do not believe in degrees of sin. 

Don’t be a dumb idgit galoot.  Encourage adoption.

Hat tip: Braisted.

My Comcastic Week

Log

This page provides important information that can be used to resolve problems with your cable modem.

Time Priority Description 2007-11-05 20:02:21 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire FEC framing 2007-11-05 19:59:52 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync 2007-11-05 19:59:49 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync 2007-11-05 19:59:49 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire FEC framing 2007-11-05 19:41:07 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync 2007-11-05 19:41:06 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync 2007-11-05 19:41:06 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire FEC framing 2007-11-05 19:41:04 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire FEC framing 2007-11-05 19:39:49 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire FEC framing 2007-11-05 19:39:46 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync 2007-11-05 19:39:39 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync 2007-11-05 19:35:42 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync 2007-11-05 19:35:39 critical No Ranging Response received -T3 time-out 2007-11-05 19:35:36 critical No Ranging Response received -T3 time-out 2007-11-05 19:35:35 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Failed to acquire FEC framing 2007-11-05 19:35:31 critical No Ranging Response received -T3 time-out 2007-11-05 19:35:17 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync 2007-11-05 19:34:47 critical No Ranging Response received -T3 time-out 2007-11-05 19:34:41 critical No Ranging Response received -T3 time-out 2007-11-05 19:34:40 critical No Ranging Response received -T3 time-out 2007-11-05 19:34:35 critical No Ranging Response received -T3 time-out 2007-11-05 19:34:33 critical No Ranging Response received -T3 time-out 2007-11-05 19:32:08 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync 2007-11-05 19:31:20 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync 2007-11-05 19:31:17 critical SYNC Timing Synchronization failure - Loss of Sync

That’s the last 30 minutes in the life of my cable modem.  It’s been like this for over a week.  I am speaking to you now via Verizon Wireless and their broadband card, which is slow but better than what I’m getting through my cable modem.  The so-called customer service rep at Comcast tried to give me the exact same spiel BusyMom got about my router (It might have been the same person, for all I know).  The best way to tick me off is to speak to me like I’m an idiot.  And even if I was an idiot, it’s not too hard to figure out that when the little light that says “cable” will not stay lit, you have a problem with the signal.  Comcast CS management: please update your scripts!  Maybe take out the parts about arrogant condesension while you’re at it.

When I look direcly at the modem’s URL, I’m getting crazy variations of downstream (all of them LOW), and absolutely NO upstream signal.  Yes, I’ve tried bypassing the cable splitter; it makes minimal difference.

I’m willing to accept that a)My cable modem is dying or b) maybe, just maybe, there are signal problems on the west side of town.  Or maybe all those reports we’ve been reading in the Nashville blogsphere are all coincidences.  But we can’t get to the bottom of things because the CS people are hung up on my router.

 I’ve already severed ties with one unresponsive ex-monopoly.  I’d like to work this out, but that’s not possible dealing with people who are not polite and talk down to people.

I work from home a lot, and I have Vonage.  This is going to end, Comcast,and soon.  One way or the other.  How it ends depends on your attitude when I call again tomorrow.

To Woderick, the Wobber

If you are going to steal my posts and re-post them almost word for word, a little attribution will be nice.  Don’t take advantage of this project’s pre-launch embryonic situation, that’s just rude. 

You can pilfer Shoot The Moose all you want, but the New-Place-I-Can’t-Talk-About-Yet has lawyers attached to it, so I’d lay off if I were you.  I’ve worked hours and hours till I literally  can’t see straight, and miss precious time with my family.  Do your own damned legwork, or give me attribution, please. 

Have a nice day.

Sorry, y’all.  I just had to get that off my chest.

Dear Bellsouth

I want you to understand something.  Listen to me good.  If I want your DSL service, I will call you, or sign up online.  But, if you have your telemarketers call my home, skirting the do not call registry*, using the high-pressure tactics that drove us to the do not call registry in the first place, you can be rest assured that not only am I NOT going to use your DSL service, I will most assuredly sever ties with your company altogether.  Whatever you are sending us that your people refused to leave the phone till we accepted will end up in my barbeque.

This is 2007. We do not need land line service; we were just keeping it for nostalgia’s sake.  But believe me, you have ticked off my wife to the point that I think I can at least talk her into going to Vonage.

Good job.  If I were you, I’d look for another direct marketing company.  This Novo 1 outfit is giving you a bad, bad, name.  Yes, they made the mistake of not supressing caller ID the first time they called, so I know who they are.

*The do not call registry site states that companies you currently do business with are not forbidden from calling you by the do not call rules.  This is the pitfall of telecom companies having their hand in everything. We technically do business with Bellsouth (for phone service), but I consider the other arms of the company to be totally separate.  Nevertheless, I filed a complaint anyway, so we’ll see what comes of that.

We hate, hate HATE unsolicited marketing calls.  They are a sure way to drive us away from doing business with you at all.

Your corporate office will get an earful from my wife tomorrow.  You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into, getting on the bad side of that woman.  You brought this on yourselves, though.

Stupid, stupid,stupid.  Who uses high-pressure telemarketing in this day and age?

My Day In One Word Or Less

Pah!

Something I’ve Learned From 20 Years Of Marriage

I’m a husband, but I’m also a flesh and blood man.  I screw up sometimes.

I learned years ago that when I screw up, when I’ve hurt the one I love, what I need to do is own up.  No excuses, no “I did this because you…”, no “I screwed up, but here’s what’s wrong with YOU…” .  It’s probably the hardest thing for a man, scratch that, for any person to learn, then execute.

Once I’ve humbly repented, if my wife wants to talk about the underlying issues, so be it.  But not before.  She is more important to me than any issue.

I will not die on that hill of Pride.

And then I learned that this philosophy works in all my interactions with all people.

Jesus’ General, my advice?  Son, it’s time to quit digging.  This is not the hill you want to die on.

But, what do I know?

Wednesday Randomness

And now, find the fish:  For some time now, I’ve eaten a homemade cold-cut roll-up for lunch on weekdays. (Jared was onto something.  Cold cuts & veggies are a great way to “feel” full on what amounts to very few calories).  Also, since January, Lintilla and I have primarily avoided processed foods; a good rule of thumb is that if you do at least 80% of your shopping away from the inner aisles, you’ll save money and lose weight. 

Well, last night we had a variation.  Tuesdays are rehearsal nights for me, so we need something quick.  We had Gorton’s Potato Crunch Fillets (yum!).  It’s a fish the kids will actually eat, so what the hey.  240 calories for two pieces.  Add a small handful of tater tots (about 250 calories), and you’ve got a 500 calorie meal that feels like fast food.

Anyway, there were leftovers, so today, I get the best of both worlds: a homemade fish taco!  If you’ve ever had the fish tacos at Baja Burrito, you know what I’m talking about.  I even brought my hot sauce.

Feelin’ Hot, Hot, Hot: Which reminds me about how my tastes have changed over the years.  I used to prefer the taste of Tabasco, but now I prefer the more flavorful (to me) Louisiana Hot Sauce.  I know purists will say these two are both junk, but I can’t afford to go to pepper specialty shops all the time.  I also love a particular Korean chili sauce called Gochujang.  I’ll be pouring that on the bibimbap next week.  [slobber...]

So, what is your favorite hot sauce?  And, if you reply with one of those sauces with “ass” in the name, I’ll have a hard time taking you seriously. 

I’ve got another 5 or 6 years of this?: I grew up in a household of boys.  When hormones hit, we’d just punch each other or blow something up with firecrackers.  This, I can relate to.

But 2 times in the past week, Trillian has been having a conversation with me, and out of nowhere, burst into tears.  And she’s only 9 and a half; it probably can’t even be attributed to puberty yet!  All I could do was hug her and wait for it to subside.  But this is something entirely new to me.  I’d much rather give her something explosive and send her outside.  This, I know.

I’m going to really need y’all’s help over the next several years.

What The?  This threadat NiT is bizarre.  “Disgusted” is most likely a troll, but I’m slowly learning that people really can be that ignorant.

Take My Car, Please: I really, really need to sell my 2005 Scion xB.  We’ve already agreed to buy the 2008 (this was a Lintilla thing); it’s on order.  If we don’t private-sell the car, we’ll have to take a way-low trade in value, and this raises our upcoming payments.  The xB is possibly the best “around town” car I’ve ever had.  Power everything.  35 mpg.  Extremely reliable (it’s made by Toyota).  If you need a car, let me know, and soon.  I won’t play games with you, we’re asking $11,5000 firm.  This is under private Blue Book, we just want to pay off the loan and start fresh with the new one.

Ebay is fun: Somebody in Taiwan wants to buy my condenser mics.  What a strange, wonderful world we live in!

Aunt B, Your Domain Troll Now Lives Under MY Bridge

ATTENTION!!!! NOT SAFE FOR WORK!!!!!

http://www.shootthemoose.com/

The same for .net  Considering I have about a tenth of the readers you do, I’d say somebody just wasted some money at GoDaddy.

Edited to say: By the way, Aunt B, I hear you are looking for a car.  I happen to be selling one.  2005 Scion xB - best “around town” car I’ve ever had.  35 mpg.  Like me, it’s only cute in a bulldog sort of way, but very, very reliable.  Let me know if you’re interested.

Clearing The Temple

Kathy T has written a wonderful, wonderful eulogy for her friend, Lindell, that recently passed away.  You need to read it, it will warm your heart.  Except for this part, which enrages me beyond expression:

The brief service itself was the strangest part for me.  Though our friend was no angel during his time on Earth, he was a marvelous, creative, bitingly funny, amazing person.  But because he apparently hadn’t been “saved,” the preacher wouldn’t speak of his life and he wouldn’t speak his name.  The service was conducted solely to comfort Lindell’s Mom, not to memorialize our friend, with the “Tho I walk in the valley of death…” and other Bible readings.   The preacher urged Lindell’s Mom to take comfort over the loss of her son in prayer.  But he never said Lindell’s name, nor did he say one single thing about his life.  That’s why this post is being written tonight — so it can be our friend’s eulogy.

Folks, I’m so angry about this, I can’t even post about it right now.  When I calm down, I will give my thoughts.  This is a cruelty beyond compare. There is absolutely NO theological basis for this behavior; it’s just cruelty.

Anyway, I’d better not get started till I calm down.  Pah!

To The Man In The Treadmill Room

You remember that scene early in Philadelphia, when the lawyers are in the steam room, making jokes about homosexuals, having no idea that Andrew Beckett was, himself a homosexual? 

You just recreated that moment.

I’m sure I looked “safe” to you.  Even when you asked if the shooter at Va Tech was in the country illegally, I let it slide.  Stupid, but harmless.  I have no quarrel with you.

I realise that the reports are now that a South Korean national committed the atrocities at Virginia Tech.  I know we’re trying to make sense of it all.

I sure don’t look Korean, because I’m not.

Yet, when you disparage a whole nationality, a whole race of people, you are disparaging my children.  Now, we have a quarrel.

I let you know how stupid your comment was, and your embarrassment showed me that I hit the mark.  Yet, if I were a better man, we would have taken it outside.  As it is, I wish I had not been so polite to you; I wish I had a little more Aunt B in me, then I really would have told you how I felt.

And no, the Chinese and the Koreans are not just alike.  Many in China look down on Koreans, so they share your bigotry.  At least get the nuances right, OK?

I’ve wasted enough time with this.  My company is having its own memorial service, with a simulcast of the one in Blacksburg.  We work for a good company, no matter what anyone says.

I will pray and mourn, and you will be a forgotten memory.

Idiot.