The Biggest Problem In Society As We Speak

When cell phones began to a part of the middle class lexicon at the turn of the century, there was a movement to regulate their use while operating mechanical objects (*CARS*) & I was not very supportive of it.  I felt that although there was some people who could not display levelheaded driving by consciously putting away their phones, I didn't think that we all needed to suffer for it.  Although I knew that my driving skills suffered while having a cell phone in use, I also didn't want anybody else making that decision for me when I knew that there were times when I could safely use it.  I was a Libertarian in that sense before I fully realized what that label meant.

But we're all past that now.

I propose a fucking Constitutional Amendment to ban all electronic devices in motor vehicles while in use for the operators.  I have lived a half life & I have seen for a fact that we just can't have nice things or be trusted with them.  This problem has extended to all genders, ages, races, cultures & creeds;  the "problem" being that we all completely lack the self-discipline to make rational decisions in our driving.  It has to stop;  I've seen too many accidents or near accidents with absolutely no self-awareness or shame from the perpetrator.   In a fish bowl of society, I've seen if it's a choice in the life of others (or our own) or the ability to instantly communicate with others, we will take communication without hesitation.

And, as I've said, this isn't all about the teenagers.  It's one thing to accept acts of irresponsibility in those who still are learning it;  it's another to see it as gospel from those who do know better.  That's why it has to be a Constitutional Amendment;  there can't be an locally created loopholes in this shit.  Hell, we as a country promised to ban all alcohol at one point;  why not this? (Although the story on how that came to be is way more interesting that you might think)

In my employment, I've had endure to the regulations of DOT; one of their most recent hard line rules has been exactly what I'm proposing here.  Now, under other DOT regulations, I've had specialty training that, simply put, makes me a hella lot better driver than you.  Or could ever be.  And yet, the Govt. doesn't trust ME, with my training, to use a cell phone or a electronic devise while driving a vehicle (& obviously, I believe they're in the right on this).  Meanwhile, fucking car manufactures are putting Google in regular drivers dashboards.  There's a large disconnect going on here & the death tolls are rising every year.

And it needs stop.  And it needs to start today.

Thank you.

Do On To Others As They Would Do On To You

This is great (even if @atmccann did it aaaages ago) MT @katienotopoulos: man-free on Twitter #UnfollowAMan http://t.co/dtBksK0ErF
— Mona (@MonaChalabi) July 29, 2014

I probably don't have to say what my 1st reaction to this since it's already causally (Caucasian-lly) dismissed within the article, so moving on from that, I'd say my next one is sadness.  Sadness that this person doesn't think that there is any value in reading anything from someone based upon their gender;  much less their opinion.  I guess, as a man, it should make me feel ashamed of that part of my identity, that all my experiences as "me" are worth nothing in the sphere of influence simply because they can't be separated from the way I was born.  But I'm not ashamed because I know that's all bullshit;  I know I'm a better person by exposing myself to ALL faucets of the life-experience than I would be than without it.  The only discrimination I use in reserving my exposure has everything to do with the individual's actions & opinions;  if that person would like to hide behind their heritage or gender from any blame occurred on their part, that's their cross to bear.

But not mine.  Forgive me for setting the bar just a bit higher.

Recently, I was asked by someone who my favorite female authors were & I was surprised in the honest answer that I don't actively have any.  Sure, I read pieces written by women on blogs & sites, but I can't think of any novelist or comic book writer who has my baited attention in whatever her next project may be (I could say Gail Simone, but my actions speak much louder than whatever my intended preferences tell me).  This, I say, is also sad & a failing that I most likely would have to take responsibility for.  I couldn't use the excuse that there isn't or couldn't be any female writers whose work I would probably always enjoy because that sounds just as false & ridiculous as it is to type that out.  Still, I would say it's better than me saying to I have a "token" female on my Kindle or whatnot (or embarrassing things like "I watch movies based on Stephenie Meyer's works").  Needless to say, it's on the list of things I need to self-improve in the future; a self-made list, not anybody else's.

I can understand the need to "turn down the volume" on certain people who tend to be one-note in their views; I would say that's a universal experience; but I don't understand how that needs to be executed in any kind of sexist/racist/homophobic classification.  Nor can I understand how that can justified by citing the same kind of ugliness that the person is trying to distance them self from in the first place.

It's the kind of thing makes me want to not value anything you have to say anymore;  only I know I won't be making that distinction based on your gender.