Reads with Scotch ’s Comments (group member since Mar 14, 2008)

Reads with Scotch ’s comments from the Axis Mundi X group.

Well, I think I will have to refrain from the belly rubs; my Dinah is kind of possessive of my affection. She has been caught staring down my wife during our "maritals" But I'm sure Charissa will be more then happy to rub you where ever you want. I can fling you both up into the sky and you can mutually pet each other all the way down it would be fun!

Well I am against raising taxes. But I am all for closing loopholes {for big business, small businesses should rightfully receive added benefits until they become large enough to hang with the big dogs... and they are dogs.} I think you should stop being swishy washy and join the dark side... come on, a couple of bombs never hurt anyone... Eh, well you know what I mean :-)

I guess growing up in Chicago I had many “bad” teachers. So much so that I am having trouble pulling one cohesive story out. It’s all a hodgepodge of hate, and apathy. Most of what I know today was self taught. My own intent to learn more about whatever strikes my interest. That was something that was missing from my education. I never really connected with any of my teachers… well there was one, Mr. Stallings, 7th grade history teacher. He was a cool bean, and actually enjoyed teaching.

I understand that, Charrisa. But you need to understand that the ball may not start rolling if both sides take that stance. The conservatives gave in a little, civil unions. I think they should take it. At lest they are protected by law. Just because they take it doesn’t mean they stop pressing, it just means take what you can get when it is presented to you.

Whats your word count for this week by the way?

Lori, I have no problem with more intrusive background checks for firearms. I might be wrong but I think we had a conversation together about this once before. An automated computer system that runs re-occurring checks randomly and a nation wide law enforcement data base. I forget all the particulars now but as I recall we had a pretty good piece of legislation fleshed out there ;)

NB, I’ll moderate as long and my belly gets rubbed after you two make up and play nice… with me.

I understand what your saying, Charrisa. I am not a homophobe, but I think they would get a lot more accomplished allot faster if they gave a little. Like I said, after they see that the sky doesn’t fall and the SF isn’t swallowed by a sea monster, then they can bring the issue back to the table. Baby steps.

I would welcome an independent party. No since giving it another name, just a collaboration of folks that don't fit into the peg hole of the other two parties. I often feel like a man without a country. By rights I am not conservative, because of my stance on religion, and all the hot issues that go with it. I'm not liberal because I hate handouts, any social program is a sin against humanity and I believe that 100%. I like guns, I own many, will by more. I think we need to get hard on immigration, punish all parties concerned, business and individual alike. Abortion... I don't like the idea of it being used as birth control, but the option should be on the table. That is an issue where I am solidly "liberal". I understand the point of view from the religious conservatives but they need to understand that their belief is not mine. But that doesn't help does it, because we are talking about fundamental belief, not logical assessment.


NB, Charrisa, I know this isn’t my “sand box”, but can we bump it back a notch or two, before something is said that both parties will wish to take back in the future?

Maybe this is what goes on behind closed doors in Washington. They get together, try to come together to talk something through, then someone will say something the makes someone else all butt hurt, and bam! Everyone solidifies their stance and the stares daggers across the aisle.

That is also a topic I raised before, Lori. Sarah Palin has very conservative views, but she doesn’t force those views in a professional capacity. She is very clear on this issue, she doesn’t agree with gay marriage but she will support people’s choice even if she doesn’t think it is right.

I think everyone needs to get over the “words” I know that is blasphemous on a website praising books, but build a bridge and get over it. With civil unions john and mike can call themselves husband and husband. Conservatives can have piece of mind that their “sacred” union is intact and all concerned are protected under law. It is a win win. Maybe in 10, 12 years after conservatives see that the world will not end because Johnny bonked jimmy they will soften on the issue of wording. I don’t think so but there is always hope. And I think today hope is all we really have.

I guess the real question is how do we get those in Washington to be civil to one another? They are supposedly working on a major piece of legislation right now, and neither side seems to keen on the idea of doing whats good for the country. Its all jockeying for position “how can we make it look like we saved the day” instead of actually saving the day.

I would like to add one more thing. About Gay rights.

I think it is buried somewhere in this very thread, a few of you were jumping all over Palin for being “Anti-gay” When I said she wasn’t and actually signed legislation into law in Alaska extending civil rights to gay people I was ignored and the “Palin is a gay basher” rhetoric continued. So I understand why some people think there is some deep hypocritical behavior going on here. I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel it sometimes also. But I act in good faith that we all act in good intentions and sometimes forget ourselves. The fact is the country is divided on a fundamental level. There is no easy way forward from here on out, until something gives. Every piece of legislation is going to be dripping with partisanship. This also means “a whole lot of nothing” will continue to be the standard congressional response to major issues.

Good evening, Jackie. I thought Palin did well. (No surprise to you I’m sure) For the first time in a couple of weeks I saw the woman that I know again. It was refreshing. What many of you are calling a political act (talking about being a “blue collar hockey/soccer mama” is ACTUALLY Sarah Palin. What you see is who she is. She did dodge some questions, but that’s fine, every politician dodges questions, it’s what they do. I’m trying to recall some of the questions that she dodged, I remember the “what do you see as YOUR weakness” which she didn’t answer. But I think everyone already knows what her weakness is. She is not abreast of what happens in congress. This played in Biden’s favor. Because even if she knew what he was saying was wrong she couldn’t challenge him on it because she was unsure. So I will do it for her, as tired as I am.

Waving the bullshit flag at:
Biden made the claim that he didn’t vote for the war resolution starting the Iraq war; bullshit flag, take a drink.
Biden’s statement that his comment about clean coal in America was taken out of context, Bullshit, takes a drink.

Also there were many references from both about whose candidate voted for what bill. To me you can not say McCain voted to cut funding for the troops in Iraq because That isn’t why he voted no. he voted no because of the agenda previsions added in (timeline) There was one that palin stuck to Biden along similar lines but I can not recall it now… like I said, I’m beat. I guess none of this really matters though. The only people this debate was for were the undecided votes. I think it is safe to say we have all decided who were voting for.

It sounds like you all have obsessions that you need to seek help with.



Says the guy that lives on good reads.

Yeah, I just got done drafting a letter (and e-mailed it to the wife to proof) It will be going out via e-mail to all that should have it. Something must give here because I can not keep doing this.

Today I had a meeting with a gaggle of big wigs from in town. The meat and potatoes of the conversation come down to this. They want me to make myself available, during my off time, to console and direct the techs on shift.

** A few months ago they “downsized” my counter part so I am the only lead tech at my station. I argued against this at the time and they ignored my warnings, and my stance that I would not be available during my off time.

At the end of the meeting this was my proposal:
Every call I receive at home will cost the company (1) 12hr shift of pay. (Not negotiable, if you bother me in my off time you are going to pay for it. I don’t care if I get 3 phone calls in one day you will pay me for 3 days.) Shit I’m already working 3 weeks on 1 week off, now they want me in the off time too!

They need to call my former counter part and offer him his job back, and hope he has not moved on to another pipeline. Because I will not be held responsible for something going wrong if I am not reachable. This is a massive point. If they pay me per phone call, that means I accept responsibility for what happens. If they can not reach me they are going to play it that I failed the company. When you fail in this business you lose, everything.

I have so many problems with this whole deal.
1) I told them this was going to be a major problem when the decision was first made.

2) The company’s policy of SR (Strategic reconfiguration) is a flawed plan that looks great on paper but is not manageable in reality. The stakes are high, and we are all going to lose when something goes wrong. All this new equipment that has never been tested is going on line and all of it is failing or not meeting the standards set by the regulatory boards. But since the equipment is there and “running” (using the term loosely) the box on paper has been checked, and that means more downsizing. Never mind the reality; the new equipment (that was intended to operate without human intervention) requires more hands on time and maintained, and that it keeps failing and needs to be repaired on site. There is nobody here to do it, because they have all been laid off.

3) I’m already working 84+ hours a week, 3 weeks a month. I’m getting burned out, and my nerves are frayed. My brain is turning to mush. I AM DREAMING ABOUT WORK! I dreamed last night that I was sitting at my desk working… nothing crazy, just sitting at my desk doing my job. WTF! I am getting mentally exhausted and I am going to start making mistakes, I have already caught a couple. Now I am getting worried that I’m going to miss something major. I voiced this in the meeting and their response was, “We know you will always make sure the oil goes down the pipe.”


And that is it. That’s all it boils down to, the pipeline motto, keep it flowing.

Don’t be fearful of confrontations with the Shh, Koe. I practice escalation of force. In other words “Shh” doesn’t deploy a 1,500lb. bunker buster to eliminate a ground squirrel eating the wife’s garden. I would simply hose the garden down with petrol and burn the eff’n thing out. In other words no need to expend heavy ordinance on something when a bitch slap will do the trick.

So Joanie loves "penis"... Doesn’t everybody? I love that I have one, and I love that others want it.
I guess what this means is I agree, didn’t learn anything worth knowing.

I think I can accommodate you both, in your un-traceable firearm needs. I have a bucket of guns squirreled away at home.

Well hugging a person is one thing, attempting to hug an officer of the law when said officer is attempting to arrest you... Cop pack heat, they have a responsibility to maintain control of their firearm at all times. That’s petty hard to accomplish with some drunk dude all up in your Kool-Aid.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think the police should go around and tazer people at random or even excessively (that part of my statement was satire). But this guy should have been tazered; I guarantee he would never hug a copper again.

It’s time to fortify your flanks, Dave. Stop the bleeding and all that.

Nothing wrong with finding a little joy in someone else’s misfortune. Particularly if they brought it on themselves.

or perhaps they have been flagged for abuse.