Tag: tonytown

Subtweeting #521

liam neeson meme from imgflip https://imgflip.com/i/49hzjyI’ve been refraining from writing for a long time. The world got a little bit crazy, and my writing is and always had been intended an outlet of importance only to myself. But this year…2020…it has sucked more than anything has sucked before. Seeing so many people hurt, so many people sick, and so many people left without any real help, it’s kind of lit the fires again (so to speak.) This is me just dipping my feet back in the pool. No citations, no extra research because honestly I don’t have time for it. But who knows, maybe I will start making more time for writing again.

So…here it goes. My subtweeting is usually to avoid the crazy mob of pundits’ fans and their socks. Maybe someday I’ll shift a focus to being an influencer, but right now most of what I see is people using their powers to rile up their fans with shit-poor information.

The bigger problem with this, is that it is inspiring conflict, not resolution. Inspiring people to act and protect is beautiful. Inspiring people to suppress, to harm, or do violence, by word, inference, or gesture…that makes one part of the problem.

If the response is violence, suppression, or harm, it means that the system is either incapable of addressing the problem, or there is an agenda that specifically seeks to condone/promote the disparity.

If you’re wondering why there isn’t more oversight, simply look at everyone not voting for it. That’s literally all that is necessary. Vote them out, and vote representatives in that support term limits.

It might take a decade, but the end result will be all of the old good-ol’ boys will be gone, and younger, less corrupted representatives will only get 8 years(or whatever) to make their difference. The old guys will not be able to maintain their status quo.

We would also see quickly, a more diverse representation. Is the majority still white? Yep, but not for long. By creating/supporting initiatives that lessen the strength of minority votes, institutional agendas remain entrenched.

I hate to say it, but look at Russia. Putin’s playbook was a long long game, and it worked. Ignore that he’s scary as hell, but he systematically realign most of Russia to his agenda. I think honestly that’s the same playbook we’re seeing from the political institution now.

A small change in policy now nudges demographics to a more controllable voting situation. Think of it as non-geographic gerrymandering. And here we are, letting it happen, year after year, letting the same people do the same things to us.

Vote them out…vote them out and for heaven’s sake, don’t let them stay and continue to do harm.




When the artist gets the rights of the owner…

Scenario.
I buy land on a mountain in an out-of-the way rural area. I am not farming said land, nor using it for business purposes. Without my knowledge or consent, some artist shows up and proceeds to build an amazingly beautiful 50′ tall monument carved into the mountain of an angel cradling a baby that can be seen from half a mile away, and becomes very popular tourist attraction.

Unfortunately, I purchased this land because it is away from the population, and with expectations of maintaining a modicum of privacy. I give the artist the chance to start a project to move the monument someplace else and they refuse. Eventually, I come to the conclusion that the monument must go, as people are driving up to my house at every day at all hours and I am not getting any privacy.

After the monument is demolished, the artist sues me for 6.7 million in damages to HIS work.

Does this seem right to you?

I read an article recently and it really provokes some thought on this. Recognizing the value of the artwork should not impact an owner’s rights, even if there is a loss of value to someone else, right? Whats the use of owning the property if some guy can walts up and sue you for using it as you want?

Here is the original NY Times Article




Rx (Medicate) by Theory of a Deadman

Big Ass Mug Of Get Shit Done

Big Ass Mug Of Get Shit Done

Sundays are my “jam out” days. The normal crap, clean house, finish laundry, relax, smoke some meats for the week’s meal planning, finish expense details for taxes, write 5 proposals, write an article for a security client, outline remediation for another client, exercise, try to finish some electronics projects, study for my ham cert,try to figure out how to address a $50,000 hospital bill…you know…a normal Sunday, right? The very first thing in this amazingly relaxing day is me having to take my daily meds…the single most important part of my day…where I have an abnormally large jug of coffee (black) and a small handful of medicine that make living “normal” for me. I am lucky in that none of these meds are mind affecting…but there is no way out for what I am currently taking. It’s my life. If I want to walk, to live, and be functional (physically)..these are a must. For a guy that is not an addict, I am locked into an environment that i cant get away from (easily – we’re working on it really.) Occasionally we come out with better meds, and life gets a little hassle from side effects.

While I talk about this, I consider myself lucky. I’ve lost a LOT of friends to addiction. I am lucky because my worst vice is a love for cooking and my Big Ass Mug of Get Shit Done, I cant say the same for so my loved ones over the years. This song made me stop and take stock this morning, and felt it was worth the share.


Rx (Medicate) by Theory of a Deadman - Lyrics

Rx (Medicate) by Theory of a Deadman

Wake up to a cloudy day
Dark rolls in and it starts to rain
Staring out to the cage-like walls
Time goes by and the shadows crawl
Crushin’ candy crushin’ pills
Got no job, mom pays my bills
Textin’ ex’s get my fill
Sweatin’ bullets, Netflix-chills

World’s out there singin’ the blues
Twenty more dead on the evening news
Think to myself “really, what’s the use?”
I’m just like you, I was born to lose
Why oh why can’t you just fix me?
When all I want’s to feel numb
But the medication’s all done
Why oh why does God hate me?
When all I want’s to get high
And forget this so-called life

I am so freakin’ bored
Nothin’ to do today
I guess I’ll sit around and medicate (medicate)
I am so freakin’ bored
Nothing to do today
I guess I’ll sit around and medicate (medicate)

Can’t wait to feel better than I ever will
Attack that shit like a kid on Benadryl
Chase it down with a hopeful smile
Hate myself, if I can go for miles
They say family’s all you need
Someone to trust can help you breathe
Inhale that drug, but you start to choke
You follow the outs of an inside joke

Why oh why can’t you just fix me?
When all I want’s to feel numb
But the medication’s all done
Why oh why does God hate me?
‘Cause I’ve seen enough of it, heard enough of it, felt enough of it
Had enough of it!

I am so freakin’ bored
Nothing to do today
I guess I’ll sit around and medicate (medicate)
I am so freakin’ bored
Nothing to do today
I guess I’ll sit around and medicate

Medicate
Medicate
Medicate
Medicate

Superman is a hero
But only when his mind is clear though
He needs that fix like the rest of us
So he’s got no fear when he saves that bus
All the stars in the Hollywood Hills
Snapchat live while they pop them pills
All those flavors of the rainbow
Too bad that shit don’t work though
Your friends are high right now
Your parents are high right now
That hot chick’s high right now
That cop is high right now
The president’s high right now
Your priest is high right now
Everyone’s high as fuck right now
And no one’s ever coming down

I am so freakin’ bored
Nothing to do today
I guess I’ll sit around and medicate (medicate)
I am so freakin’ bored
Nothing to do today
I guess I’ll sit around and medicate

Medicate
Medicate
Medicate
Medicate

I medicate


So all that said, addiction is a big deal. You should never let it ride, it is worth fighting every minute, every day, with every breath. I asked my awesome friend Brittany over at Impavidus Counseling for some useful links and resources if you’re dealing with addiction. SAMHSA (linked here) has a ton of useful resources for you.