Crabby Blogging Lady

Well, at the insistence of Don E. Chute (he used CAPS AND EVERYTHING!), I took the Nolan Chart Quiz. I think I had taken this a year ago, maybe. I see that my views haven’t changed one bit, thank you very much.

I am NOT a Libertarian, however. I hate it when quizzes marginalize you into a colorful section on a graph.  I do not believe that we should legalize (or encourage) pornography, pot-smoking, “escort” services, polygamy, and blaspheming activities. I think society has every right to ban these activities as unwholesome to a nation and society. (By the way, I am an American history scholar who has read and studied the Constitution and the writings of the Founding Fathers, and they believed the same thing!).

ANYWAY. So the Nolan Chart says I’m a Libertarian. When I’m not.

What I am is a Federalist, for lack of a better word. Read The Federalist Papers: that’s what I believe. I believe in a federal government for the purpose of unification, and defense, and world trade. AND THAT’S IT.

Everything else– all powers not given to the federal government by the Constitution nor prohibited by the States, are GIVEN TO WE THE PEOPLE.

Oh gee, that has a familiar ring to it. *gasp* Could this possibly be the Tenth Amendment?! Why, yes, boys and girls, it IS!

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Well, the next question to be asked is: Do we still retain the original form of representative government given to use by the founders?

And boys and girls– we do not. The last straw that broke the camel’s back was the Patriot Act. Sorry, we no longer have a Constitutional republic. What a shell game. We can’t do anything anymore without the federal government breathing down our necks: get a job, cash a check, use our transportation, make a phone call, have a baby.

But even before that blasted “Act,” something else radically altered our form of government 100 years previously; it was when the Progressive idjits in government CHANGED state representation to have senators elected by popular vote instead of state legislatures. This occurred in 1913 (gee, the same year as the Federal Reserve Act and Income Tax– those Progressives SURE were busy, weren’t they?). Hello, there was a REASON that the Founders included the state legislatures the way they did– to make sure that the larger states (which had higher population and more urban centers which are the renowned bastions of wicked sinners) did not control the entire federation. It was called the New Jersey Plan, written by William Paterson. You see, back THEN, the states cared about equal representation.

Since the Progressive tyrants have eliminated that check and balance, our nation is basically controlled by the big (liberal) states: Florida, New York, California, and Texas. Even though all the states still retain two senators per state, the state legislatures themselves have lost their representation in the federation, therefore allowing the federal government to usurp power more readily (in such things as education, eminent domain, mandated and/or unfunded social programs, government-funded home insurance quotes, blah blah, etc).

So that was really the beginning of the end, 1913.

Back to the Nolan Chart. Those quizzes are meaningless. I think they have good intentions, but they are meaningless because the people who REALLY know what American government is all about are going to be marginalized, as I was. These quizzes don’t truly represent the original intent of our form of government. Why are we tut-tutting about health care and Social Security?! The larger issue is that the federal government has totally usurped power. Why isn’t that part of the discussion? Why aren’t we spending our time defending the Constitution and Bill of Rights, instead of bickering over government HMOs and Granny’s pension and whether the government can allow teenagers to kill off their unborn babies?

Politics always gets me worked up. Good gravy. I feel so much better. I haven’t had a rant like this in, gee, three or four days! Thanks, Don.

Patricia of Communication Exchange brought up an extremely interesting issue; it concerns a psychology study– “cyberpsychology” to be exact– that performed a content analysis on MySpace blogs (which, according to the authors of the study, are no different than other blogs and bloggers on the Internet (I’m not sure I agree with that, however).

CyberPsychology & Behavior
Blog Function Revisited: A Content Analysis of MySpace Blogs

Abstract

The present study concerns the content of MySpace blogs and whether it differs from the blog style found on sites specifically designed for blogging. A content analysis of MySpace blogs was conducted to investigate trends in purpose, format, and style and to compare these across sex and age categories. Most blogs were written in a positive tone, and the main motivations for blogging appeared to be writing a diary and as an emotional outlet. Findings also indicate that while there were no significant sex differences, blog purpose and style differed across age groups; for example, bloggers over 50 were more likely to use the blog as an emotional outlet with a negative tone. Bloggers between 18 and 29 predominantly used a semiformal language style, whereas bloggers over 30 were equally as likely to use a semiformal or formal style. Results suggest that MySpace blogs are not dissimilar from other forms of blogging because they provide an important outlet for emotion and self-expression.

The study is brief, only five pages long (with one page of references). I did not read it thoroughly, but I did skim over it. The general consensus among the study group is that blogging is, by far, an emotional outlet. Patricia, in her usual perceptive manner, brought up some good points and food for thought:

One of the most fascinating findings was that older bloggers (those over 50) tended to have a negative tone to their blogs.

This finding runs contrary to everything I experience each day in the blogging community. As an over-50 blogger myself (and I think one with a fairly positive tone), I try to visit many other older bloggers. On the whole, I find us a remarkably positive group. Of course, there are a few exceptions (e. g., Crotchety Old Man Yells at Cars, Crabby Blogging Lady). These exceptions, I think, occur because these senior bloggers use a negative style in a humorous way to foster an image of a curmudgeon. In real life, they are nothing like their on-screen personae.

Patricia asked for input from her readers. So here’s mine.

Firstly, I am not in the “over 50″ group. I am in my early 40s. I appear older perhaps because I have more traditional values (and a heck of a lot more common sense) than my younger peers.

Secondly, I have several other blogs besides this one, and I can say that perhaps two out of the dozen I manage are emotional outlets. This blog is where I rant, and I have another where I share my personal life (to a degree)… the other 10+ blogs are informational or political blogs. I did not see these types of blogs addressed in the study.

Thirdly, I wonder of the study is accurate when they opine that MySpace blogs are much like all the other blogs out there. I have found this to be exactly the opposite.
I have seen my share of “emotional outlet” blogs, but I don’t see a great deal of them. I’ve seen a few MySpace blogs, and I seriously doubt MySpace blogs are a great deal like other blogs.

I’ve been blogging, on and off, for almost ten years now. Blogs that are emotional outlets are in the majority, but my experience has shown that they are not THE majority. I have seen a large share of informative blogs, political blogs, blogs as a creative outlet (such as, showcasing Etsy wares), and for activist causes (tree-huggers, etc). I believe of all the blogs, most are political or informative. Mine are more entertainment/informative. Just as Patricia said, “senior bloggers use a negative style in a humorous way to foster an image of a curmudgeon.” True. It’s all about having fun. :D

Finally, I think older people have more to complain about. They’ve been around longer, and the world is going to hell in a handbasket. Sure, sure, you can say that about ANY generation, but this age in which we live is going downhill fast. Not only do we have the eternal forces of slavery, tyranny, propaganda, and apathy, but it’s broadcast around the world in “real time” over and over and over again. And technology, while convenient, exacerbates the angst with the means to control the masses by Big Brother. No wonder we’re negative, perhaps more negative than any other era in time, ever. ?? All the while, the younger populace is consumed with the latest gadget, promo keychains, iPhone app, or whatever, not caring about anything except their own microscopic personal world!

That’s my two cents, from the non-senior Crabby Blogging Lady.

That’s right, I STILL haven’t received my income tax form from a certain company. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!?!

HELLOOOOOO I live in New York State– these people aren’t gonna wait to get their grubby hands on my tax forms!!

And this news story almost gave me apoplexy!

NY may delay state tax refunds

Lawmakers say the governor wants to withhold your state refund. State Senator Joseph Griffo says the governor is considering holding them back because the 2010 budget may not be done on time.

Griffo says he believes the governor has the power to do so.

However, the state senator says he thinks enough people in the legislature will challenge the governor if he in fact decides to hold back refunds.

“He is not going to allow people to withhold and take more time in paying what they owe the state, so he has to be consistent here. He can’t hold refunds back and not give people extensions because people who are struggling would like more time to pay their taxes but they won’t be given that opportunity,” Griffo said.

A member of the Governor’s budget staff says withholding refunds is just one of many proposal to increase cash flow in the month of March. More than $293 million in refunds has already been sent out, said a Governor’s aide.

The state currently limits the amount of tax refunds it pays in the first three months of the year to $1.75 billion. Paterson is considering lowering that threshold to $1.25 billion because the state must roll $1.4 billion into next year’s budget to close a current year budget gap.

The state has until June to pay the refunds before they start accruing interest.

The governor is expected to make a decision in the next few weeks.

WHAT?! They may delay our checks because THOSE STUPID POLITICIANS can’t STOP their OWN spending on their pet projects?! And they still expect US to pay on time?!?

GAH!!!

So that makes my certain employer’s tardiness even more worrying. They had better get off their fat butts, quit the cheeky tweeting, and SEND ME MY INCOME TAX FORM!!! New York is about to go in the sewer!

I’m quite, quite sure that the ONLY reason Google and the NSA are teaming up is to help protect Google, yes yes.

Google to enlist NSA to help it ward off cyberattacks

The world’s largest Internet search company and the world’s most powerful electronic surveillance organization are teaming up in the name of cybersecurity.

Under an agreement that is still being finalized, the National Security Agency would help Google analyze a major corporate espionage attack that the firm said originated in China and targeted its computer networks, according to cybersecurity experts familiar with the matter. The objective is to better defend Google — and its users — from future attack.

Sources familiar with the new initiative said the focus is not figuring out who was behind the recent cyberattacks — doing so is a nearly impossible task after the fact — but building a better defense of Google’s networks, or what its technicians call “information assurance.”

…Despite such precedent, Matthew Aid, an expert on the NSA, said Google’s global reach makes it unique.

“When you rise to the level of Google . . . you’re looking at a company that has taken great pride in its independence,” said Aid, author of “The Secret Sentry,” a history of the NSA. “I’m a little uncomfortable with Google cooperating this closely with the nation’s largest intelligence agency, even if it’s strictly for defensive purposes.”

The pact would be aimed at allowing the NSA help Google understand whether it is putting in place the right defenses by evaluating vulnerabilities in hardware and software and to calibrate how sophisticated the adversary is. The agency’s expertise is based in part on its analysis of cyber-”signatures” that have been documented in previous attacks and can be used to block future intrusions.

The NSA would also be able to help the firm understand what methods are being used to penetrate its system, the sources said. Google, for its part, may share information on the types of malicious code seen in the attacks — without disclosing proprietary data about what was taken, which would concern shareholders, sources said.

Greg Nojeim, senior counsel for the Center for Democracy & Technology, a privacy advocacy group, said companies have statutory authority to share information with the government to protect their rights and property.

So… because Google has crappy security, some chatty employees, and China is spying on us (even though P-BO just took China off our “nations to watch for spying on us” list), we need to monitor the Americans more! How come it’s like this every single time– every times somebody attacks US, WE get fewer freedoms and are monitored more?!?!

Are Americans REALLY this stupid? Will Americans really buy into this crap??

probably.

Our country bought into the 9-11/Patriot Act fiasco…. the “stimulus” packages… the “too big to fail” crap… the health care “reform” crap that will enslave us to the 3rd generation to pay for it… the Savings & Loans of the 90s… the RFID chips in OUR passports… the “separation of church and state” lie… it’s just too, too much sometimes. Our country (and therefore our freedoms) is going to hell in a handbasket. Hello?! Yet what’s the biggest concern for most Americans– Taylor Swift, Tiger Woods scandals, and Brangelina divorcing?!

What is going on?!

Yeah, I’m depressed. It’s really rough to be working 28-hour days and barely scraping by, enduring the gloomy January cold, and reading the worst headlines in history, all the while public officials are having a bonfire with the Constitution in outdoor fireplaces. They’re not even sneaky about trashing our liberties anymore– they’re arrogant enough to wipe it all over our faces! And even worse, a large proportion of the population does not care!!

POLITICS: \ˈpä-lə-ˌtiks\
Function: noun plural but singular or plural in construction
From root: poly meaning “many”; and ticks meaning “blood-sucking parasites”
Definition of POLITICS: many blood-sucking parasites

Is it true that most textbooks, if they teach kids anything at all, are full of blather about how wonderful progressive liberalism and wacko-environmentalism are?

My daughters’ textbooks SURELY don’t mince words. But then, these textbooks are not written by progressive liberals and wacko-environmentalists. My daughter saw this cartoon on a page in her Economics textbook, where the discussion was “humanitarian aid and it’s false hopes to help nations,” and, being smart as whip like her ol’ mom, laughed and laughed.

But I guess you could use such a cartoon for ALL government entities: school budgets, local and state budgets, federal budgets and all the pork and earmarks… Gah! Those idiots! Those sponges!

My poor daughter. She’s young enough to find all this gross mismanagement and criminal activity humorous. Me, I’m crying to the bank….

I think I hate CFL bulbs, even more than those lousy incandescent bulbs. For one, those new-fangled CFLs don’t fit in some of my light fixtures! And the light fixtures are new, purchased only a few years ago. Two, you can’t use the CFLs with touch-lamps or touch lights. I did it, and it totally blew out my $50 lamp! Gah! Third, the government and environmental wackos love CFLS and have pressured governments to force us to have them, so I hate them.

I never loved incandescent bulbs– they’re fragile. Whenever I purchased a dozen or so at the store, I can always count on one or two of them not working! It’s such a crock! Either they are already blown, or some overzealous stock boy, rocking to Metallica at 3am while shelving the inventory, rattles the boxes and breaks the filaments in the bulbs.

Plus, incandescent bulbs don’t last very long. My house has high ceilings, where we have to climb on ladders to change the light bulbs. It’s NO FUN hauling the 10-foot ladder out of the garage into the various rooms, just to screw in another light bulb (and then find out it doesn’t work).

Not that CFLs last long, either. Sure, they last longer than the 10-day life expectancy of the incandescent, but for CFLs being 10 times more expensive than incandescent, and being marketed as “lasting 5 to 7 years!” I think they are a CROCK!! I installed several about 8 months ago.. and they are all blown out already!

And worse of all, the CFLs are being forced into our lives! Governments with their fad “du jour” legislation are banning the incandescent and forcing us to buy CFLs!

Hello?! CFLs are full of toxic chemicals, like mercury! What are we going to do with all of that stuff, huh? Didn’t anyone ever stop to think about that? So if you break one in your home, or fill up your neighborhood landfill (or if you are like New York City, go fill up Upstate NY’s and New Jersey’s landfills to poison the people there) with these CFLs, you are introducing tons of highly toxic chemicals into the environment. Can someone please tell me how CFLs are supposed to “save” our planet?! And how are they going to monitor our bulb usage, huh? Have a Big Brother Ministry of Light Bulbs walking around towns with handheld gps scanners, looking for LIGHT BULB CRIMINALS?

Know what I think will happen? Those knuckleheads in government, who have banned the incandescent, will eventually “discover” that our landfills are suddenly filled with toxic chemicals from the CFL bulb. They will tax us to the gills for the cleanup, and then turn around and ban CFLs, too! And then you know what we’ll be left with! CANDLES! Yes, candles and other open flame lighting!! But even New York State has one up on that already! Because those idiots just created a law banning open flame fires, like campfires! These idiots! They are going to legislate us back to the Stone Age! GAH!