Homemade Dishwasher Detergent? Ya, Seriously!

I did not come from June Cleaver’s family.  (For you young’ens, she was the picture-perfect model of wife, mother, woman, etc.)  My mom was a single mom.  We ate lots of mac and cheese and ground beef patties.  She did not use salt, pepper, or spices (having kids, I understand this better as they never agree on what is good).  Eating out was at Burger King.  Flame broiled was better than fried, of course.  Mom wasn’t the crafty type.  My dad worked.  A lot.  He didn’t quit until the job was done.  Granddaddy loved to cook and feed people.  He made things from old discarded stuff.  He up-cycled before the term existed.  Once he built a scooter from an old lawnmower.  He liked it better than the ones sold in the stores because he put a seat on the back for his wife!  Nana cooked and cleaned.  She kept a perfect house.  She sewed, read books, and watched basketball.  She ironed.  My granddad died when I was young, but from what I know, he worked on cars and was handy.  Mamaw was a good southern cook, but she preferred anything pre-made.  She didn’t believe in all this “back-to-basics” nonsense.  She lived in a time when she made everything from scratch.  Hamburger Helper was just fine, even if you couldn’t pronounce the ingredients.  Why does this matter?  Because, like you, who I am was formed from a variety of people.  I want the clean and pristine house like my Nana’s home.  I love cooking and experimenting, though I hardly have enough time to.  I wish I could make things and sew.  I’m not crafty.  In fact, crafts are scary.  I’d rather have dinner with Freddy Kruger than figure out the latest craft with my daughter.  I also picked up a little of the “why make it if you can buy it?” attitude from Mamaw.  Not so much with foods.  I prefer real, live food.  Beyond food, I can do without making things.

So why in the world would I make dishwasher detergent?

Some history, first.  I hate grocery stores.  The ones that are nice are too expensive.  As much as I love the ambient lighting, organized shelves, and the pleasant smell of higher end stores, I can’t justify paying 10% to 30% more just for the shopping experience.   The middle of the road stores are a bit more tolerable for my budget.  Most of the prices are decent.  On average, maybe 5% to 15 % more than Wally World.  It’s decently organized and they still give wine samples to frazzled moms.  They tend to be a bit more crowded than the finer stores.  And then there is Wal-Mart.  Most of the time, I can’t beat the prices.  But its crowded.  Always.  And the clientele can be iffy sometimes.  Think I’m pretentious?  There are entire websites dedicated to those who shop at Wal-Mart.  We’ve had several bad experiences at Wal-Mart in regards to being a transracial family.  So every time I need groceries and household items, I go through the mental debate.  The pricey store would be so nice and I’ll still be sane at the end of the trip.  But which family member will need to fast this week so I can afford it?  The mid-grade store is ok, but if I’m going to deal with the crowds, I might as well go all out and survive Wal-Mart.  With the money I save, we can eat at a restaurant.  I won’t be sane enough to cook anyway.

When I realized we were almost out of dishwasher detergent and I’d already been to Wal-Mart three times in the last 10 days, I knew something had to give.  So I analyzed the situation.  Am I happy with the detergent I buy?  Sort of.  I pre-rinse the dishes and most of them come clean in the dishwasher.  These stupid high-efficiency dishwashers are crappy, so what does the soap really matter anyway?  Or maybe my water is too hard. Or too cold.  Heck, it’s way too complicated.  My glasses aren’t clear anymore.  Besides the people who buy new glasses every year, we all have cloudy glasses, right?  What about price?  I hate spending money, so it’s too much.

So I got on Pinterest and found a nice little recipe.  Of course, its powder.  I hate powder.  I always had chucks of powder stuff in soap dispenser that I need a knife to dig out.  And then I’d find powder on my dishes.  Who wants to eat soap?  Or rinse all the dishes again?  Needless to say, I was skeptical.  But alas, I had enough dirty dishes to fill two dishwashers and was now out of soap.  It was Wal-Mart or make the powder.  I gave in and made my little batch of detergent, crammed the dishwasher as full as possible, and away we went!  Dishes were clean.  Glasses were still cloudy, but not as much.  No powder on the dishes or chunks in the dispenser.  It seems to dissolve better.  The detergent was way cheaper (some estimate 1/2 to 1/3 the cost of store bought soap).  Best part by far, it was freaking easy to make.

So here you go:

• 2 cups of 20 Mule Team Borax
• 2 cups of Washing Soda
• 1 cup of Kosher Salt
• 1-2 cups of Lemi Shine or Citric Acid

Borax, Washing Soda, Kosher Salt

Put it in a jar.  Close the lid.  Shake it up.  1 TBS (tablespoon for the non cooking types) per load (your soap dispenser won’t be full).  Fill your rinse aid dispenser with white vinegar.  There ya go!

Lemi Shine

Other tips.  If you have hard water, use more Lemi Shine/Citric Acid.  My bottle of Lemi Shine didn’t list ingredients which annoys me.  So I looked for alternatives.  Lots of people recommend Citric Acid.  You can buy food grade citric acid on Amazon for a decent price.  Buy in bulk and save (5 or 10 pounds).  I found some with free shipping.  And Amazon doesn’t charge sales tax, making them one of my favorite retailers!  I have hard water, but only used 1 1/2 cups of Lemi Shine, as that was all I had.  It did the job.

My opinion on rinse aids.  Honestly, I quit using them when our last dishwasher exploded.  Yes, it exploded.  A good deal of dishwashers have been recalled due to the rinse aid dispensers leaking in the door.  When they leak, they fry the electrical components in the door.  The result of this depends on what is damaged.  Our heating element exploded, blew a hole through the side of the dishwasher and melted the door.  Whatever component shuts off the heating element when it gets too hot probably shorted out.  It overheated and exploded.  However, for the sake of following instructions, I used the vinegar.  My gut feeling is I’ll regret it someday.  Just something to keep in mind regarding rinse aids.  I was pretty sick that I was spending $4 a bottle on a product that would eventually lead to a rather unsettling explosion and the demise of a 4 year old dishwasher.

Where to find this stuff?  Kosher Salt is on the baking aisle with the other salts.  Borax and washing soda should be in the laundry aisle and Lemi Shine near the dishwashing detergents. I emphasize should because my local Wal-Mart had them in weird places.  They also only had baking soda, which is NOT the same as washing soda.  You can order all of it from Amazon and have it delivered to your home and avoid the dreaded stores!

Some people use cutesy letters and put the recipe on the jar.  Good idea.  Maybe someday.  Also, you can add a small stick-on hook to the jar for your measuring spoon.  Someday.  Today I have dishwasher detergent, and I’m content.

Kosher salt box for size comparison

Did it work for you?  Better ideas?  I’d love to hear them!

Semantics, Connotation, Denotation, and Hospice

Last summer, we were faced with the decision regarding Hospice services for my mother.  Going in, I had little knowledge or experience with Hospice.  Two of my grandparents were on Hospice at the end of their lives, and there was some family turmoil regarding it.  But I was young, living in another city, and either pregnant or had a new baby (they were on Hospice at different times).  The nitty gritty of it all was far removed from my world, though I loved them dearly and tried to be there near the end.  My mom, however, feared Hospice.  She felt they speeded death.  Or allowed family members to speed death.

As the decision approached, an Oncology Nurse at the hospital met with me to explain the differences and see what our goals were.  What I found was that Hospice means different things to different people.  As a doctor told me a few weeks ago, his impression was that Hospice speeds death in a comfortable manner.  He was the first professional to ever say that to me.  In some cases, I believe he is correct.  But back to my discussion with the Oncology Nurse.  Basically, there are two camps of Hospice.  On one side, all medicines are discontinued expect those for pain and nausea regardless of the patient’s terminal condition.  The other camp believes that, while a patient is terminal, life should be as full and as  long as reasonably possible.  In other words, you may have terminal cancer that will take your life 6 months from now, but you shouldn’t die 4 months earlier from a Urinary Tract Infection or have a stroke because you no longer take medicine for your high blood pressure.  To us, one side’s goal was to approach the end quickly and peacefully.  The other’s was to enjoy it to the fullest until the patient was truly at the end.

We opted for a company that was extremely life affirming.  My mother had cancer and heart failure from chemotherapy.  Therefore, we did not treat those conditions.  However, everything that she wanted treatment for, she received treatment.  Pneumonia, Urinary Tract Infections, Dehydration from Infections, High Blood Pressure.  The staff provided us great support and encouragement.  They contracted a physical therapist to train us in how to care for Mom as her abilities changed.  Unfortunately, a time came that my mom became too much for us to handle.  I was failing at the balancing act.  I couldn’t devote enough attention to my husband and children, nor could I devote enough time to her.  She recognized this as well and decided to go into a nursing home.

This is where my title comes in.  While I understood the differences in Hospice philosophies, I did not realize that the bulk of our local medical community had one view of Hospice.  The view contrary to the one we held.

Mom and I had many discussions before she became very ill.  We discussed feeding tubes and ventilators.  Cremation versus burial.  We discussed money and costs.  We discussed dividing her belongings after her death.  We discussed the impact of her end of life and death on her grandchildren.  Should she die in their home?  What if they were to find her?  Should they be present?  The conversations no one wants to have.  She decided not to put these into writing for the simple reason that there are too many contingencies.  Her idea was that she made her wishes clear to me and gave me the legal power to carry them out.

The funny thing is (not really funny), I always envisioned battles between doctors and patients regarding the removal of life support.  In reality, most doctors did not want to provide any care because she was a “Hospice Patient.”  It started with the need for antibiotics for a Urinary Tract Infection.  UTIs in the elderly can be brutal.  It’s not uncommon for a simple infection to cause changes in mental status along with a general shut down of the body.  Then it was the need for a food and hydration source.  The opinion was that since she couldn’t feed herself, she was ready to die.  We were told things like “you’re delaying the inevitable,” an argument that could be used for any life sustaining action.  Eat lunch today?  Well, you’ve just delayed the inevitable.  One doctor said she shouldn’t have any treatment because she hadn’t talked to him in three days.  He went so far as to refer us to a Medical Ethics Committee for the horrendous act of treating her UTI and Sepsis.  And having a feeding tube placed, as it was one of those wishes she had made clear to me.  And for clarification, feeding tubes will not grant you immortality.  If it was truly Mom’s time, she would have died regardless.  Her tube has been in for about a month now.

To admit Mom to the hospital, we had to sever our relationship with Hospice.  We decided not to go back solely because of the predominant view in the local medical community that Hospice patients should have high doses of morphine and anti-nausea medicine to ensure tolerance of the morphine.  I truly miss our Hospice team.  They were loving and compassionate, but we had to do what is best for Mom.

So what have I learned from all this?  In regards to Hospice, it’s important to understand the predominate view even if it conflicts with my own views or even the views of the Hospice provider.  On a larger scale, understanding the cultural connotative meaning of a word or idea outweighs my own understanding of the denotative meaning.  Example: I may know what a Classical Liberal is, but modern culture has a connotative definition of Liberal that is contrary to what I know about Classical Liberalism.  Telling someone that I am a classical liberal does not make me sound conservative, but liberal, regardless of definition.  I wore myself out trying to explain our view of Hospice to every nurse, doctor, therapist, and aid.  In the end, it was a battle that was killing my mom, and I could not accept the collateral damage.  Sometimes it’s best to use language everyone understands.

On a happy note, Mom has made improvements that we were told she would never make.  This is an answer to prayer.  Getting simple treatments proved monumental and impossible at times.  It was miraculous indeed that she was able to be treated at the level she needed.  Also, she is now opening her mouth for food, chewing, and swallowing.  She is moving both arms, one leg, and one foot reflexively (responding to tickling and uncomfortable stretches).  She is answering yes/no questions, though not all the time.  She also mouths things like “I love you” and “Goodbye” when we leave.  The blood clot in her arm seems to have passed with no medications or treatment whatsoever.  She makes facial expressions appropriate to the conversation.  All miracles in my book.  She’s not giving up, and God doesn’t seem ready for her.

If you are ever in need of Hospice Services, I would highly recommend Compassionate Care Hospice.

Racism

All this talk of Ron Paul and racism has caused me to reflect.

Racism exists.  Today.  Right here in America.  I can say that with confidence because I am a white mother of a black son.  If you don’t know my family dynamics, reread that sentence.  Let it soak in.  It will make sense after you read it a couple times.  And just in case you’re confused about racism, it goes both ways.  I’m not blaming whites or blacks or Muslims or Christians.  It’s everywhere and we’re all capable of it.  My personal experiences… While shopping at a Walmart Pharmacy, I was denied the medicine I needed for my son by a black pharmacy tech.  A social worker later explained that many black women in our local area are offended by white women marrying black men.  White woman, black son must equal black husband.  We had some white friends that said that our (white) daughter was welcome to come over, but our (black) son was not.  Then there was the person who was encouraging my white child to be a doctor or an inventor and told my black child he could be a rapper.  That person was sincere.  I’ve been asked if his penis is bigger.  Yep, you read that right.   Do moms compare penis sizes at playgroup or something?  I must’ve missed that one.  And for some reason, people seem to think it’s more ok to tell me racist jokes.

Why did I tell the inhabitants of the internet all this?  Because I don’t want some silly, “You’re white, you don’t understand” response.  Do I understand every aspect of racism?  No.  Who really does?  I do know that my son is more likely to be pulled over by the police, more likely to be evaluated for special education, etc.  While most people aren’t openly racist, there are stereotypes that guide everyday life.

So, what about these racist Ron Paul newsletters?  I can’t tell you if he wrote them or not.  But I’ll give my two cents on it.  Adjust it for inflation, and it probably won’t amount to much.  However, it’s my blog, so I can say what I want.

1. The ghostwriter explanation makes sense.  If you’ve had any affiliation with a candidate, campaign, or organization, you’ll know that they use them all the time.  Most mail pieces, emails, etc. are written by staff or consultants.  They’re also edited by staff.  They are written in first person as though the candidate or leader of the organization wrote it.  And that person rarely sees what was written in his or her name.  I’ve even ghostwritten a few email pieces.
2. Ron Paul doesn’t name his ghostwriter.  Often more than one person works on one piece.  And most organizations probably don’t keep record of who wrote which piece.  In fact, it’s fairly common for a candidate to not know the writers.  Why hire a staff if you still try to run everything on your own?
3. The bulk of Ron Paul’s speeches are clearly not racist.  He protests the War on Drugs which disproportionately incarcerates black males.  His stance on civil rights is far beyond that of modern Republicans.
4. Maybe he is racist at some level.  Granted I probably won’t get the Ron Paul Supporter of the Year Award for that statement.   I do have to question the relevance of a handful of statements made decades ago that MAY have come from him.  Here’s the thing.  Most Americans are racist.  My personal experiences in racism are irritating, and sometimes downright painful, but I must take them in stride.  If I disqualified people from my life because of the stupid things they say and do regarding race, I’d be isolated.  Do I tell my daughter that she can’t be friends with certain people because their families are racist?  Do I not shop somewhere because one employee refused service?  Do I ostracize family, friends, and church members because they made a statement that seemed harmless to them?

In the end, I still wonder about the newsletters.   Is it a negative in my book?  Yes.  However, when I compare the pros and cons of the Republican candidates, one still stands out above the rest.  Ron Paul is still more consistent than those other guys and gal.  And thankfully Ron Paul refrains from the typical (and evidently acceptable) Republican hate speech against Muslims, Islamists, Iranians, etc.  If you want to call Ron Paul a racist, that’s fine.  But let’s call all of them out for it.  The rest of the candidates want to bomb all over the Middle East because of a stereotypical fear of Middle Easterners.  And they want to “help” Israel do the same even when Israel’s Prime Minister doesn’t want the help.

I doubt any of us have found a candidate with whom we agree with 100%.  As the light shines on each of them, we’ll find a little more dirt than we’d like to see.  In the end, hopefully, each of us will support the man or woman who is the most consistent on the issues, has the greatest character, and will lead our nation as defined within the Constitution.  For me, that person is still Ron Paul.

I detest the title of this, but it’s a good video.  Take a look.

Enemies of the Urban Homestead

Urban Homesteading is gaining popularity.  Whether you’re growing tomatoes or going for total self-sufficiency, an urban homestead can be rewarding and challenging.  What defines an urban homestead?  That’s the best part.  You do!  Basically, if you live near a city or township or just have a small patch of land, you qualify.  Of course, enemies abound, waiting to sabotage your efforts to have healthy food, cheaper energy, and environmentally sound practices.

Zoning – If your homestead is actually in an urban area, zoning can be your biggest enemy.  Most cities regulate how many and what animals you can have on your property.  While fresh eggs and milk are the healthiest, most cities prohibit chickens and livestock.  Wind mills, water wells, and using grey water from your clothes washer will all likely be banned.  Some cities prohibit certain trees and plants.  Arid regions forbid rainwater collection.

What to do?  Choose your battles. If you really want to plant a forbidden tree, approach your city council when they’re in the middle of spending a ton on planting trees to save the world.  Tell them you want to join in by planting your favorite tree in your yard at your expense.  When they respond “Splendid,” look really sad and tell them that someone ages ago banned that tree.  Ask them to help you by lifting the ban,  We’ve got to save the planet, right?  Good luck on getting chickens in your golf course community.  Campaign donors live there.  You’re best bet is to try to relate to your council members on a human level.  Don’t attack them.  Show them all the positives things that will come about from the change.  Unfortunately, status quo rules the world of politics, so you’ll want to have a back up plan.

Home Owner Associations - Your HOA will likely reiterate your ordinances and add a list of taboo practices that could lower someone’s home value.  Junker cars are not only bad, they are doubly bad, according to your HOA.  Many HOAs will require a certain type of grass in the front yard and could place limits on your front gardens.  This isn’t the place to plant a field of wheat.  Remember that your neighbors mean well, and you do have to live near them.  So try to negotiate and kindly educate.  If you need a non-toxic roof for rainwater collection, but your deed restrictions require something laden with chemicals, educate the Executive Board or Architectural Committee.  Find pictures of upscale homes with the roof you want.  Bring in sketches of your dream roof (from a professional, not your 5 year old), and have good pictures of their finished work.  Apply for a an exemption.  You may need exemptions for greenhouses, roofs, even a birdhouse.  Your garden will attract mice and voles, so you’ll really want on owl handy, if possible.  But a birdhouse  may be prohibited.  Be polite.  Be patient.  Make friends, not enemies.  Share from your garden, so your neighbors can see why your homestead is a positive endeavor.  In the end, you might even gain enough support to modify your deed restrictions or covenants.

Destruction of the Food Chain - Your garden will attract plenty of critters.  One year, we had cantaloups, tomatoes, bell peppers, watermelon, pumpkins, okra, strawberries, and squash.  We did not harvest one single edible thing from that garden.  The mice, rabbits, voles, and birds ate everything!  And the mice eventually got so big that they could barely scurry under the fence.  Prior to that year, we had owls.  They would land on our chimney and their hoots would echo through our house.  Construction in our neighborhood drove them away.  This year, we’re trying container gardening instead of beds.  I can move the plants to confuse the critters and they have to climb a little to get anything.  Of course, the plants dry out faster and don’t grow as well.  It’s a sacrifice.  But I have two ‘maters growing, so its worth it.  We’re researching nest boxes to see if we can draw the owls back .  Before the bulk of construction was completed in our neighborhood, hundreds of birds would land in our yard and eliminate our cricket or grasshopper population in 15 minutes.  Construction equipment has frightened them away.  Most people use chemical pesticides, so the birds have less food (they dined at multiple yards when they stopped here).  With fewer bugs in the neighbors’ yards, fewer flocks find it worth their time to stop here.  So the challenge is to attract birds to eat the bugs and not the garden!

Loss of Pollinators and Cross-Polinators - Nobody likes bees, unless you’re trying to grow fruit or veggies!  The removal of hives and habitat have reduced the population of these wonderful pollinators.  Broad spectrum pesticides have destroyed both bees and butterflies.  The good news is that you can plant flowers that will attract pollinators.  I’ve also heard that feather dusters can be used to help your plants when the bees aren’t around.  I read on a couple forums that grandma used to beat the tomato plant with a switch.  I’m not sure if it really spreads the pollen or if was just therapeutic for granny.   If your HOA requires a decorative front garden, plant plenty of bee and butterfly attractors.  This year, we’ll probably try hatching some butterflies and a praying mantis or two.  It’s a fun project for the kids and it may just help our crops.

Many bushes, vines, and trees require a cross pollinator.  In Texas, Pecan trees are so prolific that a cross pollinator is always nearby.  Unless your entire area was stripped for development like what is happening in my area.  If you don’t want two of the same type of tree, talk to your neighbors.  You may find a neighbor willing to plant one in their yard.  You’ll both benefit, and you save space for the trees you really want.  Having your neighbors homestead has it’s own benefits.  You can swap produce, and you’ll have an ally when it comes to dealing with HOA restrictions.

Space – Most urban homesteaders will have less than acre to work with.  Many subdivision lots are 1/10 of an acre.  This is your chance to get creative.  Grow things in containers indoors or on your porches.  Window boxes can hold herbs.  Attach planters to fences and walls.  Consider dwarf trees.  They can be planted closer together thus allowing space for more trees.  Learn the method of Square Foot Gardening.  And PLAN!  You won’t be able to grow everything you’ve always wanted.  Pick your favorites and plan your space.  Even if it takes you a few years to do everything you wanted, having a plan prevents wasted space.  This is where having a fellow homesteader nearby will help.  Try to grow different things so you can trade and share.  If your neighborhood has common areas, see if you can plant a community garden.

Weather - Drought, floods, heat, snow, high winds.  It all takes a toll on your crops.  And it seems some years have it all packed into one year.  Have an advance plan for cold weather.  What plants can be moved indoors or to a green house?  How will you cover outdoor plants so that the cover won’t blow away?  Can you construct a temporary greenhouse over a section of garden?  Shield delecate plants from high winds.  Rainwater collection is the best defender against a drought.  We have 12 trees and watering them is EXPENSIVE.  They are young and can’t tolerate the drought we’re in right now.  Tap water contains chlorine and other chemicals that plants don’t particularly like.  We’ve found they grow less and produce less when they only receive tap water.

Other enemies abound, you’ll quickly learn.  Be patient and don’t give up.  You may find that Plan A, B, and C don’t work, but Plan D does.  Just remember to have fun.  Even if you’re planning for The End of the World as We Know It.

Life is aChangin…and What that Means for this Blog

A little over a year ago, life grabbed me by the ankles and and flipped me over.  Over the course of the last 13 months, it has swung me around a few times, sent me flying in strange new directions.  Naturally, I landed on my arse and skidded all over the place.  My knees are skinned, my bum is sore.  Heck, at my age, everything is sore.  That, my friend, is life.  Sweet, irresistible, unforgettable, LIFE.

I began this blog to share my musings about liberty and politics.  I love politics, by the way.  Not the MSNBC or FOX News version, but the real full contact sport of it.  Last year, I landed a sweet gig in beautiful North Carolina, only to discover that LIFE wouldn’t cooperate.  I mean, it really wouldn’t cooperate.  More recently, I turned down a request to apply for an even sweeter gig in DC.  You know, the once-in-a-lifetime sort of thing.  No, really.  That ship probably won’t sail again.  Why did I stand on the shore and wave goodbye instead of jumping on board?  Because I’m still skidding around on my posterior and I’m not sure when it will stop or where I will land.

All this got me to thinking about this neglected blog.  OK, so I don’t really sit around thinking about my blog.  It came to mind as an afterthought.  When I couldn’t sleep after drinking a large carmel mocha too close to bedtime.  You know the kind of random thought that runs across your brain.  Oh, ya, I have one of those blog things.  I wonder what the password is.  Does WordPress have an easy password recovery or will I need to know the middle name of my 2nd grade P.E. teacher’s dog?  Anyway, the focus of this dear blog has mostly been politics; however, liberty is so much broader.  So, my new plan is to dabble a bit here and there and expand the content.  Why?  Because I can.  And frankly, the life skid has kept me out of the sport of Politics, so I need new literary topics.  The theme will still be liberty.  Because, well, Liberty is Beautiful.  It’s just that we can find liberty in so many places, not just in political rugby.

So hang in there with me.  You’ll probably find the changes refreshing.  Or not.  It’s ok either way.  Since when are blogs about the reader, anyway?  Seriously, though, I hope the new content is enjoyable.  Now don’t go expecting me to be prolific.  I have a life, you know.  And few blogs actually turn into paying gigs, so I won’t be sinking all my time into this venture.  Nope, this is still a place that I blow off some steam.  When I don’t have time for Pint Night at Fox and Hound.

Happy reading!

College Station City Council Recall

This cartoon was sent to me by someone who wishes to remain anonymous.

From the “author”:

It’s called “Christmas Future”
and she’s (College Station Mayor Nancy Berry) Scrooge mcQuack or whatever
and the image being presented to her is that of “Christmas Future”
and she is asking “Um…is that how it’s really gonna be? Or can we change it?”

When I Grow Up…

What do you want to be when you grow up?  Stupid question.  What defines “grown up?”  An age?  A stage in life?  A certain accomplishment?  There are people my age who consider themselves kids.  There are others who have gone far in their careers, have families, and are living the American Dream.  For me personally, there is no singular end goal, one perfect job or accomplishment.    Each stage in my life brings a new purpose, and often, a new version of me.  I discover a skill, a trait, or a passion hidden in the dark unexplored corners of my soul.  While there are constants in my life, standing still is not a simple task for me.  Of course, there are returning themes in my life, strands that connect one adventure to the next.  Primarily, I have my faith and my family.  As far as personality, I will always love warm sunny weather, napping on the beach, traveling, splashing in puddles, snuggling, kicking empty boxes, hugs and kisses, and sunsets.  These personal indulgences, along with my faith and family, tie together the conquests in my life.  They keep me grounded.

I uncovered a powerful thread that drives the majority of my decisions.  It is behind nearly every project or cause I’ve tackled.  I see it working in my relationships.  It affects how I approach people and even whom I approach.  I wish I could say I’ve known about this for years, but alas, I only discovered it a few weeks ago while listening to my iPod.  Why did it take me [inaudible] years to discover this?  I have no idea.  I feel almost idiotic that I never noticed it as it is undeniably obvious to me now.  Yet, there is a season for everything.  Perhaps I simply wasn’t ready to use this information wisely.  Now I am…hopefully.  What exactly is this force that drives me?  I enjoy psychology, so I naturally wondered if this was the result of genetics or my environment.  Simply put, it is woven into my being.  It is a significant part of who I am.  It is one of the ingredients that combine to make me a unique creation.  Of course my environment contributed to the development of it.  Of interest, I realized I often actively fight this inner drive.  As with any quality, left unchecked, it could become a character flaw.  Unfortunately, I’ve kept it in check far too much.  Unconsciously, I treated it as a character flaw and sought to squash it at every turn, which only created internal conflict.

There is freedom in discovering what makes you tick.  Often we are too busy for introspection.  Understanding who you are created to be frees you to be unique, sovereign, and successful.  I believe God has a plan for me, and he designed me in such a manner so I can accomplish that plan.  I find peace and comfort combined with awe each time I discover something about myself.  Something that has always existed in me, but is a new discovery.

I Went to Planned Parenthood Because I had No Other Choice

I went to Planned Parenthood in Bryan, TX.  And I had no other choice.

Many people I know have protested or waved signs, myself included.  Red Light Cameras.  End the Fed.  Abortion.  Ron Paul. War.  Free Speech.  End the Drug War.  Police Brutality.  Obama Care.  The reasons to protest are endless.  But how many of us have faced protesters?  How many of you have been the focus of their dislike, disapproval, and maybe even anger?   This was the first time for me.  I know people who are activists in the greatest sense of the word and face down protesters and police in riot gear with fortitude I probably don’t possess.  I haven’t been there.  And I’m not sure I’d ever want to be.  That’s not really my calling at this point in my life.  I truly admire those courageous people who challenge the status quo and shed light on our corruptness and asinine laws.

I digress.  I share my story not to condemn or praise the protesters I met, but to share my impressions and reactions as a target of the protest in the hopes of helping future protesters be more effective.

Some Background.  My mom has Stage IV Breast Cancer that has metastasized, meaning it has spread.  She has it in her lungs, spine, liver, stomach, bones, and lymph.  She had radiation to relive the pain in her spine, as the cancer had eaten away half of one of her vertebrae.  It fractured due to weakness.  She is currently on a cancer drug to block the growth of her cancer, chemo to shrink the existing cancer, anti-nausea meds, pain medicine (I can’t even imagine the pain), and medicine to regulate her blood pressure.  She gets a shot to make her body produce white blood cells.  She’s been hospitalized 3 times in the last 5 months and has had a blood transfusion.  What little hair she has left is white; she walks with a cane on good days and a walker on the other days.  Her stature is hunched; the bone cancer is in her shoulders and pelvis, among other places, making it painful to stand and walk.

Because my mom is not old enough for Social Security, but has paid into a system for her whole working life that promised her benefits, she is trying to get those benefits under disability.  She might not live to the specified age to get Social Security and Medicare.  We hope she does.  This month she needs a new form to fill out.  The previous 162 forms aren’t enough, of course.  Since it is merely 2010, practically the Dark Ages, this form is not available online in pdf.  Furthermore, it cannot be emailed, snail mailed, or faxed.  You must pick it up at your county’s clinic that handles that particular form.  In Brazos County, that clinic is none other than Planned Parenthood.  I went to Planned Parenthood because I had no other choice.

Mom and I get in the car and drive to Planned Parenthood.  As we approach it, I see three protesters.  Sinking feeling.  The first one is a portly man holding a sign that says 4500 Babies.  I have no idea what this means.  Seriously.  I assume it’s the number of babies aborted, but where, and over what time period?  There are two women out there as well.  I pull in the gated parking lot and a Planned Parenthood Volunteer approaches my Xterra.  I hop out, smile, say hi, and run around to help my mom out of the car.  At this point, one of the female protesters begins yelling at me through the fence.  “You have options.  I have information for you.  You have a choice.  You don’t have to do this.”  Now my mom emerges from the car and the woman stops, but only for a moment.  Recall the description of my mom.  It’s obvious she’s not there for an abortion.  I help her out of the car and we begin the slow trek across the small parking lot.  The whole time we are shuffling along, this woman is yelling at us that she has information for us.  I reply, “Do you have info on breast cancer?”  She says yes, and I tell her I’ll pick it up on the way out.  During this particular exchange the male volunteer is pulling my mom up the curb while I’m pushing.  Does she really have to yell at us during this?  It’s almost humiliating.  My mother cannot climb a curb without the assistance of 2 people, and all the while she’s being yelled at by a protester.  The protester continued yelling until we got in the building.  We were only there a few minutes.   How can a clinic be so quick when you need a longer respite?  Murphy’s Law.  When we emerged from the clinic, the protester began jumping up and down, waving pamphlets, and yelling, “I have that information you SAID you’d take.  I have it HERE for you.”  I kid you not.  Her tone was demanding as if I owed it to her to get her information.  She continued this the entire time we inched across the parking lot.  Seriously, did she think I would leave my mom to fall in the parking lot to come get her pamphlet? Was she so absorbed in her cause that she couldn’t see another human being suffering, weak, and vulnerable?

After I got my mom settled in the car, I approached the woman.  I explained to her why I was there.  I told her that I had been on the other side of the fence.  I had handed out literature at an abortion clinic.  This was the last place I wanted to be.  I didn’t take her pamphlet.  I really wanted to tell her what a rotten person she was, but I’m nice and my mom was waiting in the car.

Authors, speakers, and teachers plan ahead.  They identify their audience and determine the desired outcome.  Then they develop a plan.  Protesting is no different.  You are there to reach a target audience, to deliver a message, and to educate.  You may even be there to stop an activity.  What are you protesting?  Why?  Who will be watching?  What is your goal?  I don’t think the woman who engaged us had ever thought it through.  I’m sure her goal was to save babies, but she didn’t have any sort of plan.  Define a purpose.  Set a goal.  Make a plan.  And truly understand your audience.

Some other pointers based on this experience:

• Signs should make sense.  Remember that most people aren’t in your inner circle.  They don’t know all the facts and figures and they don’t speak the inner circle lingo.  Spell it out for people.  Most people don’t wake up one day and say, “Gee, there’s a group protesting something I believe in.  I think I’ll go over and get all the facts from the opposition and make an informed decision on the issue.”  Most people run into a protest by chance.  It’s on their way to work or along their route through their daily activities.  It is NOT part of their schedule and your cause is NOT on their mind.  Your message should be simple, direct, and clear.
• Targeting the weak and vulnerable makes you look like an asshole.  There’s no way around it.  Even if you can justify it, perception is reality.  Ever seen a cop closing in on a homeless man?  Our human nature kicks in.  No matter what the vagrant has done (usually), our instincts say, “Leave him alone.  He lives in a cardboard box.  Cut him some slack.”  Don’t kick a man when he’s down.
• Yelling is confrontational.  If you are trying to change hearts and minds, don’t yell.  If you’re expressing anger…YELL!  When you feel attacked, you won’t respond positively.  Our natures tells us to put up defenses when we’re attacked.  Fight or flight.
• Don’t expect people to side with you if you’re belligerent.  Respect others’ viewpoint.  Respect their intelligence.  Changing someone’s mind takes time and patience.  If you’re aggressive, they’ll shut you out.  Rudeness isn’t effective.  People come to their conclusions for different reasons.  Perhaps they have never really thought it through.  Calm, respectful, rational discussions are far more effective than attacking people.  Again, what is your goal?  If you want to harass someone, be belligerent.  Driving your Congress Critter batty may cause him to reconsider running for his 14th term.  When it comes to educating people, try not to annoy them or make them hate you.
• Be prepared for multiple audiences.  Not everyone goes to Planned Parenthood for abortions and birth control.  Not everyone who walks past the Federal Reserve is Bernanke’s best friend.  How will you approach them?  Can you answer their questions?  Where can they find answers that you don’t have?  You might get an unexpected convert if you’re prepared.
• Know that people are always watching and your actions reflect the cause or the movement.  Do you really want to be the person on the news who is yelling at a little old lady?  How much sympathy and credibility will you have after that?  The media loves drama and will jump at the opportunity to paint protesters as volatile.  An effective protest will gain media attention, but not for the wrong reasons.  Verbally assaulting the “weak” is never good PR.

A well planned protest can raise awareness to your cause.  Positive or even neutral media attention can give you a good boost.  Like-minded people who were formerly unaware of your cause may join you or donate to you.  Successful protests build camaraderie and excite your volunteers.  A well attended protest shows off your strength and numbers.  Well-prepared protesters can inform and educate.  Spend some time planning before you grab your sign and take to the streets.  That extra effort could make a big difference in the outcome.

On a different note…My advice to those who are passionate about ending abortion: Create competition for Planned Parenthood.  Build clinics in communities that offer free and discounted birth control, cancer screenings, gynecological care, and social services for women.  A one stop shop that Planned Parenthood already is.  Reach out to women in need before they come to that vulnerable point in life where they return to the place that has been there for them for years…for an abortion.  I know how angry and assaulted I felt walking into that clinic.  I can’t imagine if were facing an unplanned pregnancy and had to deal with a protester yelling at me.  I certainly wouldn’t have wanted anything she had to offer.

Traffic camera scam: Fake support of photo enforcement red light and speed cameras – Rynski’s Blogski

Traffic camera scam: Fake support of photo enforcement red light and speed cameras – Rynski’s Blogski.

We hate to say it, but you can’t believe everything you read on the Internet – especially when it comes to comments supporting traffic photo enforcement cameras.

 

Fewer people dig traffic cameras than we may think/Thinkstock image

Although the red light and speed cameras are despised for a number of reasons, with one of the best likening them to crack cocaine and cities getting addicted to the money they bring in, batches of comments always seem to crop up in support of them.

These supportive comments, seemingly written by real-life citizens with real-life concerns, pop up like buffelgrass on traffic camera articles throughout cyberspace.

Love them or hate them red light cameras work and the more they are debated the more people are aware of them. They should be at every intersection.

“Jane Smith,” who may or may not be related to John Doe, left that particular comment on the TucsonCitizen.com article entitled “Two more photo enforcement cameras mean two more Tucson traffic nightmares.”

Her exact belief is shared so exactly by others that they just happen to use her exact wording in their own comments supporting the cameras.

Love them or hate them red light cameras work and the more they are debated the more people are aware of them. They should be at every intersection.

The same comment also appears on traffic camera articles at:

SunSentinel.com in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., comment from “dq1153” (which is part of Jane Smith’s e-mail address, by the way)

WHEC.com in Rochester, NY, comment from “giggley”

SignOnSanDiego.com, comment from giggley

LynnwoodToday.com in Lynnwood, Wash., there goes giggley again

A commenter called “yogilives,” has been as busy as giggley leaving supportive comments about the cameras around cyberspace.

Yogilives’ comment on the Citizen article reads:

What a bunch of baloney, somehow drivers being overly cautious about going through an intersection is more dangerous than some reckless driver blowing through a red light into traffic? I think not. Enforcing our traffic laws deters reckless driving and the more coverage the more deterrence. No number of street cops can match the 24/7 coverage red light cameras provide so let’s use them, the life they save might be your own!

Yogilives’ comment at HuffingtonPost.com, on the article “LA’s Arizona Boycott Makes Exception For Red-Light Camera Operator,” reads:

That anyone would be surprised that LA officials hadn’t thought through the implications of their boneheaded political grandstanding is ridiculous. How exactly would the endangering the lives of Californian’s by refusing to properly and fully enforce our traffic laws benefit ANYONE, Arizonans, Californians Mexicans or Martians? Stay in your lane people, you’re barely qualified to represent the people of LA, let’s not have you muddle things up by getting into Arizona’s business.

In an attempt to perhaps keep spam suspicions at bay, yogilives throws in some local references, colloquial language and even personal details. In one of 18 comments left on sites affiliated with OregonLive.com, yogilives claims to be the father of two school age girls who, of course, will be kept safe for the rest of their lives if only more photo enforcement cameras would be installed at every single intersection across the nation.

What is this, a conspiracy?

You bet – or at least a movement known as “Astroturf lobbying,” which creates “fake grass roots” campaigns full of phony supporters with an ulterior motive in mind.

Money. Money. Money.

While the traffic camera comments may seem silly at best and annoying at worst, they sometimes morph into larger concerns in areas where traffic cameras are still up for discussion – and persuasion.

A November ballot initiative in Mukilteo, Wash., will let voters weigh in on its local traffic camera issues, a Washington State Wire article says.

The initiative lets folks decide if the city should reverse the City Council’s decision to install traffic cameras around town, have public votes on future traffic camera installations, and limit traffic camera fines to $20.

There goes the money, money, money.

A loud, yet mysterious organization, called the Mukilteo Citizens for Simple Government, filed a lawsuit to keep the initiative off the ballot.

“Backers of the initiative say it sure looks like the Arizona company that supplies the town with traffic cameras is behind the whole thing,” the article noted.

In making the charge, the red-light opponents have put Google to work, uncovering a motherlode of websites tailored for every city where a red-light camera initiative has made the ballot, or where automated cameras have come in for serious public scrutiny. In Mukilteo and 17 other cities, each website appears to be sponsored by a citizens’ group; each one uses identical wording on its content pages; each web domain name is owned by the same company, Advarion, Inc., of Houston, TX.

In other states, campaign disclosure documents reveal that Advarion is one of the contractors providing services to pro-camera campaigns financed by American Traffic Solutions of Scottsdale, Ariz. And the main reason these facts must be mentioned in such a roundabout way is that Mukilteo Citizens for Simple Government still hasn’t gotten around to filing campaign disclosure documents with the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission, which presumably would make its backing clear.

Love them or hate them, scammers and spammers are everywhere.

BJ Lawson Pulls Ahead of David Price

Exciting news from North Carolina’s 4th District, where the Republican Party is the 3rd Party.

By BJ Lawson, on Sep 7, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

B.J. Lawson Polling Ahead of Rep. David Price
Likely voters choose Lawson over Price 46.5 percent to 46.1 percent

RALEIGH, N.C., September 7, 2010 – William (B.J.) Lawson, MD, Republican challenger to Rep. David Price in North Carolina’s Fourth District, announces a turning point in his campaign as a recent poll shows that 46.5 percent of likely voters would elect him, as opposed to 46.1 percent who would vote to re-elect 22-year incumbent Rep. Price.

“This proves that voters know that Washington insiders aren’t serving their best interests, especially not one who votes with Nancy Pelosi more than any other congressman,” said Dr. Lawson.  “Nearly half of these respondents are Democratic voters, so regardless of political affiliation, Americans know you can’t spend yourself out of a recession just like you can’t drink yourself sober.  Americans know that you need to cut taxes and wasteful government spending, stop the bailouts, and let North Carolina keep more of our money to allow us to create jobs and prosperity in our own communities. Americans are hurting and responsibly tightening their belts and their spending, so it’s time for the government to have enough respect for us to do the same.”

This poll was conducted in mid-August by Action Solutions, which carries out its polls via a state-of-the-art automated telephone system using standard statistical methods to select a representative sample of registered voters.  Action Solutions polled 1,038 registered likely voters here in the Fourth District – respondents included 45.4 percent Democrat, 28.2 percent Republican, 23.6 percent Unaffiliated and 2.8 percent other/third party – which accurately reflects the expected off-year turnout in the district.

Other data from respondents included:
•    95 percent were “very likely” to vote in the November midterm elections
•    71 percent believe that Congress is doing a poor job here in the Fourth District
•    52 percent do not think government spending helps the economy

These poll results also come on the heels of an influx of endorsements from key conservative congressmen including Virginia Foxx (NC-05), Walter Jones (NC-03) and Tom McClintock (CA-04), as well as former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory.  Lawson has also been endorsed by key North Carolina state legislators including House Minority Leader Paul “Skip” Stam, Reps. Marilyn Avila and Nelson Dollar, and State Senator Richard Stevens.

A resident of Apex where he lives with his wife and three children, Dr. William (B.J.) Lawson is a Constitutional Conservative running for Congress in North Carolina’s 4th Congressional District.   For more information, see the campaign’s Web site, www.lawsonforcongress.com.
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Conservatives are aware and angry.  We must show up at the polls and formally register our discontent.  The spending and the loss pf personal liberty will never end unless we vote and work hard to elect those who pledge to reduce the size and scope of the federal government.