Only a few weeks to go before the legislative session ends. What the?? It only started a few weeks ago. What do these people do for the rest of the year - are we paying them for this. These are all questions I was asking my television last night in a rather loud voice (I wasn't shouting but well ok I was shouting) And to cap it all the important stuff, the state budget, immigration (Utah needs a guest worker's program imho) hasn't been finalised yet. Here are some of the frou frou bills that have passed into law. We have a state gun (HB # who the hell cares it was one of Carl Wimmer's the man who wants the U to allow open carry on campus) Landowners in rural Utah can now kill feral cats (that one died in committee - thank goodness), new rules on blood collection and procurement (for the vampires amongst you), new boating regulations, wolves have been delisted as an endangered species etc etc. Sure every representative thinks their bill is important but in the grand scheme of things is it. Is it really?
And then there is HB477 - this means we the public can't request our (or any) representative's electronic communications. So transparency in Utah government just took a turn for the opaque. The cheek of those so-called representatives one of them appeared on TV last night - fat - well-dressed - smug - republican - to express surprise that his constituents should be able to know every aspect of his life on the hill (not his private life) Um Duh!! He said that those who believe this bill is a bad thing are the people who believe in the black helicopters. If you hide your communications then hello bribes, back handers, back scratching - all the things that give politicians a bad name.
http://le.utah.gov/asp/passedbills/passedbills.asp
Thankfully after a massive public outcry HB477 has been repealed.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Why do sick people think we all want what they've got
When it comes to illness I'm downright selfish, this cold/flu/thing that's going around the Salt Lake valley right now is mine, I hold the exclusive rights and no one else shall have it. I stay in bed and take my medicine and come out the other end refreshed, recharged and back to my old self. Other members of the public are more generous, they haul themselves around, sneezing, wheezing, coughing, and infecting the rest of us. I'm pretty lucky, I don't tend to catch much and I have a battery of defences including vitamin D, and home made ginger tea.but what I don't have is the authority to send a complete stranger home.
Picture the scene a quiet Sunday morning, in a coffee house. Half the booths are full and then this guy comes in and from the moment he sits down he starts to sneeze and not dust up my nose sneezes either. These are full-on my lungs are going to come out of my nose shortly sneezes. I've seen Mythbusters - I know how far and how fast a sneeze and its associated lurgy can travel. Apparently so did the rest of the room, the people sitting next to him moved as far up the room as possible. It's one thing when you don't know you're carrying anything - like the woman who arrived in New Mexico last week and was promptly diagnosed with measels. But when you can hardly stand the only place you should be heading is to the doctors - wearing a face mask.
Picture the scene a quiet Sunday morning, in a coffee house. Half the booths are full and then this guy comes in and from the moment he sits down he starts to sneeze and not dust up my nose sneezes either. These are full-on my lungs are going to come out of my nose shortly sneezes. I've seen Mythbusters - I know how far and how fast a sneeze and its associated lurgy can travel. Apparently so did the rest of the room, the people sitting next to him moved as far up the room as possible. It's one thing when you don't know you're carrying anything - like the woman who arrived in New Mexico last week and was promptly diagnosed with measels. But when you can hardly stand the only place you should be heading is to the doctors - wearing a face mask.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Have I indentified a new species?
This post is slightly tongue in cheek and while my exposure to this species is rare once back in Control Section in the 90's
It's been rumoured for some time that there lurks among us a new breed of human. Predominently male - they have a wide range of habitat but their behaviours are similar and easy to recognize once you've established their genus.
Ladies and Gentlemen I present to you - the teflon.
The teflon is always very well dressed and if you are up wind of him you can scent the powerful aroma of deadwood.
Teflons are powered by copious amounts of alcohol and junk food.
The teflon feigns intelligence,
The teflon hunts those alongside and below him, he will sacrifice them to the people above him,
The teflon gives destructive criticisim never praise.
Teflons have a hero complex they break things so they can rush in and save the day. Teflons also have the reverse midas touch so someone else will have to clean up the mess they have created.
You can injure a teflon but it only takes three months for them to heal.
The teflon has a chocolate coloured nose.
And as his name suggests he can deflect blame from himself onto hard working co-workers.
Teflons destroy morale.
If you discover a teflon, do not approach them, teflons hate to be ignored. Ignore a teflon today you'll be glad you did.
It's been rumoured for some time that there lurks among us a new breed of human. Predominently male - they have a wide range of habitat but their behaviours are similar and easy to recognize once you've established their genus.
Ladies and Gentlemen I present to you - the teflon.
The teflon is always very well dressed and if you are up wind of him you can scent the powerful aroma of deadwood.
Teflons are powered by copious amounts of alcohol and junk food.
The teflon feigns intelligence,
The teflon hunts those alongside and below him, he will sacrifice them to the people above him,
The teflon gives destructive criticisim never praise.
Teflons have a hero complex they break things so they can rush in and save the day. Teflons also have the reverse midas touch so someone else will have to clean up the mess they have created.
You can injure a teflon but it only takes three months for them to heal.
The teflon has a chocolate coloured nose.
And as his name suggests he can deflect blame from himself onto hard working co-workers.
Teflons destroy morale.
If you discover a teflon, do not approach them, teflons hate to be ignored. Ignore a teflon today you'll be glad you did.
Monday, February 14, 2011
No Valentine left behind
Valentines Day, after Christmas the most shameless example of consumerism. Did you know that Saint Valentine was an early Christian martyr (and there was more than one Saint Valentine) so hearts and flowers and martyrs (people executed for their faith) do have something in common, red .
I see nothing wrong in a day that celebrates love but when did it lose it's exclusivity?
Valentine's Day is for lovers, you get that card from a secret admirer and spend the rest of the day trying to work out if it came from Dan in accounting or the really cute guy who delivers your mail or a n other. You give your husband/wife a card because you are still in love with them and there might be roses or dinner for two in the mix.
So I'm looking for a card for hubby and guess what? there are Valentines that sing at you, Valentines from your kids, or the dog or the cat, every kind of sweet that can be moulded into the shape of a heart. Packs of 20 valentines! Please, anyone with that many boy/girlfriends would be labelled promiscuous and it kind of takes the edge off that 'special someone'. Then we come to the gifts, you can buy anything from a bunch of roses, to a diamond necklace, to a car, to - my personal favourite - a sofa. That's like giving a woman power tools, you'll be the one who gets drilled and not in a good way.
So by all means celebrate Valentine's day but do it thoughtfully and responsibly, you're showing the one you love how much they mean to you. You don't have to go into debt to do it.
I see nothing wrong in a day that celebrates love but when did it lose it's exclusivity?
Valentine's Day is for lovers, you get that card from a secret admirer and spend the rest of the day trying to work out if it came from Dan in accounting or the really cute guy who delivers your mail or a n other. You give your husband/wife a card because you are still in love with them and there might be roses or dinner for two in the mix.
So I'm looking for a card for hubby and guess what? there are Valentines that sing at you, Valentines from your kids, or the dog or the cat, every kind of sweet that can be moulded into the shape of a heart. Packs of 20 valentines! Please, anyone with that many boy/girlfriends would be labelled promiscuous and it kind of takes the edge off that 'special someone'. Then we come to the gifts, you can buy anything from a bunch of roses, to a diamond necklace, to a car, to - my personal favourite - a sofa. That's like giving a woman power tools, you'll be the one who gets drilled and not in a good way.
So by all means celebrate Valentine's day but do it thoughtfully and responsibly, you're showing the one you love how much they mean to you. You don't have to go into debt to do it.
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