Aftermath~~~~

Well Sweet Things,

My Assistant and I got to work early, I'm taking a short break right now.

If you want to know what's been happening go to SFGATE.com, they have pictures and stories,  but it was horrible, the vandalism, the willful destruction of property that are owned and operated by the hardworking people, NOT the 1% is more than enough to say that "Occupy" is nothing but a reason for hoodlums to gather and have the opportunity to do damage.

They destroyed a Channel 5 news van, burned a police car, vandalized private businesses and private cars,  my Joe has bruises that he showed me via video phone that are so black and blue it will be ages before they go, he may even have cracked ribs.  He is in a lot of pain right now and he's seen other officers get it worse, bottles and paint thrown at them, hit with crowbars and metal objects,  it's a job that he took on years ago, but it hurts him in other ways, people that need help that need the police.

One protester an Amanda Young said that (and I'm paraphrasing) this is not what Occupy is about, but that it does turn the people against them.   Oh Really??? And what gave you that idea...no protest can be peaceful, and this is not Syria or Egypt, if you want to do a peaceful non-violent, non-vandalizing protest you can here in the U.S.A with out fear of being shot at---if it's peaceful, Syria and Egypt are totally different situations they are held by dictators.

But turn those vandals, those criminals in,  show real solidarity that your message is peaceful.  Show that"Occupy" has zero tolerance to such acts.   Since you're not then "Occupy" has no validity, it is nothing but a criminal element.

Heather could not get to school via the normal routes, our neighbor drove her to classes by different route, she was even thinking of staying late until someone could come and get her or the buses were running normally again.

Since my Assistant and I have put in extra time by coming in early we are going to go home early via the Ferry which is running again----if this was an earthquake disaster they would not have shut down.  

And the cost in insurance, the rates will go up because of this  "Occupy" what have you done---anything positive???  I think not.   I am totally disgusted with "Occupy's" motives for they have none, I now view them as criminals, lazy good for nothings that want handouts without having to work for it. 

I paid my way through college, working part time jobs, fighting for grants, if I didn't have enough money for a full class load I got what I could afford.  I didn't have health insurance, going to clinics and dental schools for my medical needs, buying cloths at thrift shops, eating more Mac and cheese and raman noodles than I care to think about,  sleeping on floors in well-meaning friends apartments, trading baby-sitting for a place to sleep,  collecting bottles and cans to get money for foods or transportation, or walking everywhere, getting so thin that I looked like a refugee from WWII.

When my Father hears what I went through because of his stubbornness those years ago, he cries and asks forgiveness, which I give him, I can't hate him anymore, because he hates himself for what he did and now trys to make it up to Baby Sis and wants to make it up to me.   He has in his own way,  our healing our relationship has been like a soothing balm.  

But it has taught me that hand outs only make people lazy, unless it is done in a way that is positive.  You have to work for everything, save for everything, it cannot be handed on a silver platter, we want what our folks had???  They saved and scrimped and sacrificed for it, and so will you, think back to the 1930s' that is the only way.

Now I have to go,  the rest of the staff is finally showing up after all the delays, so a meeting in 15.

Later Sweet Things.  Kisses

Up date on Protests

 

Well Sweet Things

 the Trashing has begun, as a matter of fact it started last night when a so called “Black Bloc” of the Occupy S.F. left the Delores Park Event and started Trashing the Mission Business District including the Police station, with smashing windows of businesses, and cars, throwing paint all over everything and generally being A%$ holes---sorry if my language is not lady like but I am seriously pissed.

My assistant and I have done the right thing in staying at the hotel near our job, just a very short walk to it, and we started early this morning, we picked up “care packages” to see us through the day so we won’t have to look for lunch.  

I am just disgusted with what they are doing.  Here are a couple of news articles that I’ve posted for your “reading pleasure”:

  Occupy Oakland's May Day protests under way

Jill Tucker, Demian Bulwa, Will Kane

------------------------------------------------------------------------

*(05-01) 11:11 PDT OAKLAND* -- Protesters tried to dodge police Tuesday

morning as they marched through downtown Oakland, banging on the windows

of banks and other businesses in the opening act of Occupy activists'

May Day general strike.

A few hundred protesters, some of them toting metal shields and gas

masks, were playing a game of cat and mouse with officers, trying to

storm into a business before police could block the entrance.

At one point, protesters surrounded a Bank of America branch on Lakeside

Drive, pounded on windows and chanted, "Oakland is the people's town,

strike occupy, shut it down."

"We are here today because capitalism has destroyed basic human need,"

said a 20-year-old protester who only identified himself as Connor.

"I am sort of into the libertarian/communist thing myself," he said. "I

am an advocate of human need, not monetary need.

The group then marched to a nearby Wells Fargo branch, where one

protester was detained by police after writing "Love" and "Money" in

chalk on the bank's outside wall. After speaking with the bank manager,

police released the man.

The protest was the most militant of several gatherings in the downtown

area aimed at calling attention to economic inequality and other Occupy

grievances. Another group gathered in the Uptown neighborhood north of

City Hall, where protesters took issue with the gentrification of some

of the city's neighborhoods.

"The city of Oakland has pushed lower-income folks out of this area,"

said William Hastings, 23, a college student. "The city is spending

money trying to enrich this area, whereas people in these other

neighborhoods can't get basic things fixed, like potholes."

That group marched to Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe on 18th Street, where

activists tried to march into the locally owned restaurant. Servers

pushed the protesters out of the cafe while diners looked on in shock.

One patron, Kristin Nicholas, told protesters they were disrupting

classes at the Oakland School for the Arts across the street, which her

children attend.

"How dare they hijack my kids' education?" she said. "They work(meaning her children) really hard to get here."

The group then set off to a nearby Starbucks before meeting up with the

larger protest group.

Protesters are planning noon and 6 p.m. rallies outside City Hall and a

3 p.m. march from the Fruitvale BART station.

Jill Tucker, Demian Bulwa and Will Kane are San Francisco Chronicle

staff writers. jtucker@sfchronicle.com ,

dbulwa@sfchronicle.com ,

wkane@sfchronicle.com

COMMENTS---

 kitten_chow

      

10:20 AM on May 1, 2012  "I am sort of into the libertarian/communist thing myself," he said. "I  am an advocate of human need, not monetary need."

Umm, because you are TWENTY and your mom pays your bills?

------------------------------------------------------------------------

squeakywheel

Oohhhhhh, so the morning starts at 10 for Occupy?

------------------------------------------------------------------------

kenosmond

10:18 AM on May 1, 2012

Losers.

And another news article:

Protesters trash Mission District businesses, cars

Vivian Ho

San Francisco Chronicle May 1, 2012 06:46 AM Copyright San Francisco

Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

Pedestrians walk by Weston Wear on Valencia after vandals with the

Occupy march vandalized shops, cars and the police station on the

street. Police and merchants were hit by vandals along Valencia Street

in San Francisco, Calif., on Monday, April 30. 2012.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

*(05-01) 06:46 PDT SAN FRANCISCO* -- Broken glass littered several

streets in San Francisco's Mission District after protesters vandalized

cars and buildings Monday night,

including a police station.

The vandals were in a group that marched from Dolores Park shortly after

9 p.m., following a rally in advance of Tuesday's planned Occupy general

strike, police said. Traveling down 18th Street and onto Valencia

Street, the black-clad, masked protesters smashed windows with crowbars

and signs, threw paint on buildings and spray-painted anarchy symbols on

the hoods of parked cars.

"All I heard was, 'bang, bang, bang,' and some dude had the valet sign,

trying to break our window," said Adam Koskoff, manager of the Locanda

restaurant on Valencia. "I didn't even see the crowd, and I ran outside

and got egged."

The vandals threw paint and eggs and smashed windows at more than 30

businesses, including Tartine Bakery at 18th and Guerrero streets and

clothing store Weston Wear on Valencia.

Both luxury and everyday vehicles along Valencia and Guerrero streets

were damaged. An Aston Martin had its windshield shattered, and brown

paint covered the hood.

Pink and yellow paint marred the barricaded, cracked glass doors of the

Mission police station at 17th and Valencia streets.

"It was like the station was under siege," said an officer, who asked

not to be named.

One person had been arrested as of 11 p.m., but details were not available.

About 15 officers in riot gear stood guard in front of the police

station, as other officers moved up and down the street, documenting the

damage, leaving cards on defaced cars and speaking to business owners.

Jeremy Tooker, owner of Four Barrel Coffee, was wiping paint off his

store's windows as broken glass crunched beneath pedestrians' feet. He

said a friend had alerted him of the damage after stopping a protester

from smashing the glass storefront with a crowbar - and taking a hit to

his arm.

"This just seems like they're frustrated with their impotency at this

point," Tooker said. "It's like, 'Look at me, I'm still here, I'm still

occupying.' "

As Koskoff smoked a cigarette by the damaged Aston Martin, he said he

didn't understand protesters' motives.

"They're coming through the Mission, where there aren't any

corporations, just a lot of small businesses, which is what they're all

about," he said. "It doesn't make sense."

Although the march sprang from a rally for an Occupy action, other

Occupy protesters shunned its participants as outliers. Some business

people, however, said Occupy bore responsibility for the damage.

"Occupy is saying it's not them, but we wouldn't be here if it wasn't

for Occupy, now would we?" Michelle Horneff-Cohen, a real estate

 broker, said as she shivered next to

the broken window of her workplace, Property Management Systems.

She said she had been dragged out of bed to deal with the damage.

Although her company has insurance, she said, it will have to pay for

much of the cost of repairs.

"I think it's bulls--," Horneff-Cohen said. "We are the 99 percent, and

this is bulls--."

Vivian Ho is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.

Comments:

swank7

6:53 AM on May 1, 2012

Occupy is completely off track - Horneff-Cohen is right - it's total

Bull shXX.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

justthink

6:52 AM on May 1, 2012

CITIZENS - TRASH AN OCCUPIST TODAY!

------------------------------------------------------------------------

docguch1972

6:48 AM on May 1, 2012

Was it the Occupy protesters again? They are not going to gain respect

for their cause if they are vandalizing and trying to hinder economic

recovery.

And another comment that describes how most of the general population feels:

Chris · Unitek College-----If I were in a position of power I would have a few fire trucks filled with pepper spray on standby, just for these pricks. When ever they acted out violently, or broke a law, I would dispatch fire and swat teams to clear the streets. I have been to Occupy Oakland, and saw exactly how pathetic these people are. One guy said that he had borrowed 50 grand for college...to become an arts major, and now the banks want more money than he has....have you ever heard of a starving artist you idiot? Why would you borrow 50 grand for something like that.... There are community colleges, Pell Grants (just about any one who makes under 45 grand can get). If you don't want to be in debt stop spending money you don't have and live within your means! The banks are not the problem, they are a business just like any other. The government inflated the mortgage bubble and then dropped the bottom out. If you want to protest something, protest lobbyists, they are the real problem. They are the ones that allow those with money(individuals, companies, and unions) to influence government. As far as medical debt is concerned the problem is the insurance companies and what they will or will not cover. You can put money into insurance all your life, and have coverage but have an emergency and get stuck with a huge deductible, or have them tell you that its not covered.

It’s me again Sweet Things----this is just a sample locally of what is happening, Ferry’s didn’t run, cops were protecting the Golden Gate Bridge to prevent “Occupy” from blocking it and if they did it would be a Federal Offense,  Bus transportation was disrupted and delayed,   I had people trying to get to work here via BART and they were having problems but they made it.

Granted on some of the Labor negotiations everyone has to work together, and we’ve had nurses strike before, but that puts lives in danger.  Especially in Emergency situations, a heart attack does not wait because someone is protesting; a child hit by a car can’t wait because of someone protesting, a fire doesn’t stop because someone is protesting.

About 90 percent of the comments on the news articles have been against Occupy.

It’s not getting better----

Here’s another comment from these event’s:

Protests on May Day turned violent in the noon hour.

By Christie Smith, Jodi Hernandez and Joe Rosatto Jr.

|  Tuesday, May 1, 2012  |  Updated 2:01 PM PDT

********

‘In San Francisco, the protests began on Monday night, where at least one person was arrested after cars, businesses and a police substation in the Mission was vandalized.

"It was unbelievable, I sort of went into shock," said Eric Koehler, owner of the Art Zone gallery, where a giant window was broken.

“For my mind it’s why us?” said Koehler. “We’re a local business, local art gallery, we show local artists’ work -- why are we a target for that kind of violence?”

Other shops that were vandalized include the nearby Therapy, Pica Pica restaurant and Chez Tartine.’

**********

With actions like this it is no wonder that many people are so against the “Occupy” movement.

In Cleveland the group there cancelled their events because of 5 anarchists who planned to blow up a bridge, according to news articles these 5 wanted to cause violent, destructive action against private property---Excuse me blowing up a bridge that is used by the general public to go to work is considered ‘private property’???  And with that causing a major amount of death??  It’s a good thing the FBI infiltrated that Occupy group to capture those potential murderers.

The Cleveland Occupy group want to distance themselves from the 5 potential bomber but what spawned their getting together and creating the scenario for their deadly deed?---The Occupy protests---so what is Occupy doing?  Creating Chaos, nothing concrete, nothing built,  mostly young people 20 something, their parents may have paid the bills, and aging activists that want to think that their lives have some meaning….when it offers so little.

Give me Mother Teresa any day! 

So my Assistant and I will spend one more night here at our hotel; we’ve treated ourselves to massages and mani-pedicures, WHY??  Because we’ve WORKED FOR IT!!

We got up early, started our day early, worked like hell and now we are going to relax and be pampered

We don’t pamper ourselves very often but there are times when it is a treat deserved after great stress.

I don’t mind paying for it, we managed to get a lot done today, and we’ll get a lot done tomorrow.  She is a trouper and she loves her Grandparents, called them to let them know we are safe and everything is all right.

Tomorrow night we’ll go home to sleep in our beds, my Joe is nursing some bruises and aches, but I hope to make him feel better tomorrow evening.

Now we are going to relax and refresh ourselves.

Later Sweet Things, Kisses.

Shootings and "Occupy"

 Well Sweet Things, although it’s been a while since I’ve last posted things have been extremely busy for me, so busy that it has been hard to even make the time to post.

But last week I had a hard time getting to sleep.

I received a phone call very early in the evening; usually I’m not home before 6 p.m. unless I go into work early and I had one of those days, when I got home there was a message on my answering machine.  

A friend of mine, Liz who lives several blocks away asked if she could spend the night at my place, she was frightened by an event that happened and couldn’t talk clearly on the phone.  I called her back right away and asked her what happened and she told me that there had been a shooting just a few doors away from her home.

A Shooting??  In my quiet little Town???!!!  In a way that explained Joe’s earlier message on my cell to call him ASAP, I had assured him that I was fine and he said that a situation had happened not too far from my place and he wanted to be sure I was O.K.

I drove to Liz’s home but could not get close to her place, the area had been cordoned off, I even had to show my I.D. and explain why I was there.

Liz had packed a bag with what she would need, and locked her home, in the fading light I saw as we walked back to my car the apartment building that had bullet holes in the wall.  

I put an order in for dinner to be delivered and calmed her down with a cup of chamomile tea as she told me what had happened.

She had put in a half day of work taking the afternoon off for a dental appointment, and came directly home, she doesn’t do dentists very well, at about 5 p.m. she heard a car screech up and someone yell out a name of a person, then after a moment a series of shots rang out, and the sound of car tires squealing away.  She looked out her window and people were coming out of their homes, she came out and eventually found out that someone in a car had targeted someone in the 2^nd floor apartment building, had called their name and that person came to the window, the next thing is about 10 or so shots rang out all aimed at the person but no one was hurt.  The car with the shooter then sped away. 

I said with 10 rounds, a clear target and still they could barely hit the side of the building and miss???  I guess the way I said it struck her as funny as she began to laugh, we were making jokes like ‘I guess the guy is not going to get his security and cleaning deposit’ and other things.  Although a very serious situation, laughter helped relieved the stress of fear that she was experiencing, but still it was not something to take lightly.

The sad thing is when I’ve gone to visit Liz, I’ve always seen Asian family members at that building, so I was concerned with the idea of Asian gang violence coming over from our near by city.   Someone was obviously targeted.  It was a miracle that no one was hurt or very poor shooting.   The police were all over the place and a helicopter had been circling over head, Liz gave her statement to the police but she felt nervous and alone, her room mate was out of town for a sisters wedding and Liz didn’t want to be alone.

So with a hot dinner, watching Season 2 of “Castle” followed by rocky road ice cream, Liz relaxed and fell asleep on the couch, I called Joe, left him a message on his phone and told him of our overnight visitor.

It was only briefly mentioned on the radio and nothing on Television although I was sorry to see that Lloyd LaQuesta from our local T.V. station was retiring but I’d have to say after 36 years of hard news reporting, he has more than earned his retirement.

Liz took the next day off from work and Joe took her home, I’ve called her to see how she’s doing and she felt better, except for the holes that she has seen in the stucco in the walls of the apartment building, but she’s feeling that this was an exception not the rule in our town, things like this happen, but happen rarely.  Joe was going to listen for any “buzz” on this, but our feeling is that there will be few clues on this, especially if the potential victim doesn’t want to give up any information.

But we shall see Sweet Things, we shall see.  Although I love my little town certain elements have been creeping in like an insidious cancer, tagging for one thing is cropping up, and there are more break in’s.  A change in attitude by the public both as pedestrians and as drivers is creating a more dangerous living situation, both walking and driving, its like people don’t care anymore; this does have me concerned, so much so that I’ve been changing my driving and shopping habits to avoid as much of this “anger” as possible, it’s like seeing mice in an overcrowded condition that is so bad that they start to kill and eat each other.  That is what I’m feeling at this point. 

On another front, Occupy Oakland and Occupy San Francisco plan to disrupt things again tomorrow May 1, the minute I heard about it on Sunday, I called my assistant, talked to her and her grandparents and advised that she pack a bag for 3 days and we’ll stay at a hotel that I know near our building, she and I will share a room, then on Wednesday we can go home after work.  Her grandparents felt better that she would be safe with me and not lose any work time.   The hotel has a nice little spa so I told her we’d have a little treat and it’s on my dime.  The dear thing is looking forward to it and I want to brain-storm with her about things at work. 

Frankly the “Occupy” groups are more of a nuisance than a benefit, they plan to block the bridges and that is a federal offence, frankly if they do, I’d like to see the book thrown at them.  If you want to change things do it the right way, there are channels.   To me they are like little children throwing temper tantrums for not getting their own way, rules are there to prevent chaos, but if you don’t like the rules see if there is a legal way to make it better, don’t harm the 99% that have to get to work to pay the bills, the mortgage, put food on the table, shoes on the children’s feet, because that is what you are doing…you are not hurting the 1 % because you are not tackling the problem correctly.

If anything the “Occupy” groups are adding to the problem, look at the increased expenses that the S.F. and Oakland groups have caused and who is paying for that??? The 99%....so what are they doing?  NOTHING.

A friend of mine said that because their home is underwater and because they don’t meet all  the rules for re-financing they have asked the bank to go ahead and sell their house, to go ahead and foreclose on it, even if it means damage to their credit rating.  They’ve looked at their income and the situation they are facing and in the end it was the only result, they and several other friends of mine have found it to be a relief and have been able to start fresh, and a lot wiser.

Another who managed to pay her home mortgage on time all the time, but knew her credit rating was not very good was approached by her bank that holds the mortgage on her home about refinancing, she said she wasn’t sure if she would meet the requirements, her bank said all she had to do was answer a number of questions and they would know if qualified or not, the worse that would happen is that she would stay at the same rate and nothing would change.  So she thought she had nothing to lose, she qualified and was able to lower her monthly payment drastically, the entire process was done within 3 weeks, all by e-mail, fed-ex, a couple of phone calls and her lawyer’s notary.  And no fee, 30 year, fix rate.

But what about the others who are being foreclosed, we don’t know the full story, many claim the bank is unreasonable, when in truth they didn’t qualify for one reason or another or didn’t fill out the paper work correctly.  Then there are others who were victims by scams, who didn’t understand the process.   I’ve always said go to a legitimate financial institution such as those banks that everyone says are the guilty parties like Wells Fargo which seems to be helping a lot of people in need; B of A I would not trust if my life depended upon it, if need be go to a credit union and see what they can offer, find a real-estate lawyer who comes highly recommended they maybe able to stop the whole process and get you on the right path.

But does the “Occupy” groups offer that?  I certainly have not seen that happening with them.  In some cases they have made the situation worse, have criminalized their situation, the protestors can walk away, but not the former owner of the home and they maybe worse off than before.

Any solutions?  All I know is that I have to plan my commute very carefully if I want to get to work and cover my responsibilities that I need to maintain.

“Occupy” be damned!

Until later Sweet Things.  Kisses.

Occupy Oakland---a farce~~~

Sweet Things,

These are just two of the many images showing the damage done by the Occupy Oakland Group.

They broke into City Hall, damaged an art exhibit done by children, a history model of old Oakland City Hall, smashed the windows on the entrance doors, spray painted graffiti, burned the American, California State and Oakland City Flags, damaged and graffiti other buildings, slashed tires, and much more.

It started out as an unlawful march complete with a band, which as Joe said was peaceful enough but then the leaders turned it into anarchy, breaking into buildings and doing destructive things, because so many of the O.P.D. were trying to control them that there were 5 murders, and a robbery at a Church which they could not answer.

Joe is exhausted but he's going back out tonight on his shift, praying that no one is hurt or killed, his leg muscles are cramping up, he hardly eats, I've been insisting that he eats and keeps hydrated. His uniform is beginning to fit loose on him.

He's been in touch with other cities that have Occupy groups and they have been peaceful, but not Oakland's group. I'm so worried that he'll develop stomach ulcers, and have been insisting that he retire or go to another law enforcement agency, but he feels that if he does that he'll be deserting his fellow officers and the honest, hard working people of Oakland. He is not a quitter, but my heart breaks for him, he is killing himself.

The fact that 5 murders occurred during the Occupy event tears at his heart, he bleeds but where it never shows. Frank is also saying that Joe should rethink his options, he and other officers know what is going down, all I can do be a safe haven for Joe. And he knows it, he has several days coming up that he has to take, and he said he wants to have a serious talk with me about what he should do.

He can go to another department in another city, where my country house is they are looking for people with police experience it would be perfect for him, granted we'd be separated but I told him he could live at my country house, he wouldn't have to worry about finding a place to live. And he has plenty in for his retirement, he'd be in good shape financially. But it's his decision and all I can do is support his choices. But that "Stab a Cop" photo frightens me, Oakland is under siege and I fear for everyone there.

I don't care that Mayor Jean Quann is ineffectual, a flip-flopping mayor, I don't care that she has gone through several Police Chiefs and other City officials, she has show herself to be not a strong mayor or a strong positive leader. I fear for the working people of Oakland, the one's who are trying to make a living, going to work or running a business or are having their own property damaged by this criminals, I fear for the innocent people who are robbed and murdered because the Occupy Oakland group do NOT give a Damn about anything except to smash and destroy and encourage Hate, and killing.

If they really want to do something positive they would get and establish free legal aid for people, and offer free health care service and see about sheltering those that need help and directing those in need to agencies that can help. What they are doing is negative, harmful and destructive, it does not in anyway help the "cause" and is causing, at least around here to view any Occupy groups as a joke, a harmful, destructive joke.

But all I want is my Joe to be safe and to do what he does best, being a police officer that "Protects and Serves".

Kisses Sweet Things

A Thanksgiving Update~~~

Hello Sweet Things,

I hope you don't mind the picture that I've posted but as you go further down reading I think you'll understand why I posted it.

Thanksgiving with my family was wonderful! Baby Sis and Ted her fiance, Mom and Dad, and Trixie the dog, (she was a good little girl).

Dad also invited some of his co-workers who couldn't get together with their families for Thanksgiving, he said it would be a shame for them to be alone.

I'm not going to tell you the feast we had, but we had all the traditional fare, but substituted sparkling cider for wine. I loved it, Mom had made copies for Baby Sis and I of her recipes she said she plans to copy all her favorites for us.

I had a chance to call Joe while he was at Lillian's for their dinner, he said he had to go on duty that evening, so they were having theirs early and he was taking extras as sandwiches for his late supper. Turkey with cranberry spread sandwiches, it may make for a strange sandwich but tasty.

Afterwards we played games first it was "Squeak" a card game, and then "Chicken foot Domino's" I had no idea how to play the latter but I learned. Mom is deadly at that game.

It was good that Dad had invited Alex his co-worker to dinner, his wife had to go back east because her Mother was very ill and she had to help out her sister, Alex was feeling lonely and was thinking of some restaurant then taking in a movie, but Dad said he was coming to our house, and Ralph who is a widower, he lost is wife last year and his children live out of state. Ralph's funds were a bit tight to travel he had just paid off the last of his wife's medical bills, which is sad because although the insurance came through for the bulk of it, there were some that could not be written off and the cost of the funeral as well. And Dad told Ralph that he wasn't going to be alone for this holiday or for Christmas either.

Seeing my Father put himself out there for Alex and Ralph during their difficult times warmed my heart. Dad was always so self-contained before, but as we took our late night walk with Trixie, Dad told me that he is looking at people and situations in a different way, and sometimes, the best gifts he's discovered are the one's that are not bought and gift-wrapped but one's from the heart. He had seen Ralph just looking so down after his wife passed, that he thought he might be suffering from Depression and so one day after work, they got together for coffee and Dad suggested that Ralph see someone to help him make sense of his loss, he knew that the priest from the church that he and Mom go to is also a specialist as a grief consular, so he suggested that Ralph go and see him, even if Ralph is of a different faith.

And it seems to be helping. Dad said that Ralph is now more focused at work and seems a bit lighter in outlook, but the holidays can always be a set back.

I thought that Dad was going to plan to retire next year but he said that he's going to put it off for another year or two. He enjoys the routine and he said that if he retired he'd just be getting into Mother's way, but he told me that he is quick to ask the younger staff members their opinions on things, more staff input, more "brain storming" to which the productiveness has increased as well as moral.

I'm planning on going down the day before Christmas and staying through New Years with the Folks, with Dad's Internet connection I'd have no problem staying in touch with the office.

Joe had a busy Thanksgiving holiday, there were good things and difficult things, the shooting they had recently in which a 1 year old was shot in the head has him feeling down, and the little guy is still in critical condition, just because someone wanted to take out a local rap artist. Joe said that because of the violent competition between rappers and their "fans" no one wants to hold a rap concert, there is no guarantee that no one will not get hurt.

I said in an earlier post that I'd have to modify my thoughts on education and jobs...on the education portion I found out that there are special programs for people who do not have the finances to pay for the training jobs, and this is being offered though several government programs, it's to help keep people on track and off the welfare roles by training them and getting them job assistance especially for those that do not have the funds to pay for training or junior college.

The other thing is that I read in a recent Bloomberg Business Week magazine (Nov 14, 2011 ?approx.) the cover said why Americans won't work. Well they do but they don't want to or can't seem to handle the hard back breaking work like picking tomatoes or cleaning fish, or changing beds. In Alabama alone because of a law in regards to immigrants many of them that were doing these jobs, left because of their illegal status, even when employers used the government Internet program to verify their status.

So several young men who were out of work went to pick tomatoes and most of them quit after one week---Why? Because the work is hard, picking tomatoes in the hot sun. One Employer stated yes the work is hard, but they have the same type of guys working in the hot foundries and that is hotter and more dangerous than picking tomatoes, but the difference is the benefits.

One young man said it is hard and he's just amazed that these immigrants they just keep at it, hardly taking breaks and he's exhausted. Another employer also admitted the work at his fish factory is hard too, cold and long hours but if the work isn't done the food that is produced will rot and go to waste.

One young white male said that for someone like him such work is like impossible, how can anyone white or black do that kind of work that the immigrant workers are doing.

It had me thinking that since these are minimum wage jobs, with next to nothing in benefits, it is one of the reasons why some of our food costs are so low, years ago from the teens to the 1950's in Montery, Ca. there were all these sardine processing factories, and everyone for blocks and blocks around worked in these factories and they were not immigrants per se, so when the sardine boats came in the factories would blow their whistles to call everyone to work and they did, hard, cold, miserable, stinking work to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table and clothes on their backs.

Now the sardines are gone fished out, the Cannery factories on Cannery Row turned into Restaurants, or boutiques and all hurting in this current economy. And back in the depression and drought of the 1930's farmers lost their homes, and people moved from place to place camping out in shacks to work the next crop, the classic picture of the farmer's wife with the two children taken by Dorothea Lang, is iconic for that period, but what a lot of people don't know is that the family eventually by following the crops and available work found themselves in California in L.A. and some years later that same woman, much older saw that photo of herself at an exhibit and she was mad, she said that they were not poor and are not poor, she has a nice house and wonderful children and grandchildren.

What had happen is that when the husband found work and she found work they saved up enough to buy a house and live comfortably, they, according to this same woman were just going though a hard time and were doing what they could to find work.

In the National Review magazine either Nov. 14 or 28 there is an article about the "philosophy" of the Occupy groups, but it is, according to the author a dangerous "Marxist" philosophy.

My thoughts were almost on the same line, I felt that the Occupy groups were really not focusing on the problem and were in danger of falling victim like the characters in the novel "Animal Farm".

As I've said before I worked for my education, hunted for grants and scholarships, went hungry, shared a place with 3 or 4 other girls, walked to save on bus fare, had to go to free clinics when I got sick, even went a dental school when I had a toothache and allowed myself to be a teaching "device" while my toothache was being treated to save money, or for check ups or cleaning, I don't need to tell you how painful that was. To get my hair permed or cut I'd go to a beauty college and allow myself to be a "guinea pig" for students, more than once I had to wear a knit cap to hide the mistakes.

And I had no guarantee that there would be a job out there for me, NONE! I went to the Library the other day and a staffer whom I'm friendly with said that they had one opening for a technician, only one and 92 applicants for the job, every one with different degrees of experience but one, just one edged out the rest by the tiniest of margins.

If the people who are a part of the Occupy groups think that by doing this it will get them jobs, it won't. They forget we are now a Global Economy, not a National one so they are competing with people from India, China, the Philippines, Mexico, etc., etc., etc., for jobs. So they better be prepared to pick tomatoes or clean fish.

The one thing the Occupy groups do have right is the so-called hidden bailouts by the government to the banks, but they need to look deeper, if some of these bailouts didn't happen, more people would have their homes lost with no options for re-financing.

But as I've heard one old-timer say to me "Gas, Grass or what you sit on, nobody, but NOBODY gets a free ride."

Now a slight apology, perhaps I'm over simplifying things, being too simplistic, the issues that surround our economy our un-employment, our fee raising, is far more complicated. I for one do not approve of handing out bonuses and high raises on the backs of students and their parents, I do not approve of stock holders getting big dividends on the backs of the elderly, I do not approve of our government slackers at the Capitol doing cut backs on our elderly, widowed and children.

So if the Occupy groups want to really make a statement, Do it at our Nation's capital in the Middle of Winter if need be and let everyone else get to work doing their job that you are intent on disrupting.

Sorry Sweet Things---I really have a lot of pent-up anger tonight. I think I need some pumpkin spice bread that Mom sent to me, some hot coco and watch "Columbo" on the retro T.V. program when times might have been simpler.

Kisses Sweet Things and thank you for letting me Rant.

Headaches, aspirin and ramblings~~

Hello Sweet Things,

Right now I'm taking a little breather at my desk, and planning an escape, no 3 day weekend for me.

With Greece, Italy and the other overseas countries having their own form of fall-out, I've been putting in long hours.

So has Joe, this latest insident with Occupy Oakland now has the police union demanding that the "tent city" be removed. I know of one business that has decided to close up shop, and that is a tiny tip of the iceburg of the possible finaincal crisis Oakland is facing. The Occupy Oakland movement has cost 500 new jobs because 3 bussiness that were planning to move into Oakland, make Oakland their headquaters have now changed their minds and 2 others are going to move out.

So what has the movement done? Even my assistant says "Nothing". To ramble abit and say "Hecuba--but what is Hecuba to he and he to Hecuba that he should go on so?"--Hamlet.

For a while I and my assistant have been taking BART home she goes to a different station and her grandparents pick her up, but there have been times when the Ferry has been best and her family has been kind enough to give me a lift home. All because Occupy Oakland has now lost their focus.

That doesn't mean I'm against the message, I'm not. But the message has been lost because of 1960's tactics, hi-jacked by outside elements and no balance between.

I have always been a cautious person especially when it comes to investing, fiances and purchases. But there has always been people who have unattainable dreams. Think of Dorothy in the "Wizard of Oz" after all her adventures in a magical land, she learned that the simple things were the most important.

Dear Sweet Fram says I should look into Gold and Guns, well I would not invest in gold at this time, the return would not be good, but a long time ago I started investing in gold when the rates were very low, and my return has been good, but now I would not except modestly, I feel very cautious on it right now.

On guns? I'm thinking about a pump shotgun, and lots of shells. Joe didn't know what to get for me as a Christmas present, now he does.

There is one thing that I have not mentioned to all of you Sweet Things, besides my own home and the two pieces of property that I bought (of which one I sold). I have purchased other pieces of property---income property---a couple of 4 plexes and a duplex at the time when the market has gone into a serious slump.

They pay for themselves right now, the profit is modest and I keep the extra funds for repairs; when the market turns around, and it will, then I'll sell them. The hardest part is keeping the rents affordable and still be able to pay taxes, insurances, repairs. I'm lucky all my renters are very responsible people and I have good property managers.

I fell in love with the properties because of their Art Deco style, something that I'm determined to preserve. And I go with local business that can do the job.

BUT---in this entire world there are more people than jobs ---overpopulation---something that in a better frame of mind I would discuss at greater length but my headache is not getting any better. But that is what we are looking at.

Frightening when you think about it.

Now I must go, my assistant is trying to perk me up with "Pumpkin Spice Tea" and two aspirin.

And if I do not make much sense right now----blame it on the long days and nights.

Kisses, Sweet Things

An Update for 2011 Fall~~~

Hello Sweet Things,

Well some of you and especially you my Dear Sweet Fram, have asked me for any specific updates, and if I've attended any Gun Shows.

On the Gun Show front, I am sorry to say I have not.

Things at work have been very hectic and very crazy on the European front, the stock Market, the economy in general, with all it's crazy fluctuations, that I had a hard time even taking one full day to go to a gun show and I'm feeling very, VERY deprived.

Even when I was on a vacation trip with Baby Sis(yes we did go to Disneyland), I had to use my laptop and the wi-fi service to stay in touch with the office. Fortunately my clients have gone with my suggestions to be conservative and moderate and go for slow growth.

But if I didn't take some time away from things, I think I'd have a nervous breakdown.

Right now I have to be constantly on top of things, so no more trips for a while, I'm staying "close to home" so to speak.

Since most of my clients are older, I've been able to steer them into things that will keep their investments solvent and aid them in their retirement years. My younger one's are more the risk takers, but I constantly tell them, don't invest more than what you can afford to lose.

And the volatility of the European market especially with Greece is a constantly fluid situation.

Joe is exhausted and frustrated with the situation in Oakland the "Occupy Oakland Crazies" as he calls them. Of course the Mayor is making things worse by not being decisive on the situation.

When the violent agitators were smashing things, some of the police force were injured, far more than what the newscasters let on. Joe is very proud of Phil Tamagi for getting out his shotgun to protect his building---More than ever we need to protect our 2nd amendment rights against Anarchists whose only intention is Chaos and destruction.

And the "Occupy Oakland" group is not helping either, when anyone from City Hall asks the alleged spokespersons for "Occupy Oakland" what do they want? No one has an answer, no one is coming forth with demands or ideas.

With that I would tend to view this situation as non-productive, it is just a rant to let out frustrations about the jobless market and I have agree that the bailouts that were done on the banks because of the untenable mortgage situation and loans at inflated values is the result of basic "Greed", but also greed played upon the greediness of the people.

And I even mean the working person, the desire to have one's own house at any cost, the white picket fence, the two-plus children and the 3 car garage and the cat and the dog. What happens? Everyone suffers including the cat and the dog.

But the worse of it is outsourcing jobs over seas, again greed, and the demand for cheap goods, everyone wants the huge screen T.V.'s their Ipods, cell phones with ridiculous apps.

We need to be a nation of builders again, we need to stop outsourcing work, we need to bring the jobs back and we need to be realistic about the cost of goods. Stop being a throw-away nation, we did it to ourselves.

We do need to look at the tax code but I know too many people who rely on their tax refund to help with paying their property taxes, so some of those tax breaks do need to be kept, a flat tax is totally inequitable it will put more burden on the poor. And some of those tax proposals expounded by some of the Republican candidates will put a double tax on the purchasing of goods, so that one will be paying a state tax and a federal tax; for example if one pays a 10% state tax on goods, there will be another 10% federal sales tax on top of that so you'd be paying 20% on a product.

Lillian has been saying to me "better to vote back in the Devil you Know, than the Devil you don't know." I'm inclined to think that way too.

But I'm keeping my decisions fluid, and I have to admit I'm over simplifying an extremely complicated problem. But frankly where would I start? I'd start by bringing the jobs back to the United States and making the corporations be penalized for outsourcing. But in doing so, it would wake up the people to the value of goods and it most likely make them slow down in wasteful spending.

I would seek to give tax breaks and incentives to small businesses, and mandate to all financial institutions to stop the foreclosures and work with homeowners to create affordable mortgages to keep them in their homes, investors will not get the returns they'd like to have but they will get something.

And the people will need to be re-educated into how to live more wisely. I'd also look at why other countries have a better health programs than we do, a better education system than we do and seek to implement them.

But the people, the investors, the "banks", and Corporations all need to be aware that they cannot have their cake and be able to eat it too.

I do not see this improving over a short period of time, this is going to take at least a decade to turn it around and show signs of improvement.

What what also has me concerned is new sources of power and I mean electric, gas etc. and also new ways to get fresh water, we need it for food, we need it for our health, we cannot waste it and we are. We need to look at making the earth well again to create an environment that will generate water sources, instead of dust bowls.

Alright Sweet Things---I've done my rant. I don't have answers and I maybe viewing things wrongly, but we as a nation need to start somewhere. The attitude of the liberal love generation is not working, we need the "can-do" attitude of the greatest generation when we were facing WWII.

And Mayor Quan's 1970's attitude and flip-flopping is not working. But neither is "Occupy Oakland" they are not giving answers or demands, they have created another "Hooverville", and many of the destructive ones are not from Oakland, but from out of the city and out of state, some are professional agitators.

O.K. you want to work, then start sweeping streets, pick up garbage, recycling, painting over graffiti walls, cementing broken sidewalks, cleaning sewers and toilets, take old, dilapidated buildings and rejuvenate them to make them habitual and usable; you'll be doing it for minimum wages but it's a start. See about going to school and learning a trade, not everyone can be a doctor, lawyer, or a glib politician, we need people who are mechanics, plumbers, electricians, craftsmen. And it will show you're willing to work, and not just demanding a handout.

Joe is sleeping right now, he is exhausted, much of the police resources are going to monitoring the "Occupy Oakland" group, he has his 25 in. He's been so frustrated by what the Mayor has done and not done, by not working with the former police chief and the programs he wanted to implement and she is not being supportive with her current one. He's started looking at other places to work, it will mean his leaving the Bay Area, it may mean my leaving the Bay Area, but we shall see.

Frankly Joe said that maybe De LaFuentes or Perata would have been the better Mayors for this troubled city and that the voting process for Oakland is more harmful than good. That is should be overhauled so that the better candidate with the highest votes win.

Heather is here right now, she is just so frustrated with Occupy Oakland, she had to have Lillian drive her to college by avoiding all the downtown marches and vandalism, she couldn't take the buses because of all the disruption.

And she's mad at some of her teachers who instead of teaching classes have joined the protests, thereby costing her a chance to complete her degree, she's has gotten some of the other students together and have informed those teachers that if they do not hold extra classes to help them that they will sue them and they have a lawyer who is very good and will do it "pro bono" (well I did tell him I would pay for some of his expenses).

She told me that she doesn't care if she's a "starving artist" she will find and get a job, she doesn't need the 2 and a half story house, white picket fence, 2 and a half kids, 3 car garage, a BMW and a cat and a dog (although she is a sucker for soft brown eyes and flippy-doddle ears), and she can buy a gently used, pre-owned car. She will not give up.

Heather said to me "Those people are cowards, they don't have the guts and determination to get out there, there are ways to avoid living in one's car, they just didn't look, they didn't accept the fact that sometimes you have to give up something to gain something more important, many of them fought to keep an overly expensive home, instead of reassessing their situation and being realists."

I like her attitude, she may not have it all right about things, even I'm not sure I have it right either, but in looking at her I saw a determined "Scarlet O'Hara" who was so down, that she grabbed a rotted carrot to eat and threw up and from that moment own she swore she would never be hungry again.

We all need to be that way.

As for me? I have clients who trust me and I have to protect them. I have a man that I love, sleeping in my bedroom, exhausted, that I need to be supportive of. I have a college student and a dear sweet and feisty old lady who need a sounding board and a friend. I have a family and friends who are doing their own best in difficult times, to love and cheer on. And from all of them I receive their love and friendship that energizes me to keep going.

Until later, Kisses Sweet Things

Once again I emerge out of the Fog~~~

Once again sweet things, I have emerged from the dark recesses of my work, and can again feel the winter sun gently caress my cheek. It feels good, everything feels good.

Mmmmm~~~and the project? In a word~~~Success! Such a satisfying word, that and victory, completion, attaining the goal, grabbing the brass (although I prefer gold) ring, all those words have such a wonderful sound, and it makes a person like moi, want to celebrate.

Did I celebrate? Of course I did sweet things. I and a few of my colleagues had lunch at John’s Grill; I enjoyed my broiled salmon, salad and coffee, while the “guys” had their steaks and drinks; after all that work I needed the protein, but no alcohol, I still needed to keep a clear mind and not feel loggy headed, one can make too many mistakes in that condition.

Even when we were successful, there is still always that ‘nagging’ sense of ‘did you cover everything’, and we wanted to go back and review things now that the pressure was off. I can tell you that all was fine.

Now for some of you who’ve never visited John’s Grill, the lovely place just celebrated its centennial, the name may ring a tiny bell---it’s the place where Sam Spade would grab a bite to eat; Dashiell Hammett in real life did eat there when he worked as a detective. The ground floor has kept much of its dark wood, it has been cleaned up a bit since the 1930’s, yuppified and all those celebrity portraits, upstairs is dedicated to “The Maltese Falcon”.

I do run into a number of business associates there, and there are one or two detectives that come in there, but you can spot the tourists, they keep looking for Sam Spade. I’m not sure if it would be a place for Bullitt or Harry Callahan, Hmmmm but then again it just might be.

Oh but sweet things, I know it’s not wise to just sit on one’s laurels, even if I do have wonderful form. No my darlings, I’ll simply use the time to take a deep breath, re-group and prepare for a new campaign. Hmmmm I know that sounds like going to war, but sweet things, life is a war.

Take a look around you. Everyone fighting to keep their jobs, fighting to find a new job, fighting to keep their heads above water, to not lose their homes, their 3 cars, the expensive schools that their over indulged teenagers go to, to not lose their expensive way of life.

Ohhhhh all right I know that sounds petty, even I admit it is, there are some I know who have earned everything by their hard work, raise their children right and life decides to “taser” them in the face. To those I lend a helping hand in ways to lead them to another job. I’m mean but not that mean.

No sweet things, there are those whose mistaken and misplaced sense of “entitlement” earns them the reality shock of life and to teach them what is really important. And for them, it is a lesson they deserve.

I had a chance a while ago, to watch an old Steven Boyd movie “The Oscar”, a melodrama with a morality tale in the best, or worst 1960’s style. Boyd plays a so-so actor, who is nominated for an Oscar, he becomes completely rotten in his chase for the gold, destroying working relationships, friendships, losing all sense of reality and then in the end when he thinks he’s going to win it…….he loses everything. Boyd was woooonderful in the role. Hmmmm It reminds me of some former co-workers who acted like that.

Morality tales, they were created to learn from sweet things. It’s too bad there are so many who have not learned the lesson, the dot com boom that went bust, the housing market bubble that popped, all the warning signs were there but too many chose to ignore it, much to their regret. Too much lascivious and conspicuous consumerism, must have the latest toy, the latest gadget, and where will it get you now?

So now I’m taking my deep breath, catching up with errands, watching the Tivo’d News programs and reading my stack of newspapers. Mmmm yes sweet things, I’m “old-fashioned” I love to read the papers, to spread them out, scanning the columns for key words that jump out at me, circling articles that may have that tidbit of information that I’ll need and scanning news reports on line as well for updates.

So much has happened in the world; the Gaza situation has heated up again, and I think naughty Hamas started it, but as you all know Israel will finish it, even if it means destroying everything.

A second Bart Police officer is now on the hot seat for the Oscar Grant shooting, the only problem with video is that there is no sound, if sound was available I think much would be answered, they say “a picture is worth a thousand words” but I think hearing and seeing it in its proper context is more important. I still would love to be on that jury.

The Oakland police chief resigned and now fellow police officers are glad he did----Hmmmm I wonder why?

The FBI is now involved in investigating the Oakland police for falsifying reports which could compromise the Chauncey Bailey investigation. Oh a twist in the situation, not good.

And again there were some minor riots and arrests in Oakland when the Mayor’s office mistakenly put out a news bulletin that the ex-Bart officer that shot Oscar Grant was released on bail-----and then it turns out “oh sorry darlings it was a mistake”, the man in question is still in jail but separate from other prisoners, security you see.

It seems that if Joseph Meserleigh wants out, his family has to put up 3 million in bail or show that they have 3 million in assets, which means if they go through a Bail bondsman they have to have 3 hundred thousand. But what the Mayor’s office has done is even worse, (slightly singing) some one is going to get fired.

Some pods of migrating Gray Whales appear to be very lean as if they were starving---the blame being put on global warming.

And in tiny, somewhat quiet Alameda they have a 90 year old mystery, when the maintenance men were digging up the street to fix an old clay sewer pipe that caused a sink hole, less than 5 inches below the asphalt they found bones, human bones and a skull. The body had to have been buried there before the houses were built in 1926, but whose body is it? Hmmmm, they say it’s not Native American and no sign of foul play. Oooooh I just Love a mystery, unfortunately I’ll have to wait for the conclusion on this, pooh!

Blagojevich and Madoff have been knocked off their pedestals, which they never deserved to be on in the first place, one with hair that is just too unreal and the other…also unreal.

Ex-President Bush is now living a quiet life in Texas, only 50 years later will anyone fully understand his place in history, poor man….in the same position as Herbert Hoover….despised by liberals….loved by conservatives….I think Cindy Sheehan can forget that “apology”. Although I think she never deserved one. Hmmmm I think she’s living in Berkeley now, a perfect place.

I have a friend of mine who is a chocolatier, it’s more of a hobby of his, but he loves to discover wonderful candy recipes, he calls his hobby candy shop “The Berkeley Nut Company---where the nuts come from”, he does have a strange sense of humor.

Obama is flogging his stimulus plan which I have questions about since it doesn’t seem to reflect his so-called reformist thinking and appears to neglect projects that really could make a difference, and the NY Times seems to be thinking the same as I am. And will it work fast enough before the situation deteriorates further?

I feel that only the people being creative and cash conscious will make anything work. In Europe things are bad as well; the Euro currency (which is a joke) has lost ground, I always felt that it was another bubble that had no solid gold standard foundation which is why I steered away from investing in it.

I won’t talk about the increase in layoffs, soooo depressing. It’s like hitting a brick wall going 100 miles an hour, do you survive or do you crash and burn? And everyone else gawking at the train wreck in shock.

The whole economy situation is like being on bumper cars, you try to avoid being bumped and steer a safe path, if you can.

The state of the City of San Francisco and Oakland is ridiculous and Berkeley is even worse.

I am so glad I don’t live in Berkeley, they, (being some nuclear free commission) refuse to allow a waiver to the public library to have a well know company come in and service the library’s copy machines and self check out stations because the company refused to state if they deal in any sort of nuclear technology---What idiots!! What Fools!!! A public library is the best investment in this tottering economy and that is when a city should invest more into it and not deny it a good working service program to aid the Library---

But NO!! (Snarl) Berkeley has to be so PC that it will cost the city more to find another service program and in the mean time machinery cannot be up and working to assist the public. Fools!! Idiots!!! It is thinking like that that has boondoggled anything that could be of vital use to people in the world. No wonder Berkeley has earned the title of being a city of insanity.

For me the Public Library was my safe haven from the coldness of my parents, all those books waiting to “speak” to me, and the library staff, always helpful and so patient with even the most difficult and demanding of people. I remember as a child one Librarian through her sheer force of will, cowered a gang of boys who were acting out until the police showed up and arrested them. She called each one of them by name and said that she would personally contact their parents who would be ashamed of how their children were acting.

Those boys never showed up again, at least not together.

I talked to one of my co-workers the other day and she was shocked! Shocked!! And about what? Ha, ha, ha, her son who has been taking business courses in college, has decided to study to be in …….oh sweet things are you ready for this?.....to be in the Funeral business…….I just LOVE that young man’s thinking. It’s absolutely luscious!

We are born, we live and no matter what….we eventually die….When you are born it’s in a hospital, usually….when you die…well that could be anywhere…..what happens in between the services needed depends upon your choices and lifestyle….but no matter what, we need to have our bodies (after the spirit has left) properly disposed of….either simply or elaborately and that requires a service that almost everyone will need. Ooooooh it makes such purrrrrrfect sense.

I told her to allow her sweet son to go ahead and follow his dream, his goal and to stop being shocked but be proud of his choice.

And speaking of hospitals, there is an increase in the need for trained medical assistants in all fields of medicine, Hmmm it seems sweet things, that one cannot stop being ill, even if one is out of work.

One of my friends, who had been out of work for 6 months, borrowed some funds from the bank of Mom and Dad and went back to school to be a phlebotomist---Mmmmmm try wrapping your tongue around that word. It means drawing blood and analyzing it or something of that sort, now she’s working and she’s thinking of going back to school, (after repaying the Bank of Mom and Dad), to learn more lab studies. More power to her.
And she told me it fits right in with her Goth life style, she no longer feels like a stranger in a strange land.

Mmmmm Isn’t that wonderful to find something that feels so right for you, your outlook, your life style? It makes things so harmonious.

At least we have one hero, a modest one, ‘Sully’ Sullenberger, who landed that plane in the Hudson River and everyone survived. I saw the video~~~~a perfect textbook landing or as the Los Angeles Times headlines said “Two wings and a prayer”.

But now I have to get my paperwork together and give it to my tax preparer, pooh! Such a boring thing to do, that is why I prefer to give it to someone who has the right expertise, and what I pay him I can use as a tax deduction for next year.

When I was young it didn’t take me long to learn what was good debt and what was bad debt. Bad debt is credit cards, Good debt is a home mortgage, of course I’m over simplifying my sweet things, but if I put legitimate business expenses on my credit card it becomes deductions.

Oh there is so much more, and I find it exciting to learn what I can use to gain more money~~~~ Am I avaricious? Growl~~~ Of course I am, and I admit it gladly to all you sweet yummy things.

Mmmmm at least I’m honest.

Now Valentines Day is coming and what am I going to do for that weekend? Oh wouldn’t all of you sweet, luscious, yummy things like to know~~~but….I’ll give you an idea….there is a gun show that very weekend….and I’m going shopping….I’m not sure what I plan to get, but I will look at some suggestions….like a Colt 1911….Thank you Fram, I had completely forgotten that Colt had put it out…..but I think it might be too heavy fire power for my hand….Hmmmm maybe I can find someone who can give me a “test drive” with one……Ohhhh I love that thought.

For tonight I’ll enjoy my glass of Merlot, listening to Benny Goodman play “Body and Soul” and look out onto the cold, cold skyscrape and the twinkling lights of the “city by the Bay” as a sliver of moon slowly descends the night sky.

And with that I’ll say Sweet Dreams my sweet things.

Avoiding the Protest was a good move~~~

Well My Sweet Things,

I was right; the so-called “peaceful protest” did result in a group of criminals destroying property. And now Mayor Dellums is going to hire, non-armed security for the next three weeks.

With Oakland having to furlough their workers two days a month and having take a week off without pay, between Christmas and New Years, another expenditure going down the drain because criminals are criminals.

I firmly believe that any sort of illegal protest should always be banned, it doesn’t matter if it was organized, look at the destruction that happened. It solves nothing, those tree huggers at UC Berkeley did it stop the axes? No. Did Tinnamen Square change the order in China? No. Did the protest in Peoples Park stop the war? No. Did anyone speak for the Jews when they were being gassed in ovens in German? No. Is anyone doing anything in Rwanda, between the Hutus and Titus? No and No.

Did anyone protest, take to the streets and decry when Chauncey Bailey, a Black Journalist, was murdered by someone who was with the Your Black Muslim Bakery, because Bailey had proof of criminal activity by that group?---NO!!

A man that has a family, wife, children a responsible job, dedicated to bringing truth to the surface out of the slime, murdered by criminals and yet, not one person took to the streets and demanded justice, not one person took to the streets and demanded that the persons be arrested and tried for murder, not one person took to the streets and demanded the resignation of the District Attorney---Did they protest on the death of Chauncey Bailey---NO!!!

Did anyone take to the streets and protest the beheading of Daniel Perrelman when he was murdered by Muslim terrorists? NO!!!

But for this Oscar Grant person they turned out in droves, a person with a proven criminal background, who just got out of prison less than 4 months before, who fathered a baby when he was 17 and from what can be determined never married the mother, whose father is currently in jail and has had no interaction with the deceased, who was involved in street gang activity before, who was engaged with a gang of street thugs fighting on the Bart train, and was going to be arrested again and from what I could see of the videos although on the ground appeared to still be resisting arrest.---A THUG, who in pictures that was first shown on television now since excised, flashing gang symbols.

For this person they turn out in droves---WHY? Because the person who shot him was not another criminal but a cop, granted a Bart cop, not a city or county cop, but someone in authority—someone who they believe represented The Man.

When will people wake up and remove the blinders from their eyes, this cop was not going to get off scott free, he was not going to get a slap on the wrist, he can claim being not guilty of murder, but he cannot claim of being not guilty of accidental manslaughter, yes I say accidental.

I know sweet things, you see I’ve dated policemen, (I love a man in uniform) of all types of temperaments, but all of them have said that they have to be careful in the heat of the moment, it is hard to remain calm when you are dealing with criminal loose cannons who have no concept of right and wrong, but only a sense of entitlement. A mistake can happen at any time. And this is one of them.

Hah, Hah I would LOVE to be on the jury for this trial, when they try to sue for $25 million dollars, do you think that family will receive any of that? I don’t think so, not after court fees and lawyer’s fees and all kinds of hidden fees, they will be lucky to have enough left over to pay for the funeral bill.

As a matter of fact, if I was on that jury I would certainly drastically lower the award amount---to teach criminals a lesson. You don’t get something for nothing.

If Oscar Grant was working on being a good person as his ‘family and friends’ claim he was, did he have a job? There appeared to be no indication that he held one. Was he paying court ordered child support? There doesn’t appear to be any awarded. So what was Oscar doing besides hanging around with his “Homeys” ---NOTHING!!!!

At least Bailey was trying to 'out' the criminal element, he was doing something and for him I hope there is sweet, sweet justice.

For Oscar Grant, let him be buried in an unmarked grave and forgotten, for the cop that shot him accidentally, let justice be met out as a jury sees fit. The real victim is Baileys children left behind and Grant’s child left behind, what kind of lives will they lead?

ENOUGH OF THAT RANT!!!

I was wise enough to stay in the city, I love the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, granted the rooms are small, but the service is excellent, and I was able to get quite a bit of work completed.

While I was having a late dinner there I ran into some sweet yummy friends, we had a marvelous time. It seems that they too were staying at the hotel, they were afraid that with the protest they would not make their bus connections and it seems when we watched the news in my room that our precautions were good ones to do. Don't worry sweet things, everything was proper and above board.

I decided to stay another night, the advantage of finishing up work and being pampered was too great to resist, so instead of taking the Bart home I saved time and relaxed, shopped a little, and enjoyed myself.

So now I have the long weekend---Oh but where am I? Wouldn’t you sweet things like to know—Hmmmmm?

Well I decided to treat myself, I’m at a Spa here in the wine country, you’ve no doubt saw my red convertible flying pass you, right now I’m taking advantage of the free WiFi that is offered at my Resort Spa---Ahhh but which one you ask---GUESS---is my answer.

Remember the sweet thing that I met at the gym? I gave her a very bad nick-name of “fat chick”---well I’m going to change that to “Sweet Chick”, she took my advice and she e-mailed me---it seems that her soon to be ex-husband was holding out some very serious assets that he didn’t declare and since this is a community property state—she is going for her half, it was wonderful to see her with her claws out and fangs barred.

All those years he didn’t tell her about the extra money that he was investing and saving, no wonder she had to get a job to help pay for the bills. He was holding out. And she changed her lawyer, she now has one who goes for the jugular, so although the proceedings are going to have to be gone over again because there is new evidence of what he was withholding without her knowledge he is going to be in a very sorry state, oh and he wanted to buy out her half of the house for a pittance, she got a new appraisal, if he wants the house he’s going to have to pay more, a lot more.

OH YOU GO GIRL! Yummy, just Yummy!

I love things like that.

Oh and am I going to watch the inauguration of the New President? No, I refuse to watch that carnival, I was disgusted when he gave his acceptance speech and the people in the crowd were crying and looking at him as if he were Jesus Christ at the Second Coming, just watch and see how quick they will turn on him when he doesn’t do things fast enough or even do them at all and discover that he just might have feet of clay.

He is just a man, with a lot of difficulties left over from the Clinton administration that Bush got stuck with---and no I’m not a republican, I’m an independent.

Now I’ll start getting dressed for dinner, I wonder who I’ll seduce tonight?

Think on that you sweet. luscious, yummy things.