Thursday, June 30, 2016

What Is the Point

It has crossed my mind a time or two that this blog probably appears to serve no purpose. There is no consistent theme or subject, and my posts come off as random with no agenda or ultimate destination. That may lead someone to wonder what the point of my blog is, and ask themselves Why am I here? 
  The point is simple really. It leaves a trail to my past that I can't always remember  without jogging my brain, and it puts my memories into correct chronological order. I'm rather disappointed with myself for leaving such a huge gap of missing time in this blog, where many pertinent things occurred in my life. I had a writing teacher in community college who always insisted we just write down whatever we wanted to, but make sure to always write something. It doesn't matter if it seems like something relevant or even well worded. As long as you do it all the time, your ability to express yourself in a way people can understand and not misconstrue will improve.
  It is a bit curious to go back to some older posts and wonder at some phrases, How did that come out of me? But what little there is has been extremely useful in reminding me of people and situations that have come and gone. And what the hell, it's free. Motivation is key. Material practically produces its self. The true danger is not being long winded or too boring, and that is a challenge for a nine to fiver like myself.
  There will be enough mundane observations to come, but at least my blog's purpose is clear. It is for my own future entertainment. Thanks for stopping by.

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Physical Therapy Follow Up

So it turns out that the physical therapy session planned for yesterday ended up being cancelled for the usual reason; I'm not wealthy. I have a new insurance plan provided under my employer's benefits package. It looks like they don't cover physical therapy until I reach my $1,500 deductible, and the co-pay is $50. That's too steep for my blood. By this method I would need to pay about $250 out of pocket for each of my first six visits, then $50 each visit after that. Once again I have fallen into the capitalist entrapment of our health care system, which is happening on a grand scale nationwide. This is the same reason I only take one of the four drugs prescribed by my neurologist. They are simply too expensive for an average citizen to afford, and insurance only covers one of my four treatments.
  Long story short, it is apparent to me from experience that most people with chronic health conditions go through daily life without the treatments their doctors order. They must, because if it is how I am going about things, then the same thing is obviously happening on an exponentially larger scale.
  We are living in a country where cures are common and access is nearly impossible. There are medications for everything but it is a totally unregulated market. Just as an example, my Gilenya comes at a hefty $5,500 price tag for a 28 day supply. The Modafinil I was prescribed runs about $450 for a 30 day bottle. Cialis or Viagra about $50 per pill. Ampyrin for gait in those with MS, about $3000 for a one month supply. Rest assured no insurance company will willingly cover any of these treatments. Combine that with the cost of starting physical therapy and clearly we can see that healthcare in America is for the wealthy only; not those on the lower or even mid rungs of the economic ladder.
  I am not speaking as an uninsured impoverished person. I am full-time employed with what is considered ample coverage provided by the company I work for. My point is and has been, that there are some industries of America that should not be for profit, because the profit driven aspect of these industries causes great harm to the integrity and strength of our culture. How can we be strong as a people when only the very rich can afford medicine? How can we be strong as a nation if there is a profit motive to incarcerate our citizenry?  How can we be informed as a nation when there is profit driven news media that only strives for the sensational? I like money. I like having stuff and being entertained. But we can't have a profit driven existence at every level and still expect to reach a quality standard of life. 
  We are starving in a sea of plenty, and it makes no sense. So I have a choice, based on the current for profit healthcare system that is in place. I can go without my treatments and enjoy the unfettered effects of my disease, or I can get involved in a really lucrative profession that pays outrageous amounts of money that can cover the absurd costs of medical attention. The latter sounds like more fun, so I'll try doing that. Because that is the simple truth; that our profit for everything world translates into If you need it badly enough you will find a way to make more money. Earn more money is the only solution Americans have for their health problems. 
  Below is a screen shot of how much I'd pay for my most important medication if purchased out of pocket, just to prove that the cost of medication is not exaggerated, it is hyper-inflated. 



Tuesday, June 28, 2016

Physical Therapy

Today I will be starting up physical therapy for my right shoulder. I should have began sooner, but I like to put things off a bit. I took a hard fall on the concrete sidewalk at K St. and 10th back on January 3rd. It was the worst fall I have ever had. 
  Gordon and I had parked at a nearby public garage and we walked a couple of blocks down K St. to the IMAX theater to see Star Wars in 3-D. That was all fun and happiness, but it was on the way back to the garage when I had my accident. It was wet and drizzle was in the air. I was wearing my new foot brace which is supposed to help with my drop-toe (M.S.  jargon for difficulty lifting your foot) which I hadn't become used to using. We were crossing along the intersection talking when my right foot with the brace stuck hard on the yellow, bumpy pads which are installed at every crosswalk. Ironic that the thing that is supposed to aid disabled people is what mainly contributed to my fall. I lost balance suddenly and completely. 
  I just remember how fast it happened, like I was hit by a surprise bus, in the form of a concrete sidewalk. I put my right arm forward naturally on my way down, and it's a miracle I didn't break something. But it jarred my shoulder hard. Real hard. It gave me a quick undersdtanding of what it might be like to fall from a building. My whole body locked up and I was unable to even try to move. I remember hearing a stranger yell, Oh shit! as it happened, and much to the merit of humanity two men came to assist. Gordon helped me roll over, and I was totally soaked and damaged. My shoulder felt like it had been inverted. I asked one of the gentlemen to pull my right arm to help me straighten it out. Finally after what seemed like a while these guys with Gordon got me too my feet. I'm a big, heavy guy and I was virtual dead weight with my legs freaking out on me. No way was it an easy feat.
   We eventually made it back to the car, and Gordon was given charge of driving. Since that day I have had very limited range of motion in my shoulder. I can't even soap under my left armpit or raise my arm over my head all the way. Hopefully this can be healed completely through therapy and not surgery. We shall see how it goes.

Monday, June 27, 2016

Looking Forward to the End (of it all)

I for one am looking forward to the end of President Obama's term, but not for the reasons most people do. I am more interested in watching the "American Right" adjust to their newfound position whether they come out of this in charge of the executive branch or not. For eight comfortable years conservatives have not had to perform any sort of conscious decision making. Every political point of action taken over the last two terms have been made from a default position, which is to oppose Obama no matter what, even at the cost of your own credibility and prosperity. No joke. Just look at how many cases pertinent to conservative ideals have fallen short in the courts because of their idiotic obstruction of something as important as an appointment of a Supreme Court Justice. It is actually more important to them, even after all the epic Republican failures to stop him, to appear steadfastly opposed to the President rather than do anything positive for the country. They are simply foolish idiots.
But all of this is coming to an end. Soon we will most likely have a Hillary Clinton presidency which I gain no excitement from, but the focus here is on right wing reaction. They will be forced to re-think (sic) their attack plan, which is probably no different than the current one in place; absolute obstruction. What makes it different this time is going to be their awkward inability to talk in public without sounding like what they are, which is disrespectful chauvinists. Most of the language of the right pertaining to Obama has been for the most part thinly disguised code for racism. Then they will typically complain that they are victims themselves of being unfairly targeted as racists, simply because people acknowledge their racism. "I just have a different opinion of his policies!" they cry out. But posting a meme on Facebook of two chimpanzees wearing royal garb with a caption eluding to Kenyan kings running the United States, well doesn't really illustrate that very well, does it Einstein? Now the old play book is going to have to be thrown out, since the treatment of women is far more scrutinized than the treatment of ethnicity. That is debatable, but is also my observation. People are more tolerant of racism than sexism, unless you're a conservative, in which you probably tolerate (propagate) both.
On the other hand, we may see a Trump administration that would flip the script even more dramatically. Imagine a president that has little to no support from his own party that has offered tepid reactions to his every misquote and back-step? That would be delicious and fun to watch, if not so perilous. The entire attack plan would have to change, naturally paving paths for newer, more innovative Republicans to rise to prominence. It's my opinion that anyone who votes for a billionaire is, well since pc is out, retarded. Billionaires hoard wealth. Why would you vote for someone who hoards wealth? Anyway, there's a billion reasons to not vote for Trump, and that's not what I'm here to do. All the info is available if anyone cares to check it out. Both candidates are very well known to most Americans. And since we've been sold a bill of goods regarding the primary process, I won't advocate for anyone. I'm just looking forward to a new tune from the right. The current song is so played.
Here, watch Mitch McConnel prove that the republican party is run by fools, and supported by gullible buffoons. 

Mitch McConnell showing you what idiocy looks like 



Gun-toting soccer mom found shot dead

Gun-toting soccer mom found shot dead

Does this actually surprise anyone? The people who we are told we should trust because they are the experts, they are trained, they are the 'good guys' are actually the people we should be concerned about. The fact that this woman thought she needed to brandish a glock at here daughter's soccer match is an indication of mental illness. As I said before in the assault weapons post, if you must openly carry a firearm, in this case to a children's sporting event, you are an unstable pussy. All the stats are once again supported by the incident. If you own a gun, you are more likely to be killed by a gun. Duh. If a woman is romantically involved with an owner of a gun, she is more likely to be killed by a gun. Did having a gun give her any kind of advantage against her attacker's strike first position? No. As a side note I find it ironic from the article that she was upset about her baby-sitting business being negatively impacted by the redemption of her right to carry the first time she was in trouble. What moron drops their kid off to be babysat by a woman wearing a holster? Is it that hard to see past the gun fetish, to be rational? It's very simple. If I have a foot fetish (not saying I do) but it is somehow negatively affecting my ability to have friends or say, live...then the fetish goes bye bye. Guns, like feet, were not intended to be jerk-off material. Keep your gun for your protection of your home. Fine. But if you have children, you keep it locked up and make sure they don't even know it exists. Instead we have gun-humping jackasses trying to teach their kids to shoot before they even know how to hold a match. Stupidity! We have people blowing off their own heads during selfies. We have dipshits carrying their guns into Wal-Mart solely because they can, although it causes massive social disruption. All to prove they have a right. Stupid!
It is not a toy, it is a tool, for killing. It's time for these clowns to take this right seriously. All rights come with great responsibility. But my original point was to say that the people most attracted to guns, are the ones who also can't wait to find a reason to use one. It is that simple. And like this woman, all the enthusiasm for firearms in the world isn't going to help you when your own husband turns the barrel to you. Just think of the peril her children lived in every day, and now their futures will be rocky at best.

Saturday and Sunday recall

The Rocky Horror picture show was a lot more fun this time around. I came armed with more material than I normally have, which came in handy during some parts of the flick where I managed to be the only person with a quip at certain moments. We took our niece home the next morning after sleeping in till almost noon, and followed by a large pancake breakfast at IHOP. It was shitty hot all day yesterday, so I  neglected to get my exercise routine out of the way. Instead I spent hours watching a long baseball game in which the Giants narrowly beat the Phillies with a ninth inning walk off RBI hit from Conor Gillaspie. Still trying to finish IT. Perhaps tonight. Only fifty or so pages left to go. Check my video dump page for a funny cartoon they ran before the picture show. Hilarious.

Friday, June 24, 2016

Neptune Sports Dark Vortex, Hubble Images Reveal



Powerful weather and a storm 3,000 miles wide is nothing to be concerned about from the comfort of my stool. 


Neptune Sports Dark Vortex, Hubble Images Reveal

Thursday, June 23, 2016

Assault Weapons Ban Petition

Damn right I signed the petition. I've heard all the same tired gun-humper arguments everyone else has, and frankly it is all total bullshit. I and many, many others are absolutely sick of this insanity. This will not last forever. Eventually these weapons will be considered a public health crisis, and that is when real changes will take place. It is very clear that only one side of this argument is completely unwilling to budge, compromise a single point, or offer any kind of sane solution. Armed guards looming over students in school is not a sane solution.
I do not succumb to idiot fantasies of government insurrection. I do not worry that my home will be invaded. I am not afraid to go out in public without a semi-automatic boomstick in case someone asks me for directions. If you need to carry a fucking AR-15 with you when you leave the house then you are either a scared shitless pussy, or an ego-maniacal intimidating bully, which is really the same thing. If you need one of these to feel safe, you are a pussy.  Pussy!



Wednesday, June 22, 2016

No Chang, No Thang

Not too much happening today. We were going to BBQ at the warehouse, but that has been pushed back till tomorrow. We all are a bit dazed and confused for the usual reason. So no harm no foul.


Got a screaming deal on delivery MMJ. The guy couldn't make change so he gave me a twenty back. I almost felt bad, but he insisted it was cool, and knowing the quantities these guys see every day, I'm sure it was no biggie. Posted more to the website. Barely knee deep in it and I'm already making simple link and wrong file errors. So nice that everything is reversible. Unlike real life where second chances are the best you can hope for. 

Tuesday, June 21, 2016

Los Hermanos Foster Bootlegs

After just a few short days, I am proud to announce the release of the Foster bootlegs website. There is still a great deal of content to upload, but it is officially ready for roll out, with enough content to stay amused for at least a couple of hours. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Los Hermanos!



http://www.loshermanosfosterbootlegs.com

Rocky Horror Picture Show in Sacramento



I almost forgot that this was this weekend. I was reminded of it today via a Facebook post from the Sac Horror Film Festival. Fortunately I had enough money to purchase tickets, since we had been planning on going to this with our niece, Bella for a couple of months. I need to bone up on my trash talking. Last Halloween we took Bella to the RHPS at the same venue, and although it was well packed, not many people (myself included) were experts on audience participation. I intend to be better prepared this time around. It will be our niece's second show but she has seen the movie at home countless times, and knows all the songs.

Sunday, June 19, 2016

Learning Word Press

So the site was looking good that I had been working on, but it was tedious, as any kind of coding from scratch can be. After getting two pages laid out and functioning I decided to chuck it all in exchange for the road more traveled. Its not that basic html isn't fun, but it is tiresome and prone to errors. I have decided to use the powers of Word Press to get this thing looking sharp, with the blogability I couldn't achieve with my knowledge level or experience (much less time to do it).
Building a site from template isn't as simple as it looks either. Especially when you want to tweak something specific like rollover actions. I haven't been working with it that much yet, but it's funny how online tutorials make things look so simple. Then when it comes my turn it's like, where was the first button he pushed? In the end it will be easier than attempting to create an interactive situation from code. That is a java script avenue unfamiliar to me.

Friday, June 17, 2016

Play Day for CAN/USA



We ended the week on a high note. We received a memo a couple of weeks ago to clock out early today and head to the local go-kart track, GoKart Racer which is located conveniently across the street. I knew it would be difficult for me due to my clumsy and weak legs, but I had to give it a try. The car was very low to the ground, and my bottom half was scrunched. It was an odd layout too, with the brake on the left side. I was in no condition for a two footed driving experience, and inevitably by the fourth lap I was getting stuck against the wall. The track marshals rescued me, but I got stuck again in the same spot the next time around. After being pulled out again I pulled into the pit stop and received the aid of a young gentlemen getting out of the floor level kart. Fun but exhausting. It was just as well that I sat out the next round, as it lasted for fifteen minutes. Alex won both races, with Brian and Pat placing second and third. It was a blast,  but passed by very quickly. Good fun thanks to Dennis. Don't think I would try it again.

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Salem's Lot

I remember watching Salem's Lot, a made for TV miniseries that ran when I was about ten. It was the scariest vampire show I had ever seen, and it touched off a childish fascination with vampires that lasted for several years. I had never seen anything so creepy as Danny Glick's little brother scraping at the window, floating in slowly, and then delivering a delicious neck chomp to his older brother. The main vampire was very creepy too, probably still one of the best makeup jobs ever done for a vampire. Sort of reminiscent of Nosferatu. I am impressed with the amount of care that went into it; especially for a television show. Inevitably I read the book by Stephen King, which led to more and more books by him. I still read his books, and Erika and I are almost through with "It"; a book I had meant to read a while ago, but it is super long. I read aloud to her in the evenings before bedtime, and an 1100 page novel can really take some time to finish. I have found that I get better reading comprehension when I read out loud. It slows down the flow and causes me to skim less, and really think about the words. Anyway, the point was to hail Salem's Lot as being still one of the best vampire themed works available, book and movie versions.









Tuesday, June 14, 2016

HTML Revisited

Working on the website today. I have been using w3schools.com as my main reference tool, because it is handy and trustworthy. My html skills have dwindled since community college, and the web has become more interactive. Fortunately for me I am only making the simplest of websites, with text, images, and some links to mp3 files. I'm using Notepad, the most bare bones of html editors. It's been fun so far, and absent any styles for attractiveness, I am just happy that the site is functioning correctly. I haven't yet purchased a web hosting plan, but after I do I expect to have this modest site ready to go live.

Monday, June 13, 2016

Google Site Workaround

My good buddy Gordon has a wealth of bootlegged recordings from his rock and roll experiences of the past few years. We have been contemplating posting them up on a webpage for others to peruse, listen, or download. It has been years since I dabbled in web site creation, but I figured it ought to be rather simple to throw a basic page together with links to the shows. Being cheap, I opted for the free Google Sites route of simple web development. Knowing storage would be a problem, I mistakenly thought I could link to the mp3 files already stored on my cloud based Google Drive. This is actually impossible. Even though Google will provide a link to the mp3 file, it will not allow you to play it. I tried the File Cabinet option but it turns out the file size limit is only 20MB. After the frustration of finding that something which should be simple is complex and un-doable, I have resigned myself to purchasing a web hosting plan. Fuck the cloud, I'm going old school FTP style. Website for bootlegs coming soon.

Melting

I stumbled into my saved Google pictures and was amazed at how much old junk was kicking around in there. Here is an old Adobe Photoshop doodle of me melting with my dog, Phoebe.


We look like we're having a good time. I need to try the latest version of Photoshop; I'm sure it's bad ass. This was done on the 2003 version. Now I believe it is a web based subscription app, which seems logical since the file size of the program was gigantic, and who wants to spend $200 every year for the newest updated version? Artists are typically too broke to keep up with such constant revisions of expensive software.

Friday, June 10, 2016

Testing Mic





I have lost a couple of priceless moments recently to the mic on my phone not working. Both videos of my nephew and niece's academic promotions recorded without sound and I was uber disappointed. Both times the failures were Facebook GoLive sessions, and I'm trying to nail down whether it is a problem with the app in FB, or my mic. I'm thinking now it is FB's app.

Muhammad Ali R.I.P.

I didn't want today to pass without remembering to acknowledge the amazing life and accomplishments of a true legend, Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay), who was laid to rest today in Louisville, Kentucky. A truly unique individual.


Are You a Troll?

Do you spend hours of your day arguing with strangers on-line? Do you ever find yourself attacking the character of others in conversations that never included you? Do you believe your views are valid while others are not? Do you commonly find yourself adding "tard" to the end of words you use? You may be a troll. Don't feel bad (if you are able to feel bad), because there is hope for even you. It was not nature's plan for you to waste away in your mother's basement, endlessly SHOUTING DOWN YOUR VICTIMS IN ALL CAPS! to prove you are right. Turn off the conspiracy websites, they are not legit references to support your arguments. These hurt your credibility, causing people to laugh at you. Learn to spell. You cannot win an argument if you can't spell or type with grammatical accuracy. Fact check yourself before posting idiotic memes to back your positions.
Finally, take a bath. Weeks of wearing the same clothes is festering bacteria in your nether regions, and just because it doesn't bother you, doesn't mean it isn't a problem.

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Return from Obscurity

I am back. No particular reason. I forgot I even had this blog, but it fell across my mind, so I thought I would check on it to see if it is still here. I don't think I have posted here in three years. A lot has happened since then. Mainly my diagnoses of MS (multiple-sclerosis) which explained a great deal about why I have had a persistent limp and balance issue. It gave me an understanding as to why I have been having daily bouts with fatigue. A fatigue that does not directly correlate with how much physical activity I have taken on. For a better understanding of MS, check out this website.
I have changed professions and instead of selling paint, I am working for a fan and filter company based out of Canada called CAN/USA. This company is run by good people and they have done a great deal to improve my standing in life. Nothing but positive things so far.
 
Right now we are preparing to move a couple of units down in the business park, into a slightly larger and much more comfortable office situation. We should be starting the actual displacing and replacing this Monday. With summer upon us I really am  cheering for cool weather like we had this week. The heat increases my fatigue exponentially.