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A place to keep my entries for various contests and challenges |
| This book is not only a place to create, keep, and store contest entries, it's also a log of items that may one day become something more. |
| P17. Is government assistance just allowing people a free ride not to work? Growing up through the 70s I heard this used a lot, but at the time would have never guessed I'd be learning an important life lesson. But it is true; not so much the gas, grass, or ass part, the free ride part. In life, there are no free rides, someone has to pay. Who? In the case of shoplifting, the customer pays for the stolen items but most times it's the taxpayer who picks up the tab. It's the same for assistance, here in the United States, it's we the working people who pay assistance through elevated taxation. Now, before you go blowing a gasket and ripping into me, I'm not saying that assistance is bad, it's just expensive and someone has to pick up the bill. Does providing assistance give people a free ride? Damn straight it does. However, some people need a free ride for a short time to get back on their feet. Others aren't riding for free, they just earn too little to support their families. But, there are those, and I've known quite a few, who just take it as the easy way out because they are lazy. I would say the system needs fixing so those who are in need can get help, yet those who are able can provide some kind of work, or service, to help pay for assistance. I'm not talking about putting them out mowing ditches or removing roadkill from the side of the highway, I'm talking about having them do something they can use to get off of assistance. Then, it would not be assistance for a free ride, it would be investing in our future. A proud member of "WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group"  "Reading soothes the soul, writing sets it free." T.J. |
| Which do you think is more important to explore and why: outer space (objects in the universe) or underwater (life and objects in the water environment)? Which would you choose to explore if you could? I gave this an E Rating, but perhaps it should be PG (pure goofiness) I think both are important, but first, we have to get there. Therefore, and furthermore, and in conclusion, I would have to say, or maybe want to say, possibly even think, underwater. Why? Because it's there! Actually, and this is important, because it may be a while before we can go streaking (not the naked kind, although someone will probably do just that) across the galaxy and eventually, in time, and after we've managed that, the universe. So, therefore and whereby, we will likely get to go deeper and further in our underwater exploration long before we go racing naked across the stars. My concern is, whenever new territory is explored, it's not long before it's exploited, and usually in unsafe and damaging ways. It takes years to understand, regulate, and protect the environment. So, exploring our oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, and any other underwaters you can find could have serious and damaging results after we find stuff we want, need, or think we could get rich off of. However, in space, there would be no such danger, since it's out of this world. At least, I hope mining on your anus Uranus, doesn't directly or even indirectly or in any other kind of directly, f*ck mess up our planet. One thing, or maybe lack of a thing that has not been presented for exploration is the vast, and almost endless abyss that is my cerebrum. It's been hinted at, and even told to me a time or more, that it's completely empty, a total void; I find this better than being informed that I lack gray matter and instead have a black hole. But my thoughts wander as I meander across this plain of cognition. No matter what's been hinted at, thought about, and/or captured by CAT scans, there must be something there that gives me the perspicacity to recognize these underlying problems and find crackpot crackerjack solutions; this is where I choose to explore.  A proud member of "WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group" "Reading soothes the soul, writing sets it free." T.J. |
| With advances in technology and construction, should generating electricity start employing nuclear energy again? Yes, I think nuclear energy can solve our energy problems, replace fossil fuels, and be as safe as any other energy source. However, I don't think very many people would want a reactor powering their SUV's. I also think hydrogen is a wonderful option, but I fear that would go in the same direction as alcohol did. Alcohol burns hot and clean, but how many homes burn alcohol for heat or cooking? It is possible, but it never happened. Why? Simply because producing alcohol uses more energy than alcohol can produce. What about solar and wind? Do some research and look at the carbon footprint created by producing and installing either one. And, that's without considering disposal risks and costs. Is that our future, nuclear fission? No, it may solve some problems now, but it's not the ultimate solution. It gives us time to look into other sources of energy, and hopefully one day, we will have fusion to take its place; who knows, perhaps someone will find an even better energy source in quantum particles or dilithium crystals. If they can power a starship through the universe, they should be able to get us to the liquor store and back. A proud member of "WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group" "Reading soothes the soul, writing sets it free." T.J. |
| What do you think of using blog prompts to get entries for creating a psychological profile of the blogger? I see now where this is going. I admit I did fall for your ploy for a while, but I knew, just had a gut feeling, there was some kind of conspiracy taking place. Now, you have shown your hand and I shall not fall for your trickery! What do I think of using blog prompts for psychological profiling? I think it's underhanded and sneaky, even for Andre! It's no wonder I was bunkoed into writing more than three entries; more entries, more evidence to prove I'm deranged. (I wonder, is the opposite of open range deranged?) Yes, sir, all this time posting prompts in categories for us to write from was nothing more than profiling us to see if we would be allowed in the Banana Bar, or banned from returning. I'm surprised there weren't any prompts about writing on bathroom walls. Yes, I saw someone scratched, "Andre's mom is a baboon", but it wasn't me. Anyway, if you think this is going to work on me, you have another think coming. Let me know when you want to take your other think... A proud member of "WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group" "Reading soothes the soul, writing sets it free." T.J. |
| The biggest problem in society today is people. The solution is easy-peasy, get rid of the people and we won’t have any social problems. What do you mean that’s not a solution? Egads, you’re making this tough. Okay, let’s try this again, the problem is, too many people get butt-hurt too easily over anything that they disapprove of. The idea of live and let live has been flushed down the crapper and replaced with, do what I want. A few days ago I was approached at the meat counter by someone trying to shame me for buying steak. With all the sarcasm I could muster I informed the guy, “Oh, Heavens no, this isn’t for me! I have a Husky. Canines need meat, but I’ve already killed all the rabbits and squirrels to feed him, so now I have to buy him steak.” He looked at me with a quizzical look in his eyes, I don’t think he fully believed me. And, I don’t know why he felt he had to push his ideals on me, and the other shoppers, none of us ripped into him over his choice of foods. I think we could all take some lessons from Andre. He could care less what you eat, or drink. He’s not offended if you pick your ass or your nose, and he’s not bothered by what image you have on your t-shirt or what kind of car you drive. He also knows how to put a person straight if they complain about him drinking right out the beer tap, or ridicule him for eating scraps off the floor. He puts his hand behind his back, grunts a few times, and throws a handful of crap in their face. A proud member of "WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group" "Reading soothes the soul, writing sets it free." T.J. |
| What’s not important to teach kids? Yes, they need to learn about healthy lifestyles and finance, but they also need to learn history (how can they know where they’re going if they don’t know where they’ve been?) Civics is also important; if we want them to be good citizens they should understand the rights and duties of citizenship. A side note: Look at the issues we are facing currently. Does this not reflect the lack of understanding of civics? Science and math are needed if we are going to continue to advance, and finally, I would also add ethics as a required study. This may be a tad off-topic, but the question asks which is more important to teach, healthy lifestyles and finance or… sciences /maths? How the hell would you teach healthy lifestyles without science? How are you going to teach finance without any math? Did Andre write this question? The last time I was at the bar, I paid for my bar tab with a bunch of bananas and some pistachios, so maybe someone should edit his questions; just saying. Anyway, back to the question of who should determine what gets taught. I feel this is best determined by the school board, based on public input. However, I also feel that all schools need to teach similar courses so that our kid’s education is unified no matter where they live. To conclude this item, I want to mention that it is also important to teach Andre to use a glass when he wants a drink of beer, I’m tired of seeing him drink directly from the tap. A proud member of "WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group" "Reading soothes the soul, writing sets it free." T.J. |
| Should criminals be locked up, housed, fed, and clothed at the public's expense, or something else? Let’s break this down a bit, okay? Should criminals be locked up? This is silly, criminals have shown they don’t abide by the rules, so if you don’t lock them up they’re not going to stay in jail. The next part asked if they should be housed. Yes, they need to be housed, it would be cruel to lock them up outside. And, the same goes for the rest of these questions, What kind of society would lock these people to a huge rock or cliff, buck-naked, exposed to the weather, and not feed them or provide water? Should this be at the public’s expense? Oh, hell no! Do you know how much it costs to incarcerate one person for one year? Meanwhile, in our towns and cities, people live in the streets; veterans who’ve served our country live in the streets. Do these people need to commit a crime to get some help? Do I have the answers? I wish I did, but then I wouldn’t be here writing this, I’d be sitting in the capital fixing these problems. Sorry Joe, but there’s a new kid in town, and you’re fired! Not just fired but take the whole lot of ‘em and put them in the streets begging for people’s mercy just to survive. We can’t leave criminals on the streets, yet what to do with them is a problem that has haunted civilization throughout history. Many can be reached and helped, but who’s going to pay for this? Others are beyond reach and putting them back into the public is just going to inflict harm and/or death on innocent people. But where do we put them, and at whose expense? Can we make them work to pay for their own care? How? Many of these people are criminals because they didn’t want to work for their own gain in the first place. So, what’s the solution? Outlawing criminals, finding another planet to ship them, and letting them work it out, maybe some kind of implant that prevents them from breaking any laws. or maybe even Soylent Green… A proud member of "WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group" "Reading soothes the soul, writing sets it free." T.J. |
| Is commenting on blog entries a good idea? Do you comment or "Like" most blog entries you read? Should there be a "Don't Like" option? Okay, this is another extra entry, but it's something I want to address. In fact, I have thought about writing a blog entry just to discuss my thoughts on blog comments, so this prompt is great. Why didn't I pick this prompt for one of my three entries? I wanted to save it for later, silly. Is commenting on blogs a good idea? Is commenting on anything a good idea? I say, "Yes, and yes!" With blogs, the writer can turn comments off; if they have it turned on, I assume they want readers to comment. I cannot speak for anyone else, but unless someone is trashing me in the comments, I enjoy receiving and reading them. I do understand, however, time is a limited commodity and there isn't always enough available to write comments, I myself run into this quite often. Other times, I read the blog but just cannot think of anything to write in the comments. It's not that I didn't enjoy reading it or disagree with it, I just come up blank. This is where the "Like" function comes in handy. I can click like and let the reader know I read it and enjoyed it. I don't think we need a "Don't Like" option but to have a few to choose from like the Newsfeed comments would be nice. Why not a "Dislike"? Because if a person doesn't like what they are reading or what's being disclosed, they shouldn't be finishing the blog anyway. But, that's just me. Perhaps others would like something to show they didn't care for the blog; maybe a thumbs down, or even better a simple "Meh" option. A proud member of "WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group" "Reading soothes the soul, writing sets it free." T.J. |
| Compare living in downtown, rural or suburbs and which one you'd like and why not the others. Okay, I can answer this with two words: Too peoply! I grew up in a small town (No! not the song, I really did grow up in a small town on the Mesabi Iron Range). Sure we had a pervert, we had some troublemakers, and we had some dishonest people. But unlike a larger community, everybody knew who they were. In addition, we lived at the very end of town, so all I had to do was walk across a non-busy street and I was out of town. Being introverted all my life, I spent more time on that side of the street than on the town side. After high school, I lived and worked in the Twin Cities for a bit, but I never cared for all the people, crime, and traffic. So, I returned to the Mesabi Iron Range, found a job in Hibbing, and started my family. But, being young, I longed for more so I enlisted in the United States Air Force and traveled a bit. Then it was back to a different small town. After my kids were grown, my current wife and I moved to South Dakota for a bit, lived in the country for a while, and then lived in a town that didn't really qualify as small, it was more like a wee-town. When we decided to adopt our grandchildren to get them out of the foster system, we had to live in the St. Cloud area. It didn't take long to remember why I moved from a metro area. Sure, there was about anything you could ever want right close by, but unfortunately, there was also everything you didn't want just as close. Eventually, the adoptions were final and we could move out of the chaos and crime. Now, I live in the country, but there is a medium size town close by and if they don't have what I want, there're bigger communities within an hour of me. I don't mind the drive, it's not like city traffic where there are a trazillion cars filling up multifarious lanes driven by psychopathic and homicidal people. There may be a few, but not a trazillion. I think this about wraps it up: A proud member of "WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group" "Reading soothes the soul, writing sets it free." T.J. |
| Where should the line be for the common good on personal freedoms (yelling "fire" in a crowded theater, etc.) and who should draw it)? The first thing that comes to mind when reading this prompt is freedom. How would you define freedom? Does anyone really have total freedom? Freedom is not being able to do anything you want anytime you want, in fact, that would be anarchy. There is no total freedom, but there are a lot of freedoms people can enjoy. To define where the line should be drawn is actually not a matter of freedom, it's a matter of ethics. Will having this freedom cause harm or discomfort to another? Will my freedom restrict another's freedom? But it's here where the line really gets fuzzy, blurred, and filled with a lot of nasty, gray, and stinky, sludge. If I say I like oysters and someone is offended by it because they can't stand oysters, should they be able to restrict my freedom to say that? But, they order a pizza with dead fish anchovies all over it. I do not like anchovies, so they shouldn't be able to order them. In the name of all that is sacred, what if I see (and smell) those terrible and disgusting things? The problem is, nobody's being hurtful, or restricting another's freedom, we're just being selfish knuckleheads complaining just to make noise and get attention! The problem arises when people become hyper-sensitive jerks that get butt-hurt whenever anyone says or does something they don't approve of. And, this does cause hurt, and it does restrict others' freedoms. This is why we need laws to decipher and protect freedoms and to clarify that line. Who should draw this line? We the people, through legitimate legislation and respectable politicians (can those two words be used in the same sentence?), that can make legitimate decisions about how this freedom, or lack of it, affects others. (Unfortunately finding this would be more difficult than locating Santa at the north pole) In the end, however, personal freedoms come down to what was once known as common sense, and what I know refer to as uncommon sense. Notice: I hope and have tried to word this in a way that nobody will feel like a butt-hurt baboon after reading this. If however, you do get butt-hurt, please do not react like a molested monkey, just post your own thoughts and opinions in your own blog. I will respect yours if you respect mine. Please and Thank You A proud member of "WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group" "Reading soothes the soul, writing sets it free." T.J. |
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Man, you know nothing about monkey business! Never poke your nose in them.
