Stats

Comments Posted By Abbyrose86

Displaying 661 To 690 Of 2,133 Comments

Sarah Palin is Right

Indeed…Caru, did a great job!

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 7:30 pm

I was worried there for a minute, when I read the headline…I should have known better!!! 🙂

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 6:19 pm

The Daily Planet, Vol.1 Sunday Edition

Indeed Cher…they realized they had a responsibility to society for achieving their great wealth…NOBLESSE OBLIGE!

YET today, those same style robber barons, who have achieved such great wealth and power…don’t feel they owe ANYTHING back to the society which made their fortunes and lifestyle possible.

It reminds me of something that happened before in history…hmm…when was it like that…I’m getting a vision of darkness…I’m visualizing a time where the masses were very ignorant and lived to make their masters happy and prosperous…these people believed those in power (kings) were better than they and had all the answers to life, and as such DESERVED to be treated with reverence…COULD it be called FEUDALISM?

ARE we going backward to the “dark ages” where those in power thought they were given by their gods the power and might to have dominion over lessor people?

I’m noticing a trend here….

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 10:17 pm

Good points Kilgore and I think you are definitely on to something.

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 10:08 pm

Truly there are some people who should not not be allowed power and privilege …the Koch brothers DO come to mind when I think of it…and off with their heads isn’t TOO far from what I’m thinking…as I said…maybe Robespierre had a point…OK…he took it TOO far, but…he had a point.

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 10:07 pm

GOOD points PW…and you are right to differentiate between those who have power and those who don’t.

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 10:04 pm

LOL…goodnight KB…see you tomorrow, I hope!

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 10:03 pm

WHAT CONSERVATIVES REALLY WANT…

I truly believe it is simpler than all that…they want POWER and their way or the highway…anything else is unacceptable and will result in their infantile and utter resistance.

WISCONSIN, THE FIRST STEP IN AMERICAN UPRISING?

I certainly hope SO!….Americans need to wise up and wake up to the fact that they have been living in a dream world, one provided to them by Madison Ave and Hollywood, that just does NOT reflect the reality of the actual DATA and numbers! In UNITY we have strength to overcome our oppressors and YES we do have oppressors they are the corporate oligarchs, plutocrats or whatever word you like to describe them…but it all means the same thing…those who wish to CONTROL the world BY their own desire to own ALL the resources of the world in order to FOIST upon the world, THEIR version of HOW the world should be…I too, have had my fantasies of world domination….who hasn’t?

HOWEVER, mine does not include a authoritarian and draconian methods to deal with those who are less fortunate…unlike the sociopathic powers that be…I don’t see those who aren’t the same as me, as my ‘lessors’ and don’t feel the need to control my subordinates. On the contrary…I feel the need to do away with those who feel they are better than everyone else. Perhaps there was method to Robespeirre’s madness???

As far as the Ezra Klein…well we will save that for another day…

AND as far as the GOP…it’s WAY too late and I’ve had too much wine to REALLY express how I feel about any of their ideas…I might have a coronary and end up in the ICU if I truly let go on what I think about their ideas.

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 9:45 pm

Ok Cher…I’m officially disgusted. I don’t even know where to start!!!!

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 9:34 pm

Invite For Collaboration Part 2:

Truth…I truly wish it was just a play, rather than an allegory of our current situation! (sigh)

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 11:01 pm

OOPSY…I went off on the book without relating it back to our ‘friend’.

Anyway the story of Wicked, deals with Elphaba’s (the Wicked Witch) perspective of events. In Wicked, Elphaba, is discriminated against because she is ‘different’ and looks different…as such she is painted as being ‘wicked’.

Although she isn’t really wicked, she’s liberal and not conventionally attractive. Glenda, on the other hand, ‘the good witch of the North’ is conventionally beautiful, VERY conservative and knows how to play people (think Sarah Palin) and her ability to be coy and manipulative as well as show case her beauty provides her with the ability to get what SHE wants.

As to the Wizard, he got where HE was through propaganda and using his power to increase his influence (think Ronald Reagan) and although he REALLY wasn’t as good as everyone thought, he knew HOW to manipulate people to THINK he was…in the story, he’s really Elphaba’s father and she doesn’t know it…he throws HER under the bus to further his own gain and so does Glenda..she (Elphaba) is a former school mate of Glenda’s does everything in her power to throw Elphaba under the bus.

Elphaba, although not traditionally attractive (she’s NOT WHITE, SHE’s GREEN, is all about social justice and helping the underdog…yet Glenda and the Wizard don’t want to disturb the status quo because the status quo suits them quite nicely.

Rings a bell doesn’t it?

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 10:41 pm

Oh my gosh yes!

the book, “Wicked…The life and times of the Wicked Witch of the West” written by Gregory Maguire was published in 1995. It tells the story of the Wicked Witch of the West as told from HER perspective.

It was well done. REALLY well done, and truly helps provide another perspective on life and stories that we have come to know and love. Truly after reading the book, you never look at the ‘Wizard of Oz’ in the same way!

In October 2003 the book made it’s debut as a Broadway play…and broke records. It was the hottest ticket on Broadway for years. I’m not sure what year it went on the road, but for some reason, I’m thinking 2007 or 2008.

Locally, it is coming at the end of May early April…everytime I go to New York City…Something ALWAYS gets in the way of me seeing the play…so I was hoping to see the traveling show…and then I saw the ticket prices~! NOSE bleed seats are $120…GOOD seats START at $250 a ticket!! I was not amused! I will probably suck it up…because I really want to see it, and missed it the last time it was in my town…but seriously $250 a ticket??????/

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 10:29 pm

Okie dokie, reading the above somehow reminded me of reading “wicked” is there a correlation?

SO Arianna is actually Glenda! Makes sense!

I’m really seeing the parallels…of course please understand…(DISCLAIMER) I’m the only person in my group of friends who HAS NOT SEEN THE PLAY even though I WAS the FIRST ONE TO READ THE BOOK YEARS AGO, WHEN IT FIRST CAME OUT and WAS THE ONE TO suggest EVERYONE else read it…and SINCE tickets for the play have JUST gone on sale last WEEK, and WHEN I SAW the prices I got ill…MY MIND is on the play!

Ok…back to the subject at hand….This is really a good topic and quite honestly does parallel the story of “Wicked” and the idea that there are those who we think are our friends, but really aren’t and they use us for their own gain…not to mention the political issues brought up in the story as well.

Arianna= Glenda.

Fictional stories have such a great way of helping us see the truth in real life, don’t they?

Glenda in “Wicked” was ALL about enriching herself even if it meant throwing others under the bus, even her ‘friend’ or those who helped her get where she was…(I’m not talking about the play here, but the book! ).

And Arianna is the EXACT same way…she has no scruples .not really…her only concern is ARIANNA. SHE”S actually not that opaque about HER real agenda…actions speak louder than words!

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 9:59 pm

VERY good information…both you and Escribat should be commended.

AND is it any wonder so many left HP?

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 9:48 pm

Wisconsin, what does it really mean?

I couldn’t agree more!

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 22, 2011 @ 11:32 am

Exactly PW….people don’t realize that all things that were fought for…could come back if we don’t fight to continue them and to improve them!

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 22, 2011 @ 10:58 am

I’m curious about that jdmn…to WHOM does it mean that?

I would think, the HR managers at companies and their legal advisers would know WHAT he TERM really means legally…is it just the perception of the average joe on the street, fed by unscrupulous politician…that leads many to believe that is what it means?

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 22, 2011 @ 9:00 am

OH my goodness…Kesman, you just hit upon something, I’ve never said, but actually feel in my heart…kids who complain about certain teachers MAY have a valid reason to do so…we should listen to not just what they are saying about that teacher BUT how they are saying it and the nuances they might be trying to convey.

Some kids MAY be complaining about a teacher for manipulative reasons, but others may be trying to tell us something…maybe WE should listen a little better.

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 8:35 pm

Indeed Artist. There are some very bad teachers out there and SOME exceptional ones…yet our system doesn’t differentiate.

I had some deplorable teachers when I was a kid and a few EXCEPTIONAL ones, who to this day over 20 years later, are still respectable in my mind. MY children as well encountered some great ones and some terrible ones.

I had a situation with my daughter, where I insisted on a meeting with ALL her teachers, her guidance counselor, the dean of students, the principal, my daughter and myself…THAT meeting was SO, SO informative and an education for ME. I actually told the one off…in the presence of everyone else, as she was a DOLT and just in the profession for the money…I realized that AFTER asking her some carefully constructed questions and her responses were LESS than adequate , to say the least. SHE was very unprepared for ANY questions regarding HER knowledge of the subject matter as well as knowledge of information which was supposed to be provided to ALL my daughters teachers regarding her health issues. (My daughter is an epileptic AND was hospitalized for quite some time the semester BEFORE this meeting, due to her health issues AND a suicide attempt).

I was appalled, that this teacher was SO unaware of my daughters issues, HER academic standing(she was in the 94th percentile) AND her own field of ‘expertise’ she was a SOCIAL studies teacher and couldn’t answer some basic questions about American history…that I LOST it!

ALL the other teachers in the room, answered ALL the questions with flying colors! SO why did this woman still have her job?

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 8:31 pm

My sister is a teacher and she and I just had a lively debate on this issue tonight. I understand her desire to defend those in her profession…HOWEVER, I too, have encountered some less than stellar teachers, that should NOT be in charge of influencing children, let alone TEACHING…I would suggest SOME of these bad teachers shouldn’t be working with PEOPLE at all and should be in jobs without human contact, but I digress…THERE are wonderful teachers and utterly inadequate ones…how do we determine which is which?

AND how to weed out those, while in school, SHOULD not be pursuing a vocation in education?

In my mind, we need to test innate abilities, while in high school BEFORE we push students to SELECT, Without proper guidance, a vocation!

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 8:18 pm

After reading the article, I’m proud of the troopers…but have I mentioned lately, that I DESPISE the GOP?? What the governor of Wisconsin said…was so dishonest!

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 7:58 pm

I like it! To my mind, that sounds like a proper incentive system! WHICH isn’t that what we should be striving for?

THAT was part of my reasoning in my incentives article and what I was trying to convey…but I think I didn’t explain it well as I went off on one end of the incentives concept but didn’t balance my argument with other aspects. I realized it after I received some commentary.

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 7:42 pm

And BTW…I like your grandfather’s style!

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 7:19 pm

David, I am glad that you do…however do you realize that AMERICAN workers who work as servers, bartenders, etc…are LEGALLY paid WAY less than minimum wage AND are TAXED on their tips based on the concept that they are receiving at minimum a 15% tip…so even if THEY don’t get a 15% tip…they are STILL taxed on the BILL at a minimum 15% rate???

So for example, say the bill was a 100 US dollars…and you sat lolling around at the table for 2 hours…the waiter is paid by his boss $3.10 per HOUR..or $6.20 for the two hours he waited on you and your party. IF you paid an gratuity of 15% or 15 dollars, the waiter paid taxes on a total of $21.20…HOWEVER if you only gave a $10 tip…the waiter STILL paid taxes on the $21.20. AND that is ALL that server made for working 2 hours serving you…plus he may have to SHARE that tip money with the bartender AND the busboy. IF the restaurant WAS not busy and you were the only table in that two hours that is all that person MADE and it is ALL taxable.

In contrast a waiter in Ontario Canada, with the same bill…made $10.25 per hour or 20.50 for those TWO hours BEFORE any tip was provided…so if you paid the $15 dollar gratuity that server made $35.50 for the same 2 hour work AND even though HIS taxes are a few percentage points higher…HE in the end made more than his American counterpart, for the same job/same service.

$35.50 – 21.20…is a difference of $14.30 BOTH pay taxes on that amount…BUT the server in the US takes home WAY less than the server in Canada.

HENCE why we most of us in the US, whoe understand how this works…usually give 20% gratuity because WE understand these people make very little and have to pay taxes on the whole amount, regardless of whether they actually received it or not.

Quality of service has nothing to do with it…

In addition, because the prices of the restaurant are LOWER in the US than Canada, due to their not having to pay a decent wage…you the customer are getting a break there as well..but the server in the US takes the hit, not the restaurant OWNER.

See, what I mean about how you all don’t understand the US systems?

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 7:04 pm

I couldn’t agree more…we keep pointing fingers at this or that, but are failing to see the big picture.

It seems our whole society and all the systems currently in place, maybe the problem and have led to many of our current disfunctions.

We do need a thread on that!

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 5:58 pm

Excellent points Cher. Very excellent.

So many romanticize the past without really evaluating the realities of the past.

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 5:57 pm

Also I feel the need to mention something…I live on the Northern border, literally a stones throw from the Canadian border.

Many businesses here rely on Canadian customers…HOWEVER, that doesn’t mean we like Canadian customers…especially those in the restaurant business.

Because Canadian restaurant workers are PAID (by Canadian law) much higher (and I believe according to Canadian minimum wage laws) gratuity is not as important for THEIR survival as it is here in the US. Thus Canadian don’t seem to understand they are SUPPOSED to tip at minimum 15-20% the bill for services rendered.

I hear many restaurant owners and workers complain about how Canadians don’t tip. I think that is because Canadians don’t realize that the REASON our restaurant prices are lower than in Canada is because, the servers, busboys, bartenders do NOT receive minimum wage…their pay IS their TIPS!

Also, our workers in retail stores make MUCH less than those in Canada, as a result THEY make MUCH less than their Canadian counter parts and MUST pay out of pocket for their healthcare…THAT is why prices of our products are SO much less than in Canada.

So you see Canadians are reaping the benefits of our horrible system that punishes those who had the audacity to be born without a special MARKETABLE talent or into a rich family.

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 5:53 pm

Well you should be thankful…you are reaping the rewards and WE are paying for it…we destroyed our way of life in our desire to only provide the ‘cheapest’ products at the expense of everything else.

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 5:46 pm

Buddy, you have hit upon one of my biggest criticisms of todays business world…somewhere along the line..the idea that a business SERVICES needs and wants of CUSTOMERS has been forgotten and replaced with generic ideas about HOW a business should be run.

It’s almost a cultist concept that has overtaken even keen business minds and intelligent people.

Everyone is looking at a strategy or plan that is just like everyone elses and FORGETTING the reason they are in business to begin with…to fulfill a need I(whether it be a product or a service).

The BEST businesses and most long term successful ones are those where the leaders of the business know the BUSINESS (read industry/product/service) AND understand how to run and market it!

WHY has that simple concept been lost??

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 5:44 pm

AGREED!!

» Posted By Abbyrose86 On February 20, 2011 @ 5:34 pm