Customer Service? Not Really

I realize that the internet has become 'the' place to shop for everything, including groceries. For those of us who would prefer to actually shop for groceries in a store, where is the customer service?

In recent weeks I've noticed a serious lack of customer service in local grocery stores. I won't mention any of the stores by name but I'm sure you'll know from your own experience. Here are some examples that have come up recently:

1. Several stores that are open 24 hours tend to stock shelves during what's has always been the main grocery shopping time. Skids and carts of merchandise block the aisle and the employees seem more bothered by a customer's presence than willing to stay to the side so people can shop. 
2. If you happen to see any employee walking the floor and are able to get their attention, they cannot tell you where any item is in the store. Occasionally one will offer to help you look for it.
3. Once you have your groceries and head to the checkout, you'll be very lucky if you find a live person available to ring up your purchase. Not a long line, just no one assigned to take MONEY from customers. This is becoming a more frequent occurrence, especially at stores that have self-check lines. 
4. Actually getting out of the store with your groceries and sanity has become quite tricky. I always group my groceries on the conveyor belt as I want them bagged (from previous experience) and still the cashier will want to put bread in with canned goods or chemicals in with meat (yes, it's happened recently). For some reason cashiers come from one of two schools of thought; put all your cans in a 1 mil strength bag or put no more than 2 items in a bag. 
5. Still trying to check out when they decide to group something together to save time and ring up 6 of something when you actually have 5. Many get annoyed when you put multiple items like soft drinks on the conveyor rather than just one and others advise they need everything on the conveyor. 
6. Another thing that is just completely disrespectful and rude is a cashier that will stand and visit with a coworker or friend while they should be paying attention to accurately scanning and bagging your order. I could truly care less what their plans are for lunch and after work and would prefer not to 'interrupt' their social lives to tell them they scanned the same item twice. 
7. Once you have your groceries back in the cart, you'd think it would finally be over... you'd be wrong at some stores. While the guy behind you walks out merrily with a television sticking out of his cart, you get stopped and your receipt examined because you bought a 25lb bag of dog food that while prominently displayed standing in the front of your cart, isn't in a bag. 

All I'm asking for is a cart that isn't full of trash that the lot people are too lazy to throw away, to have access to the aisles I need in the store, for someone to know where anything is in their workplace and to have a live person to actually pay attention to how they scan and bag the items. 

Being a cashier doesn't have to be a hard job. If you don't like it, find something else to do. Don't make customers pay for a bad attitude and lack of common sense. I've been a cashier and it wasn't hard to scan and bag items. 

Is it a lack of training by management? A lack of policy by the company? It doesn't seem logical to try to make customers miserable when nearly every day companies are announcing store closings. I really don't like the idea of going through a self-checkout lane with a week's worth of groceries while the cashiers get paid to stand and socialize just to make sure I don't have citronella scented ground beef or end up with a loaf of flatbread under my cans. 

I'm at a loss on where to try to shop for groceries. The above is a compilation of three local grocery stores. I don't even want to talk about the stores where you have to rent a cart or bring/buy your bags.

This may sound whiny but I don't think it's too much to ask that a company, who claims to want your business, train their employees on how to correctly perform their jobs. I think the management of the store should make sure that employees are trained properly and follow that training daily.

As we head into the holiday season, everyone's stress level will rise and cashiers could help lower that shopping stress by putting a little effort into their jobs.  

Released Kennedy Files

Let me start by saying I am about half conspiracy theorist, likely on my father's side. I've watched videos and read articles about some of the mass 'killings' in recent history and there are some valid points about cases like Sandy Hook. I really would like to see President Trump release those files as well but one thing at a time. 

I started reading the documents last night and read two about the connection between the CIA, organized crime and a few government officials including Robert Kennedy. The goal from the papers I read was to overthrow or outright kill Castro. 

I believe I may have read about the birth of false flags or at least their early existence. One paragraph in one of the documents was taken from a memo and essentially said 'we' could, real or faked. blow up a raft of Cuban refugees. The goal would be to blame the action on Castro and cause the Cuban people to rise up and overthrow him. Also in the paragraph was the idea to place plastic explosives in a couple strategic locations and blame Communists or Castro loyalists for the bombings. 

This is a prime example of a false flag. There are still activities being 'faked' today and blamed on a specific target to elicit a response from the public based on fear. Sandy Hook is an example of the same. The school used wasn't even in operation at the time of the false flag. One of the children who 'died' at Sandy Hook, died again 2 years later in a school shooting in Pakistan. 

Many who discount the possibility of our government or parts of it being able to pull off such an abhorrent act should read the released Kennedy files with regards to what the CIA had planned in order to urge Cubans to overthrow Castro. How is that different than staging a school shooting in order to urge the public to call for stronger gun control laws.

They even went so far as to plan to get botulism capsules to Cuba by way of mob connections. The mob connection with get the capsules to someone close enough to Castro to poison his drink. 

Basically, I find it interesting that while the CIA was working with the mob, Robert Kennedy was working to bring the mob down. He even went so far as to tell them to check with him before they made deals with mobsters, in case it was someone he was working on bringing down. 

There is a lot more to read but so far, what I have read does not lead me to change my theory. One of the memos I read was an angry reply by the CIA that they would not respond to, put in writing, or attend any open meeting pertaining to the assassination of Castro or a leader of any other country. 

Just that memo, to me, says the smoking gun will not be found in any of the files. It also reinforces my theory of what happened. Most involved were silenced years ago. 

Copy and Paste in Your Status

I don't know about you but I find it incredibly annoying to read the requests in my timeline from people to copy and paste what they've put in their status to my status, just for an hour. 

It's like a Facebook chain letter. I think some of the worst ones are those who say something like 'I'm cleaning up my friends list, like this post and copy and paste this to your status so I can comment. I know which of my friends will do it.'  

It's maddening. First of all, if our friendship is based off my willingness to copy/paste your status to mine; I think we have bigger issues. Second, it's MY status, I can put what I like there. Maybe something like... if you want me to copy/paste your status to mine to prove our friendship, go ahead and delete me now. 

I also don't care for the 'I bet I won't get one like or share' posts. Well, if I'm seeing it, you did so no reason for me to share it. A post should get likes and shares naturally. If something goes viral, it should because of the content being worthy or interesting enough to do so. 

The other status request that I find annoying is copy/paste this to your status if you know someone who has had a disease or has died from a disease. I think, as sad as it is, most of us have. I don't feel compelled to change my message because of a message on social media sandwiched between an advertisement and and request for a bale of hay in Farmville. 

Posts that request that you like and share if you agree or disagree are also kind of off putting. Like and Share if you believe in God... Like and Share if you hate war.  They are easy enough to scroll past, It's not a big annoyance, it's just the message it conveys. Basically, that if you don't like and share, you're agreeing to the opposite. 

I've noticed a trend on posts that should be fun that i think may have a darker purpose. Basically they are the posts that request you use the month day and year of your birth to discover your angel name, etc. That seems to be requesting too much personal information. Some want you to use other things like parents names. I am leery of putting the information in the comments. It tells people your name and birth date or what ever information is used. 

Bottom line: It's social media. To me that means it's for fun and communication. My status is what I want. My likes and shares are things that I like and want to share. 

Finally, and this one is getting harder by the day, I'm trying hard not to respond to posts by people who can't accept differing opinions on any topic. I never cared for speech and debate class but some of the people who post on Facebook needed that course every year of school. They just don't know how to respond without getting rude and foul. I agree with freedom of speech for all but the abusive nature some people take in posting or responding to posts is troubling. 

If you don't agree with someone, it doesn't make you right. It means your opinion is different. There are people out there who feel they have the ability to attack others viciously while hiding behind a screen. 

Messing With the Halloween Franchise

I am a horror movie fan and have been for years. I always look forward to the next installment of a series and always hope they have given the killer a decent 'story line' to follow. The Halloween series, save Halloween III, is probably one of my favorites and one I binge watch every year. 

For anyone who doesn't know the story. On Halloween 1963 Michael Myers brutally stabs to death with a butchers knife his teenage (probably 17 year old) sister Judith. He was only six at the time and was sent to Smith's Grove Sanitarium for treatment. Dr. Sam Loomis was assigned to the case and tried to reach the presumably catatonic Michael for 15 years with no luck. 

Dr. Loomis was able to glean enough from the time spent with Michael to know that he would kill again if released. His goal became a permanent containment of his patient. 15 years into his hospitalization, Michael was able to escape the sanitarium and steal a car. 

At the age of 21 Michael headed back to Haddonfield, IL with the intention of killing his younger sister who was now 17 years old. He likely killed a garage mechanic along the way and stole his coveralls, then stole some items from the drugstore; including his iconic William Shatner mask. 

His sister, Cynthia Myers had been adopted by the Strode family and her name changed to Laurie. He went to his former home and saw her leaving the keys under the mat for a prospective buyer as her adoptive father was the realtor selling the home. 

Laurie Strode had no memory at that time of her biological family and was a normal teenager preparing to babysit on Halloween night. Michael killed quite a few people in an attempt to kill Laurie, including her circle of friends. 

Dr. Loomis was able to prevent Michael from killing her but after being shot several times, Michael escaped capture. A nurse from the sanitarium has been sent to collect Dr. Loomis and bring him back to the sanitarium. She told him that Laurie was Michael's sister and the Dr realized why Michael had gone to Haddonfield. To kill his sister. 

Again, Michael had been stalking Laurie at the hospital she was taken to and had killed several people in his search for her. Dr. Loomis arrived in time to save her. At this point, Laurie, Dr. Loomis and Michael were in a room at the hospital with tanks of oxygen. Laurie shot MIchael in the eyes, they turned on different tanks to draw him to the sound and she escaped. Dr. Loomis blew the room up to kill Michael and sacrifice himself to stop the killing. 

You would think that would work and that would be the end of the story but then it wouldn't be the franchise it is today. Above is a rough description of the first two Halloween movies and the vision of the creators. At the end of the second movie, Laurie is taken away in an ambulance. Michael and Dr. Loomis presumed dead. 

Halloween III, while a decent story on it's own, has no place in the franchise. 

Halloween 4 and 5 focus on Jamie Lloyd living in foster care after the death of her parents in a car crash. Michael who was held in a high security hospital is being transported to another location when the EMT's are discussing the little girl who is her uncle's guardian. 

This arouses Michael again from a catatonic state. He kills all in the ambulance and escapes again. Dr. Loomis has recovered from his injuries and has returned to Smith's Grove. After learning of Michael's escape, he goes immediately to Haddonfield. He knows of Jamie LLoyd and plans to protect her and kill Michael. 

Both movies follow the same formula as the first two. Michael kills anyone who gets in his way and is finally captured. Someone uses an explosion to break Michael out of jail and kidnaps Jamie. They are both presumed dead. 

Halloween 6 is one of the more interesting installments of the series for me. The little boy that Laurie was babysitting in the original Halloween is back as an odd young man. Assuming some PTSD, he is obsessed with Michael and finding the reason behind the events that haunt him. 

Jamie Lloyd is alive but not quite well as she has given birth to a baby boy who was likely fathered by Michael. Eww but yeah.  Dr. Wynn puts the Mark of Thorn on the baby. A nurse helps Jamie escape with the baby, she is killed and Michael is again giving chase. Due to the storm, when Jamie arrives at the bus station, she can't call 911 for help but she can call a radio talk show. Tommy, Dr. Loomis and Dr. Wynn (who is visiting Dr. Loomis) hear her. Jamie hides the baby at the bus station where she leaves him and leads Michael away. 

In the meantime, Laurie Strode's adoptive uncle and his family have moved into the Myer's house and Michael considers them family. Kara, Laurie's cousin, has a son named Danny who hears the voice telling him to 'kill for him' and has even drawn the Mark of Thorn on the back of a disturbing drawing he did. 

Michael catches and kills Jamie but doesn't find the baby. Tommy hears the bus announcements in the recording and finds the baby, takes him home and names him Steven. The Mark of Thorn is still on the baby and I want to explain that at this point. 

According to the movie (depending on the cut you see) The Mark of Thorn is placed on one member of a family and the rest of the bloodline is sacrificed by that family member to protect the rest of the community. Michael has that mark and it's really the source of his strength to survive all the physical punishment his body has taken in the previous movies. Personally I find this an excellent explanation that gives the franchise a new direction to take. There are two versions of the movie, one harder to find. In part, the death of Donald Pleasence changed how the ending was handled. One version, Wynn is able to pass the protection of Michael to him and in the other, Dr. Loomis is finally killed by Michael. 

The way the movie ended we can presume that Kara and Tommy are together somewhere raising Danny and Steven. The only other living member of the family is Laurie Strode who faked her death and was in hiding. 

Laurie returns in H2O and it's been 20 years since her brother tried to kill her, and she is living under the name Keri Tate with her son John who just turned 17 at Hillcrest Academy. It's never, to my knowledge, been explained what the age of 17 means to Michael. Michael comes to kill John, Keri and a few others. When Michael is loaded into the ambulance, Laurie steals it and drives off to kill him once and for all. She succeeds in beheading him but Michael has put the mask on the EMT and crushed his windpipe so he is unable to speak. 

We next see Laurie at the beginning of Resurrection. She is in a mental hospital, assuming court order and mental breakdown, for killing an innocent man. She knows Michael is coming for her and hides her medication to stay alert. She nearly kills him but he stabs her and drops her from the roof. Her parting words 'I'll see you in hell'.

While I liked Resurrection, the rest of the story is not integral to Michael's story or the Halloween franchise. Resurrection was released in 2002 and Michael has been missing since. 

Based on the other movies, I see real potential for a new Halloween franchise movie. There are story lines to be had. Michael still has relatives to kill and who's to say Laurie Strode didn't survive that fall. Granted the time lines are a bit screwy but it's possible to continue.  

Steven is likely Michael's son and was superficially given the Mark of Thorn. He has real potential to become a serial killer. 

Danny pulled a knife on his grandfather in 6 and was hearing a voice telling him to kill. 

John survived H2O and would be a potential victim in another movie.

The rumors surrounding Halloween 2018 are disturbing. 

• Michael and Laurie may not be related 
• Throwing out Halloween II, 4, 5, 6, H2O and Resurrection
• Michael can be killed

What makes this part of the Halloween franchise then? Laurie Strode returns to Haddonfield. That's something people have been waiting for since she was carted away in the ambulance at the end of Halloween II. Oh wait... in this version... there is no Halloween II. 

I guess part of my problem with this new version is that they discount all of the time and work that were put into the others to tell this horror story over the years. There are fandom pages, among others, for all of the movies and all of the characters. Fans have theories on what happened to characters who survived. The Halloween franchise has a huge and loyal fan base.

Don't get my wrong, I'm not a total purest. i really like Rob Zombie's version with Michael a bit older and displaying the classic serial killer signs before he killed family. Rob Zombie's Michael was in fact able to be killed and I feel he completed his story at the end of his Halloween II. 

I'm curious about Halloween 2018 but skeptical that they can make the jump from 1978 to 2018. At the end of the original Halloween Michael had escaped with multiple gunshot wounds and Laurie was not badly injured. So 40 years later, Michael who has been dormant? living as a stockbroker? suddenly decides to go back and try to kill some random woman who he tried to kill when she was 17? 

I don't pretend to know their plan and some of the details being leaked might just be ideas they are considering. I hope they do the right thing for the fans of Halloween. 

Descended from Witches

Well, let me clarify the title, we are descended from accused witches in Andover, MA. during the late 1600's. I'm still researching this but the Lovejoy line does include accused witches during the hysteria of the time.  
Sarah Bridges, 7th great grandmother was born to John Bridges and Sarah Howe in 1673 in Andover, MA.  Sadly, her mother passed away in 1678, leaving John to raise Sarah and her older brother James (1671-1739) on his own. John married widow Mary Tyler Post that same year. Together they had Mary (1679), Samuel (1681), Elizabeth (1683) and Mehitable (1688). 
Mary Tyler Post Bridges was the daughter of Job Tyler (1619-1700) and Mary Horton (1619-1700). In addition to Mary, Job and Mary had Moses (1641-1727), Hopestill (1645-1734), John (1650-1652) and Samuel (1655-1695).

During the summer and fall of 1692, these are the family members who were accused of witchcraft. Many confessed under extreme duress and later recanted their confessions. 

Witch Trials

July28 Mary Tyler Post Bridges, 48; Job’s daughter, Moses’ sister 
August 2 Mary Post, 28; Mary’s daughter August 25 Susannah Post, 31; Mary’s stepdaughter 
August 25 Hannah Post, 26;Mary’s daughter August 25 Sarah Bridges, 17; Mary’s stepdaughter *7th great grandma
August 25 Mary Bridges, Jr., 13; Mary’s daughter *8th great aunt
August 31 Mary Parker, 55; John Tyler’s (Job’s son) mother-in-law 
September 7 Mary Lovett Tyler, 40; Hopestill Tyler’s (Job’s son) wife 
September 7 Hannah Tyler, 14; Mary and Hopestill’s daughter 
September 7 Joanna Tyler, 11; Mary and Hopestill’s daughter 
September 7 Martha Tyler, 11; Mary and Hopestill’s daughter

Of the ones listed above; all were imprisoned, found not guilty and released in 1693. The only exception was Mary Parker who was hanged 22 Sep 1692. 

The rest of the family during this time, did not escape the witch hysteria. John's brother Edmund (1637-1682) married Sarah Towne (1637-1703). They had nine children before his death. Sarah Towne Bridges then married Peter Cloyce (1640-1708) and they had three children. 

In 1692 Sarah Cloyce was accused and imprisoned for witchcraft. Her sister Rebecca Towne Nurse (1620/1-1692) was also accused of witchcraft and was executed on 19 Jul 1692. Another sister Mary Towne Estey (1634-1692) was hanged on 22 Sep 1692. Sarah escaped execution.

This is a very unpleasant part of our family history and certainly one I didn't expect. Rather than wipe it away, I want to learn about it. Grow from it and keep this from happening again. 

In Search of Great Great Grandma Eunice

Working on a family tree not the easiest thing I've ever done but it is rewarding to find the connections and sometimes even pictures of long lost family. Conversely, it is frustrating when you're not able to find documentation on relatives. Much like Nessie or Sasquatch, my great, great grandmother seems to be an urban legend. The only tangible proof of her existence is a photo and her children. As far as anyone has been able to tell, she doesn't even have a tombstone. I know it's a long shot but I'm hoping if I share her information in a blog, someone could see it and be able to help me connect her with family. 

Eunice Lovejoy

Her name before she married my great, great grandfather Lauren Lovejoy was Eunice Eleanor Linsey. So far, I've been assuming that is her maiden name but I'm beginning to have my doubts. 

She was born between 1822 and 1825 in New York(slight possibility of Ohio), according to her census responses. She also lists both parents birthplace as New York. 

She married Lauren Lovejoy in Steuben County Indiana on December 3, 1846. She would have likely been 21 at the time so there is a slight chance that the Linsey name could be from a previous marriage. While we're talking about the Linsey surname, there are several ways that name is spelled in various records. Linsey, Linsley, Linzy, Lindsey, Lindsay etc doesn't make this any easier. 

Lauren and Eunice's first child, Rosetta Jane (Colby) was born in Steuben County Indiana in 1853 so the family seems to have settled there for at least six years. According to the 1860 census, they lived in Caledonia, Michigan which is where their second child, Henrietta Estella (Beckett) is born in 1862. 

They seem to have stayed in Michigan from that point forward. Their third child Willard Winfield Lovejoy was also born in Michigan in 1864.

According to Lauren's obituary, his wife, Eunice E Linzy, passed away in 1884 in Michigan. After Eunice passed, Lauren moved to Rising Sun, Nebraska where he live until his death in 1894. Willard married Alice Adora Faurot in Nebraska in 1888 and later moved back to Michigan.  

There are a couple of families I can see as a potential connection but still no supporting documentation. Martin and Rachel(Butler) Lindsey had a daughter named Eunice who would be the right age but I'm not able to make a connection. Miron Linsey appears in each location and even registered for the civil war draft at the same time as Lauren and James Lovejoy. Miron could be a brother. 

I'm hoping someone will read this and recognize Eunice as a relative of theirs and be able to connect her to her parents and siblings. I have been to most genealogy and state websites looking for any records of her birth and so far, have found nothing. 

To Write or Not to Write

Since I was young, I've wanted to be a writer. Actually, I've always known I am a writer. I just haven't done anything noteworthy to prove it. It's puzzled me for a long time why I just don't write. Well, I do write some but I mean really write something substantial. 

Sometimes I feel like I might be a little ADD. I'll have what I consider a great idea for a story and start writing it and lose interest. Maybe the characters aren't developing how I see them or I can't quite find the right next step to the story. Sometimes I can't write fast enough to keep up with the ideas and start losing them.

I'm very critical of my own writing so there's a good chance that my interest fades when I start to feel that it isn't worth reading. Part of my problem is that the words will just flow sometimes and I feel that it's too easy. It can't be good because it's not challenging me. 

The what if's start. What if no one likes it? What if no one reads it? What if it's not good? I know that in most areas of my life that other people's opinions matter way too much. If I think of a story that's really wild or outside the norm, part of me is always worried about the judgment of others. 

In my mind, I want to be a rebel who doesn't care what others think. I want to let myself go in writing. Embrace a fantasy world that gives me the chance to put everything out there for the world to read. Then the what if's and what will people think of me. Then everything stops. 

Oddly enough, time is not an issue for me. I haven't been able to work for the past few years and honestly, I've wasted a great deal of good writing time. I know the reason for that. While writing can be a job or career, for me it's fun. I seem to be punishing myself for not being able to work by not writing. Writing feels like taking time off from the real world to do something fun. People spend years in school learning to do what they're passionate about but, for me, it feels like cheating.

Another issue I have is that I've found a lot of people in my circle don't respect the process of a writer. 'If I'm typing, I'm working' just doesn't seem to sink in with them. I should be able to stop my thoughts to respond to them. It tends to belittle the whole process. Writing is an art form and writers are unique. Maybe it's just hard for people who don't have something they're passionate about to understand, you need to write when the ideas come. 

Maybe all of the above are just excuses for a lack of self-confidence or lack of skill. I'm certainly worried that I'll find out I have no talent. I guess only time will tell if I have anything to offer a reader. I need to get started and find out for sure. 
  

Living With Back Pain

 I've had lower back pain for as long as I can remember. My official diagnosis is Degenerative Disc Disease, sacroiliac joint dysfunction, and 3 or 4 compressed discs. Quite a few big words that all mean the same thing... my back hurts all the time. It's not just the back, pain shoots down the legs and the muscles grab and twist to make it even worse.  

Over time, you learn to 'live' with the pain because there's not much that actually provides relief. One of the worst parts is that since there is nothing outward that shows you're in pain, many people don't respect your situation.

In order to go anywhere i have to mentally map out my trip; even to the grocery store. Parking is important. How far do I have to walk to get to the building and be able to use a cart to take some of the pressure off my back? How heavy are the items I need to pick up and how heavy will the bags be when I check out?

Any situation is the same. How far do i have to walk? How long do I have to stand? Is there someplace supportive to sit? If those questions can't be answered ahead of time, it makes it impossible to go at all. I can't tell you the number of weddings, holidays and family parties I have missed because I can't be sure. 

I absolutely hate drawing attention to myself or the amount of pain I'm in or asking for help or needing special treatment. I try to do what I can but it's really hard to make it day to day. Some weather patterns even make the pain level go up. 

I had worked since I was a teen. I've had good jobs with benefits. Jobs that I enjoyed and had money to pay bills and to have money leftover to do something fun. As my back got worse I started losing them. First was a factory laborer which I could understand the pain was getting too great to continue. When I got bad enough that I couldn't even sit in an office chair for extended periods, I lost that job too. Shorter hours really don't help. The necessary steps to get to and from work are the same. 

I tried working from home. Hard to find a legitimate source of income there. I did apply for disability more than once and was turned down until the last time I was told I didn't have enough 'credits' to apply again. Part of the problem with getting approved for disability is that they want you to be under a doctor's continuing care. Well, once you lose your job and have no insurance, that's kind of hard to do. 

Back pain takes you down physically but it also takes you down mentally and emotionally. I envy people who can just get up and do anything, go anywhere without thinking about it. Having to baby my back along daily to function creates such stress. Constantly worried that it will lock up completely if I walk too far, sit too long or on the wrong surface, lift too much, bend too deeply, stand up too quickly, 

It doesn't help to constantly be in the awkward position of having to refuse invitations to go to anywhere. There is a quality of life that you lose. The ability to work is gone; including around the house or yard can't be done any longer. Feelings of worthlessness start to become a regular part of the day. Frustration leads to anger over a helpless, hopeless situation. 

I'm not sure if anyone reads these or if anyone who does will understand what this kind of pain does to your life. 

KFC Commercial Lesson

Ok, this isn't as much of a vent as it is an observation about KFC commercials. First let me start by saying I am old enough to remember the commercials in the 70's with THE Colonel Sanders. I think that's where KFC started the new series of commercials in the wrong way. 

I believe the first one even said Colonel Sanders back from the dead. Well, that was not received well. Understandable considering that many who grew up watching the original Colonel had a certain loyalty and respect for the man who started the company. Death is also a tricky subject to use in any area; much less when trying to get people to buy food. 

It really didn't help that Norm MacDonald was so on point with the role, he literally could have been a double for the man. I was sorry to see him let go for being too good in the role but it was spooky. 

Then a couple of people who were...honestly, just odd in the role. Now we have Rob Lowe. The commercial I've seen is better than the previous versions because there's a certain level of comedy now. Not an overt laugh but over the top delivery that isn't claiming to be a resurrected Colonel. 

I really think that KFC should have let the Colonel rest in peace. Maybe introduce a son or grandson who is promising the same flavor we love with a keeping with the times $5 fill up. Referencing the Colonel and maybe even showing clips of original commercials would have kept the nostalgia they seem to be going for without the creepiness.

Most companies have hits and misses when it comes to advertising. Not every commercial is going to connect with every person. It seems like KFC might have learned a valuable lesson concerning their customer's feelings about their original spokesman. 

Freedom Unless Someone Disagrees

I read recently that a company agreed to stop selling a t-shirt for a very popular television show because they were getting complaints that the saying on the shirt was racist. 
The show-The Walking Dead
The saying Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe

If you don't watch the show, that phrase was used by a big, bad character when choosing who is was going to kill. 

I'm sure everyone has heard this or said it. It's used by children when choosing something or someone.  The shirt is reported to be racist because the phrase is a children's rhyme that goes something like this:

Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe. Catch a tiger by it's toe. If he hollars, let him go. My mother told me to pick the very best one and you are (not) it. I think the wording may vary some by region.

Apparently all the controversy is that in the past the word tiger was exchanged for a derogatory racial term. Truthfully you can substitute anything with toes for tiger, preferably two syllables. 

Pretty long example but it proves my point well. It's not even something blatant on the shirt. It's also absolutely ridiculous. Also ridiculous that a small group can dictate what a store sells or who wears what shirt.

Should lactose intolerant people protest the sales of dairy products and threaten a ban against any store that sells dairy products? 

'We' have become a society of overly sensitive cry babies who want to make decisions for others; over stupid things like t-shirts. If you don't like it, then don't buy it. I really think people don't realize just how good we have it in the US. We have more freedom to make choices about how we live our lives than most countries. 

Just think about the countries who have censored internet access, are limited in the number children they can have, have bans on religious freedoms, etc.. Some people in the US really abuse the freedoms we have and try to use them to control others. 

It's really sad to think that someone who has the freedom to make choices on where they work, how they spend their money and free time has decided to use that freedom to try and force others to their thinking and take away those same freedoms from people who disagree with them.

I wonder if a group should be created, maybe call it LiveAndLetLive, who is dedicated to protecting the freedoms the other groups are dedicated to taking. One problem I can see right away is that the people who would join that group, just live their lives and don't bother anyone or plan to. Another problem would be the risk of that group turning into what they are fighting against. 

It's a shame that companies only listen to the loudest voices and don't consider the entire population in their decision making. 

Cleaning Up My Friends List

As I start this post, I cannot come up with a title that makes sense. A title that would tell someone who might glance at it, what the post is about. Let's hope I think of one before I'm done. 

This is a little, insignificant rant. So...what's with all the people on Facebook who want you to 'share' what they post to their wall on your wall? I don't mean recipes or some such. I'm referring to that annoying little threat of deletion post. 

It starts something like, 'I'm cleaning up my friends list blah blah... Then there is a call to action... Like post or comment on how we met. Then post on your time line and I will Like and comment. I know most of you won't do this, my real friends will, etc.

Taking this paragraph as they have posted it. What I read is quite different than the intent I think. 

First, does anyone on Facebook really clean up their friends list? Some might, I never have. Frankly, I have friends on the list I have met through gaming or another internet activity and while we don't 'know' each other, there's no reason to delete them. Many share funny posts or recipes that I enjoy seeing on my timeline. 

I know it's a big deal to get a lot of Likes on a post but I'm not sure why. My issue is when they ask for a comment on how we met. Either they can't remember who the people are on their list or are checking to see if people remember them. Yes, it's tempting to put something bizarre on their like 'we were both on the same alien spaceship'. Generally, I don't respond. 

Other than the fact the post qualifies as spam or some bizarre chain letter post; I find the fact that I am to copy an paste to my timeline annoying. Copy and paste will read like I wrote it. Well, I'm not cleaning up my friends list or deleting people so, why would I copy it to my timeline?

To let you in on a little secret, I've never done more than read those posts and, as far as I know, I've not been deleted from someone's friends list. 

Determining the reason for the post in the first place is tricky. If asked, most will say 'oh it was just for fun'.  Strange idea of fun, to threaten to delete friends. I really think that people get bored or need some type of attention. Maybe they fear that the person who sent it to them really will delete them. 

My point, if I need to have one is, knock it off. It's pointless and kind of annoying. I, for one, will not do it. And sadly, I still have no good title for this post. Maybe that's a clue that this is not worth posting but I'm going to do it anyway. 

Mainstream Media

While this is a pretty broad topic there are some things that I think we need to look at in mainstream media. So many things that I think people have forgotten or never knew. 

First of all, all news outlets are in the business of making money. Most of that money comes from advertising. In order to have companies willing to pay big bucks to these media outlets, they need to know how many people they will reach.

Mainstream media has to spin whatever news is out there to try to sway viewers/readers to choose them over someone else. In some cases, that involves a restatement o facts or giving a story more airtime than what's needed. They use fear mongering and shock value to grab your attention then continue to look for angles that will keep you from changing the channel or putting the paper down.  

News outlets should be reporting the news without opinion. That's their job. They should not resemble shopping channels trying to get you to buy their point of view.  But, sadly, that happens every day. 

For example, instead of just reporting all shootings equally, they look for an angle to keep you watching/reading. If all lives matter, then why focus on the race or national origin of the shooter? Can't two people have an argument that ends in tragedy without it having something to do with race, religion or heritage? According to maintstream media, no. 

Even if there has been no motive for the crime reported, they will throw in a comment like, 'There is no word if race was a motive at this time.'  Then why say it? Because they know some people out there will grab that statement and run with it. They have just created an atmosphere of hate and suspicion. Soon, that will spread through social media and begin to trend. More and more people will tune in or log in to read the story. 

Have they done this to fairly and accurately report a news story? No, they have done this to create news and grab a larger share of advertising revenue and make money. 

If you notice, any story that can't be used to create fear and panic, is quickly gone. There is no value to them in analyzing to death a shooting or other crime involving people of similar backgrounds. What this selective reporting does to the general public is create a fear and distrust of someone who is different. 

Until the general public realizes they are being manipulated by this, they will continue to do it. There's nothing to stop them. What saddens me is the number of people who accept their version of the 'news' as fact. Their actions and reactions create more news in marches, riots and demonstrations. 

Let's put news outlets back in the business if reporting news, not creating it. 

Introduction

I've tried blogging before and have always failed. Part of the problem I think is that I try to be too politically correct and not offend people. As I prepare for the half century mark, I seem to care less about that and want to add my voice to the masses.

This blog won't be able any particular topic and will be added to sporadically. I'd like to say that I will add daily or weekly but I know me well enough to know that all I have are good intentions and no follow through. 

Whether anyone reads it, who's to say but I think by getting out in writing things that I think or comment on topics I feel strongly about I will feel better about whatever the subject.

Writing for me is what this is about. I need to get my creativity and voice back from the stale rut of of vanilla articles.