Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Noblesse Oblige

From Wikipedia: "In ethical discussion, it is sometimes used to summarize a moral economy wherein privilege must be balanced by duty towards those who lack such privilege or who cannot perform such duty."

In hearing and reading about the Kennedy clan I came to believe they were indoctrinated with "noblesse oblige" from birth, taught that their wealth was not ordained by God and they had obligations to the people who made that wealth happen and to the people who had no champions at all.

When reading of the escapades of a few of them I knew that at times some fell short:

"... it has been used recently primarily to refer to public responsibilities of the rich, famous and powerful, notably to provide good examples of behaviour or to exceed minimal standards of decency."

A few of them failed at times, including Ted Kennedy. But I think he worked like hell to overcome his failings and live up to the noblesse oblige legacy.

RIP, Teddy.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

PS

Don't even get me started on Walmart.

Save Big Money (and get pissed off)

Yesterday in a fit of git-er-done, I went to Menards. I hate that place. Like Walmart, I knew I hated it when I went it. But there were some things I wanted NOW since I had started a project.

Had I been patient, I could have had boards custom cut at the nearby small town lumber yard, picked up paint at the hardware store in the same small town, and gotten other incidentals there that went with my project.

But I was in a big toot (I have a small window of time to complete the project AND clear a path for Captain Crab when he returns from where ever in hell he is) so I drove to Big Town, through frigging road construction, clear to the other side of town where the behemoth Menards resides.

I headed towards the paint looking for cheap-cheap-it-doesn't-matter-paint and the first thing I took notice of was SHOELACES!! Because everyone looking for lumber, paint and hardware needs shoelaces!!

I passed many items that, had I thought about it, I could have used at home. But I eschewed them all because I went there for paint, boards and some hardware.

After I completed filling my list I ended up in line behind a guy I know. He told me I did NOT want to be behind him in line because he was paying with a credit card and for some reason, credit transactions were painfully slow.

We chatted some about the store in the big town that Menards put out of business. It had a contractors area (where my friend would have gone) where things were expedited. It also did not have bird seed, picture frames, dog beds, coffee, soup, shoelaces, bleach, books or DVDs.

In spite of having more than six items (the limit), I went to the express lane. I'd forgotten how the check out process is so very, very whacked. You put your stuff on the conveyor, run to the other end, swipe your card, put in your numbers, bag your stuff, pull your receipt, pack your crap in a cart and haul it out. Now that's service!! I don't know that I would have been able to pay with cash or write a check.

I cannot express how much I despise Menards and regretted giving them money.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Stay Off My Road!

What would you do if you were driving down the road and met a car in the other lane stopped half on the shoulder with a woman inside obviously screaming and alternately waving her arms, pointing at the road and pulling at her hair?

If you were the asshole in the white service truck, you would keep on going at a break-neck speed and aim for the kittens in the road.




I was on my way home from my weekly supply run to the big town, traveling down the county hardtop when I noticed tiny creatures trying to cross the road ahead. I slowed down and was dismayed to see that it was five kittens. My first thought was to gather them up and take them home. There's nothing I love more than a kitty! Five kitties = five times the fun!

I slowed way down and the kittens puddled in the middle of the road. I crept closer and they pooled on the pavement in the left lane. So I pulled up and off the road a little with the intention of getting out of the car and shooing the poor things completely off the road.

That's when I saw Major Asshole heading for them and went through the histrionics trying to get him to SEE THE KITTENS ON THE ROAD!! SEE--LADY IN DISTRESS--POINTING--AT THE KITTENS IN THE ROAD??!!

He clipped one -- the others mercifully ran back across my lane and into the ditch. In my rear view mirror then I saw mama kitty on the opposite shoulder and the clipped kitty trying lamely to reach her.

My next step was to put the car in park, gather the brood and reunite them all, hoping the clipped kitty only had superficial wounds. But the oncoming traffic kept coming and coming and coming. Each and every one of them on some ridiculous mission requiring no attention and tremendous velocity.

I went home in tears.

Stay off of my road, please.