The little things that piss you off

[Magtig]

I just spent the weekend camping with my friends in Arizona. We had a great time and I spent many hours speaking with them around the campfire. One friend's girlfriend, Tamara was saying some things that seemed a little less than well thought out, and I patiently explained that there didn't seem to be any evidence for Jay Z and Kanye West being in the illuminati. I chalked it up to her smoking my weed and a few errant conspiratorial thoughts about celebrities. It was a laugh, and I didn't take it seriously.

After we all returned home she sent me this article on Facebook, published by a news organization calling itself The Federalist. It's thinly veiled bigotry (and I do mean thin), which frames the fight for LGBT equality (amongst others) as a mass brainwashing agenda of the left. It's one of the most offensive and dehumanizing things I've ever read. I can't believe this is where this person is coming from; I'm stunned, livid and saddened. How the fuck can anyone, let alone a person living in LA in her early 30's, buy into this shit? How can she miss that it's pure bigotry!? FUCKING HUMAN TENDENCIES.

FUCK!!!

If I really put this fucking trash on blast it's definitely going to have collateral damage with not just her boyfriend, but possibly others. I don't think I care, but I might after I fire the fucking canons.

[icecream]

i do, however, like it when Hulu gives you the option of answering trivia questions in order to avoid ads during your program. and i like the 50s sitcom music that it plays during the quiz.

The fact we don't have Hulu in Canada pisses me off. And that the Netflix here isn't as good. It blew my mind the options when I was in the States last.

[Dra508]

I just spent the weekend camping with my friends in Arizona. We had a great time and I spent many hours speaking with them around the campfire. One friend's girlfriend, Tamara was saying some things that seemed a little less than well thought out, and I patiently explained that there didn't seem to be any evidence for Jay Z and Kanye West being in the illuminati. I chalked it up to her smoking my weed and a few errant conspiratorial thoughts about celebrities. It was a laugh, and I didn't take it seriously.

After we all returned home she sent me this article on Facebook, published by a news organization calling itself The Federalist. It's thinly veiled bigotry (and I do mean thin), which frames the fight for LGBT equality (amongst others) as a mass brainwashing agenda of the left. It's one of the most offensive and dehumanizing things I've ever read. I can't believe this is where this person is coming from; I'm stunned, livid and saddened. How the fuck can anyone, let alone a person living in LA in her early 30's, buy into this shit? How can she miss that it's pure bigotry!? FUCKING HUMAN TENDENCIES.

FUCK!!!

If I really put this fucking trash on blast it's definitely going to have collateral damage with not just her boyfriend, but possibly others. I don't think I care, but I might after I fire the fucking canons.

It's been said that folks, Americans in particular, who are prone to believing in conspiracy theories have low self worth and believing is a way of reacting to uncertainty and powerlessness. I would just slough em off as stupid and put them on ignore. It's people like that that I take off my FB. It's like the folks that post about how wonderful their marriage, their kids, their house, their job is. Yeah, right, compensate much?

[Magtig]

It's been said that folks, Americans in particular, who are prone to believing in conspiracy theories have low self worth and believing is a way of reacting to uncertainty and powerlessness. I would just slough em off as stupid and put them on ignore. It's people like that that I take off my FB. It's like the folks that post about how wonderful their marriage, their kids, their house, their job is. Yeah, right, compensate much?

I agree with you, but for my own sanity I wrote this response (which I haven't done anything with). I'm tempted to post it publicly, not because I want to respond to this individual person, but because I want to respond to the ideas in that article.

Dear person who sent me this article,

Although I am attracted to women I am not only attracted to women. In other words: I am bisexual. I’ve been on the receiving end of UNequal treatment, and it doesn’t just hurt, alienate and dehumanize me and everyone else who doesn’t fit into a perfect gender or sexual binary box; it’s wrong. Morally WRONG. It’s unkind! It’s UNNECESSARY! Why the hell shouldn’t we all have equal treatment under the law gay, straight, single, transgender, transhuman, or otherwise?! Please explain.

Gender and sexual preference are just characteristics people are born with. Younger generations recognize this truth because it’s obvious, and because all hard evidence supports it, not because they’re casualties of ‘power elites’ or ‘wannabe dictators’ expertly forcing us all into groupthink (even if that were true, groupthink to what end? all treating each other nicely?).

It’s not just the young; people in general recognize this truth in increasing numbers every day as LGBT people are humanized and brought back into the brotherhood of man in full view. Maybe if you weren’t so busy with conspiracies you’d have noticed these people for the beautiful independent personalities and thinkers that they are. Maybe you’d join the “brainwashed masses” in agreeing that they should be afforded the same rights that you enjoy. Maybe you wouldn’t be sending me articles with ludicrous assertions about civil rights movements leading us into Nazi Germany territory.

The notion that equal rights can be framed as a brainwashing technique threatening our freedom by leftist boogey men reveals itself as tragic absurdity when facing real human beings affected by a lack of equality. That would be me. It doesn’t have anything to do with left right politics. It’s people being treated poorly and how that treatment affects them. Look up the suicide and murder statistics for transgender people as compared to the rest of the population, for example. The evidence is heartbreakingly clear.

I believe in the first amendment. I will always fight for your right to say ugly things, but they will not go unanswered. The first amendment covers us both. What it doesn’t do is shut people down. It doesn’t do it on either side of any argument.

I am severely disappointed in you. I cannot believe this thinly veiled bigotry is where you’re coming from. It’s repulsive in the extreme, and I am saddened by it. Call me brainwashed all you like; I’m only that much more resolved to fight for equal rights.

[Dra508]

I agree with you, but for my own sanity I wrote this response (which I haven't done anything with). I'm tempted to post it publicly, not because I want to respond to this individual person, but because I want to respond to the ideas in that article.

Dear person who sent me this article,

Although I am attracted to women I am not only attracted to women. In other words: I am bisexual. I’ve been on the receiving end of UNequal treatment, and it doesn’t just hurt, alienate and dehumanize me and everyone else who doesn’t fit into a perfect gender or sexual binary box; it’s wrong. Morally WRONG. It’s unkind! It’s UNNECESSARY! Why the hell shouldn’t we all have equal treatment under the law gay, straight, single, transgender, transhuman, or otherwise?! Please explain.

Gender and sexual preference are just characteristics people are born with. Younger generations recognize this truth because it’s obvious, and because all hard evidence supports it, not because they’re casualties of ‘power elites’ or ‘wannabe dictators’ expertly forcing us all into groupthink (even if that were true, groupthink to what end? all treating each other nicely?).

It’s not just the young; people in general recognize this truth in increasing numbers every day as LGBT people are humanized and brought back into the brotherhood of man in full view. Maybe if you weren’t so busy with conspiracies you’d have noticed these people for the beautiful independent personalities and thinkers that they are. Maybe you’d join the “brainwashed masses” in agreeing that they should be afforded the same rights that you enjoy. Maybe you wouldn’t be sending me articles with ludicrous assertions about civil rights movements leading us into Nazi Germany territory.

The notion that equal rights can be framed as a brainwashing technique threatening our freedom by leftist boogey men reveals itself as tragic absurdity when facing real human beings affected by a lack of equality. That would be me. It doesn’t have anything to do with left right politics. It’s people being treated poorly and how that treatment affects them. Look up the suicide and murder statistics for transgender people as compared to the rest of the population, for example. The evidence is heartbreakingly clear.

I believe in the first amendment. I will always fight for your right to say ugly things, but they will not go unanswered. The first amendment covers us both. What it doesn’t do is shut people down. It doesn’t do it on either side of any argument.

I am severely disappointed in you. I cannot believe this thinly veiled bigotry is where you’re coming from. It’s repulsive in the extreme, and I am saddened by it. Call me brainwashed all you like; I’m only that much more resolved to fight for equal rights.

Unfortunately, I doubt she'll read all of your very well written response.

Personally, I've noticed that those that are sway-able in this group think are the ones that actually have personal relationships to the people or type that they are critical off. Perhaps that could be this situation. Of course, statistically speaking there's a whole chunk of people you will not get off their ignorant view point no matter what you say or write. As you pointed out, younger generations recognize and will move the chain. I'm hopeful.

[Magtig]

Unfortunately, I doubt she'll read all of your very well written response.

Personally, I've noticed that those that are sway-able in this group think are the ones that actually have personal relationships to the people or type that they are critical off. Perhaps that could be this situation. Of course, statistically speaking there's a whole chunk of people you will not get off their ignorant view point no matter what you say or write. As you pointed out, younger generations recognize and will move the chain. I'm hopeful.

Well that would be me, for as much as I can fill that role. Our relationship isn't a deep one, but it's obvious that she holds me in high regard, which is why I opened with the bit about my own sexuality.

A long time ago I recognized that you're often not going to change the mind of the person you're directly speaking to, but the people listening are a whole other story. Along that fault line there seems to be this oft repeated notion out there that conversations and debates are largely pointless. I don't agree with that at all, but I do think it's akin to a tree growing or erosion. It's slow going, but persistence pays off in time more than people might think. I look at how far the goal posts have moved within my own religious family in the last decade and that truth becomes obvious, where it would be very difficult to see if you were only to examine one debate or even 10.

[elevenism]

so i came out here to denver and had two big ass seizures for no obvious reason.
i am in more pain than i've ever felt in my entire life and can barely fucking walk, much less go see the sights or whatever.

i DID go up on the mountains and i DID get to go to the old 97s show and kick it with them, but the next night was emergency room.
that was the 4th.

i haven't done SHIT since then and it's time to leave tomorrow.

at least i'll be able to talk to you fuckers again.
@eversonpoe .... i see what you mean, but i didn't mean for it to be taken so seriously. the way you were looking at it made me feel pretty rapey, which is certainly not my intention.

[allegro]

so i came out here to denver and had two big ass seizures for no obvious reason.

have you been to that altitude for long, before?

[elevenism]

nope, @allegro . also i hadn't drank in a long time, but since i was kicking it with my prodigal father and brother, i drank like 1/2 pint of vodka per day for 3 or 4 days. then i stopped. then the seizures. so i think it probably was the altitude plus the little shock of the booze.

at any rate, it sucked!

[onthewall2983]

Maroon 5 bass player selling his house for 3 million. This is all that is wrong with the world.

[allegro]

nope, @allegro

They don't call Denver the "Mile-High City" for nothing.

[tony.parente]

I'm gunna get my ass kicked, especially by this community I think. Anyways I'm not pissed off but I got one of my
cats declawed and it's so sad/pitiful watching her try to figure out her little Elizabethan cone of shame. I can't wait till she gets better.

[eversonpoe]

I'm gunna get my ass kicked, especially by this community I think. Anyways I'm not pissed off but I got one of my
cats declawed and it's so sad/pitiful watching her try to figure out her little Elizabethan cone of shame. I can't wait till she gets better.

why on earth did you get your cat de-clawed? it's inhumane and can cause SO MANY problems for them. it's really not worth it to save some furniture.

[tony.parente]

why on earth did you get your cat de-clawed? it's inhumane and can cause SO MANY problems for them. it's really not worth it to save some furniture.

I'm super super super super aware of how controversial it is, and I'm not downplaying the risks involved at all...and to be honest if someone is anti-declaw there's no defending declawing a cat. Anyways it's more than just my furniture, she's a sweetheart to me and the lady but we can't have anyone over, especially children with her. She's scratched the shit out of my housesitter when we were on honeymoon, we can't bring any nieces or nephews over, she kinda goes overboard when shes playing with our other cat and a plethora of other reasons. We went through a very reputable animal hospital and she got declawed via the laser method, we love Miley very much but it was this or rehoming her. Again I understand why people aren't fans, I really do.

[Sarah K]

The L train.

[playwithfire]

I'm super super super super aware of how controversial it is, and I'm not downplaying the risks involved at all...and to be honest if someone is anti-declaw there's no defending declawing a cat. Anyways it's more than just my furniture, she's a sweetheart to me and the lady but we can't have anyone over, especially children with her. She's scratched the shit out of my housesitter when we were on honeymoon, we can't bring any nieces or nephews over, she kinda goes overboard when shes playing with our other cat and a plethora of other reasons. We went through a very reputable animal hospital and she got declawed via the laser method, we love Miley very much but it was this or rehoming her. Again I understand why people aren't fans, I really do.

I realize it's too late, and I'm sure it wasn't an easy choice, but I'm curious if you looked into Soft Claws? They're a viable option for a lot of people.

[eversonpoe]

I realize it's too late, and I'm sure it wasn't an easy choice, but I'm curious if you looked into Soft Claws? They're a viable option for a lot of people.

plus they're adorably hilarious

[Khrz]

plus they're adorably hilarious

And cats are well-known for their great sense of humor!

[Sarah K]

And cats are well-known for their great sense of humor!

That made me crack up.

I had zero idea that declawing cats is a controversial topic.

[Baphomette]

I had zero idea that declawing cats is a controversial topic.

I don't understand why there's a controversy at all. Declawing is mutilation, same as tail and ear docking. It's fucked up and people who do it are vile imbeciles.

[Sarah K]

That's kinds over the top and dramatic, no? I mean, I love animals, and I had zero clue about this. It's not that people are evil in this instance, they just simply might not be aware.

[marodi]

I don't understand why there's a controversy at all. Declawing is mutilation, same as tail and ear docking. It's fucked up and people who do it are vile imbeciles.

I agree. It's pissing me off too that it's still being done. My cat, Delphine, is declawed but she was 1 1/2 year when I adopted her and she had been spayed and declawed by her previous owners.

As to why it's being done (the declawing): it's not for the kitty; it's for the comfort of the owners so they don't have to train the kitty to use a scratching post and they don't want to have ruined furniture.

And it's really pissing me off that cats are mutilated because of laziness.

[Baphomette]

That's kinds over the top and dramatic, no? I mean, I love animals, and I had zero clue about this. It's not that people are evil in this instance, they just simply might not be aware.

No. This is one issue where a gray area does not exist for me. With the amount of information that is readily available, there is just no way in hell someone could opt to do these things to an animal without knowing it's traumatic and painful. It's basic common sense: Would it hurt you if someone removed your fingernails entirely? Would it hurt you if someone were to cut off part of your ears or ass? Sorry - there is absolutely no excuse.

[Khrz]

And it's really pissing me off that cats are mutilated because of laziness.

I'm not disagreeing there, but when it comes to @tony.parente , it doesn't sound like laziness, more like the only way he found to deal with a very problematic, aggressive pet without abandoning it.
I consider declawing intolerable, but in this one case it wasn't a matter of saving his precious furniture. There is no way in hell I'd mutilate my cat, I even had to defend his right to kill birds because, hell, its nature is to be a predator, but I don't know how I would deal with such a problem either.

[DigitalChaos]

the only way he found to deal with a very problematic, aggressive pet without abandoning it.

This is exactly why declawing can be ok. I've participated in the declawing of 3 cats at the Vet. (I used to want to be a Vet). A well done declawing is not as bad as some people make it out to be. It's not "equivalent to cutting off a human's first finger joint" or any of that nonsense. It's certainly not as bad as spaying/neutering but most people don't have issues there. Are way too many cats being declawed due to bad owners or poorly informed owners? Absolutely. But there are places for it. Declawing has saved many cats from being abandoned.

Tony's situation sounds like an ok use of declawing.

[allegro]

I had 2 cats declawed (front only) in 1981 before all the controversy about declawing started, and my female had a harder time recovering from being spayed than from being declawed. My mom's cat, who was declawed that same year, climbed trees with no front claws. Both he and my female cat lived to be 21. I now have 4 fully-clawed cats and we trim all their nails really regularly and they are post-trained. But, a cat being in a shelter for being aggressive vs. being declawed by a reputable vet is a tough decision. I question why Tony brought it up on here, knowing it was a provocative statement. Well, no I don't, actually; it's par for the course for Tony.

Edit: by the way, we have been going through a rough period involving one or more cats peeing on the floor in the basement. (PISSES me off, literally.) We took the suspected culprit to the vet, 2x, bought about 7 of those plug-in Feliway things, uncovered a few litter boxes, bought more litter boxes, clean the boxes like crazy, shower all cats with attention, bought a WEB CAM to see if there was more than one culprit ...

Then G suggested we put a doggy potty pad where the cat was peeing. AND G turned around last week and caught Bubba the siamese mix peeing on the pad, perfectly in the middle. She has 2 other favorite places and we put pads there, too, and she now pees on the pads there, too. So my collection of various enzyme cleaners is no longer needed. Vet said some cats are just mental.

BUT ... my reformed 19-lb tomcat tabby Sam saw Bubba do this and now HE is doing it. Except he covers up his pee and folds over the pad like a gentleman.

Wtf.

I did some research and it ends up that cats LOVE doggy pee pads.

[Sarah K]

I actually don't think he was trolling this time. Haha.

[DigitalChaos]

Your cats sound kind of hilarious, @allegro . I'm fascinated by animals that are deviant shitheads, but not the vicious variety.

[allegro]

Tonight, Bubba barfed a hairball on one of her potty pads. Usually, the cats barf hairballs on throw rugs, chairs, stairs, the kitchen table, ANYWHERE but the house full of hardwood floors and slate or vinyl tile. I think we have established the Olympics of Ass-Kissing, here. GOOD GIRL, BUBBA, GOOD GIRL!!!!!!

(The blind dog, Cookie, started this example. Cookie finds her way down to the basement and poops a giant load perfectly on her array of potty pads, AND SHE'S BLIND. Ok, and she might actually EAT some of it immediately after, which a feline would not do, but Cookie sees this as scavenger recycling. The cats just stare in disbelief.)

[marodi]

I'm not disagreeing there, but when it comes to @tony.parente, it doesn't sound like laziness, more like the only way he found to deal with a very problematic, aggressive pet without abandoning it.
I consider declawing intolerable, but in this one case it wasn't a matter of saving his precious furniture. There is no way in hell I'd mutilate my cat, I even had to defend his right to kill birds because, hell, its nature is to be a predator, but I don't know how I would deal with such a problem either.

For what it's worth, I can understand his dilemma too because I know that cats can do great harm to both adults and kids. I appreciate that he cares enough about his kitty that it made him look for the best possible way to do the operation. I just wish he would have been told about other options before hands.

But my rant was more about the general population (and a lot of people around me) for whom declawing is a necessity for them getting a kitty.

Oh and @allegro I think your kitties need to get some quality time with Jackson Galaxy.