Stop interrupting my regularly scheduled programming!

I understand that we need leaders.  I get that.  But, why does everyone that calls themselves a leader/politician have to be a liar?  Why can't there be honest politicians?  Do those words just clash so much that they can not go hand in hand?
Today, here in the great city of Indianapolis, IN, we re-elected Mayor Ballard.  Great, congratulations, you did it again!  Now, let's move on to the important issues.  Let's stop our city from circling the drain of that large toilet we call the American economy.  Let's put our teachers back to work.  Let's stop building sound barriers around our city and start fixing roads that actually need it.  Let's stop buying $1,000 hammers that never get used.  Let's stop buying $800 bar stools in our lottery offices!  Let's do something for our city.  Stop interrupting my regularly scheduled programming for your election results that are not final yet!
I am getting ready to get my workout on, I do my cardio while watching the Biggest Loser.  While getting into the show, I am interrupted and shown the Indiana Roof Ballroom and the Democratic candidates supporters awaiting the results of the vote.  I am shown a room full of people sitting at tables, the candidate is not even in the room.  I am shown a reporter telling me that these people are supporters of said candidate who has not yet arrived, and they are just sitting here waiting....Thanks, I can see that myself!  I am shown another reporter standing in the Murat Center with the supporters of the Republican Candidate, he is there with them. I am told by the reporter that they too are awaiting results.  This BREAKING NEWS goes on for about 10 minutes, only to take me back to the Biggest Loser commercial break!  They cut off the Biggest Loser and then bring us back to see the commercials that I always fast forward while watching my DVR!
So, tell me why it was so important for you to interrupt my workout for some rooms full of people waiting for some ballots to be tallied?  I have been watching the little ticker go across the bottom of the screen.  That had more exciting news than those rooms of people!
Now, we will have to hear about how the Mayor will get four more years, for the next 4 weeks!  Yeah!  But, it was important to cut into our regular programming.  Not to mention that they had all of that streaming live on the news website.  If I was really interested in what was happening in that room full of people just waiting, I would have went to the computer, sat on my fat ass, and watched my computer screen!
They always seem to choose the most exciting moments to cut into your shows with their boring news too.  Doesn't matter what show you are watching, or what Breaking News they have, it couldn't come at a more inconvenient time!  And, it is always something that could have waited a couple minutes more.  Just until the end of the show when the 11 o'clock news comes on!  Or, in some cases, the 10 o'clock news!
It is not always the politicians that break into our regular programming, it could be the drunk that decided it was a good idea to park his car in a local convenience store.  Just an example, that I have seen here in this city before.  Now, 9/11/01, that was Breaking News.....Osama Bin Ladin dead, Breaking News (I like how Obama credited himself for this one btw)....Heavy D passing away, not breaking news.  Do you see what I am getting at?
So, what have we learned today?  I am a huge fan of the Biggest Loser.  Don't interrupt my show, I won't get cranky!

It's Been Awhile!

Though I know it has been well over a year since we have shared any of our rants and raves with you, I felt it was time to get a few things off my very large chest!  ( said it before Ragi had a chance to!)
Anyway, the world has pretty much gone to shit.  It is not just the US.  People are stealing babies, parents are killing their children, hell you can't even go to the local Village Pantry without looking over your shoulder to see who is holding the gun!  Have we all gone mad?
Blame it on the economy, blame it on Obama.....I blame it on CPS!  We can't spank our kids anymore and they no longer know right from wrong!  They have grown up knowing that they can do whatever they want cause all they get as punishment anymore is a few minutes in the timeout chair!  Damnit, smack your kids on the ass!!!!!!  My parents did it to me and I turned out just fine.  I have never stolen a thing, I knew that if I did, my dad would first make me return it, then I would have about a 2 inch thick welt that would go the entire width of my ass!  I knew that there was a consequence that I did not want to happen!
Though I do blame the government for a large portion of our toilet drain circling, the people have a lot to do with it as well.  People are just plain stupid anymore!  Grow up, lose your sense of entitlement, get a job (McDonald's is always hiring), get off your lazy ass and contribute to society!
Don't even get me started on the rich folk either.  I am so tired of them whining all the time that they have to pay higher taxes.  You should, you have more money than you know what to do with.  All of these pro athletes going on strike cause they don't get paid enough.  I call BULLSHIT!  Your 5 million a year is plenty to live on.  And, if it isn't, then you need counseling for your spending addiction.  I get it that you want a fancy car and house to show that you are a pro athlete.  Nothing wrong with that.  If I made $5 million a year, I would want that too.  Yes, get a whole new wardrobe.  You deserve it for throwing a ball in a hoop and running up and down the court several times a night.  But, there should still be plenty for you to give back to the community that supports your team and pays outrageous amounts of money on tickets for lousy seats to your game.
Why are we wasting so much time and money fixing roads that don't need to be fixed?  Fix the ones that have pot holes in them first, then worry about the rest when the time comes.  How about we put those prisoners to work with some hard labor, out in the summer sun or blistering cold, working off their debt to society.  Why should they get three square (hot) meals a day and a bed with a blanket and pillow, and a TV room, and a weight room, and play time every day when they committed a crime?  Punishment is just that, punishment.  No one wants to do it, that is why you don't get into trouble, so you don't have to go to jail!  Put these bad guys and gals to work by cleaning up crappy neighborhoods, working on the bad roads, painting over the obscene graffiti that covers our bridges!  We have United States Veterans that are sleeping on park benches, yet someone that committed a crime against society has it far better behind prison walls!
Don't even get me started on these idiots that run the oil companies.  Bunch of thieves!  They are posting higher profits every quarter while I am scrounging for change so that I can fill my gas tank and their pockets!  If I could have a horse and buggy I would, but that just can't happen.  There just isn't a hitching post outside of my work.  I could ride a bike, yes, if I had one!  But, I can't afford one since I have to hand all of my extra cash over to Uncle Sam!
This used to be a great country to live in, then we started electing government officials.  If we must have someone run this country of ours, why not hire someone that will get the job done, not just go on vacation once a month?  I vote for Joe Arpaio!  I wish he would stop running for Sheriff of Maricopa County, AZ and just head to Washington, DC!
So, that is my rant for tonight.  Don't worry, there is much more where that came from!  Until next time, this is Ricki and that was my two cents!

Light Refracting Off Venus Into Swamp Gases.

The above title is somewhat true, pending on who's perspective you entertain. Certainly the thousands of people who have witnessed UFO phenomenon can attest to that. Maybe it was swamp gas, maybe it was aliens. We don't know. And there are things in this world I can graciously admit to being ignorant of. However, there is one thing I can not... And that is the logic and reasoning behind the family court system.

Go ahead and roll your eyes. "Rags is on another rant about the family court, doesn't she have anything else to talk about?"

No, in fact, I don't.

The epiphany I had yesterday occurred just after seeing my ex husband, the complete asshole that used me as his personal punching bag for nearly eight years, drinking beers with my 13 and 11 year old in tow...... at my 5 year old's father's house. This situation jarred me a bit. The idea of these two men, both of which are lousy fathers and even worse spouses, socially mingling together was quite disturbing. And to know that my 5 year old has not been a priority in her father's life (he has no time for her) made it ultimately betraying.

Back to my enlightenment of an idea that still bears no answer for me.

The question really is "Where is the line?"

Side tangent with me if you will...

It's Wednesday, and the trash can is over flowing. The garbage truck is due to come Thursday morning at the crack of dawn. I say to my husband:

"Baby, can you take the garbage out?"
"I'll get to it"
time lapse 1/2 hour
"Honey, the garbage, can you take it out?"
"Yup, in a minute"
time lapse another hour
"My love, the garbage really needs to go out"
"ALRIGHT! I TOLD YOU I WOULD, NOW QUIT NAGGING ME!!"


Nagging....

Ok, Same scenario. Wednesday night, the trash is over flowing. I say to my husband:

"Baby, can you take the garbage out?"
"Mmm Hmmm"
time lapse to crack of dawn Thursday morning as the garbage truck passes our house
"Honey, the garbage truck just passed. Did you take the trash out?"
"Dammit! Why didn't you remind me???"

So you see, there is a fine line between reminding and nagging....

There is another fine line- in the family court world... Its the line between educating and alienating

Any normal, loving mom, who has lost custody of their child to an abusive dad can attest to this. I am about to go off on my rant now. Bear with me.

A family lives in a neighborhood for many years, and one day out of the backpack of your child do you find a letter from the school that Pedophile A has moved within blocks of your home. Well, aren't we all tickled by this prospect. So, you take your daughters and sons to the kitchen to have the talk. The stranger talk. You pull his picture up on line to show your baby what this bad bad man looks like and you tell him how to stay safe. You map out a route for her to walk to school in, you even follow behind for extra precaution. You point out "safe homes" and teach him to use a pay phone. Or buy her a cell phone 'just in case'. You educate her. Educate, educate, educate. Every day, driving home the need to stay safe.
The teachers hear her talking to classmates relaying what to do if approached by this pedophile. 'She is so smart! Mom did a great job educating her. Now she's sharing her safety tips with friends. That pedophile doesn't stand a chance in this neighborhood!' And his teacher calls you. Praises you for your preventative measures! You're a PTA hero!

Now, after all that education, all the time spent trying to keep your child safe. All the countless hours going over back up plan after back up plan... What if some Judge forced you to send your child to that same pedophiles house, because you EDUCATED her on how dangerous he is.

The family courts do not see this as pro-active planning in the effort to protect. They see this as Alienating.

When that pedophile you are trying to protect your child from is that child's father, the family court system does not allow the mother to keep that child from harm's way. Mom is ORDERED to hand her child over into the hands of the devil. The judge will even arrest and jail the mother for interfering with dad's access time. And then the unthinkable happens. For daddy dearest, raping his child on the weekends isn't enough. He takes mom to court and sues for sole custody and guess what? He is almost guaranteed to get it. Then he can rape her at will. And there is nothing mom can do about it. Dad has arranged it that mom can no longer see her because she has alienated him from his child's life by EDUCATING HER, she is no longer allowed to see her baby because Dad now needs to 'deprogram' her from mom's verbal abuse.

So the child is forced to live with her father. Forced into being raped and beat. Neglected and abused. Tortured. And mom is forced to dump thousands of dollars and hours into a system that failed to protect her child to begin with.

This is how it is everyday for many of us. We are forced to hand our children over to someone who will continually abuse them. We are forced often with our lives and freedom to watch the assaults unfold. We are forced to endure the shame and humiliation with our child because it is the aftermath we most often witness. We are forced stand by, and wait on our lawyers or a law guardian's word that this time will be different. New judge, new laws, new Law Guardian, new county. But the result is always the same if not worse. The new judge grants dad more time, or strips mom of all her parenting rights. Forces mom into living in a car because dad needs child support. That is his right as sole custodian. It is his right to interfere with mom's access because its in the best interest of the child to not hear bad things about dad from mom... far better is it for dad to abuse the child than for mom to protect her.

So where is the line between educating and alienating?
It must lie somewhere in the vicinity of that other line.... the one between Justice and Family Court.

A failure to communicate?

Most of you, if you had been following us on the dailybs, will know my plight with the American Custody Battle.
In the 3 years since I started that series, oh how educated I have become. I have gotten beat up web wise by some of the more illustrious father's rights' groups. And the threats to my inbox have been amusing at best. Oddly enough, they prove my point about what that gender is truly like at their core.
Some of you may remember from earlier stories that I was married oh so many years ago. This man, and I use that term loosely, was the most violent of people. He wasn't always that way however. In the beginning of our relationship he was kind and loving. That changed almost immediately after we got married. No, that's not true, it was happening before we wed but not with such frequency. However, it was after we wed me being a whole 18 years old, that it really started to turn.

What I find confusing about the whole situation of victims in a violent marriage is the shame in which people look upon us. We get the gambit of questions;
"Are you stupid?"
"Why would you stay?"
"I can't believe you're dumb enough to put up with that"
"How can you be so stupid"

Ladies and gentlemen, let me ask you something. If your son or daughter, or mother or father for that matter went to war and got captured by the enemy, was held as a POW for 7 years and then finally managed to be released but not without damage.. Would you then ask that person why he stayed or how she could have been so stupid to get caught?

Guess what? Marriage to an abusive man is the SAME EXACT THING..
He beats on us, starves us, drags us out of bed for no apparent reason at all of hours of the night. Our bones get broken, we get raped and tortured... the only difference is its happening in our home and not in some foreign country somewhere. We are held prisoner for years. Threats of and actual abuse forces us to stay. And then comes the terror of knowing that if, IF you can escape, chances are he'll kill you. 80% of domestic violence homicides occur AFTER she leaves for help. That means a victim has less that a fifth of a chance of surviving.

Now here's the bloody part. We escape, and somehow manage to survive long enough to get to court and file for divorce, file for custody and basically beg our GOVERNMENT for help in protecting our children... And some family court judge, an idiot in a black robe, hands our young children off to that very same man we escape from. The one that decided raping us wasn't enough, he had to move on to our young daughters. So that now, we worry about how much torture our children are suffering. When we intercede to protect a life that cannot protect itself we get held in contempt of a court order and thrown in jail.

Why do we stay? Because its so much less stressful and damaging to be able to protect our children from him, than it is to protect them from the family court system.

That's why.

Ricki's Rave: Sheriff Joe Arpaio

This is from an email that I received.  I have raved over Sheriff Joe ever since I first heard about him.  We need more Law Enforcement officials that are more like Sheriff Joe.

You all remember Sheriff Joe Arpaio of Arizona, who painted the jail cells pink and made the inmates wear pink prison garb. Well..........

Mericopa County was spending approximately $18 million a year on stray animals (cats & dogs).  Sheriff Joe offered to take the department over and the County Supervisor said okay.  The animal shelters are now all staffed and operated by prisoners.  They feed and care for the strays.  Every animal in his care is taken out and walked twice daily.  He now has prisoners who are experts in animal nutrition and behavior.  They give great classes for anyone who would like to adopt an animal.  He has literally taken stray dogs off the street, given the to the care of prisoners, and had them place in dog shows.

The best part?  His budget for the entire department is now under $3 million.   [The writer] adopted a Weimaraner from a Mericopa County shelter.  He was neutered, and current on all shots, in great health, and even had a microchip inserted the day he was adopted.  Cost = $78.

The prisoners get the benefit of about $.28 an hour for working, but most would work for free, just to be out of their cells for the day.  Most of his budget is for utilities, building maintenance, etc.  He pays the prisoners out of the fees collected for adopted animals. 

I have long wondered when the rest of the country would take a look at the way he runs his jail system, and copy some, if not all, of his ideas.  He has a huge farm, donated to the county years ago, where inmates can work, and they grow most of their own fresh vegetable, doing all the work and harvesting by hand.

He has a pretty good sized hog farm, which provides meat, and fertilizer.  It fertilizes the Christmas tree nursery, where prisoners work, and you can buy a living Christmas tree for $6-$8 for the Holidays, then plant it later.  [The writer] has six trees in his yard from the prison.

Sheriff Joe was re-elected in 2008 with 83% of the vote.  He painted all the buses and vehicles with a mural, that has a special hotline phone number, where you can call and report suspected illegal aliens.  Immigrations and Customs Enforcement wasn't doing enough in his eyes, so he had 40 deputies trained specifically for enforcing immigration laws, started up his hotline, and bought 4 new buses just for hauling folks back to the border. He's kind of a 'Git-R Dun' kind of Sheriff.  

TO THOSE OF YOU NOT FAMILIAR WITH JOE ARPAIO:

He is the Maricop County Sheriff in Arizona.  He has been elected to five consective, 4 year terms as Sheriff.  Why does he keep getting re-elected?  Here's why: 

Sheriff Joe created the "Tent City Jail":

He has jail meals down to 40 cents a serving and charges the inmates for them.  

He stopped smoking and porno magazines in the jails. Took away their weights Cut off all but 'G' movies.  

He started chain gangs so the inmates could do free work on county and city projects.  

Then He Started Chain Gangs For Women So He Wouldn't Get sued For Discrimination.
He took away cable TV until he found out there was a Federal Court Order that required cable TV for jails so he hooked up the cable TV again only let in The Disney Channel and The Weather Channel.
When asked why The Weather Channel he replied, "So they will know how hot it's gonna be while they are working on my chain gangs."
He cut off coffee since it has zero nutritional value.  When the inmates complained, he told them, "This isn't the Ritz/Carlton....If you don't like it, don't come back."

More on Sheriff Joe:

With temperature being even hotter than usual in Phoenix, the AP reports:  About 2,000 inmates living in a barbed-wire-surrounded tent encampment at the Maricopa County Jail have been given permission to strip down to their government-issued pink boxer shorts.   On Wednesday, hundreds of men wearing boxers were either curled up on their bunk beds or chatted in the tents, which reached 138 degrees inside the week before.  Many were also swathed in wet, pink towels as the sweat collected on their chests and dripped down to their pink socks.  "It feels like we are in a furnace", said James Zanzot, an inmate who has lived in the tents for 1 year.  "It's inhumane."  Joe Arpaio, the tough-guy sheriff who created the tent city and long ago started making his prisoners wear pink, and eat bologna sandwiches, is not one bit sympathetic. He said Wednesday that he told all of the inmates: "It's 120 degrees in Iraq and our soldiers are living in tents too.  And, they have to wear full battle gear, but they didn't commit any crimes so shut your mouths!" 

Maybe if all prisons were like this one there would be a lot less crime and/or repeat offenders. Criminals should be punished for their crimes - not live in luxury until it's time for their parole, only to go out and commit another crime so they can get back in to live on taxpayers money and enjoy things taxpayers can't afford to have for themselves.