seriouslyscorpio

thoughts of the moment and of my life

Tag Archives: freedom/democracy/fairness/equality


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cruis’in the caribbean


It was a nice cruise…..especially since we were leaving 2 days after the accident off the coast of Italy.  Sure got us thinking about how to exit, in case of emergency.  Always look around, planes and ships….serious business

But this is not about that…you know.  This is about what it says in the ads and what life is really like, on some of our stopovers.  We enjoy the opportunity to meet people, and enjoy new places.  We are very lucky to have seen a lot of the United States and know, without a doubt, it is the best place ever.

Having said that….our 5 stops offered us a little of what the Caribbean is like.  Its beauty, its people, its history, its colorful buildings, etc.  I cannot deny there is  all of the above….but very little of the magic one dreams about.

There is no running water on some islands…no running water!!  The only water one gets, comes from rain, caught in a container!  Sounds romantic unless you have 4 kids, and 2 dogs and 10 plus loads of wash a week.  Does not work well in a place with no running water.

There is no sewage disposal on some islands….mmmmm  need I say more.

YOu  may not wear any type of camo clothing on a certain island…..don’t want to mistake you for either a bad guy,or the real police.

Unfinished houses are passed down from parents to children.  If the current family makes any overage during the year, they add a cement block or two and put in more rebar. It continues to be built slowly,  not in months but years/generations.

Most make their money off tourism…..tourism that lasts from November to April.  They sell all the same things one can find in any tourist town…t-shirts, pens, cards, dolls, towels, etc.

Most island businesses who are successful in the tourism portion of town, sell alcohol, diamonds, tanzanite, and perfume.   “Big deals”, they say are offered……doubt it very much.  Bailey’s sells for the same there as it does here. Most brand name hard stuff, sells for about the same too.

Don’t want to rain on your parade…..just offering some insight as to how 3rd world some of these island are.  Their land is beautiful, their lifestyle is not to be envied. (At least that is my opinion)

And lastly, I sometimes felt like the ‘queen’ coming off a magnificent cruise ship….Would they trade places with me……in a moment.  I was embarrassed. I hear of so many  US tourists ‘showing off’ on their journeys to other lands.   I wanted to be sure I was not one of them.

I am one lucky SOB…..I know it!  I think most of you are too.  Just keep some of these things in mind when you travel.  Be gracious, be understanding, be careful, and be thankful!        later


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so sorry God


been looking at Greece and Syria, not to mention Africa, Mexico, and Iran. I apoligize for those who do not try to do unto others as they want others to do unto them. If I keep trying with my own neighbor, maybe it will spread to Greece and Syria


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JURY DUTY


We love the mail most of the time….except when we  receive THE  NOTICE…….for jury duty, that is. In fact, I think that rates above all the bills, even notices offering  3 days 2 nights in Cabo, for a  time share offer. 

It doesn’t happen very often….in fact mine only come once a year. I don’t know if that is good or bad news, or if I am the norm. But I am absolutely amazed at the way people regard jury duty,the lengths they discuss it, and if truth be known, the hours of sleep they lose prior to the date.

To me, it is a priviledge and honor being selected to serve.  Hear me out  now… cause I’ll get to the negative side soon enough.  However, back to the being a potential juror…..First, they don’t just pick anyone, and ‘they’ are the attorneys for the prosecution and defense.  Even the judge gets a shot asking the questions to best define your fairness and ability.  Each side gets so many ‘you may be excused’  choices,before having to seat the jury.

 We  all know we are  just the greatest so it can be quite a surprise when some total stranger says we will not be making the grade.  I mean, after we’ve made it all the way there, having made arrangements for school, work, kids, supper, crafts, vacation, voting, becoming racist, having a relative who is an alcoholic, and another who was abused, and yet another in jail for tax evasion, we still feel the sting of not making the list (on the inside).

But that is not really what it’s all about…..being called for jury duty is being called up to be an American, a devotee of democracy, a follower of freedom, and champion of rights.  Men and women have fought and died for the opportunity to serve. A trial by jury, tho not perfect, sure beats what we read about in other countries…..Remember a high school grad disappearing from Aruba…..or another being sent to jail for a murder she did not commit and just now freed……Kind of makes a jury and a country who says innocent until proven guilty……and beyond a reasonable doubt, incidentally, sound pretty damn good.

Potential jurors are treated with respect and held in high esteem, by those who run the courts. They do, I repeat DO understand  that your life has been derailed, as far as you are concerned, and they are most sincere in making your stay as painless as possible. All you really have to do is have your badge and show up. There is coffee, music, TV, movies, food machines, games,and plenty of breaks to help you wait.  I have served as a juror in 2 states and both have treated us as distinguished guests, excluding having to be checked for drugs, guns, and knives when we came thru the front door.

I have been on 4  juries and, in doing so, have met men and women from all walks of life.   They chose to come forward and participate, and therefore represent the American judicial system in its best form.  They were rich, poor,and middle; retired, students,and working stiffs; handicapped, without cars, and living long distances…….and yet they came and stood tall.

The days can be long on a jury, and also tedious.  It is a position that should only be held by those who are ready and faithful.  They must choose to render a truthful verdict based on questions and answers submitted to them.  Notice I did NOT say….what they hear on TV, what they assume happened, what Aunt Sally hears at the shop, or generally, just how they feel about it.

Being part of a jury is good…it makes one stand a little taller, even a pinch smarter, and above all, a better person, for having done what was right.( in spite of having that uncle who evaded taxes, in 1898).


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NEWS FLASH!! OCCUPY — I DON’T THINK SO…..


The ‘protestors’ showing up in some major cities to complain, have used the word ‘occupy’…They’ve united in the word, but everything after that becomes a little messy in its interpretation.

The people protesting (for or against whatever or whoever) should take a good look at what occupy means……cause most of us think they should be protested upon for occupying.  Those areas, sidewalk, parks, front steps, beaches, and street corners are owned by all and subject to fair use by all.

“To have, hold, or take as a separate space,possess, reside in or on, or claim”, part of the word definition occupy, is not what I have in mind as to what to do with my portion of the above. Now, they can use it for a little while, but I take a dim view of them camping on it, peeing on it, and trashing it, among other things. 

The thing is, if I’m homeless, or loitering, or selling drugs, or drunk, on a normal, everyday day…….I am going to, sooner or later, get arrested. Even tho part of that open area is mine, I have to be good and ‘share’.

Another declaration of” “occupy’ is to be a resident of, a tenant of, or dwell in”. Now hold on…..I am a part of that description…..even tho I don’t use it 24/7. I don’t even monitor it.  I don’t have a ‘list’ of people I allow….I pretty well say you can use it as long as you don’t abuse it!   Aha!!!!

I bet there are homeless in Los Angeles that would take better care of my portion of the occupied territory, than some of those ‘occuppying’.

In fact I think the ‘occupiers’ are more in the description of “to take control and possession of, and to make one’s own”…..not nice, I repeat NOT NICE.

I understand your right to protest persons, places or things….(either proper or regular), however, do me a favor and do it 8 to 5. I’ve got places to go and things to do and I don’t want to walk in or amongst your signs, your dirt, or “f” words, or your dirty clothes, and  your thrown together toilets.

Downtown business owners have bent over backwards to be good neighbors, and stewards.  Local police have been patient in their actions, and regular people going about their daily activities, have tried to be understanding.

8AM to 5 PM  please……and do so in an orderly fashion. Wear a suite and tie or, for women, a nice  skirt and sweater. Check your spelling when preparing your signs. Bring water and a gallon jug to refill your 18 oz bottle. Take it home at the end of the day. Do background work on what you a speaking on….and don’t ask for Obama Money or something similar, just because you’ve heard it somewhere.  Be prepared to debate without losing your temper.  Be prepared to have proof in what you say.  If you can’t do half of anything listed above……go back to school, live with mom, or watch Beavis.

later


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AMERICAN ‘EYE OPENERS’ FROM WSJ


WSJ is the ‘local paper’ for world business.  Its inside scoop opens up eyes and investigations to business world-wide.  It offers up, however, some strange  pieces of information in the Legal Notices section…..and if one begins to read this section, just once in a while, it becomes a riveting piece of news, not just a notice.

It begins by saying “The US Department of Justice, Federal  Bureau of Investigation(FBI) Washington,D.C gives notice that the following properties were seized for various federal forfeiture violations, which are mentioned below.

It goes on, saying “You may contest the seizure in US District Court by filing a claim of ownership, no later than 30 days after the date of the final publication of the notice of seizure, etc. etc……

The notice further states explanations of the items discussed,  such as CSA = The Controlled Substances Act, Title 21 U.S.C, Section 881 or MLC =  Money Laundering Control Act of 1986, Title 18, U.S.C. Section 981(a)(1)(A), and so on.  These definitions alone are alarming, however , the listings by state are beyond words, when it comes to us  the ” nice guys”.

Examples are not exact….numbers are mixed up and cases are changed around, however, it is the content that brings me to today’s writing.

And so it goes…..

Texas…..$46,770 currency, CSA, 7-27-11  John Doe, 1129 smith st.   along with$23,000 currency, CSA and a 2007 Chev Tahoe

Washington….$56,596, CSA 7/20/11 found in the following locations, kitchen cabinet next to narcotics, office closet on floor inside a shoe, computer bag in office closet, left pants pocket of……

Florida……$38,254 SUA 9-1-11 Sarasota, Miscellaneous silver and gold bars belonging to……          including 2 US Academy 100 oz silver bars, …  and …..; 2 US Ohio Precious Metals 100 oz silver bars, US Engelhard 100 oz silver bar, no……1 oz vienna philharmonic silver, 150 euros, , etc, etc.

Illinois……CSA 12 gauge shotgun, s/n……

South Carolina…..$144,861 SUA 7/19/11 

Oregon……jewelry seized from……square wheat 10 kt white gold neck chain with a diamond and 10 kt white gold cross pendant, mens stainless steel Rolex Date Just watch………and so on and so on

I didn’t list all the money, cars, bank accounts, jewelry,and guns discussed today…….These samples came from a full page……in VERY VERY SMALL PRINT I might add, and should be a wake-up notice to each and every reader.

Maybe it is time to read the Legal Notices again……in the WSJ. Maybe it is time we thank the FBI, the DEA, ICE, Border Patrol, and Coast Guard as they keep watch 24/7 over our  neighborhoods, communities, & states;our land, and its borders.  Maybe it’s time we see that these men and women have the equipment,the money, and the backing to do their job, instead of having their hands tied by politicians who can’t find their way out of a paper bag unless a TV reporter is around.

Thank you ladies and gentlemen for watching over me and mine. I salute you and yours and thank you for your dedication.          later


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9-11 beginning or end


I was staying in a small hotel in Texas on 9-11…having never been to NYC size, volume, and address wasn’t something I knew, like I knew Los Angeles, or San Diego, or Indianapolis, or Louisville, etc.  And yet, I knew life was changing, for me and for every living person on this planet.  Happy kisses goodbye and pats on toddler’s heads, usually a ‘sweet’ habit, became a piece of history to relive for comfort. Answering machines and phones, held moments worth more than gold itself. The smell of bedclothes, the special tie, the favorite box of cereal, became monuments.  Family pictures, clothes in the laundry, drawings on the fridge, and the church  meeting notice, became items on the alter of rememberance.

Oh how my heart ached for those living and dying.  Oh how I admired the courage, the calmness, and the action, to continue the belief of dedication to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

And now today, on 9-10 we begin to gather to salute our fallen heros….those who were not in the battle of dying that morning, but who arose to live and love in this country called America.  They live on in my mind as soldiers of freedom, their forfeiture of life, the ultimate gift to each of us. They stood tall, side by side, managers, firefighters, typists, associates, drivers, police, receptionists, tourists,  secretaries, cooks,  and  even the unborn. They lived in died in and for freedom, and it is up to us to carry on in their footsteps.