Standards and Grudges

Search:

Today had a theme and it wasn’t chosen by me. Today’s theme; how people can be stupid with or around dogs.

I was at East Towne Mall today to look at books and get a power converter. On my way out I noticed a handicapped individual with a service dog. This being a mall, there was no shortage of children running around. Guess what these children were doing? They were basically harassing this dog and subsequently the owner. I can’t even guess how many times I heard some kid scream, “puppy!!”. Of course the parents were all complete idiots. It’s apparent that parents are not teaching children to leave service animals alone. These animals have a very important purpose. Without the service animal, this person would be completely dependent on others. Even limited independence is great compared to complete dependency. But in order for the service animal program to work, society has to help. That means you do nothing to that animal unless the owner tells you to. That animal is a part of their person, just as much as their arm or leg. It wouldn’t be acceptable for your children to run up to a random person and start rubbing their leg or start feeding them. Obviously the parents have failed. So where do we go from here? Require people to pass a test before they can have children? I personally like that idea, but it’s hardly constitutional. My alternative solution is to have schools teach children to leave service animals alone. Disabled people with service animals should be brought into the schools. Then children would know what they look like and then be taught how to behave around them. There also need to be specific laws to punish those that harass, touch or feed service animals without permission. If such laws already exist, then they need to be strictly enforced and publicized.

I’ve also seen adults behave inappropriate around service animals. I was at a cafeteria a couple years ago and there was a blind man eating lunch. A young woman at the next table tore off bits of her sandwich and was trying to feed his dog. The dog didn’t take the bait and the owner noticed something was amiss. Don’t ever assume that a blind person is unaware of their surroundings. This is obviously a situation he’s been in before. He faced her direction and politely asked her to stop trying to feed his dog. She replied and this is an exact quote, “geez, I was just giving him a snack”. After which she shot up and stormed out of the cafeteria. I guess she felt he was rude to her. Someone should knock that girl up the side of the head with a blunt object. People don’t even try to understand the service animal program. That animal needs to have complete loyalty to the owner and unwavering discipline. If the owner is the only source of food and affection for the animal, then the owner-animal bond will be strong.

After my visit to the monument of commerce I went to a favorite local burger franchise, Culver’s. I was enjoying my meal and reading the paper when I heard a peculiar noise for a restaurant setting. There was a dog in the building and it was barking. Not much of a bark mind you. This was a small dog bark. High pitch, quick and like nails through the ear deep into the brain. I couldn’t see where this dog was and it had stopped making noise, so I resumed eating. A few minutes later I was in the middle of the Opinion section of the paper when I again heard the dog. This time it was behind me and much closer. I turned and discovered that it was in fact a small dog, a very small dog. It was a few tables away sitting inside a handbag. The woman who owned it was busy stuffing her face with custard and was completely unaware that her overgrown rat was an annoyance to the rest of the patrons. I’m fairly certain that it’s not legal to bring non-service animals into restaurants. It’s definitely annoying though. The dog had the unwilling attention of the entire restaurant. I was surprised that no employee approached the woman. I don’t understand why this woman brought the dog inside. She could have kept it in her car. It was not a warm day, so heat couldn’t be an excuse. Was there something in her car she didn’t want her dog messing up? Guess what? When you’re a dog owner, then you must take responsibility and provide certain accommodations for the dog, such as having a cage in the car or a kennel at the house. If the dog can’t be left alone at all, then you need to arrange to have someone watch it while you shop or stuff your face with custard. Should people be required to pass a test before they can have a pet? I think so. I think the Humane Society would back me up on that.

I wonder what position John Kerry would take on people touching service animals or pets inside restaurants. I don’t really need to wonder. I can extrapolate from his opinions of other topics that he would support the one option that annoys me the most. Then a few months later he would change his position to a newly discovered option that annoys me even more, but don’t hold him to that. He loves to exercise his right to change his mind and often.

Did you hear that? A hat just dropped and Kerry changed his mind again.

There is one thing I have no tolerance for, infidelity. I can’t recall when I developed this moral belief, but I imagine it stems from two influences.

One: My parents have been married for a very long time and they’ve made it work. Every couple has problems and I know they weren’t handed anything. With honest work and dedication, you can stay committed and faithful.

Two: The motto of the Marine Corps is “Semper Fidelis”, which means “always faithful” in Latin. I was taught the meaning of this at boot camp. Some might call it brainwashing, but I call it tradition and value. There are some things that should matter, this is one of them. There are those that have betrayed the faith, but it doesn’t mean the belief is without merit. I am still very much a Marine. If you keep the faith, you are a Marine for life. You can also have this faith without ever earning the title of Marine yourself.

So how does this influence me? I will not betray anyone within my circle. Some don’t understand my actions at times or even think them creepy, sneaky or motivated by deviant desires. For instance, I was at a unit exercise last year and I took it upon myself to watch over a certain woman I work with. One day she was feeling ill, I carried her gear and made sure she made it back to her dorm room safely. On another night she was fairly drunk and I walked her back to her dorm. Why? It’s simple. I won’t lie, she’s very attractive and that is part of the reason. Not because I want to have a sexual relationship with her, but because being an attractive women can be dangerous at times. I will not allow harm to fall upon her because she is a good person. Her husband is also a former Marine and I extend the respect I have for Marines to their wives, families and friends. My circle will not befall harm if I can prevent it.

I’m not perfect however. Sometimes I make mistakes in the cause of my belief. This is when I expect others to take notice and correct me. It’s all about checks and balances. If you have true faith in this belief, you will understand that intention and action are equal parts. You can have great intentions and act in error. You can also perform all the right actions, but will ill intentions and be just as wrong.

I have a trying time ahead of me. The months ahead will not be easy and I know I there will be a time that I must choose to put others before myself. I have no problem with this. The hard part is knowing when that time is. Most times it will not be physical harm. It’s often pride or status that must be risked. I think it’s easier for most people to risk physical harm, than it is to risk pride or status. I’m not certain why that is and I’m sure there are many studies about this. I think it’s probably because we are social animals. Our place in society is a major part of our lives. Many people spend a great portion of their lives trying to find their place. When you find your place, you don’t want to lose it. Even if you haven’t found your place, you know what is lower and I can’t think of anyone that wants to be placed in a lower status than they’ve already achieved. Pride is a strength and a weakness. It can motivate you to greatness and make you cower in fear. You must take risk, have courage and temper your pride. That is fidelity.

Now something different.

When I like a woman, I always seem to figure out what I should do only after the point in which I should have done something has passed. Other times I know I should do something, but I realize that the timing is all wrong for me. Like me leaving the country for instance. I think I need to be more direct with my intentions. I’ll figure it out some day I suppose. I’m in the mood for a serious girlfriend now. It’s been awhile since I’ve had that and I would like to try again. I’ve kept myself at a distance from serious relationships for about six years. In that time I’ve made many mistakes with woman and I feel I’ve learned something. It’s time to put that knowledge to the test. Unfortunately I’m leaving the country and I’ve realized which woman I want. At this point I can only stay in touch and hope that the chance hasn’t passed me by.

Sometimes I wish that it was a conscience choice as far as who you love. That would be much simpler. I don’t have trouble finding someone I’m sexually attracted to and enjoy spending time with, but the magic isn’t there. It’s damn frustrating.

Last night while driving I was flipping through the radio stations, trying to find something to listen to. This is not an easy task since almost every radio station in the area is owned by the same company and has the same terrible playlist. I did eventually find something. I wasn’t sure what it was at first, there was no singing yet, but it didn’t sound retarded. I was wrong. It turned out to be Dave Matthews Band. I tried to listen to it, but I kept thinking about a recent CNN interview with Dave Matthews. Dave, his band and a horde of musicians that don’t realize that musical ability does not mean social or political enlightenment, have been on a crusade to promote John Kerry for president. During the course of the CNN interview, Dave said some things that highlighted how ignorant he is. I absolutely hate musical artists that use concerts to promote their political beliefs. It is their right to do this, but it doesn’t mean I have to support them.

I didn’t need any more reason to dislike Dave Matthews, but I was given one. In the paper this morning there was an article about Dave Matthews Band and illegal waste dumping.

Dave Matthews Band May Face Criminal Charges Over Bus Stink

There is no reasonable excuse for Dave not know about the dumping. I doubt Dave or a member of his band hit the switch to dump the waste, but think about this. When you’re on a tour bus with a bathroom for a long haul, you become very aware of the waste tank. Knowing how full it is becomes very important since that determines if you may relieve yourself. It doesn’t magically go down a hole and disappear. The tank must be emptied. That means Dave and his friends have to take time out of their busy propaganda tour to properly drain the tank. If this bus isn’t stopping to drain the tank, then you’d think they would start to wonder “where does the waste go”. Granted this takes reasoning and logic and I’m starting to believe that might be beyond the capabilities of this particular group. So it boils down to two possible conclusions; Dave is completely ignorant of the realities of his tour bus or Dave doesn’t care that his waste is spread across America. Neither of those conclusions speak highly of Dave. If Dave can’t figure out his own bus, then how can you trust his political beliefs? If he knowledgeably allowed the dumping, then he has no respect for others and no one should have respect for him. Respect is a two way street, a human waste covered street in this case. I already know he doesn’t care that his verbal waste is spread across America. In fact he very actively works to spread his verbal waste. Perhaps spreading his body waste is just another type of protest.

Here’s a message to the entertainment industry and I’m sure they’ve heard it before. Shut up and sing.

There is something rotten in this nation known as America. I’m not talking about the byproducts of last night’s assault on a nacho platter at the Oatcrest Tavern or any of the moronic ramblings of Michael Moore. It’s the horrid decay in the legal system. What has set off this rant you might be wondering? It’s not as if corruption and inappropriate behavior in the legal system are a sudden development. I’m obviously not going to expose a new level of depravity. I just feel the need to vent, point a finger and declare shenanigans. So what am I rambling about?

Judge re-opens qualifying in Louisiana district

This article appeared in today’s Wisconsin State Journal, page A5. I don’t take issue with most of the article, but there is one quote from District Judge Allen Edwards that makes my blood boil.

“Mr. Alexander has attempted to subvert the electoral process for his own personal gain. His action deprived voters of the right to vote for a Democratic candidate”.

What right? I must have been sleeping that day in class when the right to vote for a Democratic candidate was discussed. While I don’t know the laws of Louisiana, I know that the two party system hasn’t perverted our nations laws to the point that it is required to have a candidate from each of the two major political parties in an election. This judge should hang a sign from his bench that states, “Justice Is Bias”. This judge has used his position to deceive the uninformed public and immorally garner support for his own political affiliation, the Democratic Party.

From my reading of various articles about this case I’ve come to the understanding that Mr. Alexander’s actions might have violated some campaign laws. That is for the court to decide. However, this judge has placed the authority of the court in a position that brings into question the fairness of process. The Democratic Party has for a very long time tried to portray itself as the party for the common man and of greater ethical fiber. This case only makes me question their enlightened ethics even further.

Weekends will be the end of me yet.

After work on Friday I jumped in the car, picked up the parents in Sauk and headed north to La Crosse. The plan was to have a family event before my brother and I left the country. We’re in the same unit and are going overseas. When we arrived in La Crosse, no one was at my sister’s place; they were out on the river with the big boat. They weren’t expecting us that night. I did a slight change of plans and decided to show up Friday night instead of Saturday morning. No big deal, that’s what cell phones are for. They were up around the river bend, so my parents and I went to get some good old Wisconsin fish fry. Do you catch a theme yet? I love Wisconsin fish fry and it’s going to suck being without it. Anyways, after dinner we went back to the house, sat around for awhile, then headed to our hotels. Kid Rock was in town, so it was apparently difficult to find a hotel room, or so I was told. Before driving up I made reservations for my parents at the hotel closest to my sister’s house. I had no difficulty at all making that reservation. Do you really think Kid Rock fans can afford a hotel room after buying overpriced concert tickets? I dropped the parents at their hotel and headed to my brothers hotel. It was still too early to sleep, so we killed time at the pool. There was a family in the pool and a couple in the hot tub. The man in the hot tub was a very hairy. I thought to myself that a bear had gotten into the hotel. At least this bear spoke English, his mate didn’t however. During the process of the conversation we had with this couple we learned that they were riding from Washington to Green Bay with a stop in Sturgis. We learned that from the man. We have no idea what the lady tried to tell us. I heard a terrible noise and I thought someone was killing a cat in the corner. After looking around for kitty homicide, I realized this woman’s lips were moving and the death shrill was coming from her breathing hole. The hairy man didn’t look concerned, so I can only assume that this is how this subspecies communicates. It was nearly 11 pm, closing time for the pool and we gladly retreated.

In the morning we decided to check out the Continental Breakfast. Can you believe they had real food? I ate biscuits and gravy, eggs and a bowl of cereal. Still no Kid Rock fan sightings. There isn’t much to write about the rest of the time in La Crosse. We went out on the boats to the beach next to the airport, drank some alcohol and water skied. On the way back to the house, my sister Mouse (her real name is Maureen, but everyone calls her Mouse) was showing off and cut the corner around an island. Unfortunately for her, the water depth was less than a couple feet and she caught the prop on a rock. So we towed the ski boat back to the dock. There didn’t appear to be much damage. My brother-in-law Al pulled the boat out and took the prop off. The prop was banged up a bit, but everything else seemed fine. I ended up leaving around 8 pm. I had a long drive ahead. I drove from La Crosse, through Wisconsin Dells, down Hwy 12 to Sauk City, dropped off the parents and then drove right back to Wisconsin Dells. It was about 10:30 pm when I parked the car in the Dells. Record time I would assume.

I thought I was half an hour late. It turns out I was the first one at the bar. A group of people I work with and will be heading overseas with decided that we need one last major night out on the town. Everyone else had been in Pardeeville for the day and I was supposed to meet them at the bar. They hadn’t even left to the Dells when I called them from the bar. I felt like a total idiot sitting at the bar alone. That was ok though. I might have been an idiot, but there was plenty of other idiots at this bar. The Swing Crew was playing a gig at the bar and there was more than enough to amuse myself until the cohorts made their appearance. The entourage showed up about 30 minutes later and a commencement to begin stupidity was declared. I don’t know exactly how it happened, but somewhere in the course of conversation we started talking about truck stops and my mouth, without my permission said “jerking off to pictures of missing children in the truck stop bathroom”. Everyone then struggled to come up with something involving a truck stop that is more disturbing. We needed a new bar at this point. So we went to have a swig at Nigs. Being that we were at a biker bar, I started discussing the brown chaps that Johnny was wearing the other night. Ed, never being shy to say something that might get himself into physical danger asked some local experts. He approached some bikers at a table and said them very directly, “Can a biker wear brown chaps and not be a complete homo”. The bikers didn’t react violently and agreed with our assessment. Johnny needs to come out of the closet or buy some black chaps.

Unfortunately, the bars in the Dells close at 2 am. We had no desire to get arrested that night and we had an unsurprising lack of drivers sober enough to operate a vehicle between the lines. The only reasonable choice was to get a hotel room. At the first hotel, our group and the hotel staff were unable to reach an agreement on the price of a room, so we went across the street to the Embassy Hotel and got rooms for a total of $20 less. We’re apparently bargain shopping drunks. All night we were on a Hunter S. Thompson kick, so Bill and I walked into the hotel office repeating obscure quotes from the movie Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and the various writings and adventures of Hunter S. Thompson. The guy working the desk was Russian, which isn’t altogether uncommon. Companies in the Dells have been recruiting help from overseas for about a decade. I’m not sure exactly why companies do this, but it can certainly make a strange night even more odd. I’m sure this Russian fellow had become comfortable dealing with drunks over the course of the summer, but we had taken things to a whole new level. There was also a women working behind the desk. She obviously had no interest in talking to us or didn’t speak English. She just stared at me like my face was melting. After fumbling through a form we got our room keys and headed upstairs to continue the festivities. Our only supply was a bottle of rum and that wasn’t going to last long between six people. We had to take a collection to buy mixers from the soda machine near the pool. Quarters are not apparently a monetary unit that drunks carry, but luckily Kate had a supply in her car. We were now in business. Someone had produced a deck of cars from a pocket and we decided we need to play some sort of game. With only one bottle of rum, we couldn’t play any traditional drinking games, so poker was the obvious choice. With all games of poker, you need something to bet. After making a sausage count and consulting the opinion of Kate and Michelle, I suggested we not play strip poker. I wasn’t about to play a game of strip poker when there is a 2 to 1, guy to girl ratio and the girls wouldn’t be playing. I’ve seen a naked man before and I haven’t found the urge to see that again. We still needed something to bet however. Being that we were just at the bars, cash money was sparse and few wanted to play a game that had actual financial value. I managed to find a coupon book next to the hotel phone. We played poker for about half an hour before the coupons lost our interest.

I spent much of my youth in the Dells and I suggested to Kate that she accompany me on a walking tour of my childhood. She accepted and we took our drunken stupor to the streets. The playground was an obvious choice to recapture my youth. Someone had shrunken the playground equipment however. That didn’t stop us from playing though. The playground was rather exciting and I explained the nicknames of the equipment and the games that were specific to each piece. Sadly, I had run out of cigarette and the sound of police sirens signaled a good time to depart. When we returned to the hotel, we had found that the party had moved to the pool. There were also more people, including the Russian. I’m not exactly sure how it happened, but Ed had established a friendship with the Russian during my absence. The point in which anything was making sense was well behind me and I needed to lie down.

In the morning I woke with the inability to open my eyes more than a few millimeters. I think someone had been rubbing sand in my eyes. It was already past 10 am and we needed to depart the comfort and security of the Embassy. Ed’s friendship with the Russian had lasted through the night and we were taking him with us. This might have seemed overly strange a week before, but not this day. The plan was for Kate, Michelle, Ed and the Russian to drive to Madison. Then Ed and the Russian would continue on to Chicago. I’m not exactly sure what was supposed to happen from there. All I know is that it didn’t involve me, so I stopped paying attention. My plan was to get food and drop off Bill in Pardeeville before going home to peace and quiet. The Russian and some others had left, but it took the few remaining awhile to leave the parking lot. Dude’s girlfriend had arrived and we were discussing what we remembered from the night. We were obligated to establish the proper impression with his women since this was the first time many of us had met her.

I’m sure I have left many details of the night out, but I’m still processing the events in my mind. It will probably take collaboration with the others to get the story straight.