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Greetings
Quotaholics
I tried to think up a clever lead in for this weeks column but it just
wasn’t happening. Maybe it is because I was a little alarmed when I
saw the headline, maybe that’s why. From the U.K.
Daily Mail comes the source article for todays column.
Okay, I was a lot alarmed. Even though this source article is from Britain,
and they are writing about parents and teenagers living in Holland,
the subject is still relevant in the United States. Teenagers will be
teenagers and will find ways to “rebel” against their parents, to do
their own thing. It seems as though the closer a teenager is to that
desired number that signifies adulthood, 18, the more they think they
are smart enough to make their own choices in regards to any or even
all adult situations. Maybe they are, sometimes. Maybe even most of
the time they are. But parents have to draw the line somewhere.
Apparently some parents, not just in Holland either, are allowing their
teenage daughters to invite boyfriends into their homes for sleepovers,
and we all know what that can lead to. I do know that most of the time
sleepovers involve very little sleeping, and sometimes they will try
and sneak out of the house for a little late night carousing. Can. Not
necessarily will, but…can.Okay, it’s just not for staying up giggling
and doing silly things in this case. It’s specifically for the purpose
of having sex.
It seems from the tone of the article Dutch laws are more liberal in
this matter than United States law. Most U.S. laws forbid sex between
those under 18 years of age as we all know. There are a very few areas
where the age of consent is lower, but for the most part 18 is the magical
number. Have sex with someone under the age of 18, whether or not it
is consensual, and a male can be prosecuted for at the very least statutory
rape if the parents of the girl are so inclined. If they are particularly
vengeful and depending on where they live, he could even end up labeled
as a sex offender. This can apply even if the man (or boy) is under
18 himself. Not only that, but if the parent consents to this, they
also could be prosecuted under the law for a variety of charges from
contributing to the delinquency of a minor to aiding and abetting a
sex crime.
Even so, according to my teenage granddaughter, sleepovers with boys
are not uncommon among todays youth. Not to say it is something “everyone”
is doing, but neither is it a unique situation. There were a couple
of times when my grandchildren were living with me that she was allowed
to stay overnight at a boys house with my consent but there were extenuating
circumstances. I was adamantly opposed to it when she first asked but
after talking to my D.I.L. and the boys mother (and my granddaughter)
and finding out the young man in question was gay I gave my consent.
Come to find out later it was from him she learned the fine art of applying
black eyeliner. Way too much black eyeliner if you ask me.
In another similar situation I read about on one of my Facebook newsfeeds,
I learned of a situation where a group of girls frpm New York I believe,
were going on an overnight field trip and had invited a m-f (male to
female) trandgendered girl to come along. At least one mother was alarmed
enough to revoke her daughters permission to go on the trip. She cited
the reason as being the “danger” of this persons still active male hormones
being overwhelming enough that a loss of control and rampant teenage
sex might occur. I seriously doubted that just as I doubted my teenage
granddaughter was in any “danger” from her gay schoolmate. However,
I wouldn’t be going as far as the one mother did in the article and
buying a double bed for her sexually active daughter so her and her
partner wouldn’t be uncomfortable having sex in a single bed. Sheesh!
I consider that to have been a bit beyond the pale.
I know things are much much different now than they were when I was
growing up. Right or wrong, many parents take the “better-safe-than-sorry”
approach when they realize their children are having sex and take them
to the doctors for birth control, or ar least buy them condoms. Even
despite growing up in the free-love atmosphere of the 60’s and my liberal
hippie leanings, I don’t think I could or would do that if it were my
daughter. However, in many places a parents consent is no longer needed.
I don’t know, maybe I would, it’s hard to say unless I really encountered
that particular situation. One thing I know of for sure, I would NOT
be buying them their own double bed so they could comfortably knock
boots. Then again I suppose that would be preferable to having sex on
your living room floor and having your father walk in and catch you
and running for your life and not coming home for three days and having
to sleep in an old abandoned car behind your best friends house. Just
sayin…..
What about you dear readers? What would you do if your daughter asked
if her boyfriend could sleep over…not the sex on the living room floor
thing? Would you say yes? What if he were gay or even transgendered?
Would you give your consent for her to be on birth control? Would you
buy a mattress for them as did the mother in the article or get them
a motel room instead? Would you lock up your daughter until she was
35…umm, until 18? Would you call the boys parents or perhaps the police?
What’s a parent to do nowadays?
Glad I’m just a grammie
GrammieSammie
Why don’t we do it in the road?
~The Beatles~
The Gulf war was like teenage sex. We got in too soon and out too soon.
~author unknown~
The best way to keep children at home is to make the home atmosphere
pleasant, and let the air our of the tires.
~Dorothy Parker~
Comment
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| Today’s
Quotes |
Life is a wretched gray Saturday, but it has to be lived through. ~Anthony
Burgess
Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them. ~A.A. Milne
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| Today’s
Chuckle |
Pants
[Thanks dEE]
A plane was taking
off from Kennedy Airport. After it reached a comfortable cruising altitude,
the captain made an announcement over the intercom, “Ladies and gentlemen,
this is your captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number 293, nonstop
from New York to Los Angeles. The weather ahead is good and therefore
we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back and relax—OH
MY…!” Then silence.
Soon, the captain came back on the intercom and said, “Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am so sorry if I scared you earlier but while I was talking, the flight-attendant
brought me a cup of very hot coffee and she spilled it in my lap. You
should see the front of my pants!”
A passenger in Coach said, “That’s nothing. He should see the back of
mine!”
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| Life
Sentences |
Do I believe in arbitration? I do. But not in arbitration between the
lion and the lamb, in which the lamb is in the morning found inside
the lion.
It is impossible for capitalists and laborers to have common interests.
Show me the country that has no strikes and I’ll show you the country
in which there is no liberty. – all from Samuel Gompers, American labor
leader, born on this day in 1850
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| Image’n
That! |
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Mt.
Rushmore From The Canadian Side
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| My
Most Embarrassing Moment
My Scariest Moment |
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Speak right up!
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| Cliff’s
Notes
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Language
We have only a couple ways to communicate with each other. Of course
we have verbal language, and we have "body language".
Our verbal language is limited by our vocabulary, not just the speaker,
but the listener as well. But, even that has limitations. How one defines
a word may be different than the other person. Some words have many
different definitions, and a speaker may mean one of the many definitions,
but the listener may take it for one of the other definitions. Misunderstanding
can be easily accomplished this way.
Speech also has some other nuances. Inflection is quite a specific way
we take what is spoken for how is is meant. Lacking that inflection
in text, it has to be highlighted as follows in simple examples:
HOW are you doing?
How ARE you doing?
How are YOU doing?
How are you DOING?
In each example above, if you emphasize each capitalized word, there
is a slight difference in meaning. Hearing those inflections will aid
the listener to understand better what is meant. However, most of the
time, except by voice, these inflections are never highlighted in text.
Fortuitously, I received an email the same day I wrote this. In
the email were some additional references to how test can be misunderstood
but the lack of capitalization. I put forth that the lack pf punctuation
is also a major culprit, but I’ll simply add the quote of the email
for entertainment and educational purposes.
"In the world of hi-tech gadgetry, I’ve noticed that more and
more people who send text messages and emails have long forgotten the
art of capitalization.
For those of you who fall into this category, please take note of the
following statement…
"Capitalization is the difference between helping your Uncle Jack
off a horse and helping your uncle jack off a horse."
Is everybody clear on that?"
Body language is often seen as a defining tool. Even if someone says
they are "just fine", we can know they aren’t as fine as they
let on by the frown, folded arms, or even a subtle shifting of weight
from foot to foot. Glancing away or looking someone straight in the
eye can emphasize the fact they are totally honest in what they say,
or that they are trying to avoid the topic. "How are you doing?"
is a common greeting and the automatic answer is usually "Fine."
We all know that nobody is simply "fine". How they say it
and their posture tells more of their true condition.
With most communications, knowing the person, truly knowing them and
how they communicate, offers less chance of misunderstandings. As most
communication is done in what is sometimes considered a more impersonal
manner, text, that lack of inflection I mentioned earlier can often
make what was sent be received in a totally inaccurate way than intended.
Such lack of inflection can be a simple inclusion of a reference point,
where, via voice it would be highlighted with emphasis, or spoken lightly
as a passing reference. In plain text, the emphasis is taken by the
reader rather than by the writer. If there is a lack of intimate knowledge
of the individuals, those inclusions can be misunderstood.
It is the duty of the writer to send what they mean to the person(s)
they intend to have read their message. The whole idea is to bring forth
a thought, idea or topic in such a manner that the reader understands
the overall concept of thought in the sender’s mind and receives it
in a similar vein. This doesn’t always happen as the sender runs into
the nuances of language and does not have the life experiences of their
audience. Misunderstanding can occur when a concerted effort isn’t effective.
Here’s your quiz:
Have you written a letter, email or text and had your meaning completely
misunderstood?
Have you ever been told that your posture indicated the opposite of
what you were saying?
Have you ever been on the other side of either or both of those questions?
Language - Something Common Yet Uncommon
Cliff (the High-Tech Redneck who doesn’t rate a fancy ’signature pic’)
Comment
on this article |
| BJ’s
Ponderings |
Because
It Is Mine To Give (CS)
Last weekend I made a trip for healing, healing for my soul and healing
for another. I traveled to where my ex-wife lived. She had a serious
drinking problem which caused our marriage to dissolve. My step-son
took me to her house, little more than a shanty, to see his mother.
I asked Linda if she would step outside for a minute.
Outside I told this lady, who has suffered three strokes and has a
poor liver, that I forgave her for her misdeeds, that I had no ill
will towards her in any way. She was quite moved and apologized for
her behavior of the past. The magic we had between us is gone, however
the dignity of the past is mine to give her; my forgiveness is mine
to give her; and lastly my understanding is mine to give her. I imagine
with her liver, strokes, oh yes and lung problems, she will be lucky
to make it to 55. However, when that day comes, she can pass on with
peace.
I would implore anyone who can to forgive those who have offended
you.
BJ Cassady
Comment
On This Article
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Kirsten’s
Krazy Kaleidoscope |
Haven’t heard from Kirsten. Guess work is taking up too much of
her time again! Hurry back Kirsten.
Comment
On This Article |
| Lucille’s
Lunacy |
http://www.arcamax.com/currentnews/newsheadlines/s-916886
What is for dessert? If you are poor, and live in the great state of
Illinois, it could be whatever they have in abundance. According to
the link above, the dessert question has not been answered, but the
poor can look forward to a diet of Asian carp.
It apparently tastes all right. In fact, the Chinese consider it a delicacy.
The good people of the Land of Lincoln think they might just export
some of this yummy treat to Hongkong if there are any leftovers.
The poor can look forward to Asian carp fish sticks, and for the dieters
among them, a substitute for tuna is being proposed. If there is a bumper
crop of cherries, maybe cobbler will be offered. If not, the poor will
have to suffer with Sarah Lee and Hostess, just like the rest of us.
I do not know why this bothers me. Anything is better than starvation.
I have never eaten this kind of fish before, and for all I know, the
Chinese may be on to something.
The fish is an invasive species, meaning it eats stuff other species
need, and generally destroys the ecology for native flora and fauna.
It is a real problem in the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, and constitutes
a large portion of the fish caught by commercial anglers in Illinois.
Therefore, it is plentiful, edible, and according to our brethren in
Asia, quite palatable.
It just smacks a bit of Marie Antoinette. She thought of an interesting
way to treat a famine in France. When they ran out of flour to make
bread, she suggested that they eat cake instead. It seems that Illinois
is taking the same approach. The cost of tuna has apparently sky rocketed,
and the food pantries are getting a little desperate. Maybe the powers
that be aren’t being overly cynical when their answer to the problem
of hunger among the poor is to “let them eat carp”.
Comment
On This Article |
| Poet-Tree |
After careful study, it has been suggested that the peacock’s brilliantly
colored and oversized tail,
as well as its piercing, loud call, evolved through the forces of natural
selection, not sexual selection,
and were primarily designed to intimidate rivals, not to attract females.
Seven years of study in Japan
concluded that the females are virtually indifferent towards the male
display of plumage. (Wiki)
Hmmm! And here I thought big and colorful was better -
I once had a peacock named Blue…
Hints:
Here’s a great new rhyming/composition tool. http://www.writerhymes.com/
There’s also a great rhyming dictionary at http://www.rhymezone.com/
Limerick rules. http://freespace.virgin.net/merrick.sheldon/limerickrules.htm
Submit
Opening Line
Submit
Limerick
My
cat scratched me on my thigh
It hurt so bad it made me cry
I went to thump him on his nose
But on his back his hackles rose
I give up, I’ll just get high!
- Bonnie >^..^< |
My
cat scratched me on my nose
as I tried to pick up the rose.
He jumped on my back
and grabbed it right back,
and that’s how that story goes!
- ldo |
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Reader Comments |
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Re: Anonymous
Copyright
began as a way for writers and artists to get paid, along with publishers.
Now that publishing is practically free, the obsolete industries have
bought legislation to keep themselves rich, and inconvenience everyone
else in the process. Many artists still get stiffed. Anonymous members
could build an alternative system if they had the law on their side.
I hang out with inventors, and we are also tremendously inconvenienced
by the Patent system. Penicillin was stuck in the lab for over a decade
until special legislation forced the drug companies to pool their
knowledge. I’d like to see a percentage of taxes go to original content
providers of all kinds, according to their popularity. With computers,
it would be easy to establish a claim, and track the popularity of
it. People could collaborate freely, and build on each others’ insights.
Original work is a public benefit; lawyers are not. When I buy music,
I want most of the money to go to the artist, not the gatekeeper.
Financing large projects like traditional films, satellites or DNA
sequencing would probably work best with ad-hoc fundraising rather
than a bureaucracy for allocating a budget. - Bob of the North
Who should rule the internet?
Why should anyone rule the internet? RGQ is always full of stories
about authorities interfering in peoples lives, why should we be happy
to accept authorities tell us what we can use the internet for?
I feel that the ACTA SOPA, and PIPA acts etl are all about protecting
profit but open the door to limiting what we are allowed to see and
do on the internet. Not a situation I want to see.
Anonymous is a decentralized group of hacker/activists who don’t really
care who says should rule the internet. They do, at least according
to them. The group seems to be associated with 4chan and their subsidiary
entities. Your description seems a little biased to me. Not knowing
much about the group I decided to search and I cannot find a statement
issued by Anonymous stating that they rule the internet! Is this something
they said or someones inference? OMG I just looked up 4chan and they
allow people to have discussions and post images, Must be totally
subversive. Next thing you know people on this page might start sharing
ideas. Please be careful everyone. - Sue
I’m for copyright protection, but know little about SOPA. What I wonder
about groups like Anonymous is if they feel they should be the police
of the internet, why aren’t they taking down child pornography sites
and keeping them off line? In other words, there might be a good use
for people who can provide regular folks with a better communications
system that helps rather than hinders? - Nancy L in Ohio
SOPA to me is evil. I also
am a writer, but the net should be free.
I have no opinion on Anon as yet. - BJ
Re: Communications
I get
hundreds of emails per day, and send dozens. Even in the 60s one of
my best friendships was based on passing notes in class. I now get
one or two in-person conversations over an hour per week, and a few
quick ones, plus two or three phone calls per month. The cost per
minute of audio is absurd this way, but having a ‘phone number is
still part of appearing fully human now. Unfortunately, the government
is still mostly equipped for fax, and my line won’t handle that. I’m
still avoiding Facebonk and cell phones. - Bob of the North
I text and email far more
often than phone conversations. If I hadn’t learned to text, I’d never
hear from my kids. Face time? I am a massage therapist. I spend at
least an hour with each client. Frequently we talk, but it’s rarely
face to face. - L&K, herm
Re: Tea
Party
Bruce,
could you give me a link to the bit about the Tennessee Tea Party.
I live in Nashville and I have never read it or heard about it. -
“Tom” in Nashville
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Disclaimer- All quotes printed in this publication are believed to be
accurately attributed, but no guarantees are made that some incorrectly
attributed, or even outright false quotes won’t get in here from time
to time. I assure readers that I will do my best to weed out incorrect
quotes, and will print a retraction as soon as I become aware of any errors.
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