#Special interest groups

[prep4tomoro]

Personal Benefits of Volunteering:

One of the best ways to help people, learn something new, improve upon what you already know or empower goodness and freedom in this world is to volunteer. Working on a farm to learn crop growing or raising animals for food, getting involved in politics to affect change, working at a charity organization to help the less fortunate or to just get out of life's routine and meet new people in a purposeful setting may be a few examples. Volunteering can, sometimes, be viewed as an entirely selfless act, with the assumption that you are sacrificing your time and resources to help others without any benefit to yourself. But most volunteers have experienced that they received more than they gave. Before getting started with a volunteer opportunity, it's important to ask yourself what you would like to learn or accomplish from the experience then inquire if the opportunity aligns with any of your expectations. Sharing your life with another part of your community may just change your life, and theirs, for the better. Some benefits of volunteering are:

Reassess your strengths and weaknesses Explore your interests Strengthen past skills Develop new skills Learn something new Become the teacher you never knew you were Broaden your horizons by interacting with new people & places Strengthen your compassion for others Improve or develop new interpersonal skills Gain a natural sense of accomplishment through helping others Achieve a new or strengthened sense of purpose Increase your self-esteem and self-confidence Have a brighter outlook on life Develop a new support system through those you meet volunteering Improve your physical health through more active volunteer opportunities Improve your overall mental health by helping others Experience greater happiness through volunteering Advance your career through new connections, work experience and skills Experience more fun and greater life fulfillment Find others with similar interests - make new friends Learn more about your neighbors and community

[11-Cs Basic Emergency Kit] [14-Point Emergency Preps Checklist] [Immediate Steps to Take When Disaster Strikes] [Learn to be More Self-Sufficient] [The Ultimate Preparation] [P4T Main Menu]

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[oldbutnotyetwise]

Bellyachin

     The following views are mine, and mine alone.  They don’t represent the opinions or positions of any organization, or of any people that I may, or may not be attached to.  They have not been researched or scientifically tested, there have been no polls or input received from people wiser than me.  They are quite simply the ponderances of a man who would seem to be getting crankier as he gets older.

     For many years after I retired I would wake up in the morning, make my morning tea, return to bed where I would sip my tea while listening to the news and gently ease myself into the day.  Well that has changed over the last year or two as I now find myself turning the news off after only a few minutes because, well because of what I am not fond of listening to.  I’m not sure what the technical term for it would be, I think it might be belly-aching.  

     Somewhere along the way it seems our society has gone off the tracks, the old way of working for what you want has been replaced with people constantly demanding what they are “entitled” to, or what they think they deserve.  I saw something on-line the other day, it was a picture of a piece of paper, written across the top was the line, “This is what the world owes you”, the page was blank under that.  It made me smile because it really rang true for me.  

     When did the tail start wagging the dog?  During Covid people were allowed to work from home but now the time has come where the employers want the person to return to work and people are demanding that they be allowed to work from home, demanding.  Perhaps I am biased having worked my career in a paramilitary organization where orders were given and expected to be followed.  It was a very black and white existence, and I took comfort in it.  I always knew where I stood, and yes I sometimes followed directions that were poorly thought out, but it wasn’t my place to question it unless I was asked for my input.  If the order was lawful and not harmful then I shut up and did as I was told.

     I had many dealings with people who were on Welfare over the years.  I felt some used it as it was meant to be used, they used it for a period of time until they could get back on their feet and then earn their own keep.  Then there were others who had been on welfare for decades and they raised children and grandchildren destined for the same lifestyle.  Can someone explain to me why someone on Welfare gets medical and dental coverage while the person out working two jobs to make ends meet doesn’t?  Where is the logic in that?  Why do we have so many people on Welfare while at the same time Restaurants and stores are unable to find any staff to fill their positions?  How about the people in jail collecting welfare?  Did you know that someone who has been convicted of defrauding the Welfare System, can not be denied Welfare?  So let me explain it to you this way.  Someone who you are helping steals from you, you catch them stealing, and when you tell them that you are no longer willing to help them because of this betrayal of trust, the courts then tell you that you have to keep helping.  How would you feel being told that?

     Why are seniors scraping by in run down Senior’s Homes after having spent their lives working and being contributing members of society while prisoners in medium security prisons live in cottage like facilities, take advantage of free education and entertainment programs while eating nutritious meals?  I know of prisoners who specifically request a longer sentence so they can go to a federal facility, live the good life and get out sooner due to parole requirements.  Why are prisons not run to be self sufficient, supplying some service or producing some product to reduce the financial burden that they put on society, while at the same time teaching valuable work skills?

     There are all these special interest groups out there demanding that their group gets this or gets that.  They are not demanding equality, they are demanding special treatment.  I think what we need is to eliminate all these divisions, people are people, and everyone deserves to be treated equally, period.  If someone is being mistreated then everyone, and I mean everyone should be standing up for that person, not just the people that look the same, have the same religion or share the same sexual orientation.  Just do what is right.

     Recently during the Covid pandemic the government was giving out money like Halloween candy.  People were purposely not working to take advantage of this government grant.  Again jobs were there but people preferred to take the free ride being offered by the government.  Is there any wonder why so many young people feel entitled?

     Having a child is quite often the best thing that we will have happen to us in our lives.  The reality that comes with this is that having a child, or children can be expensive.  Somewhere along the way though society is becoming responsible for the costs of raising people’s children.  Shouldn’t you be responsibly for your own children?  People who choose never to have children nevertheless have to pay a good portion of tax to support the school system, basically they are paying to support other’s children.  Now there is a government program for ten dollar a day daycare, once again supported by people who have no children, or perhaps by someone who stayed home to raise their own children.   Keep in mind that some, certainly not all, of the people benefiting from this program could afford to pay for their own daycare.  Is that fair to the people who stayed home and looked after their own children?  What is next, will we start paying stay at home Mom’s for looking after their own children?

     I think we are depriving this generation from learning a good work ethic.  Learning that hard work is what will get you ahead in this world.  Instead we are creating a generation of people demanding things and expressing a sense of entitlement that is nothing short of offensive.   Please know that I acknowledge that there are hard working young people and they have my respect and admiration, it is the coasters that I have trouble with.

     I remember recently hearing the Prime Minister of a country that had been struck with a horrific Natural Disaster.  He was expressing that he was not asking for charity, he expects people to give his country money because they deserved it.  What?????  So I thought to myself, maybe I need to check the definition of charity.  So a quick check of the Oxford Dictionary came up with “the voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need.”  Maybe I should check for an email for this Prime Minister to help educate him on the definition of charity.  What is clear to me is that one does not demand charity, you can ask for help, but you can’t demand it. 

     Now that I have you all looking at me like I am a cold hearted, or perhaps even heartless evil person, let me qualify some things here.  There is a great quote, that I believe in whole heartedly, it is by Ghandi. “The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members”.  I strongly believe in supporting the most vulnerable in our society, what I am questioning is how we define who “the most vulnerable members” are, and what the best way to help them is?

     I will now share a second quote with you, this one by Desmond Tutu.  “There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river.  We need to go upstream and find out why they are falling in.”  I think it is time for us to go upstream, let’s look at the problem from another angle.  Let’s stop the people from falling in the river in the first place.

     Throwing a lot of money at problems is easy when you are a politician, especially since it’s not your money that you are spending.  I think it is time that we realize that what we have been doing all these years isn’t working, things are just continuing to get worse, it’s time to think outside the box, look at the bigger picture or whatever catchy phrase you want to use.  It’s time to do things differently, if you truly care, lets fix the problem because we are running out of bandaids.  

     Let’s help those who need help, that are grateful for help, and who are trying to get back to being contributing members of society.  Perhaps those who are not trying, are not grateful and who are demanding more than is being offered, perhaps we need to assess if they are someone that we should be helping.  Let us look after the vulnerable people in our society, but let’s stop being taken advantage of by the “takers”, who only take, and take, and take.  Imagine how much better things could be if we redirected funds to the truly vulnerable in our society, and we pushed the takers into accepting responsibility for themselves.  Who knows, maybe one day they would thank us for that hard push in the right direction.

     The young, the elderly, and the unwell are the people who deserve our support and assistance.  Let’s make our charitable contributions count, spend it where it will do the most good.  Let’s search out strong leaders who will make the tough decisions compassionately and with empathy, and not bow down to political pressures being exerted by the “Special Interest Groups”.  Back to the very simple but profound statement; Just do what is right.

     Okay, that’s enough bellyaching for today.  This cranky old man can feel your Stink Eye being aimed at him.  He will go back home, not listen to the news and maybe just sit and continue pondering the state of the world these days.  You may be able to change his mind on some of these things, but probably not all of them.  

     The question is, did he change your mind on anything?  

[postersbykeith]

[worldwatcher3072]

Money in Politics Damaging American Democracy

The issue of money in politics has long been a controversial topic in American politics, with many concerned that the influence of wealthy donors and corporations is damaging the democratic process. Recent developments in the wake of the 2020 election have only underscored these concerns, with many arguing that the flood of money into politics is undermining the will of the people and eroding trust in our democratic institutions.

One of the key concerns with money in politics is the way that it can distort the political process and give undue influence to wealthy donors and special interest groups. The massive amounts of money spent on political campaigns and lobbying can make it difficult for ordinary citizens to have their voices heard, leading to a situation where politicians are more likely to listen to their wealthy donors than to the needs and concerns of their constituents.

This situation is made worse by the proliferation of dark money in politics, which refers to funds that are donated to political campaigns or causes by organizations or individuals who are not required to disclose their identities. This allows wealthy donors and special interest groups to exert influence without transparency, making it difficult for voters to understand who is behind the messages they are hearing and who is shaping the political agenda.

The effects of money in politics can be seen in a range of policy areas, from tax policy to environmental regulation to healthcare. Studies have shown that politicians who receive large donations from certain industries are more likely to support policies that benefit those industries, even if those policies run counter to the public interest.

There are some who argue that money in politics is simply a fact of life in a capitalist society, and that attempts to limit its influence would be tantamount to limiting free speech. However, others argue that the outsized influence of money in politics is damaging to our democracy and that steps must be taken to limit its impact.

This might include measures such as public financing of political campaigns, tighter disclosure requirements for political donations, and stronger enforcement of campaign finance laws. Whatever the solution, it is clear that the issue of money in politics is one that must be addressed if we are to maintain a vibrant and healthy democracy in the United States.

[reportwire]

Imprisoned Russian activist honored with human rights award

Imprisoned Russian activist honored with human rights award

GENEVA — An imprisoned Russian opposition activist who was honored by a human rights advocacy group dedicated his award to the thousands of people who have been arrested or detained in Russia for protesting President Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. UN Watch, a Geneva-based organization that promotes human rights and tries to ensure that the United Nations does, too, gave Vladimir Kara-Murza its…

[shithowdy]

i know there's a lot of ego and assumptions about my own susceptibility to manipulation going on here but i truly think i am immune to most cults. not even from a bullshit detection standpoint, but from a standpoint of every account i have ever heard/read of someone finding themselves in a cult or mlm includes descriptions of social situations that would overstimulate and stress me out so bad that i would vomit and leave immediately. a road trip with strangers? a self-improvement seminar? giving out my phone number to someone i met in an aisle at target? having to host a recruitment party? the constant hype machine behavior? love-bombing? the pressure to socialize? unpaid morning zoom calls? maybe it's because i never went to church as a kid but i have no concept of "faith" in something unseen nor do i ache for a "community" larger than a handful of fellow hobby-havers, so the idea of manufacturing a new passion just to fit into a crowd i otherwise have nothing in common with sounds like a type of psychological torture customized for me specifically. i barely muster passion for the things i like.

i can understand completely how people get sucked into them and don't think it's something on which character should solely be judged. most people actually do ache for that community, and most people are actually flattered and not freaked out if someone begins to fawn over them, because we are social creatures isolated by capitalism and crave comfort and validation from others. but on my mother, if a new friend dragged me to a "show" that turned out to be a motivational speaker my departure would be so rude and abrupt. i am too fucking autistic to chant affirmations with an auditorium of 1000 people.

if i am ever victimized by a "cult" it'll probably be more of a final fantasy house low-scale personality cult sort of situation. while i would hope better for myself, a charismatic online person warming up to me until i'm sucked into their little circle of sycophants they have collected is not outside the realm of imagination, and all i can hope is that my true friends will be honest enough about catching bad vibes that it never happens.

[oeuvrinarydurian]

It’s SNARKY LITTLE SHIT SUNDAY.

There’s so much Snark to choose from in this scene that I literally could not edit it into a GIF. It’s 84 seconds of videotastic delight.

Volume up.

Snark gold. 

[jessieren]

Ugh... this man... and that smile...

The full on Soft-stache experience

No idea where this pic is from so if you know please credit...

[the-overthinktank]

it drives me mad when i see someone draw what are obviously Oxalis (shamrock/wood sorrel) leaves with what are obviously Trifolium (clover) flowers.

These plants don't look anything like each other! They are not in the same bloody ORDER! How does this keep happening! Hrghgrrr! GHRRRRRrRRr

[hottestthingalive]

people acting as if fred is the leader of mystery inc just because he drives the car and plans the traps as if daphne is not the only one with any common sense. fred loves engineering & tends to be the spokeperson for the group just because he’s Tall and Loud but let’s be so for real that boy can’t navigate a social situation to save his life. velma’s incredibly smart but only book/mystery-wise—girl CANNOT do her own laundry and also will not remember to sleep. shaggy’s got a healthy sense of self-preservation but also will risk his life time and time again for a snack. scooby’s a dog. daphne blake does their taxes and writes the grocery list and budgets their trips and she sits in the passenger seat not because she may or may not be dating fred but because she is the only one who can read a map and convey that information to the person driving accurately and effectively. daphne blake is 100% in charge of the mystery gang (even if only shaggy really knows it) and i will not take any more slander against her

[too-antigonish]

If you hated the Morstache, wait until you hear these ideas for S6...

I've been thinking a lot about a S7 rewrite this last week and somehow it has seeped into my Morstache Monday. As I sat down to do this post, my original plan kept getting derailed by ideas for alternate versions of S6.

So here they are:

Morse: Undercover as cool, bad boy, 70s cop.

2. Morse and Joan: Cute couple in wacky 70s sit-com.

3. Jim Strange and Endeavour Morse: Buddy Cops

4. Morse: Sensitive 70s Folk Singer

5. Mr. Bean?

[Photos 3,4,5: endeavourneverland]

[season-77]

Liking a man's mustache is like learning to enjoy black coffee – tough at first, but you grow to appreciate the true flavor. Mustaches are "an acquired taste" – something you have to get used to before you see their real charm...

If you're still on the fence about joining the group, just take a look at those freckles and profile.

[thewatcher98]

How I wish to know what is happening here.

Which one comes first? Cause it's surely from the same moment. What are they reading? What made them laugh so much (especially Roger)?

Oh! I bet it would have been so nice being on set with all of them...

📷 by endeavourneverland

[twosmallcatsinatrenchcoat]

my favorite trolls fun fact is that the korean voice dub of poppy is actually in trolls world tour !!! the blue kpop troll wani is played by wendy (the main vocalist of the kpop girl group red velvet) and she’s also poppy’s korean voice too :)

[oeuvrinarydurian]

I don’t really have a point to this other than to wonder out loud how it’s possible for one man playing one character to be appealing and sexy whether he’s glamorously well tailored and put together, or hung over, having slept on a sofa and completely disheveled. 

[five-thousand-loaves-of-bread]

want knit cashmere……………