Happy New Year To All

JUST TAKING A MOMENT

TO WISH EVERYONE HERE

A VERY PROSPEROUS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR
MAY GOD BLESS YOU ALL!

Merry Christmas To All

Hello Everyone, I just wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and the Best New Year Ever! I pray that your day is blessed and spent with loved ones.

Just a bit of fun, truth and humor

I am a large man. I have always thought that being a dancer and being admired for your grace and beauty would be rewarding. But I have to face the truth, a man my size does not look graceful or beautiful in dance gear, let alone have the ability for fluent angelic pirouettes. So, I will satisfy myself with the fact that others are better suited for that particular task. And I will live vicariously as I watch others in motion!

Not All Muslims Are Terrorist

Allah says very clearly: (Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not do aggression, for Allah loves not the aggressors.) (Al-Baqarah 2: 190)

The above images were sent to me in an Indian group that I belong to. It is usually a light hearted group that shares fun photo's and things, but recently has had a few articles and pictures of the events in Mumbai over the last few days.

These photo's came in a large series of pictures that were sent to me about India and Mumbai after the events. One is a photo of Muslims at a peace gathering releasing doves into the air as a symbol of peace. The others show Muslims praying for the families and souls of those lost during the attacks.

In a previous note, I wrote about how I feel that Islamic extremest are the cause of many of the world's problems and how I did not view them as a religion of peace. While I still hold that to be true (at least regarding extremest), I also believe that there are many Muslim people who simply want to live in peace. I just want to be clear to those who may choose to read my blog that I do not hate Muslims and I do understand that many (certainly most) want to live in a peaceful world. I commend the Muslim people who have the courage and strength of character to stand against their own Islamic brothers who would take their beliefs from those of peace to those of aggression.

Hungry Baby

Sometimes you just need a smile and this little guy gave me one! Have a wonderful day!

Management Bathroom

Management Bathroom, Need I Say More???

Candle In A Window

Hi All, It's the time of year when we will be putting lights up and candles in the window to celebrate the Christmas season. Just a reminder to keep one extra candle in the window for our troops and to keep it up year through until they are home safe!

The Mumbai Attacks

I just wanted to take a moment to express my opinion of the Mumbai attacks. They were apparently committed by members of an extremest Islamic group. I find myself with several thoughts racing through my mind.

First, I always hear that Islam is a religion of peace. I struggle to understand that. I find that again and again, when there is trouble in the world, there is some Islamic faction to blame. The world trade towers, Islamics, The Bangkok events, Islamics, The constant middle east struggle between Israel and the Arab world, Islamics, The events on the subways of London, Islamics, trouble in the Philippines, Islamics and now India, Islamics again. To me, it is clear that these Islamic fundamentalist are not people of peace, but are rather monsters without souls simply doing as much damage to the world as they can.

What irks me the most about these people is that they are not fighting an honorable war against honorable people. They are simply hurting innocents and can't even clearly state whatever it is that they want to accomplish. To me, it is one thing to go to war against another country when one's boarders have been attacked as we did after September 11, but it is entirely another to attack innocents as these barbarians did on September 11 and now in Mumbai.

In my opinion, Islamic terrorist are the biggest cowards on the face of the planet. They live to create jihad, a religious war. So what do they do, they attack innocents everywhere they can to try to ensure that jihad occurs. Unlike real soldiers who can come home and report that they fought honorably against a formidable foe, all these losers can brag about is killing women and children in a hospital, or hurting elderly tourist in a hotel, or terrorizing Jewish people who were simply minding their own business.

They then return home and cry victory because they terrified the world. When the fact is that they have no honor or victory, they are simply uncivilized barbarians killing unsuspecting victims in what really is nothing more than garden variety criminal activity brought to a new level. They have nothing to be proud of and they should hang their heads in shame over what they have done. I pity all the children raised by fathers who are nothing more than murderer's and the women who are forced to sleep with disrespectful pigs who would just as soon kill them as look at them!

If the fools only realized that they are only allowed to exist by the good grace of the civilized world. Let's face it, the rest of the world possesses the ability to (literally) wipe them off the map if they wanted to. Heaven knows that they have managed to piss off almost every civilized people on the planet. Did it every occur to these cretins that one day all of the people they abused may just get angry and rise up against them once and for all, and they will have their jihad, but it will not go as they hoped for. And sometimes I think we should, but then, that would make us the same kind of monster that they have become.

I can only hope and pray that Allah, God, Jehova gives these people what they truly deserve!

A Thanksgiving Wish

I just wanted to take a moment to wish anyone who reads this a Happy and Warm Thanksgiving. I pray that your holiday season will be filled with joy and that the new year will bring you many reasons for thankfulness!

Farwell To GW, My Style

This is GW as I see him. I often wonder if he realizes that he will go down in history as the worst president of all time. Anyway, it's almost over and I am so glad to see his time coming to an end. Let's hope that President Elect Obama will set America back on the right course!

A Thanksgiving Thought

Hey all, I know that the economy sucks right now, but you have more to be thankful for than the turkey above does!

On a serious note. This is the time of year when we should be thinking about all that we have to be Thankful for, so here goes:

I am thankful for my family, my mother, my children and their spouses and my wonderful grand son. I am thankful that I have a brand new grand daughter on the way. I am thankful for my best friend Dennis. I am thankful for my roommate Steve. I am thankful that I live in a nice home that is warm and cozy. I am thankful for all the little extra's I have been lucky to have. I am thankful for good health. And I am thankful for the trials that I have had because they (hopefully) make me a better and wiser person. And finally, I am thankful to God for what he has given me and for what he has withheld to make me stronger.

Now it's your turn, please add a note of thanks in the comments section!

Fianlly I know where it came from!

Scientist have finally discovered where homosexuality comes from...NOT. But I thought it was worth a laugh. Gay gum with a fresh fruit flavor, works for me! I am happy in my gay skin, I hope you happy in whatever skin God gave you!

A Little More Nature

A Moment With Nature

Hello All, I am not feeling well today, but I thought I would share a couple of cool photo's with you. I am stuck in the house sick and I found a little bit of nature inspirational. I hope you enjoy too!

Think Before You Speak

I always enjoy the picture above. I am not sure whether it's real or photo shopped, but I like it anyway. When I was young, my parents always told me to think before I speak. And when I see a picture like this, I find myself understanding why they told me what they told me. Frequently when people speak, they do not realize the impression they give and the impact that they have.

These ladies are a great case in point. If I were a young man in their time, maybe the 1880's, I would certainly have taken heed of this photo. In fact, to ensure I would avoid the sour faces seen here and to ensure that I would never chance locking lips with one of these vixens, I might not only have a second drink if I were a drinker, I might even take up drinking if I was a tea drinker! After all, the best way to be saved from their grasp is to drink long and strong!

Now if you don't believe the same principle is alive today, take a look at the presidency of George W. Bush. All of America watched him bring the nation lower and lower until we simply could not imagine going any lower without being labeled a third world nation. All of America watched one blunder after another. All of America watched our children die as oil profits for his connections skyrocketed. And all of America said, if this is what the extreme right has to bring to the table, we DON'T want it! You should have thought before you spoke George.

Think Before You Speak!

Predicting the Future

The caption on this photo reads "Scientist from Rand Corporation have created this model to illustrate how a "home computer" could look like in the year 2004. However the needed technology would not be feasible for the average home. Also the scientist readily admit that the computer will require not yet invented technology to actually work, but 50 years from now scientific progress is expected to solve these problems. With teletype interface and the Fortran language the computer will be easy to use."

So here we have it. In 1954 scientist were projecting what computers would be like in the future. They were certainly right about technology changing to solve the problems that they were working on. But I think they were just a little off regarding whether the average home could house a "home computer".

Just a fun bit to think about. And while you are thinking, a few questions. Is it really progress that we have computers in our homes? Has it made the average home better because students have the world at their fingertips, or has it made the world worse as we become a society of fat recluse people with poor social skills? Has it opened up the world for shut in's, or has it closed the world for people who choose to sit in front of the magic box rather than experiencing life first hand 'out there'? Has the world progressed as a result of our ability to have all this info in our homes, or have we simply created a new venue for men to masturbate looking at pictures of lovers they will never possess? Just food for thought!

We did it America, Almost, Sort of!

Congrats to our new Commander and Chief, Barack Obama.

Overall I am very excited about the presidential election yesterday. America got Barack Obama and he is exactly what we need right NOW! And if that was all there is to the election, I would be on cloud 9 right today.

However, in California with 91% of the precincts counted it looks like a sad day for gays! You see, a while back California enacted a law allowing gays the equality to marry. The California supreme court upheld that law. All was good, until the Bigots all decided to get together and rob gays of their chance to be treated as true equals. They enacted a ballot initiative that would overturn the right for gays to marry in that state.

As always they claim that gay marriage is a threat to family and home. I guess they fear that all those fundamental Christians, skinheads, KKK members and various other racist and religious lunatics will give up their heterosexual family ties and run out to marry members of the gay and lesbian community. I seriously doubt that could happen as none of the gays and lesbians I know want relationships with extreme right wing bigots. It sounds silly and childish, doesn't it? And it is silly and childish. Allowing gays and lesbians to marry has absolutely no effect on the traditional family at all.

In fact, it would simply create more family units in America. I can envision Pat Robertson and James Dobson divorcing their wives and running to the Justice of the Peace! Who would be the bride? Do Pat, or James for that matter, have the right to wear white? I am told that Fred Phelps would officiate and that Ted Haggard would be best man (at least we know the truth about Ted)! And I can just hear the Mormon Tabernacle Choir singing 'O Happy Day' in the background as the happy couple seal their vows with a kiss!

Whoops, sorry, moment of temporary insane bliss.

Back to reality. I think it's pathetic that bigots decide if it's OK for good people to love. I think it's sad that responsible adults can not choose to legitimize their relationships. I think the fact that men like Ted Haggard end up on drugs consorting with prostitutes speaks loud and clear as to what the effect of a repressed self hating lifestyle has on a gay man! And I think it's time for change!

It's time to stand up and fight for what is ours!

Today's the Day! Let's Make a Difference America!

This is a pic that someone sent me around Halloween titled "Ready for Halloween". I could not resist a bit of humor to break the ice a bit. But today we have the chance to get America back and to make changes that will effect our lives as Americans for generations to come. Please take the time to get out to the polls and vote!

Think About What You Are Doing To America!

This is a parody of the McCain/Palin signs, but the truth is here. The time is now, think about who we are electing and where they will take the country. We can have 4-8 more years of incompetent, or we can have something new! What's your choice!

Gentlemen???

Today in traffic, I saw something I found to be greatly disturbing. Ahead of me, I saw a man 'flirting' with a young woman out the window of the truck he was riding in. I could see that the man was loud and obviously inappropriate and I could also see that the object of his affection in the other car looked very uncomfortable. As I moved closer to the intersection, I could both see and hear clearly what was going on. The driver of the truck had pulled up like normal in traffic at a light. The young woman stayed about a car length back in order to avoid the unwanted advances of the man. She had a car seat with at least one child that I could see in the car. The middle aged man hung out the window and continued to make ugly unwanted comments. So I have a few simple questions. First, what on earth would make a middle aged unattractive man think a young woman would want his attention? Especially when that young woman had her child with her. Next, when it was obvious that the guys attention was unwanted, why on earth didn't he give up and leave the girl alone? Did this guy really believe that barking like a horny dog would be attractive to this woman? Did he really think he had established himself as masculine and manly to those who had to see this display? Anyway, what a loser. Bottom line guys, there is nothing flattering about that kind of behavior, if you are this guy or someone like him, do us all a favor, DON'T BREED!

On the lighter side!

OK, so my last post was a bit heavy. I thought I would treat you to these pics of a bear relaxing after a long day of whatever it is bears do in the woods! I have no idea who to credit as these pics were just sent to me from another on line group, but whoever you are, thank you for making my day!

Murderer Winkler Given Full Custody Of Kids

I am furious again at the actions of a Tennessee judge in giving Mary Winkler custody of her children. In case you don't remember who she is, Mary Winkler is the white trash sleaze that killed her preacher husband. She then took the children and decided to take a vacation. She was actually picked up in a hotel relaxing and having a good old time while her husband's dead body lay rotting until it was discovered. She subsequently spent a whole 12 days, that's right 12 days--not years, in jail paying for her crime. She was let out on the tough stipulation that she get therapy for a few months. And now a judge who apparently views the safety of children as optional has granted her full custody of her children. So, in less than two years time, this depraved debutante murdered her husband, has been allowed to walk on the cold blooded murder of her husband, has served her 'hard' time, has been 'rehabilitated' and now has full custody of her children.

The following is a direct quote from a CNN article today. "Judge Ron Harmon of Carroll County Chancery Court returned full custody following a brief hearing, saying he was pleased that Winkler and her former in-laws have agreed to work together for the good of the children." Of course the grandparents have to 'work' with Winkler, it's the only way they can stay in the picture to try to ensure that the 'perfect' wife does not become the 'perfect' mother when one of the kids spills milk! What the hell kind of moron is the so called judge anyway?

I find myself wondering how those little girls were feeling as their mother walked them past daddy's dead body telling them 'don't worry girls, we will take a nice vacation and everything will be OK.' What kind of fear and twisted reality did this monster introduce to their lives. And how on earth can it be 'right' to give these little ones back to this blood thirsty parasite. The fact is if a man committed the same crime under the same circumstance, he would be lucky to see the light of day again after 30 years of being bumf***ed by some guy named Bruno. And thoughts of ever seeing his children again would be only pipe dreams.

The lack of fairness and equality in the American justice system sometimes overwhelms me. If this woman was so unhappy she could have left and simply applied for a divorce. She instead made a decision to murder a man in cold blood. She then she claims the killing was an accident, she claims abuse and she walks without any punishment whatsoever.

My heart is sincerely saddened at the thought of those wonderful little girls being put into the hands of their fathers killer.

Now Is Our Chance America!

In a few weeks we will decide who will lead our country for the next 4 years. We have an opportunity now to put an end to the damage that the George W. Bush years have done to America. In case you are unaware, GW has spent more than all previous administrations put together. America would have had a balanced budget by 2009 under the plan put forward by the Reagan administration and the close watch and agreement of those subsequent administrations, but GW put an end to that and have spent more than any other president in history. He has pulled us out of the world court, he has sent thousands of our sons and daughters to early graves and he has made the United States the laughing stock of the entire planet It's time for a change, please do your part to ensure that America does not have to survive another 4 years of government without responsiblilty, please vote for change!

I am what I am

I chose this poodle picture for a reason. You see, all my life I have been different, separated from the rest of the population by virtue of some differences in my character and size. I've always been a chubby guy, I am different because I am large. I have always been a smart guy, I am different because I am a bookworm. I have always been gay, I am different because I am homosexual. The bottom line is I am different, but then, aren't we all? So instead of fearing or hating who you are, why not try to embrace it and make the best of it, after all, God does love you just as you are! Isn't that enough!

Fruit and Animal???

It's been a long time since I loaded any fun stuff. Here are a few fun morphs that were sent to me from another group. I don't know who to credit, but thank you for such creativity. Enjoy all!

Safer Sex, Don't Get Stung!

This is a French ad for Safer Sex. Take heed!

Proud Pappa

Hi All,

As a dad, I get bragging rights to my children's accomplishments. And today is one of those brag days. This week, my oldest son was honored for being the #1 graduate student in his class at CNU, a local university. I am so proud of him I could just burst! Over the years my kids have given me many reasons to be proud and I am so happy that they have turned out to be good productive people. Robbie, Congrats! I love you babe!~~~ Dad

Et Tu, Brute!

I recently had a bad experience with a friend who viewed backstabbing as a relationship option. I won't go into the details of the experience in this paragraph. But I do want to share the feelings that I have been experiencing.

You see, a few years back, I moved here to Virginia to be close to my children. Their mom moved here after our divorce. Moving here was the only practical way for me to be with my family. When I came here, I had some difficulty settling in, but after several years life began to take shape again. And the relationship with my children was enriched to the point where we enjoy close family ties, so it was all worth the effort and the trials that came with it.

The one area where I did not do well was in establishing personal relationships and friendships. I missed my former life out West terribly and I missed having adult companions. So I decided to make better efforts to promote friendships and relationships. I had no idea where to start.

I entered a business relationship with someone who quickly became a friend. I was unbelievable thrilled as this person truly seemed to be the kindest, most generous, decent person I had met in ages. I honestly could not believe that God had put someone so wonderful right under my nose and that I was so lucky has to have someone like this in my life.

For the first time in the 8 years that I have lived here, I had someone to talk to. I had someone that I thought I could share my secret pain with and someone that I thought I could share the things that are only for 'inner circle' friends. I had the kind of friend that I had left behind in Colorado and could only share with by phone or email now, but right here in front of me, right here in person. Or so I thought.

Our business relationship was a roommate relationship. We shopped together, ate together, watched movies together and played cards with my roomies friends together. I was so excited that she had introduced me to such nice people and that I had new developing friendships. I thought we were closest of friends and I thought the friendship had real meaning. Until the issues over the temperature of the house became apparent.

Oddly enough, the temperature was an issue for me before I ever heard anything from my roomie, but to keep the peace and because she was so wonderful in other areas, I never said a word. You see, she liked the place very cold at night and left it very warm during the daytime hours. For me, it was horrible because I have an upstairs bedroom. Which meant that for the temp to be as cool as she liked it at night, the A/C had to be constantly blowing all night long and my room would get extremely cold (I would have to wear sweats and shoes and socks to play at the computer in August) to the point where I would have to sleep covered with heavy winter blankets. She set the temp at 68, but my room would get as low as 60 degrees. Again, I did not complain, I simply added blankets and clothing. Then in the daytime, she would set the temp to 75, which meant that the A/C did not come on until my room reached 80 degrees or more. To make matters worse, I work an evening shift. I get home after midnight and generally do not get to bed until around 2:00 am, which meant for me that I would go to bed in a room that was around 60 degrees and wake up under heavy blankets in a room that was around 80 degrees. Again, I never said anything, I just wanted to keep the peace. I did however during the day allow use fo the fan and sometimes when the temperature got very hot, I would turn it from 75 to 72 to make it a bit more tolerable upstairs. If I had wanted to camp outdoors, I would have bought a tent instead of renting a room.

A few weeks into summer, I got a nasty gram telling me that she would have to raise the rent if I continued my excessive use of the A/C and that I had to keep the vents in my room open for the appropriate air flow. I thought to myself, I am not the one who is raising the house temp to 75-80 and dropping it to 68 at night, but I said nothing. I simply complied and never touched the A/C again no matter how hot or cold the place got. I also opened my vent and piled on the blankets. I figured problem solved. She will have the house at whatever temperature she wants it to be at and I will still have a decent place to live and a good friend, it was worth dealing with a bit of discomfort to make her happy and to keep the peace.

But as always, no good deed goes unpunished. Yesterday was the labor day holiday. My roommate was off work. I had slept in as usual because I had to work last night and I keep my schedule as normal as possible. When I awoke, I heard the voice of a friend downstairs. It was her pastor, one of the friends that she had introduced me to and I was happy he was here and wanting to say hello. I got showered and came down to say hello only to discover that he was over here putting up a lock over the thermostat. I was shocked and could not believe how petty and childish my roommate had acted. I said hello to her friend and made my way back upstairs until he left. At which time I came back downstairs and told her how I was feeling about her behavior.

I told her that I had been angry about the temperature issue ever since her nasty gram, which she insisted was just a friendly reminder. I thought friendly reminder, really? I will raise your rent if you do not freeze at night and sweat all day long and live in total discomfort! That's a friendly reminder? Then I explained that I had not touched the thermostat since the time when she had written her note, she called me a liar and claimed that I had changed it on a particular day. I did not! I then asked her what was next, will I come home to find the ceiling fan missing? Will I find that I only have cold water to bathe in? She looked at me like I was crazy to even suggest such a thing, I simply pointed at the wall to emphasize that she had only moments earlier done something exactly that crazy.

During our discussion, I also found out that she had been going into my room and private things to 'check up' on me. Oddly enough, I am a very open person and would welcome anyone to go into my room and things, as long as I was aware that they were doing so. But going into my things when I am not home is simply and plainly a violation of trust. While we share the common areas of the home and a certain lack of privacy is expected, I do expect privacy in my room and I have never once crossed my roommates threshold without her knowledge, even to take her pet out for a bathroom excursion. I would simply call the animal out of the room and go about my business. I gave a certain amount of privacy and respect and I deserve the same measure of privacy and respect.

I also discovered that my roomie/friend was backstabbing me and telling others negative stories about my behaviors. She was claiming that I was wasting utilities and causing unnecessary expense. Of course, when she was dropping the temperature 15-20 degrees every night and then raising it back in the morning and when she was showering 3-4 times a day, that was reasonable. But when my room hit 80 degrees daily, I was wasteful to bring the temperature down 2-3 degrees! Interesting double standard.

But even beyond that, to bring mutual friends into the situation, to degrade me in front of these people and to assault my character was simply uncalled for. She laid waste to the wonderful new friendships that I was developing. I now feel that I can not face these people without having to defend myself against what she has falsely accused me of, or without sucking it up and letting them think I am some kind of irresponsible scum.

So where am I now? I am out shopping for a new room and a decent roommate. While she is sitting fat, dumb and happy with my money in her pocket. I can only hope and pray that she gets the type of person she deserves next time and that some other decent sucker does not get taken in and abused by her!

Mary Winkler, Free Killer

Above are photo's of Matthew Winkler (murder victim) and Mary Winkler (killer)

Mary Winkler, anyone remember her. She is the woman who murdered her Church of Christ minister husband in cold blood in 2006. After the murder, she drove to another state and stayed several days in a hotel giving the kids a vacation so they could all be together and play. A true Madonna in the flesh.

Everything about this case angers me and humiliates the American justice system. First, this bitch outright murdered her husband in cold blood. Then she claims that she was an abused wife, but there is and was no evidence of any kind of abuse whatsoever. She simply turned on the tears and claimed that her life was hell behind closed doors. After that this skank is given a three year prison. But after all,we don't want to be too hard on the little lady, so they let her out after serving only 12 days with the stipulation that she has to go to a mental facility. And then she is released from the facility after only two months.

This monster murdered her own husband. She robbed his congregation of their pastor. She took a loving son from caring parents. And finally, she sent the father of her own children to an early grave, they will never again see daddy's face on Christmas morning. And what is her punishment, a hefty 12 days in jail and two months at a mental facility to work out her issues. And to add insult to injury, now she is getting her three children back, because after all, we wouldn't want such a model mother robbed of the right to be with her children.

Somebody please tell me what's wrong with this picture. A woman commits a murder for giggles and then cries abuse and walks. If a man with an abusive wife killed his spouse would he be in the same place? Would he be walking out of jail after only 12 days? Would he be given free mental care for 2 months? Would he be back in custody of his children? We all know the answer is not a chance in hell of that happening! But justice is blind, especially when it hears a female voice!

I can only imagine the mental torture and the heartbreak and the horror that Dan and Diane Winkler, the parents of her dead husband Matthew and the custodians of her grand children, experienced as they had to hand their grandbabies over to the monster that murdered their son and the children's father. I can only imagine the absolute terror those poor children must feel, being told that they are being put into the care of the bloodthirsty monster that killed their father in cold blood and left his lifeless body to rot. And I find myself wondering, will the stress of raising children alone be the excuse for her next murder trial? After all, feeding them takes time, work, effort and money, so I am sure Miss Mary will conclude that they are deserving of a death sentence like she gave their dad once she tires of the work involved!

What I find even more reprehensible is the fact that her attorney Rachel Putnam says this is a good thing. She is quoted in CNN as saying "It should be seen as a sign that the family is healing,". The family is healing? What sign is there that the family is healing? Please inform me. Because from where I sit, I see a murderer has escaped punishment for her crime. I see the parents of the victim being forced to turn over custody of their grand children, the only reminder of their son, to the monster that killed him. And I see three innocent children being forced to live with the killer of their father, every day and night wondering when mommy will tire of them and when they will see their own young lives snuffed out. If that's healing in America, I would rather stay sick! I can assure you, if I was the grandparent of those children, I would be living in another country under an assumed name with my grandbabies before that murdering monster would ever have custody of them again!

At the time of this posting, I am so angry that I literally can not see straight. I find myself hoping that Mary Winkler somehow pays for her crimes, but I honestly can't think of a punishment suitable for such a monster. But that's life in America, isn't it, a good lawyer and some money and you too can kill the victim of your choice. Just ask OJ, Robert Blake and Mary Winkler, hell, OJ even wrote a book telling you how to get away with it~talk about insult to injury.

Call Center Drama

A while back, I started this blog to have a place to express myself. Since starting the blog, I have been posting cute fun things most of the time and I have avoided anything that might spark controversy. Starting today, I will be speaking my mind on several issues, everything and anything that strikes me.

Yesterday, a young man that I work with was fired. I do not know all of the particulars and I do not pretend to. However I am increasingly angered and upset at the way call centers operate. And what happened to this young man is no exception.

You see, call centers tend to hire in people at a better wage than most places. So people flock to their job fairs and they are able to hire only the best. This particular call center deals with technical issues for cellular phones so employees are highly trained, and constantly trained. The work is very stressful as you are constantly dealing with angry customers and with non supportive management.

A typical day is filled with dozens of customers who are having issues with their service, people who are reasonable and people who simply want to have a working solution to their problems. But every day there are also the unreasonable assholes who enjoy abusing hard working people, they swear, scream, cuss and threaten the employees. Employees are only allowed to terminate calls if and only if the customer uses profanity and is warned twice before they are disconnected. So if a caller is yelling and screaming and being unreasonable, you must take the abuse until and unless they have finally started to use profanity. Management is entirely without empathy and will subsequently blame the employee for 'not handling the customer properly' even though they are no better equipped to handle a raging lunatic than the employee is.

On top of the people stress, there is the system of measurements that the call center uses to measure the employees. Many of these would be reasonable if they were appropriately implemented as they are intended to be, however they are weighted against the employee, severely weighted. So, while the employee struggles to maintain good statistics, the company takes away from the employees statistics to make the struggle more difficult. It is much like the old concept of company stores. The company pays the employee, then charges beyond what the employee can pay for items ultimately forcing the employee into a slavery situation.

One statistic is called adherence, it is a measure of how well the employee sticks to his/her work schedule. However, several things are added into the statistic that remove from the employee's ability to stick to their schedule before they start. There are three brief management meetings throughout the work shift, these meetings total anywhere from 15-20 minutes of the employee's time. Minutes used for these meetings are counted against the employee and bring down their adherence level. So before the employee even starts his/her day, their adherence is significantly effected by meetings that the management require, but count against the employee.

Another statistic measures the 'quality' of the employee by a survey that the customer is able to take. Two of the statistics measured by this survey measure what the customer thinks of the employee and how likely the customer is to reference someone to the company. The statistics are measured somewhat like the following. If the employee is rated a certain way, his score is:

Rated Excellent 100%
Rated Good 0%
Rated Fair -100%
Rated Poor -200%

So, if in a month the employee gets say 3 excellent ratings and one good rating, their average for the month will be 75% putting them on the border of failure, if they get 2 excellent ratings and 2 good ratings, they will fail for the month as their score will be 50%.

Then when the customer measures the company the same scoring applies, but the scores do not apply to the company, they apply to the employee. I have seen several employees who cleaned up several difficult messes that the company and other employees have made only to be rewarded by getting failing scores in regard to the customer's thoughts about the company.

So when it comes to the employee rating, they can receive all Excellent ratings in a month and have a total excellent score. But the same employee can fail because the customer has rated the company poorly, and of course, if the employee really had been that good, they would have erased all of the previous bad experiences that the customer had with the company in their one 5 minute exchange, so it must be the employee's fault.

Therefore, Customer's rating of employee is Excellent, employee will get an excellent score on how the customer perceives him/her, but if the customer did not like the telecommunications company and was unhappy with their previous interactions, the employee who fixed the mess will be held responsible and fail that category. So, the employee doing an excellent job in handling customers well, will be punished for how the company is perceived, because after all, the company is it's people isn't it?

Then there are those good wages. Of course they can pay good wages, only 1 in 200 survives over 2 years. The company rarely has to give pay increases and pay benefits for any length of time. They tempt good people into the company with higher wages, then use them and dispose of them to start the cycle over again with some other unsuspecting person who is just looking to make an honest living.

I think it is sad that they tempt good people into extremely high stress jobs then use them up and throw them out like they did to my young friend. JJ (not his real name) you have given me the courage to at least say something here. Everyone who reads this, I hope you will have the decency to write to your local newspapers and to your local agencies to report places that function like this and use employees this way! I personally hope and pray that every member of management staff the took part in misusing people in this way falls on the same kind of hard times and misuse that they have perpetrated on others!

A few cute critters

Sometimes I need a little bit of this to put it all back in perspective. Looking at natures beauty helps me to forget the stress, I hope it helps you too!

A Park Near My Home

Hi all, I thought I would share a few pictures taken from a park right near my home. I walk here daily and it's a beautiful place, I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy the park! It's in Portsmouth, VA, right on the Elizabeth River. Allow me to brag for a moment, the pictures were taken with a new digital camera that my kids got me for fathers day, Thank you Robbie, Charity, Cliff, Marlisse, Samantha and RJ! You guys are a blessing every day.