Random Rants


"Pay Attention or Unplug"

I was standing in line at the supermarket, last week. Some dude in front of me was standing there Twittering. It was his turn to put his groceries on the belt, and he just kept on Twittering!

I wanted to yell at him to pay the hell attention! That there is absolutely not one reason in this world why he had to Twitter in line at the grocery store!

It made me wonder what all these yahoos would do if everyone had to unplug for just one, solid week. What if everything stopped? And, I mean no cell phone calls, no texting, no computers, no iPods, iPhones, et al.

“Gee, you mean the way we used to live?”

Yeah - the way we USED to live. I imagine, at the end of a week, the mental hospitals would be full. Right now, those same mental patients are out on the streets!

They're killing themselves - and others - as they text, or talk on the phone, while driving. They're causing irreparable damage in situations where they think all they need is information on a computer - no hard copies necessary.

They're standing right in the middle of the aisles in the stores gossiping or asking someone, “Now, what did I come in here for,” on cell phones.

Sooner or later, someone doing that is going to get it right in the kidney with my umbrella! I have honestly considered getting a cane just to deal with these idiots.

Ever notice how they're always right in the middle of the aisles - with their big-ass baskets - rather than on their own side? They don't even know which side is theirs.

They seem to truly believe they have a right to block the entire world while they try to find out what kind of cereal their kid wants, rather than making a damn list, in the first place!

Well, gee, I'm getting on a roll. Guess I'd better stop before I take on “sexting.” You do not want to get me started on that!


"Are We Oblivious?"

I was on a rampage a while back about people who don't fact check their information. They just gleefully pass it along to their lists if it happens to be something they'd like to believe.

Later, I started wondering ... Why should we have to check everything we hear or read? That's absolutely sad!

Yet, it's the way of our world, today. At least in the USA, people are so caught up in their rage and racism (which is, more often than not, one and the same, whether they want to admit it, or not), they can't see what's right in front of them.

These people don't seem to see what they're doing to humanity. We're backsliding, people. We're turning into nothing but a planet of the apes with Blackberries.

Apparently, many folks only read what they want to believe - what supports their own beliefs. Now, this is normal - to a point. But, when we stop educating ourselves just to convince ourselves we're right about something, we're headed downhill.

But, the worst part is the behavior we accept as “normal.” When did we stop demanding truth from the media? When did we start accepting unacceptable behavior from media personalities, congressional members, the pharmaceutical, insurance, banking and other professions?

How did this happen? It didn't happen overnight. It's taken years of preparation to get people in this country to such a point of blindness and acceptance. The blindness comes from focusing on the hatreds rather than on what's actually happening.

I get mad at stupidity, not people's heritage, culture, color, religious or political beliefs. What I can't stand is the waste of such fine organs as brains wasted on morons who won't use them.

Maybe, just maybe, if more people paid attention and demanded better ... we wouldn't be about to implode.

Last Week's Rant


Rant Response

As expected, I received a lot of email after last week's newsletter. All but one were completely supportive. Many folks, other than me, apparently don't understand this madness, either.

Let's address the one that wasn't so supportive. The fact was pointed out that I was railing about all the pervasive hatred and rage in the world right now. I was asked how that was different from my own rants - past and present.

That probably deserves a response ...

When I write a “rant,” I'm not necessarily emotionally involved in it. Although, if humans or other living beings are being harmed, i.e. pharmaceutical companies killing people for the BIG BUCK - then I AM mad.

I speak my mind and feel I've lived on this planet long enough, and have enough experience - in enough areas - to do that. But, the truth is most of my rants are basically show business.

Much of it is done for entertainment, since it rarely changes anything. It just makes folks think - and maybe chuckle. That doesn't mean I don't mean what I say. I'm just not as angry as I probably “sound.” I can stand outside it for the purposes of the article.

I may refer to types of people as pond scum, bottom feeders, jack-legs, etc., but that isn't usually personal. Although I do remember one guy who referred to himself as a jack-ass and I heartily agreed with him. And, I seem to remember calling some politicians criminals, but that's just a fact. Apparently, it's a requirement for any political position.

Real anger is about the only thing that can make me physically ill. Anger is death energy - it kills. And, yet, I feel myself soaking up these energies of rage and anger. Frankly, it gets harder and harder for me to stay centered - even when I see what's going on.


There was a time when I didn't believe in evil; I thought it was just misguided behavior. Well, in the overall scheme of reality, it may be, but now, I'm not so sure, any more.

Pedophilia being supported by religion is flat evil. Yeah - I know the perp is wired that way. But adulthood brings the ability to control your actions. If pedophiles won't control their actions - it's evil. Period.

I do NOT understand what would make a person so fearful of their church that they would continue to participate in, and support, it knowing this is the case with their leaders. I've heard, “Well, it's only a few, and it is not condoned by the church.”

Oh yeah? Then, why does the church maintain an entire department of a huge risk-management firm in this country to deal with their lawsuits? I know that for a fact because a family member of mine was put in charge of that department.

As soon as she saw what she was involved with, she refused to do that job. In fact, she no longer works for that company. Raised that one right! But, I digress ...

When these types of behaviors are simply accepted, what does it say about our humanity? When we accept - and we DO accept as long as we don't put a STOP to it - these types of horrendous crimes against children, why are we surprised that our world is turning into one giant crime scene?

That is one of the extremes. Just one! I've come to expect it in any large organization. The crap that truly STUNS me are the small things ...


Martha Raye

Last week, I received an email with a story about Martha Raye. Some of you will know who she was - others won't. She was a magnificent and well-loved entertainer.

The article talked about Ms Raye being a Bird Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, as well as a nurse with a surgery specialty. She helped out in the Army Field Hospitals, and is the only woman buried in the SF (Special Forces) cemetery at Ft. Bragg.

I never knew any of that, and I imagine a lot of other folks didn't either. It was a neat story!

However ... whoever wrote that email had to add at the top:

“Most of the old time entertainers were made out of a lot sterner stuff than today's crop of activists and whiners.”

And, at the bottom:

“Martha Raye was CLASS! Not what we have today in Hollywood.”

The entire article was cheapened and detracted from by those two unnecessary and nasty comments!

Never mind the tremendous number of those in the entertainment business who do fabulous things for others in the world. And, I mean hands-on help!

If it isn't specifically for our troops - and WAR and DEATH, instead of humanity in general - and PEACE and LIFE, it's to be slammed. Ask me if I'm surprised!

This idiot, who obviously thinks all folks in the entertainment business, today, are “tree-huggers” just couldn't pass up a chance to take a shot. Two shots.

I couldn't think of anything more disrespectful to Ms Raye. I'm sure she'd have rather skipped the accolade if it had to tear down her fellow entertainers.

And, dear hearts - this is the NORM, today - NOT the exception!


I know some folks who refuse to see anything but the positive. That's commendable, and we don't need to expect the worst. But, if you aren't realistic, things you refuse to see can sneak right up and bite you in the butt. Not seeing them doesn't mean they aren't there!

RANT of the Week


"Too Many Things WAY Out of Control"

I'm going to try not to get on a giant roll, today. However, it just seems to me things in this world are spinning out of control. And, needless to say - it's pissing me off.

For instance, I need to give you a couple of warnings, today ...


This first situation can happen in any country. It isn't unique to the USA, yet these chemical bottle bombs have been found in both Michigan and Massachusetts (at least) - in peoples' yards.

They seem to think young people are responsible for this. Based on the way I see children act these days - with no attempt on the part of parents to rein them in - I don't doubt that for a minute.

This page on Snopes tells you what these bottle bombs look like and what to do if you see a suspicious bottle. Good rule would be to leave ALL empty bottles alone if they have anything in them. If you can't tell, err on the side of caution!

www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/bottlebomb.asp


It isn't any secret how I feel about the giant corporations running the world. The ones that work my nerves the worst all seem to be related to the medical profession. This is especially true for the pharmaceutical companies - and their side-kick the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Although I would never tell anyone not to take doctor prescribed prescription drugs, I won't touch the stuff. I did take one for a short period of time to help me stop smoking. I had to balance the risks involved with continuing to smoke.

In that case - the drug won. Smoking was a physical addiction that needed to be broken, and the drug did that. But, I got off that sucker PDQ.

Although I'm an old hand at controlling my health with my mind, I ain't stupid. I know certain foods and supplements are needed for optimal health. Hell, they taught us that in second grade!

Now, the FDA is beginning to ban any claims on any product that reveals its health benefits. Why?

Well, it's common knowledge the cost of the ingredients in one prescription pill is a minute fraction of the price that's charged to the consumer.

The BIG BUCKS paid for prescriptions are needed to pay for the advertising to convince people to hound their doctors for medications they don't need! Medications for symptoms, which by taking them can mask a serious disease!


Take a look at the FDA's letter to Diamond Food, Inc. Due to statements made on Diamond's web site, the FDA now claims their walnuts are a “drug” - and need a “new drug application” to be marketed as healthful!

i-cop.org/go/YWF3Vqnc

On the other hand, Frito-Lay is allowed to claim their snacks are “heart healthy” on their web site. Frito-Lay is owned by PepsiCo. Can you say strong lobby?


What do YOU Have on YOUR Web Site?

“References to peer-reviewed scientific studies are not allowed to be made by companies without permission from the FDA because the agency considers this to be an illegal health claim.

So if you sell walnuts, and your web site merely links to published scientific studies that describe the cholesterol-lowering benefits of walnuts, then you can be threatened, arrested, imprisoned and fined millions of dollars by the FDA for selling "unapproved drugs."

This applies to ANY food, and ANY vitamin or supplement!

i-cop.org/go/NzYR

There's a Congressional bill now to stop this nonsense. Want to make any bets on whether it gets passed? I'm betting it won't.

No money in it!

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* dr. jl scott is the Founder of the International Council of Online Professionals (iCop™) http://www.i-cop.org - and also the publisher of the Online Business Trade Journal™ - the blog that keeps you up to date with online business coming of age. Visit: http://www.OnlineBusinessTradeJournal.com

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