Anyone who has read my blog on a routine basis (and they are few and far between, I think), knows that I write in a sometimes disturbing stream of consciousness...one day I may talk politics, the next I may talk religion, the next I may curse mechanics for taking advantage of my lack of knowledge of what makes my car work, and the next I might write about my rose-colored view of rural life. I know it may suggest that I am schizophrenic...perhaps I am. I know it may suggest that I have undergone one too many lobotomies...maybe that's true, too. But I enjoy watching my thoughts flow from my fingers and I appreciate that, sometimes, my anger and outrage, and distrust of the world flow away, as well.
If you want consistency, this is not the place.
Today I encountered the blog of a woman who spent 6 months in the 'Red States' this year to find out what makes people vote the way they do. She is from San Francisco and decided it was time to emerge from her liberal bubble to see what the rest of the world was like. I posted a message to her blog, suggesting that her journey sounded like torture to me, a geezer turning more and more liberal (nay, socialist) every day. Her blog is at storiesinamerica.blogspot.com. You may find it interesting. I stumbled across it as I was Googling information about Chile...for some reason, Chile intrigues me more and more every day. She posted something about Chile's upcoming election for president and the candidate I wrote about recently who I believe, from Chilean news reports, is apt to be elected after a runoff with another candidate. Anyway...read it if you wish.
About a month ago (less, actually), I bought a new computer for a member of my staff...hers was a miserable hulk of useless metal and plastic. I bought it from Best Buy in Dallas. My advice: NEVER, EVER buy anything from Best Buy. Not only did the Geek Squad (really, that is the name of their tech support company) do a miserable job of installing needed spyware, virus protection, etc., they refuse to make good on fixing it or returning my money. Today, after much wrangling, I spoke to the GM of the store, who promised they would either fix the computer within 2 days or give me a replacement. Their 'policy' and their 'customer service staff' indicated I was out of luck; basically, they said, "tough shit." Even if they make it good, I will always, always, advice against doing any business with Best Buy. I think George Bush must be on their tech support team.
A woman who used to work for me was, I believe in my heart, a thief. She was also an incredible con artist. Members of the associations we manage loved her; they commented about her regularly and said how wonderful she was. But she stole money from me and from my clients. She was able to do that because I was trusting and had not put solid procedures in place to prevent it. My fault. But regardless of my failure, she is still a thief. I would like to beat her with a rubber hose until she screams in pain. And then I'd splash alcohol on her wounds and beat her again.
The thing that drives me crazy is that I could have known about her, if only I had conducted a criminal background check. See, I conducted one recently (long after I fired her for nonfinancial reasons), only to find that she has an extensive criminal record, mostly for forging checks and other financial crimes. The reason I conducted the check was that I got a call from an Oklahoma police detective, inquiring about her...she had stolen money from an Oklahoma employer, it seems, and they were looking for more dirt.
While she worked for me, more than $1500 disappeared from a client's cash and my company had to make good on it. I felt sure it was her, but couldn't prove it. And then I let her personality overcome me and I kept her on staff. I should use the rubber hose on myself, first.
But, what goes around comes around, they say. One way or the other, I will contribute to her getting her dues. I'd still like to use the rubber hose...or perhaps strangs of woven cable would be more interesting...
OK, I jest in all this...I'm increasingly feeling like a pacifist. But there are times that I get so utterly, completely pissed off that I could be the poster boy for gun control.
Enough blathering for today...
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