Such a Twist!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7_RXXF0fks

We all know that tobacco is an issue for many people. But this advertisement played over and over again seems to be displaying the wrong message. Tobacco companies haven't advertised in decades over the bigger medias like radio and television.

After decades of trying to wipe out the tobacco companies, who really is the culprit for those who use tobacco products today? Now kids don't have access to any tobacco products in stores, how is this one commercial different from all the rest? Many can say that I'm wrong in my thought process towards this marketing directive.

Here we have a commercial about tobacco companies advertising towards kids. Enticing them with assorted flavors and entertaining the possibility they could consume the items. In a sense I can see it.  But in reality - No! I find two descrepencies within this ad. The company who created this ad is the one who IS advertising and enticing children towards tobacco products. What they are doing is like dangling a carrot in front of a horse to make it walk. "Here kiddies, doesn't this smell good?" "Hey Kiddies, does this smell like something you'd like to consume?" "Here Kiddies, doesn't this look good all spread out for you to want these items?"

There is a second aspect of this which grinds a nerve. As adults/parents, aren't we the ones to teach our children about smoking and tobacco. You can claim I am controdicting myself at this point. But please say that after I have said my point of view.

I grew up with both parents who smoked, all three of my brother's smoked, the neighbor guys smoked, women from church had a special Woman's Guild where they would smoke, sew and bitch all afternoon. As a child, smoking was a form of status. Now that tobacco is deemed unhealthy, who's responsibility is it to educate the youth of today. Don't count on the companies, they want your money. It starts with adults and parents who are apart of the child's life.

As I said, I am going to sound contradicting. But I really feel that if my parents, brothers and such didn't smoke or use tobacco products - plus if they knew the hazards these items created for an individual. Smoking tobacco wouldn't be an issue for anyone.

Politics and Community

Throughout the last months, my mind has been spinning on many different aspects of community and our current presidential  nominees. Whether or not these two things are linked together - is entirely up to everyone individually.

I really don't have a clue as to how or why I am writing it in the sequence which it all gets spelled out. So please bear in mind, my thoughts are running rapid.

I've been trying to understand the direction in which individuals whom pushed for our current nominees to being in office. Personally, I don't feel any one of them should be elected as President. There is not one of them is worthy of a vote. For some reason, the fumes which are in the air from any one of the nominees smell like burnt sulfur against natural gas. This is a mixture which no one wants.

In the last five decades, I have seen so many things change throughout our country. Our economy was once strong. Communities from everywhere held true with respect. Even though our country has been at a huge divide for centuries, there was always a community. With our civil liberties, this country has grown in leaps and bounds slowly. I don't care what country you're from, what your ethnic background stems from or what aspect of life you believe. I believe in respecting you as a human being with feelings, knowledge, compassion, humor, ambition and courage. I am no different than anyone else on this planet. And I never claim to being above or superior to anyone.

The formulation of this country has been based off of freedom. The freedom of religion, the freedom of choice. With this freedom, we bring unity. The current election stinks up the air. No matter who is elected President it's going to take us, as citizens to correct the impact which will cause our country a wider division. Write in your candidate and make your vote count.

Rebuilding communities once again can help everyone in a broader perspective towards a better future. I remember growing up in a time where communities of neighborhoods policed their own wrong doings. Parents were involved with day to day lives of their siblings. We all looked out for one another. But today, I don't see that happening too often.

The neighborhood where I grew up had many assorted people from different parts of life. Some blue collar workers and business men, small business owners and so on. Plus the various beliefs and cultures. As a neighborhood and community, there was very little worry about who anyone was with or what individuals were doing.  People had involvement.

Nowadays, many people are disconnected from their neighbors and community. The world has run a muck. I've seen people lose their jobs and homes as our country defiles itself as it slowly separates power. Fortunes of money being pissed out the window on people who can be bought which does nothing for our country; nothing for the people which live and reside here. Tax laws have to change. It's obvious after the release of Donald Trump's tax return, the system is really screwed up. Yes, he did use the tax laws to his advantage. Great for him! Yes, he was smart to utilize what is written into tax law for his own personal gain. In the same breath, there is another issue that needs to be addressed.  Our tax laws are written in just a manner which helps, assists and flourishes the wealthy. This leaves the middle to lower income individuals to pay in taxes. Leonard Cohen had it right in his song, Everybody Knows - Everybody knows the rich get rich and the poor gets poorer. everybody knows. Seeing as everybody knows, why isn't anything being done to correct the issue? Because we can't AFFORD it! But we can afford to speak our minds in hopes to change a broken system.

As a kid I remember going down to the local corner store, owned by one of the neighbors. I'd buy my five cent piece of candy and walk back home. The corner store owners and cashiers all knew me. Every neighbor's home I passed, they knew me. Hell, the damn postal carrier even knew me. Where has this aspect of community and neighbors gone? Today, how many individuals can honestly say I know all of the neighbors on my block/street? Like most people, they have become so absorbed into their phones, computers and/or tablets, they don't bother to acknowledge their surrounds.

Sure we all have friends which many of us prefer to socialize with regularly. But we also have people within our neighborhoods which creates a community. Our ambition to know and socialize with those around us has gone away. Neighbors were always friendly. Greeting someone new into the neighborhood was a common ritual. People went out of their way to meet those who surrounded them.

As time passed on, slowly these aspects of community have fallen off to the side with more and more homes becoming rentals. People moved more frequently. Taking the time to meet those around us was not a priority. Establishing stability, Ensuring safety became high concerns. As factories closed, unemployment rose, crime rates began to rise, prisons becoming overcrowded. People started doing what ever they could just to keep a roof over their head. The welfare system grew to overwhelming numbers as people were stricken and forced from their homes.

To continue seeing these issues happening over and over again throughout time, really makes me wonder what is really wrong with our government? When our country started allowing foreign trades to prevail, opportunities opened avenues for the source of our economic foundation to disappear. This took the heart our of our communities and our ambition to trust our government and country's leaders.

The leaders, spokespersons, individuals within the House of Representatives, Senators, Dictators and who ever else has a say in the decisions which make our country function the way it does are sell outs. They sell out to companies which flourish their pockets with wads of financial gain. Not for you; no, no, no; not for you - them. Here's one example: In Minneapolis and St. Paul, there was a trolley system all set up and working quite well. Due to some official in office who had mass interest in the fuel, enforced the unnecessary need for eliminating the trolley system. This put more motorist on the road, spending more on fuel, influenced more fuel burning buses motoring about this metropolitan area. Roads have more maintenance, our air is being overly polluted, emissions are out of control and the problem list extends beyond.

Now, after how many decades later, people are figuring out mass transit is a logical means to travel.  Decisions to implement the trolley, train or commuter train once again has shown great improvements. And now, our tax dollars are working towards building almost the same commuter system back in place. How long will it take for us, as citizens to realize that our system is not functioning as it should?  The transit system is just one example of how those who we have elected into office have screwed up our lives, fucked up our laws, the taxes and how our country is represented. As our government officials keep lining their pockets with bribes/donations towards bias agendas, this country will continue to on it's path to destruction.

Not many people would look at the amount of individuals who decide to join our military as a notable factor, but I believe it is a fact that should be acknowledged. When our country was thriving, there were many individuals who volunteered to serve our country. Now, the volunteers have been at their ultimate low. In my minds-eye, this is a huge indicator on how bad our country has fallen. The enthusiasm and dedication for our country is beginning to dwindle.

By allowing our government officials to stuff and fluff their bank accounts by companies which can buy their way into politics has brought our country to it's knees. Major Corporations not paying taxes for decades due to an unfair taxable system. Local government officials being able to implement our communities to benefit their well being. Our government officials are claiming to work on the behalf of us, citizens of this country. I'm sorry, but I don't see it. All I see are a bunch political hags who sell out for the top dollar. I want to know, where do we as American Citizens benefit from their profitability?

On top of all this, once any politician representative is out of office, they remain on salary until their death. How fair is this to our tax payers? We elect them into office. After their term is done, if they are not elected again, they still get paid their appointed salary. Where else can you have a job, screw up and not have to walk into work ever again and still get paid a salary for the rest of your life? Damn it would be nice if McDonald's had this salary payment plan apart of their budget. Our fucking politicians feel it's a necessity. I think it's a fucking waste of tax dollars which could be used for many things - other than paying a worthless politician who contributes nothing to people which they were to represent.

If you're old enough to remember when there were so many jobs available and not enough people to fill those positions, you know what it was like to not have to worry about where you are going to get your next meal. Yes I understand evolution changes the dynamics of economy. Do corporations really have to move the manufacturing industries away from what had made America prosperous?

With the great number of influences that made our country stand tall, our government officials lead the way into turning our lives, our community and our sense of worth spiraling down. Our politicians claiming to making America great again, have no clue as to what our country needs. Their bank accounts are not helping the needs of America's population. They remind me of those kids who when out Trick-or-Treating would take all the candy so no one else could have any. The selfishness makes it's effects.

Little by little, as jobs go away our community disburses. Our crime rates rise and yet our politicians can't figure out why as they sit on bribes and donations from corporations who have paid them off. Stop and ask yourself, who really is willing to speak for you and your interests? Not a damn one of them who is seeking office. The corporations who are paying them off are the only ones with anything to gain. I believe it's time to get our country back to being prosperous and flourishing. It's time revamp our politicians. Take the big corporations out of politics. Bring back that label which says "Made in America!"

Steering Towards a Better Life

It's been a mystery to me as to why and how some people display themselves to others. When I was younger, I didn't care about my personal hygiene or how my surroundings showed to anyone. And, quite frankly, my personality also displayed these actions as well.

Needless to say, these actions did effect my life. As much as I tried to get ahead, there was always something holding me back with my goals. At that point, I didn't realize it was me!

A while back, someone near and dear to me had gotten a great job working in welding. Everyday he'd come home, kick off his boots, grab his Dew and enjoy the evening. Hell I can't blame him, after a long day of work, kicking off your work boots and relaxing is a great way to unwind after sweating, working hard and dealing with the heat. After a week of him not bathing or showering, his funk was over ripe. Hell, a dog fart would have been a breath of fresh air!

After 10 days of funk, I finally had to speak my mind. "Hey are you going to shower?" I was shock when he replied, "Why should I shower, I'm not out to impress anyone?" I couldn't help it...I lost it! "Oh you definitely are NOT impressing anyone - but you sure are offending everyone with the way you smell. Get in that shower and clean up - make sure you use soap and water! With the way you smell, the dog thinks you're some crud he'd like to roll around in."

I know the Peanuts character Pig-pen always had friends. But his friends only wanted to play with him when they needed another body for those bigger activities outside when another person is needed. Like my friend, he always wondered why no one really wanted to hang out regularly. His depression grew stronger and deeper as his funk grew riper.

By all means I would never say that I'm the problem solver for issues like this, but I have to say when someone gives you a boost to help one come out of their funk. And a good majority of the time it's the funk that holds one back and isolates them. When I was younger, there were times where I felt like the Wicked Witch of the West and any aspects of water would make me melt away.

It became a fight for myself. I didn't want to shower. I was content the way I was and didn't want to change. But when I would finally get into the shower, I didn't want to get out because it felt so good! It was like that old witch feeling was finally washed away and I arose from the suds feeling like I can take on the world.

When I started to change my hygiene habits in my life, I started working for the Appleton Public School System as a janitor. As I was forced to clean up after Junior High students, there were many things I started to learn about people's habits and behaviors on sanitary discipline. I'm not going to freak you out about the many different gross things I would find that kids at that age would do - and a lot of it was just for attention or aggression release.

I am happy that once I started working as a janitor, my cleanliness attitude had made a drastic change. Growing up as a little gross slob had changed. I believe I started getting OCD with cleaning. At one point, my bedroom in my parent's home looked like a hoarders starter kit. A path from the door to the bed. After working as a janitor for a few months, I had my bedroom cleaned from floor to ceiling and wall to wall. After changing my surroundings and personal sanitary habits, many different things started to enhance my life.

After years of being a boarder-line hoarder/slob, I have noticed a huge change in my attitude plus how I would like others to acknowledge me as a person. Now don't get me wrong. My obsessive Compulsive Disorder hasn't taken over my life where it has become out of control. Yes I do allow my home to get messy. Yes I am a slob in areas where I utilize often. For instance, my computer area is a disorderly organized mess. I know where items are which are important. As for the rest of my living space, it's clean. It might be a little dusty, but for the most part it's clean. We never have leftover food, food wrappers or that sort of stuff flung around.

I also have a really bad OCD for my kitchen. I must have everything in their proper place once it's clean. There is an absolute must of which utensils go into the drawer next to the stove. Dishes have a certain place in the cupboard. All food in the cupboards have to be in certain areas. It drives me crazy when I find spices lingering with the can goods or pasta. Glasses, bowls or plates don't belong with the spices. All baking goods must be in one area and not spread throughout the pasta, can goods or spices. The only spices allowed with the bake goods are the ones only used with baking.

The hair on the nap of my neck stands on end every time I walk into a room where there is a mountain of dirty and clean clothes. The smell of molded dried up food resting on dishes under the bed makes me want to vomit. Then to top off a curdling stomach. Just imagine the site of when someone vomited on their bathroom door that has been dried and embedded into the paint almost 2 years prior. And if you're not gagging yet...peak under the bed where you can find a few dildos with dried feces sticking to the carpet.

There is only so much a person can do to help another who prefers to live in those aspects. Plus the other person doesn't understand how their living habits effects others. So many times these aspects have no meaning towards those they co-habitat with.

One of my best friends is a hoarder. I was really amazed how fast he grew into the sickness. The last time I was in his home, there was a very narrow passage throughout his home. The fear of stumbling overwhelmed me. Hell, the fear of being buried alive by mountains of paper, clothes and items which he felt a connection. What I find amazing is that he still owns his very first car he ever owned. And it shouldn't surprise you that he also owns every vehicle he's ever owned in his entire life. This doesn't mean that all these vehicles run or are operational. But he does own them. So many people have offered to buy one or more from him.  But he won't sell any because they all hold too much sentimental value to him.

It often makes me wonder what things are developing through another person's mind as I watch them progress into this type of sickness. I discover the many hints said towards correcting the problem helps to a degree. No matter how much one loves and cares for an individual who is progressing into these illnesses; with plenty of guidance, backed by loving assurance helps steer those towards a better life.