WARNING: My brain to mouth filter is disengaged. Because of this, my opinions may be quite stronger and my language far saltier than usual--which probably isn't saying much. At any rate, proceed with caution.
So it's been kind of busy around here lately, what with Fish Stick (Katie) coming out of the hospital and work, work, work. And it's been one of those nights where my give a damn left hours ago (hence the warning above), I've got a lot on my mind and here's a nice, cozy place to rant.
I read on some media outlet's website earlier that a bunch of McDonald's employees have been protesting outside corporate headquarters, demanding a $15 an hour wage. While I empathize, I can't say I sympathize anymore. I work in a prison, and although I make more than the typical Mickey D's employee, I don't make anywhere close to $15 an hour. I make $23,346 a year, which comes out to around $11.22 an hour. Today, the department of corrections announced that we're getting 13.1% raises in the next month or two. This brings a correctional officer's salary to $26,400 a year. This is truly, honestly a great thing, and will help myself and a lot of my colleagues, and I for one am grateful that our commissioner fought this battle. But here's the thing: even with the raise, our hourly rate will be roughly $12.69, still less than what they're demanding. And I guarantee my job's harder--they may have to deal with angry customers from time to time, but I deal with convicted felons all the time.
I get that there are people who work at McDonald's or any other minimum-wage joint who are trying to raise families. I get it. I've been there, and the shit ain't fun. You do what you gotta do to get by. But that doesn't mean go to corporate headquarters and demand money that the franchise owners probably don't have; it means get promoted, or go to school (college and/or get a GED), or take your talents and skills to some place that pays better. Hell, come work with me; believe me, we need the people, and 11.22/12.69-ish an hour ain't great, but it's a damn sight better than minimum wage.
Meanwhile, Matt Bevin won the Republican primary for governor of Kentucky by 83 votes over James Comer. They said that comes out to 4/10,000ths of a percent of the total vote count. 0.0004%! Naturally, Comer's not satisfied; he's demanded a recanvass, where the county clerks look over their figures to make sure they reported the right numbers. Next step's a full-fledged recount, followed by court action. Will this work? Probably not. But at least he's trying.
This Republican primary was particularly nasty. Seems some allegations surfaced that Comer smacked around a girlfriend in college, and they each seemed to engage in a dick measuring contest over who was more "conservative". Meanwhile, Jack Conway, who won the Democratic primary for governor, stood back and watched the show; his challenger raised not a dime. He managed to win just over 20% of the vote, so he must've done SOMETHING, but still. Something that's always made me scratch my head is how Kentucky can cast so many damn votes for Republicans in congressional and presidential elections, yet elect Democrats as governor. And I thought Indiana voters were schizo. . .
The Greater Clark County school board shit out a gem not long ago, coming up with some half-assed idea to do a whole assload of school renovations. They want to place a referendum on the November ballot that will raise about $110-120 million for this work, with a resultant increase in property taxes. The thing is, they want to close five elementary schools in the process. Under their plan--which has not been publicly released despite numerous attempts--Maple and Bridgepoint would merge into a renovated Parkview Middle School, which will be repurposed as an elementary school; Spring Hill will merge into Northaven Elementary, which will be expanded; Thomas Jefferson will merge into Wilson, which will get a new building; and Pleasant Ridge in Charlestown will be closed. No idea if they're merging with Jonathan Jennings--the other elementary school in Charlestown--or if PR will go into the new elementary they want to build there. A replacement for Parkview would be built, and most other schools would be renovated. Bridgepoint's building would become an alternative school and the others sold. Except for Pleasant Ridge--it would be razed,and an athletic facility for Charlestown High School built in its place!
These morons on the school board, and their lap-dog superintendent, must think we're fucking stupid or something. It wasn't that long ago that we passed a property tax increase to pay for renovations at the high schools, including an expansion at Jeffersonville High School. We're still paying for that one. And they want us to pay AGAIN? For a project that will lead to schools closing? And an athletic center being built where one of those schools is at? Over in Floyd County, they shot down a similar referendum during the recent May primary that would have cost just over $80 million. What the fuck makes these people think we're going to support a bigger referendum? Luck? I think I'm going to run for school board. We need someone with an actual functioning brain up there.
Meanwhile, I got to spend part of the day hearing about "priorities". Seems my future brother in law has his priorities straight: go to singing classes, go be the man about town, you know, fun stuff. Nowhere in there is replacing that tire that keeps going flat, or making an effort to pay his share of the "house tax" here, you know, responsible adult stuff. I know that I probably shouldn't throw rocks at glass houses, because my shit ain't completely together. I'll at least admit it. He won't. He thinks he ought to be able to do whatever he wants to and you know what? Fuck it. Let him. When he ain't got a way to get anywhere because his van's broke down somewhere, he'll. . .well, I was going to say he'll figure it out, except he won't. Not by a long shot. He'll get mad at his and Katie's mom for staying on him about what his real priorities ought to be, then probably get mad at me when I tell him that I ain't playing taxi for him. And I damn sure ain't going to. Nor is he taking my car anywhere. That's just the way it has to be. I know my shit's not all there, sometimes I gotta be brought back to reality, but at least I can be brought back. And I am at least making an effort. He's not. And the worst part is, I've kept my mouth shut about it. But I don't know if it's my place to say anything.
And I just saw another gem--Josh Duggar resigned from the Family Research Council because it recently came to light that he was accused of molesting some kids a few years ago. Five girls. Four were his sisters. These are all allegations, of course, but there is a police report out there. We'll see where this goes. I've little use for the Duggars, and if these allegations prove true, perhaps it'll be the jolt necessary to knock them off their high horses and bring them back to reality themselves. Glass houses. . .
That's my grab bag for the evening. Enjoy!
So it's been kind of busy around here lately, what with Fish Stick (Katie) coming out of the hospital and work, work, work. And it's been one of those nights where my give a damn left hours ago (hence the warning above), I've got a lot on my mind and here's a nice, cozy place to rant.
I read on some media outlet's website earlier that a bunch of McDonald's employees have been protesting outside corporate headquarters, demanding a $15 an hour wage. While I empathize, I can't say I sympathize anymore. I work in a prison, and although I make more than the typical Mickey D's employee, I don't make anywhere close to $15 an hour. I make $23,346 a year, which comes out to around $11.22 an hour. Today, the department of corrections announced that we're getting 13.1% raises in the next month or two. This brings a correctional officer's salary to $26,400 a year. This is truly, honestly a great thing, and will help myself and a lot of my colleagues, and I for one am grateful that our commissioner fought this battle. But here's the thing: even with the raise, our hourly rate will be roughly $12.69, still less than what they're demanding. And I guarantee my job's harder--they may have to deal with angry customers from time to time, but I deal with convicted felons all the time.
I get that there are people who work at McDonald's or any other minimum-wage joint who are trying to raise families. I get it. I've been there, and the shit ain't fun. You do what you gotta do to get by. But that doesn't mean go to corporate headquarters and demand money that the franchise owners probably don't have; it means get promoted, or go to school (college and/or get a GED), or take your talents and skills to some place that pays better. Hell, come work with me; believe me, we need the people, and 11.22/12.69-ish an hour ain't great, but it's a damn sight better than minimum wage.
Meanwhile, Matt Bevin won the Republican primary for governor of Kentucky by 83 votes over James Comer. They said that comes out to 4/10,000ths of a percent of the total vote count. 0.0004%! Naturally, Comer's not satisfied; he's demanded a recanvass, where the county clerks look over their figures to make sure they reported the right numbers. Next step's a full-fledged recount, followed by court action. Will this work? Probably not. But at least he's trying.
This Republican primary was particularly nasty. Seems some allegations surfaced that Comer smacked around a girlfriend in college, and they each seemed to engage in a dick measuring contest over who was more "conservative". Meanwhile, Jack Conway, who won the Democratic primary for governor, stood back and watched the show; his challenger raised not a dime. He managed to win just over 20% of the vote, so he must've done SOMETHING, but still. Something that's always made me scratch my head is how Kentucky can cast so many damn votes for Republicans in congressional and presidential elections, yet elect Democrats as governor. And I thought Indiana voters were schizo. . .
The Greater Clark County school board shit out a gem not long ago, coming up with some half-assed idea to do a whole assload of school renovations. They want to place a referendum on the November ballot that will raise about $110-120 million for this work, with a resultant increase in property taxes. The thing is, they want to close five elementary schools in the process. Under their plan--which has not been publicly released despite numerous attempts--Maple and Bridgepoint would merge into a renovated Parkview Middle School, which will be repurposed as an elementary school; Spring Hill will merge into Northaven Elementary, which will be expanded; Thomas Jefferson will merge into Wilson, which will get a new building; and Pleasant Ridge in Charlestown will be closed. No idea if they're merging with Jonathan Jennings--the other elementary school in Charlestown--or if PR will go into the new elementary they want to build there. A replacement for Parkview would be built, and most other schools would be renovated. Bridgepoint's building would become an alternative school and the others sold. Except for Pleasant Ridge--it would be razed,and an athletic facility for Charlestown High School built in its place!
These morons on the school board, and their lap-dog superintendent, must think we're fucking stupid or something. It wasn't that long ago that we passed a property tax increase to pay for renovations at the high schools, including an expansion at Jeffersonville High School. We're still paying for that one. And they want us to pay AGAIN? For a project that will lead to schools closing? And an athletic center being built where one of those schools is at? Over in Floyd County, they shot down a similar referendum during the recent May primary that would have cost just over $80 million. What the fuck makes these people think we're going to support a bigger referendum? Luck? I think I'm going to run for school board. We need someone with an actual functioning brain up there.
Meanwhile, I got to spend part of the day hearing about "priorities". Seems my future brother in law has his priorities straight: go to singing classes, go be the man about town, you know, fun stuff. Nowhere in there is replacing that tire that keeps going flat, or making an effort to pay his share of the "house tax" here, you know, responsible adult stuff. I know that I probably shouldn't throw rocks at glass houses, because my shit ain't completely together. I'll at least admit it. He won't. He thinks he ought to be able to do whatever he wants to and you know what? Fuck it. Let him. When he ain't got a way to get anywhere because his van's broke down somewhere, he'll. . .well, I was going to say he'll figure it out, except he won't. Not by a long shot. He'll get mad at his and Katie's mom for staying on him about what his real priorities ought to be, then probably get mad at me when I tell him that I ain't playing taxi for him. And I damn sure ain't going to. Nor is he taking my car anywhere. That's just the way it has to be. I know my shit's not all there, sometimes I gotta be brought back to reality, but at least I can be brought back. And I am at least making an effort. He's not. And the worst part is, I've kept my mouth shut about it. But I don't know if it's my place to say anything.
And I just saw another gem--Josh Duggar resigned from the Family Research Council because it recently came to light that he was accused of molesting some kids a few years ago. Five girls. Four were his sisters. These are all allegations, of course, but there is a police report out there. We'll see where this goes. I've little use for the Duggars, and if these allegations prove true, perhaps it'll be the jolt necessary to knock them off their high horses and bring them back to reality themselves. Glass houses. . .
That's my grab bag for the evening. Enjoy!