Update for Everyone IV - Hungover

[Antonio the Sixth]

I'm sorry this is the sort of environment your family had to live through, Sanchez. I don't want to deny or minimize individual responsibility, because it's real and I don't think that being left-wing requires me to deny it. But, from what I've learned about life in the US and other Western countries, there's a strong social component to all this, and it likely means that the State has abandoned and failed your community, and that's awful.

I know this is all very obvious and trite latte-liberal bullsh*t to say, but it's all I've got.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I'm sorry this is the sort of environment your family had to live through, Sanchez. I don't want to deny or minimize individual responsibility, because it's real and I don't think that being left-wing requires me to deny it. But, from what I've learned about life in the US and other Western countries, there's a strong social component to all this, and it likely means that the State has abandoned and failed your community, and that's awful.

I know this is all very obvious and trite latte-liberal bullsh*t to say, but it's all I've got.

In my family's case, the state hasn't failed us at all (besides the police in Boynton, who are notoriously incompetent and will probably end up shooting an unarmed black guy sooner or later). My youngest brother who has autism receives full time care thanks to programs like Medicare (which you'll never hear me criticize aside from support for a few minor structural changes to keep it solvent), and my family was blessed to live in an older, working class neighborhood that survived the boom, the bust, and the consequent redevelopment of Boynton.

As for my brother's friend, perhaps the state did fail him. He grew up on the "wrong side of the tracks" (Boynton has two railroad lines splitting the town into thirds and the middle part of town is the rougher part) and his parents were not in the picture. He was 14 last I saw him in 2013, and besides being a stoner who bought fake weed from my brother, was never in any real trouble. I was shocked and saddened to hear that he feel into an even worse crowd as he grew older, and I'm actually disgusted that my brother (and my "brother's friend"-yes, that friend who nearly traumatized me with that nasty prank years ago) contributed to this kid's downward spiral. He's looking at the very least ten years in the pen because of this, and his life is basically ruined. Whether he was driven by poverty, drug addiction, or just a desire to rebel against the "man" (or some combination thereof), his actions back in January will pretty much kill any chance of upward mobility whether he rehabilitates himself or not.

It's just sad. I can't help but to blame my brother and his "friend" (note, this friend is not the one who actually called me last night) for getting away from this all while a kid who I remember as being a very polite, very innocent kid is now going to prison. Why is it that my brother and his "friend" can literally fall off the face of the earth to everyone who knows them and continue to party their way until they both literally die while this kid, who was never as troubled as they were, somehow end up in this situation? It just bothers the hell out of me.

And no, what you are saying isn't "trite latte-liberal bs," Tony. The state might not have failed my family, but they certainly failed Kelcey's family.

[Antonio the Sixth]

He's looking at the very least ten years in the pen because of this, and his life is basically ruined. Whether he was driven by poverty, drug addiction, or just a desire to rebel against the "man" (or some combination thereof), his actions back in January will pretty much kill any chance of upward mobility whether he rehabilitates himself or not.

That might actually be the single worst thing about US society, or close to it. The US criminal justice system doesn't give a sh*t about rehabilitation. Worst, it actually seems to work deliberately to make it impossible and make sure that any passage in jail, no matter the crime, is a social death sentence. It's not easy anywhere for ex-cons, but nowhere I've seen it get to the level of utter moral abjection as in the US. This would be bad enough if all criminals were driven to commit crimes for purely individual reasons (because, even then, they would still deserve redemption). But if you factor in the reasons why so many people commit crimes, the kind of social forces that push them toward it, it becomes downright monstrous. This is not how a civilized society is supposed to work in the 21st century.

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Obviously I don't know anything of this story, but I also don't think it would be right to put so much blame on your brother and his friend. Yes, their actions might have helped bring him down that path (again, I obviously don't know the detain), but you can't say they have more responsibility in his action than the guy who did it himself. And if they have themselves never held a person at gunpoint, well, that might indicate they've retained a moral compass despite everything.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

After watching all seven seasons of Adventure Time I'm emotionally drained.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

My best friend from early childhood, who was also probably the first girl I had a crush on, is now a successful newspaper reporter, competes in international beauty pageants, and is engaged to be married.

[Pheurton Skeurto]

I move into my apartment at school today. I'm nervous for the actual adult responsibilities, but I'm hoping things go better for me than they did last year.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Me rn:

Meh, not that bad.

Me rn:

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Me rn:

Meh, not that bad.

Me rn:

Don't steal my schtick.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

My car broke down on I-75, had to be towed in and got a hotel in Ocala. I think my alternator busted.

[Mr. Smith]

Lost a classmate this week to a shooting...5 years out...

[Antonio the Sixth]

Lost a classmate this week to a shooting...5 years out...

I'm so sorry.

[TDAS04]

Very sorry, MormDem.  That's very awful.

It looks like my cat will have to be put to sleep.

[SATW]

I'm sorry to hear, MormDem and TDAS. Hope you guys get some good vibes this coming week.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I'm sorry to hear, MormDem and TDAS. Hope you guys get some good vibes this coming week.

That is horrible news for both of them; I can kinda relate about the cat (my dad for some reason thought giving our twelve year old dog two Aleves was a good idea and he almost died, but he's on IV therapy and has a good chance at recovery. Frankly if they have to put him down, I wouldn't be too upset. He's old and probably only has a year left at best, but my youngest brother isn't capable of understanding that).

On a lighter note, I'm bored to death in Ocala. I'm stuck here until tomorrow morning when they (hopefully) can get my car back on the road. I have two friends staying at my apartment because both have yet to sign with a new development/buildings and apparently they are at each other's throats. While I was stranded on the side of the road with 20% battery on my phone, one of them called me screaming to order me out of "our" apartment (the friend in question is my former roommate who is staying a few days after his lease expired. That line about "our" apartment set me off and I told him that he's the one getting kicked out when I get back tomorrow).

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

Very sorry, MormDem.  That's very awful.

It looks like my cat will have to be put to sleep.

Cats are great. So sorry to hear it

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Aaannnndddd my car's motor is seized. Needs to be replaced.

So I'm stuck in this hotel in Ocala until around 4:30 PM when my parents drive up here to rent me a car to drive back to Tallahassee so I can have transportation during my first week of classes, then I have to come back to Ocala (hopefully) next weekend when they manage to get a new motor into my Kia. My dad, having been a trucker, mechanic, heavy equipment salesman, etc, for over 40 years, has been less than helpful. Every idea I have gets shot down, yet he doesn't have any ideas about how I'm getting home.

On top of it, the building I live in is doing unit inspections and found my friend who has been staying there for a few days and are pissed at me. Now I have to deal with them trying to charge me for a second cleaning of the apartment even though my friend was just sleeping on the floor on a few blankets. I don't know why he took the couch or my bed. Whatever.

[Virginiá]

Aaannnndddd my car's motor is seized. Needs to be replaced.

I feel your pain

My car's water pump has to be replaced this week, in addition to a couple other things, and now I have to pay over $700, a surprise expenditure I was definitely unprepared for.

fml

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Aaannnndddd my car's motor is seized. Needs to be replaced.

I feel your pain

My car's water pump has to be replaced this week, in addition to a couple other things, and now I have to pay over $700, a surprise expenditure I was definitely unprepared for.

fml

Ugh I know it sucks. I'm waiting for my parents to arrive at my hotel. They're going to rent me a car and spend the night in the hotel room I rented (I was forced to rent it for a second night as I had nowhere to go) while I take the car back to Tallahassee for a week or two until they can find a cheap junkyard motor and install it.

I wish it were just the alternator like I originally thought.

[muon2]

I went over to the university to pay tuition for my son. It was a bit strange. For the first time in over 20 years I didn't need to be there to get ready to teach, and for the first time in over 40 years a fall semester was beginning and I wasn't in the employ of a college or university.

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

I went over to the university to pay tuition for my son. It was a bit strange. For the first time in over 20 years I didn't need to be there to get ready to teach, and for the first time in over 40 years a fall semester was beginning and I wasn't in the employ of a college or university.

  you retired?

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

I went over to the university to pay tuition for my son. It was a bit strange. For the first time in over 20 years I didn't need to be there to get ready to teach, and for the first time in over 40 years a fall semester was beginning and I wasn't in the employ of a college or university.

Voluntary or a side effect of the budget crisis?

[muon2]

I went over to the university to pay tuition for my son. It was a bit strange. For the first time in over 20 years I didn't need to be there to get ready to teach, and for the first time in over 40 years a fall semester was beginning and I wasn't in the employ of a college or university.

Voluntary or a side effect of the budget crisis?

Once one crosses the retirement age, it is worthwhile to assess one's future each year. I was in the money purchase formula (retirement based on contributions, not salary), which recalculates the expected return every 5 years. In June of 2015 it was announced that the returns dropped enough to shift my calculated pension down by 7%. The change was effective on Jan 4, 2016. It would take three years to make that up in COLA after retirement, and raises weren't likely due to the budget, so the math was pretty clear.

[Attorney General & PPT Dwarven Dragon]

So my college made one of its dining centers about ten times healthier than it was before. #MichelleObama

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Oh, man, I drove down to college today.

I guess I live here now.

[Blair]

Just saw my first ever US ad- am even using the awful hotel wifi to tell everyone about it.

Saw it when I was sitting in a bar in Boston having dinner- Was an Ad attacking Maggie Hassan over the drug problem in New Hampshire.