Rants from the Chick with MS

Don't you love the latest trick of deception being employed by drug companies? On TV commercials: Our drug may have all these horrible side effects, but so do all your other choices, so just choose us! GIMME A BREAK

And HOW do they get away with (and this is down by ins. companies, FDA approved foods, exercise and weight loss products---to name a few) circumventing the law citizens insisted upon, by putting required info such as additional costs/side effects/truths missing from the main menu-"These are just actors," in such tiny print no human can read it, especially the elderly and disabled??
HOW is that okay? WHERE is oversight and WHO is in charge around here?

"You must tell the truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God." What's to stop a liar from rationalizing that since he/she doesn't BELIEVE in God or doesn't believe God has been helping or would help a killer, to lie at will? Like Judge Judy says, "He said he would pay you back when he got a job. He never got a job so he owes you nothing. Get out." GIMME A BREAK

Am I ranting today? Uh-huh. I mostly take stuff of the goo we call life in stride, but when do we stand up (those who can stand; ok, cheap shot, just a saying) and write a letter or email to our elected officials (not that they ever actually read them, that's what assistants are for) or join a march, make a phone call DO SOMETHING? I know, I know, Diane, we can only do so much. Diane, I do what I can. Diane, nothing will change. Diane, (and this is my favorite) YOU do it if you are upset ("UPSET" is that ever said to a man?) about it.

My partner has finished jumping through all the social security hoops, all her former job hoops, all her pension and insurance hoops, yes, that's great---BUT WHY? Is she a trained circus animal? We are human beings. Save the hoops for the Hula. Are there scammers out there? OF COURSE---HELLO and DUH. But as I always told my co-workers (we vetted the needy who would call for financial help with their utility bills and made payment plans with them) there are so many more who actually need the help, don't waste time on the few who are cheaters. Cheaters and scammers will have to live with themselves all their lives. As a people we are only as strong as our weakest link. If you have given money to someone who didn't really need it, then set a good example of honest behavior that day. (I did choose my words specifically for those who I knew were not poor or could really pay the bill, explaining how great a program we have to help a person like yourself from donation from others, some of whom barely get by but care for others, blah blah, ya know?)

My mother set my feelings about such weak links when I was not yet 5. Our red wagon was stolen. My brothers and I (I simply was allowed to follow behind, a thrill!) followed the wheel tracks through the snow straight to the thief's house and reclaimed our wagon.

We were proud of ourselves and trashing on the boy who stole it when our mom interrupted and said, " You should feel sorry for him, not mad at him. He must have needed it so much so that he had to steal it. Think how bad he must feel." That really sunk in and stayed with me to this day. I asked her in later years how she came to think that way and she said her father told her the story of his brother (or cousin, I'm not sure now, shrinking brain and all) jumping a train car and a man inside stole one of his shoes. My uncle (or cousin, lost brain cells and all) told the man to have the other one too. He could see the man's feet were raw and my uncle's were young and not worn by age yet.

This seemed like a good story. When my great aunt (Violet--102 now, kept utility receipts from 18--) gave me boxes of old photos and papers, one was a journal written by that uncle (I must get into all those papers again one day) and he was a good writer for a poor, out of work farm boy, he HAD jumped a train headed to California, hoping to find a job (gold/for many was fool's gold, and he details the man who he caught stealing his one shoe. Apparently the writing gene runs in my family. I bet now, I can scan those pages...hmmm (I'm still learning how to use our scanner before some new technology takes its place).

I digress. But, I hope you get what I mean. I don't want to crucify the "bad guys" out there, I just want them to put others before their own profit. Their profit, based on deception, is true "fool's gold."