Back from the Birthday

Back from hanging out in Dallas for the weekend. The drive home was amazing in its smoothness and speed. We left the gas station (according to the receipt) at 2:45, and arrived in the garage at 6:30. On the ride home, the average recorded fuel economy exceeded 19 for the first time, then 20. I took a picture.



I have a bunch of stuff to upload, pictures of all of the stuff we did - nothing earth shattering. Just relaxing. Today, we went to the Texas State Fair, and looked at the car show. Had fun with the Jeep product specialist:

Jeep is advertising their new TDI in the Grand Cherokee; using a picture of the previous generation vehicle. The Jeep product specialist came over and asked if I had any questions. So I asked him why they were doing this. He was truly derailed. I said "You asked if I had any questions." He says "about the vehicles on the floor." It was fun watching his train thunder off into the weeds.

Dallas is quite the city.

I've tonight read the BEST discussion of "Atlas Shrugged," an oppressively long intellectual masturbation that I read about eight years ago and, upon finishing, remarked "what crap."

We watched "Casino Royale" last night. WHOA. What a movie.

Now, I have a new car that I want. It's SO COOL.

I have lots more to commit here to posterity, but I must to bed. I'm tired.

My commuting music

Only "T" member of HRC board resigns

Perfidy. Worthy of Fox News.

Here's her statement:

Community. Integrity. Leadership. Vision. These are the foundational pillars of Equality. These are the values that draw many of us into advocacy roles. Those tenets provide a clear roadmap when things like politics, expediency, agenda, and power cloud the picture as they so often do. They pave the way to the moral high-ground, and those who follow them with trust and patience will ultimately find their efforts rewarded.

My name is Donna Rose, and I am the first and only openly transgender member of the Board of Directors of the Human Rights Campaign. I am the national co-chair for Diversity. I am the co-chair appointee-elect for the Business Council. I have spoken at events around the country on behalf of the organization, and I am a respected advocate for the transgender community.

My participation on the HRC Board has been a heavy burden. The relationship between HRC and the transgender community is one scarred by betrayal, distrust, and anger. I have become a focal point for much of that frustration and I accepted that responsibility with the hope that I could help to change it. In some very real ways I think I have been able to do that, or at least to help make that happen, and am tremendously proud of all we have achieved.

HRC has done some wonderful work to support the transgender community. Workplaces around the country are recognizing the unique challenges faced by transgender employees and are moving in record numbers to protect them as valued members of an inclusive workforce. Educational tools to help demystify our lives and to provide a human perspective have paved to way to a better understanding of who we are and our challenges. We have set high standards and we have held others accountable to them. The question at hand is whether we, as an organization, hold ourselves accountable to those same high expectations.

Transgender is not simply the 'T' in GLBT. It is people who, for one reason or another, may not express their gender in ways that conform to traditional gender norms or expectations. That covers everyone from transsexuals, to queer youth, to feminine acting men, to masculine appearing women. It is a broad label that cannot be confined to a specific silo of people. It is anyone who chooses to live authentically. To think that the work that we are doing on behalf of the entire GLBT community simply benefits or protects part of us is to choose a simplistic view of a complex community. In a very real way, the T is anyone who expresses themselves differently. To some it is about gender. To me, it is about freedom.

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is a core piece of legislation. It would guarantee that GLBT people will not get fired from their jobs because of discrimination and prejudice. It makes a strong statement that discrimination of any kind is unacceptable, and it recognizes the critical role of employment and career as something more than simply a paycheck. It is a source of pride, of achievement, of belonging, of security, and in a very real way it is a validation of person-hood.

Unemployment and under-employment is the single most significant issue facing transgender people today. The high-profile case of Susan Stanton, city manager from Largo, FL who was fired early this year after an exemplary 17-year career there simply because she was outed as being transgender, demonstrates the continuing experience that many of us continue to face each and every day in workplaces around this country. Although workplaces have made tremendous strides in enacting supportive policy, bad things still happen and the overall message being sent is that we're somehow expendable. In years past these things happened quietly, going unnoticed. Those days are numbered.

That's why ENDA is so important. It is more than simply a statement that it's not ok to fire GLBT people for reasons unrelated to work performance. It's a statement that we are a community. It's recognition of people who may not express their gender in traditional ways does not affect a person's ability to contribute as simply another part of a diverse workforce. It's a validation of those foundational pillars that line the moral high ground. And, it's recognition that each of us has value, and none of us will be left behind.

The current situation regarding ENDA is nothing short of a politically misguided tragedy. A tool that could and should be a unifying beacon on the heels of the historic passage of fully inclusive Hate Crime legislation has been split. Transgender brothers and sisters again find themselves separated, isolated, and disempowered. People in positions of power have decided that their personal legacy and the promise of political expediency are more important than protecting our entire beautiful community. The time is here to make a strong statement to demonstrate to them that they are wrong.

In 2004 the HRC Board voted to support only fully-inclusive Federal legislation. That decision paved the way to my participation with the organization, and was a significant step in the healing process. Since that time we have worked together tirelessly towards a goal of Equality for all. Less than a month ago HRC President Joe Solmonese stood before almost 900 transgender people at the Southern Comfort Conference in Atlanta to pledge ongoing support and solidarity. In his keynote address he indicated that not only would HRC support only a fully inclusive ENDA, but that it would actively oppose anything less. That single pledge changed hearts and minds that day, and the ripple affect throughout the transgender community was that we finally were one single GLBT community working together. Sadly, recent events indicate that those promises were hollow.

An impressive coalition of local and national organizations has lined up to actively oppose the divisive strategy that would leave some of our brothers and sisters without workplace protections. This effort has galvanized community spirit and commitment in ways few could have imagined, and it has demonstrated to those who would divide us that anything less than full inclusion is unacceptable Organization after organization has seized the moral high ground knowing that this is a historic opportunity that cannot be squandered, and that it is our moral obligation to ourselves and to generations that will follow to make a loud, clear, unmistakable statement that we are a community and we will not be divided. There is a single significant organization glaringly missing from that list. The Human Rights Campaign has chosen not to be there.

It is impossible to remove passion and emotion from what has happened. Indeed, those are the fuels that propel us. That being said please know that this entire situation has affected me deeply and profoundly. Still, I will not sling mud at the organization to who I have given my heart, my energies, and my trust. I will not give in to my frustration and disappointment that Joe's words of less than a month ago have proven to be hollow promises. This unfortunate turn of events has forced me to make some very difficult personal decisions about integrity, character, community, and leadership. Although I can find any number of logical and personal reasons to continue in my capacity as a board member, I cannot escape the moral implications of the decision before me. Using that as my guide, as difficult as it is for me to make, the decision is an obvious one.

I hereby submit my resignation from my post on the Board of the Human Rights Campaign effective Monday Oct. 8, 2007. I call on other like-minded board members, steering committee leaders, donors, corporate sponsors, and volunteers to think long and hard about whether this organization still stands for your values and to take decisive action as well. More than simply a question of organization policy, this is a test of principle and integrity and although it pains me greatly to see what has happened it is clear to me that there can only be one path. Character is not for compromise. I cannot align myself with an organization that I can't trust to stand-up for all of us. More than that, I cannot give half-hearted support to an organization that has now chosen to forsake the tenets that have guided my efforts from day one.

I align myself and my energies with the groundswell of community sentiment that has universally stood to oppose this divisive strategy. I wish my friends and colleagues from the Human Rights Campaign the best, and I expect that time will prove their decision to take a neutral stance and to fracture our community to be short-sighted and misguided. I accept the notion that we all want the same thing. It's just that I couldn't disagree more with this destructive strategy to get there. I urge the board and the leadership to reconsider their position and the join a unified community that supports a single all-inclusive bill.

History teaches painful lessons. Any celebration of rights gained at the expense of others is not a celebration. It is a failure of effective leadership. It is to offer the promise of a tomorrow that you know in your heart will never come. It is to choose to turn your back on those who need you most, who do not have the voice or the stature to speak for themselves.

The time is here for leaders to lead, for those who say they stand for community to act forcefully and with purpose. Anything less is to forsake the pillars of Equality for the empty promise of something less. The word that we have for that in our language is "Courage". It's the kind of courage it takes for GLBT people to show up for work each and every day, living authentically, wondering if that will be their last day. I call on my brothers and sisters at the Human Rights Campaign, for Speaker Pelosi and Congressman Frank, and for equality-minded leaders everywhere to lead by example and to do the right thing.

In Solidarity for Equality,

Donna Rose

Interestingly, HRC today sent out a pretty, slick email telling everyone that they were "leading the fight for T rights." They are "We are profoundly disappointed by this move, and [they] want to explain our position and ask you to write your congress member today."

Uh, really? Weren't you the two-timing bastards that TOLD the Democratic leadership that it was A-OK to dump "T" protection from ENDA? EVERY. OTHER. GLBT. ORGANIZATION. SAID. NO.

Throw another big, pretty party and invite the glittery fags who wish they were heterosexual, Republican, McMansion living normal people. We'll get back to work.

Hump Day windshield replacement

Nothing like starting out your day spending $500 on a new windshield. I found the place very easily, and they've told me that they have a good success rate at saving the registration and inspection stickers. WHOO HOOO!

After this, I really need to go get my driver license renewed. And, a doctor's follow up at noon thirty. And work to get done.

Talking a lot to Bram about what we're doing going forward. I think we have a workable game plan. Hopefully, that game plan will actually work.

The desk furniture guy has been no bueno on setting up another time to come look. Bleh.

I need a new tuxedo. And a new tuxedo shirt. And where the hell are my tuxedo shoes? Is this going to be like the mystery of the missing Pyrex measuring cup that wasn't resolved for nearly a year (until a confession took place in a back door manner?) I mean, I was delighted (who cares about a Pyrex measuring cup, after all,) but these were brand new tuxedo shoes only worn once.

WHERE ARE THEY?! Maybe they're in the Christmas boxes. I should go look.

More whining

Monday, October 01, 2007

Robert A. Lutz, Vice-Chairman Personal and confidential
Global Product Development
General Motors Corporation
Detroit MI 48202

Pontiac Customer Assistance Center
P.O. Box 33172
Detroit, MI 48232-5172

Mr. David W. Taylor, Jr., President Personal and confidential
David Taylor Cadillac Company, Inc.
PO Box 36428
Houston TX 77236

Mr. Phil Meyers, Service Manager
David Taylor Cadillac/Buick/Pontiac/GMC
9120 Southwest Freeway
Houston TX 77074

Gentlemen:

As you are aware, I have repeatedly had my 2005 Pontiac Bonneville into David Taylor for warranty repair work, VIN 1G2HZ54Y85U199292.

My complaint about under-hood exhaust noise cannot be found by your service department; riders in my car are impressed with my imagination – it being so vivid that it has sound effects. After a few minutes of driving, the underhood rattle is consistent at stop lights.

In my test drive with your shop foreman, he asserted that my sunroof cannot be satisfactorily adjusted – it’s as good as they can get it. The sunroof is quieter on the freeway when vented than when closed, but your service advisor states that I’m only hearing normal wind noise. When I’ve driven a CTS loaner provided by your store, the sunroof made no wind noise. This weekend, looking at new Cadillacs at Stewart, each and every factory installed sunroof is perfectly flush to the roof surface – my sunroof is millimeters below the roof surface across the entire factory opening for the roof.

In its last visit to your shop, again your technicians saw fit to put new settings into my seat and mirror memory – that is the second time this has been done. Wrench sockets were left in my car, rattling against the seat tracks. This is the care your shop gives to the owner of a $39,000 car; their own preferences are superior to my own, and an attention to detail that would allow for causing short circuits and leaving tools behind in my car for later discovery.

My experiences in your service department have been unsatisfactory in the extreme since Eric Rice left the drive. I am very displeased with the out and out fabrications told me by the service advisor who has been handling my vehicle – when you replaced the sunroof and disabled the interior courtesy lamps, he told me I had a blown fuse – taking responsibility away from David Taylor’s employees. When driving the car with the shop foreman hours laterI was told that the technician had pinched a wire, causing a short and disabling the lamps.

What is the purpose in deflecting blame away from David Taylor in this manner? What customer service goal is served by telling a GM customer representative that my sunroof does not make inappropriate wind noise when your shop foreman has told me directly that it does? How can I be expected to accept anything that I hear from your service drive personnel at face value?

The man who has made these statements has also stated that my windshield, which cracked badly while at David Taylor, was damaged on my watch and then later claimed that he had seen this damage when the car was brought in, and that he made note of it in a report – none of which notations are available for review.

Why should these statements be believable? The balance of the care my vehicle has received while in your shop has been so careless as to warrant reasonable consideration as to whether a technician dropped a tool or other object on my windshield while in your possession – in fact, the totality of the circumstances surrounding my handling at David Taylor would tend to suggest that someone at your shop DID cause the damage, and then your institutional behaviors naturally began to distract, avoid and defend against such a reasonable explanation.

The efforts of Pontiac to support its customers have been less than pathetic, and have hardly acted in any manner to advocate or negotiate a solution to what is utterly disreputable customer care and discharge of contractual warranty obligations. Having a shiny-faced twenty-three year old parrot back the fabrications of the dealer’s service personnel is hardly providing any customer service at all.

Mr. Meyers, I decline your offer to come yet again to the service drive, and be placated with promises that you all will do your best. I decline your offer to come and have nothing done, and my car returned to me with a fairly high probability of further damage. I decline your offer to go for a test drive to prove whether I am making complaints out of my imagination. I have invested far too much time already.

I decline further contact from Pontiac’s “Customer Assistance Center.” I have no need to be told in the most chipper of tones that I have been well treated.

It matters not how beautiful, exciting or unique GM products are when a customer with a 29 year consistent purchase history cannot have his car repaired and be treated as a valued client. It matters not that you install sophisticated electronics, two-toned leathers or hybrid power trains. Even more people will turn away from the dealer experience which brings only frustration and a deeping lack of confidence in the vehicle that one had previously been so excited about.

Each day that I look at my damaged car, listen to the badly repaired sunroof and the ignored engine compartment rattle, my confidence in it is diminished. The car becomes less and less appealing and each time I turn the key I wonder what will go wrong next.

Is that the product you intend to sell? Are those the experiences you want your customers to share with their friends and business associates?
That is the experience you are delivering in the marketplace. Every time I see a new DTS, look at the colors, the wheels, and think about having one in my garage I must stop and consider that at some point it will be in YOUR garage. That is enough to inhibit me from further entertaining the notion.

Sincerely yours,

Monday, Monday ver 1134.11

I'm sweating like the proverbial gay Republican senator in a public bathroom.

My blood glucose has been all over the map. I started on Byetta Saturday; cut back on my oral meds and good lord - I've been in the mid to high 200s most of the weekend and shot up from 160 this morning (fasting) to 299 90 minutes after eating oatmeal.

Yesterday, after church, I was totally wiped out. I thought it was just post-church nappiness, but after four and a half hours of sleep, my BG was over 299. It took all evening to get it down to 160 this morning, and now I'm zipped all the way back up.

After watching three episodes of "Dexter," Jeremy and I talked for a while about politics, the economy and such, my bedroom TV caught fire, which provided a little excitement. I hung all of my shirts on the new (very used) wooden hangars I bought from Nicole's grandparents, and then went to bed worrying about the house (fire, flood, famine and foreclosure.)

Fun times.

I just had someone ask me about my Manhunt profile in which I say that gay life is all about limerance. I explained it to him thusly:

People (especially gay people) meet someone, decide that this new person is THE one (which is an ideal that's in their head, not a real person) and have a relationship with this image personified by this new person. This relationship lasts weeks or months, until the realtiy of the now not so new person conflicts so violently with the mental image that the limerant rejects the now not new person and moves on to another person, repeating the process.

I took my car to NTB two weeks ago for brakes; they didn't do the alignment/balance work as I had asked. So, I took it back on Thursday. I still have a slapping tire, and the car changes lanes to the right on the freeway within about three car lengths.

Maybe I should walk everywhere.

Links, links, links

How close we are to attacking Iran. Disturbing.

How close we are to a significant recession. Disturbing. Explains why the collapse of housing bubbles is psychologically connected to individuals' opinion of wealth and the state of the economy.

Rush this...

How fun - Rush Limbaugh is back-pedaling from his comments about phony soldiers hot on the heels of the MoveOn ad. And, here is one of the phony soldiers commenting back to Mr. Limbaugh, whose never been in the military and claims he had a medical reason to not serve in Vietnam.

Ingrown butt hair, it seems.

Apparently, although his medical records suggest that he was healed, his ass is still bothering him. Maybe it's that boil on his ass that causes his vituperance and mean spirited statements.

I must now report that my interest in a Phaeton is deader than a doornail. The stories I read last week about the significant mechanical issues, and the expected dealership experiences killed it, when added to my level of frustration at my treatment at David Taylor, and other Houston area dealers over the last twenty years.

Went to Nicole's grandmother's this morning to sit with her while she had another estate sale - got a bunch of wooden hangars, cleaning supplies, ash trays for Bram's courtyard, a hall tree for the office. Met David at Red Robin for lunch, and had fun watching a private ambulance pull out of the parking lot and rip the nose off of a Toyota Corolla in the parking lot. I swear that the driver was considering just driving off, but then he realized that there were people watching, and he stopped.

After that, home to meet up with a guy from a Craigslist ad that I posted who was interested in some of my model trains. He was a tad early, and he bought five locomotives from me. Then, we went to Target, picked up my Byetta prescription ($242.00) and went to Petco and bought a new clipper for Jackie's forest of dirty hair, came home. Was planning on going to Baytown to look at the desk. I called, and the guy wasn't around. He's called a bunch of times to tell me I could go over there, but my intended window was already closed. I haven't listened to the messages yet.

Then, we had a nap - well, I had a nap. It was a hard nap, in which one awakens in a dazed state. My dazed state included waking from a dream that I was being choked by my room mate. NOT the most fun one can have. Time to make another Psych-K appointment, I'm guessing. It IS my birthday, so it's something I can give myself.

I'm invited to a party tonight; why do I so NOT want to do these things?

Friday stuffage

Thought I had a developing flat tire this morning heading in to work when the dash warning popped on and said "you have a tire about to go flat, dummy. Didn't you CHECK the tires?" Stopped at Discount Tire - they pulled all four, dunked them into the water and found .. nothing. One tire was three pounds low on air, but big whoo.

Yesterday, I had the car over at the OTHER tire place - NTB for a rotate/balance and alignment. I picked the car up and as I was waiting for them to print the paperwork, one of the technicians was looking out the front windows and said to those of us at the counter "That sure is a beautiful car. I want to talk to that guy when he comes in."

The guy who was finishing my paperwork says to him "which car?" The tech says "That red Bonneville - that's even that GXP model. They didn't make very many. It's just so beautiful."

I said "uh, hi there - that's my car. Thanks!"

It's always a great feeling of validation when a car guy is openly admiring your car. I guess I should wax it this weekend, huh?

Have a guy coming over tomorrow after lunch to look at some of the model trains, which would be AWESOME, as I could convert those he buys into new desk furniture for myself here at the office. I have found some in a Baytown warehouse (owned by a guy that Judy knows) that is SO awesome - it's .. well, I'll just post some pictures.







Isn't that yummy looking? It would be so much more attractive than this tackarama metal furniture that's here now.



You can't really see it from MY side, where the drawers are all busted, the formica is all chewed up and so on.

More Dexter watching tonight, it seems. I'm SO glad to be re-Treo'd. You have NO idea.

Friday stuffage

Thought I had a developing flat tire this morning heading in to work when the dash warning popped on and said "you have a tire about to go flat, dummy. Didn't you CHECK the tires?" Stopped at Discount Tire - they pulled all four, dunked them into the water and found .. nothing. One tire was three pounds low on air, but big whoo.

Yesterday, I had the car over at the OTHER tire place - NTB for a rotate/balance and alignment. I picked the car up and as I was waiting for them to print the paperwork, one of the technicians was looking out the front windows and said to those of us at the counter "That sure is a beautiful car. I want to talk to that guy when he comes in."

The guy who was finishing my paperwork says to him "which car?" The tech says "That red Bonneville - that's even that GXP model. They didn't make very many. It's just so beautiful."

I said "uh, hi there - that's my car. Thanks!"

It's always a great feeling of validation when a car guy is openly admiring your car. I guess I should wax it this weekend, huh?

Have a guy coming over tomorrow after lunch to look at some of the model trains, which would be AWESOME, as I could convert those he buys into new desk furniture for myself here at the office. I have found some in a Baytown warehouse (owned by a guy that Judy knows) that is SO awesome - it's .. well, I'll just post some pictures.







Isn't that yummy looking? It would be so much more attractive than this tackarama metal furniture that's here now.



You can't really see it from MY side, where the drawers are all busted, the formica is all chewed up and so on.

More Dexter watching tonight, it seems. I'm SO glad to be re-Treo'd. You have NO idea.

Thursday -

So, I am slogging along here, trying to get motivated.

I think I've met my new boyfriend.

It's been glorious weather of late. The new hibiscus on the courtyard are thriving. The garage is coming up for scrutiny tomorrow. The floors are as well. And, touch-up painting, I think. Maybe some carpet shampooing, even.

The Byetta that I was prescribed on Wednesday costs $225 per month instead of the $120 I was told earlier. I think I need to call around on that.

Going to Orlando for the first time ever for Matticia's 30th birthday and Halloween. Don't think I'll tell my Dad I'm there - Hmm.

Monday, Monday ver 1124.11

I'm starting today with a delightful piece of sarcasm and humor that I found last night; I know you won't click through to share in my amusement, so I'm going to show you here:

Care And Feeding Instructions
by Hunter
Sun Sep 23, 2007 at 05:15:38 PM PDT

Congratulations on your purchase of your new 110th Congress! These care and feeding instructions will help ensure many years of future enjoyment of your Congress: please read them carefully.

CONTENTS

As packaged, your new Congress contains:

* 1 Capitol (white)
* 435 live Representatives (also mostly white)
* 100 live Senators (mostly blazingly, translucently white)
* Congress Chow, in the form of hundreds of billions of dollars in cash
* A variety of checks and balances. You may set these aside: they don't actually do anything.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Soon after installing your new Congress, a green, cash-rich buildup may occur. This buildup is a normal part of the ecological balance in your Congress; the murky green colors will fade slightly as the ratio of legislators to beneficial lobbyists finds a natural balance.

2. Do not expose your Congress to direct sunlight, as this may cause excessive "loss" of Senators and Representatives. In order to best ensure the health of your Congress, keep it in a dimly lit place, preferably near a variety of restaurants.

3. If your Congress begins looking drab, place an American flag behind the tank. This will stimulate your Congressmen into a variety of unusual displays. When the effect fades, add more flags.

4. Do not taunt your Congress. Their feelings are easily hurt, and may result in uncontrollable, deafening wailing. If this happens, add additional flags.

5. A certain amount of sexual perversion is normal. If your household includes children, place your Congress in a location where children will not have direct access to it. Positioning your Congress away from telephone and other communications equipment will help prevent a buildup of prostitutes.

6. As normal behavior, your Senators and Representatives will travel in schools. You may notice portions of your Congress from time to time erupt in panic over an unseen enemy, usually hippies or communists. This is normal, and will usually resolve itself through a series of sternly worded but ineffectual bills.

7. Your Congress is a carefully organized hierarchical society. Watch them work together to build highways, bridges, and overfunded vanity projects. Do not, however, expect them to show interest in you or acknowledge your presence in any way. If that's what you wanted, you should have bought a dog.

8. Under optimal conditions, your Congress may develop one or two Presidential Candidates. The bright colors and dramatic displays of these creatures can provide hours of entertainment. While Presidential Candidates may add excitement to your Congress, note that they are territorial and prone to fighting: keep Candidates separate as much as possible. Also, be aware that Presidential Candidates require ten times the amount of nutrition of other legislators, so feed regularly.

9. Clean your Congress every two years to remove buildup and prevent disease. Wipe your Congress with a disinfecting solution made up of cursory debate, weakly contested primaries, and embarrassingly shallow campaign coverage. It won't make the slightest bit of difference, but what the hell -- it will give you something to do.

All sales final. No refunds. May exchange for identically dysfunctional Congress only.

What a writer!! I laughed each time that I read that last night.

Went plant shopping this weekend - Houston Garden Center had 70% off of flowering shrubs, and I got four hibiscus for $24. WOW. We planted the courtyard yesterday; Jeremy did the re-potting and I put up more basket hangers, attached the three planter boxes I had purchased for the big house to the garage wall where we're going to grow herbs, and cleaned up. It looks a lot better. Not as good as it WILL look eventually, but good.

We also went to install the new garbage disposer that I got at Sears to replace the one that was leaking from every joint and connection. Got the old one out; can't get the new one in. I'm at home waiting for the plumber I called from Craigslist to come install it for me.

He's late.

Picked up the used TV that I bought a few months ago (which broke after five weeks.) $239 for the repair plus the money I paid for it - not the best decision I've ever made, but it works again. With it, I can listen to cable programs in digital stereo; without it, my receiver isn't sophisticated enough to do that.

Hard to believe that I've had that receiver nearly ten years. Well, nine, maybe. I'd have to look.

Still Phaeton-izing, and have been reading online about Phaeton owners who are (gasp) having trouble with the complexity of the car, the expense of repairs and the unwillingness of VW to have its extended warranty cover such repairs.

As in - sensors that go bad easily, but require replacement of the larger component to fix properly. Like, the torque converter. And, on the W12 model (which is the one I like so much) to replace the torque converter, you have to pull the entire engine/transmission, can't use pneumatic or hydraulic wrenches, have to replace transmission fluid (which you can't do while the engine's in the car) and other nonsense. In other words, the repair shop (by not following the instructions) could seriously screw up your car. AND, how many boys do you know that read the instructions?

I mean, I downloaded the sunroof adjustment instructions from the internet for my car. Clearly, David Taylor didn't use them.

AND, the Phaeton W12 (2004 model) has different computerized, adjustable shocks than does the 2005 and 2006, AND if one goes bad, you have to replace all four since the newer model isn't compatible with the old model and the car's myriad on board computers can't communicate successfully with a mixed set. And, "shocks" are considered a wear item, not covered by the VW warranty. And, the new shocks are One Thousand Seven Hundred Fifty dollars.

Each.

In OTHER other words, a Phaeton could produce some serious financial headaches for the un-heeled owner. Plus, many opportunities for dealer indifference, and you KNOW how well I (don't) respond to that.

Thusly, I'm thinking that the Phaeton should be relegated to the realm of "saved by the Grace of God," and it's time to move on.

The plumber has called; he should be here shortly.

OJ and Bram are both yet asleep. Bram's been sick, and who knows how late OJ stayed up last night. He's supposed to be up to supervise the plumber. Ah, well.

A ton of work to accomplish this week. Bleh. Have to order the mailers to let people know I'm not doing tax work next year, and referring them to the two people I've picked to send them to (geographically vetted, of course.)

"PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN, WHERE AT LEAST ... "

What? What are we? Free? Hardly. We're more heavily restricted in our viewpoints than almost any but a dictatorial society. My neighbors put trash and dog waste on my front stoop because I'm not a Republican. Just wait until the giant HILLARY FOR PRESIDENT sign goes up in my front yard. And the video camera to record any "incidents." You should click that link. Yes, you really should. See how proud you feel to be an American today.

Actually, I may put out a huge "MoveOn.org" sign.

Rules #1 - 200,000,000 For Effective Liberal Politics
(posted on http://www.digbysblog.blogspot.com/)

by tristero

Following up on Digby's recent post, I'd like to remind everyone how the system, like it or not, works. It's quite simple.

If you're mad at the Democrats who denounced MoveOn, do something about it. Give MoveOn money. If you plan to donate to individual political campaigns, give the money to those campaigns through MoveOn (or an equivalent group).

Money talks, people. And direct donations to Democrats won't cut it, except to the best of the best. When a truly large portion of a Democratic candidate's funding comes from MoveOn - more importantly, when a truly large portion of the Democratic Party's war chest comes from MoveOn and similar groups... well, no guarantees. But I can guarantee that if liberals don't seriously organize their funding of Democrats, we will repeat the awful spectacle of the last few weeks again and again. (Not to mention the kind of capitulations to the rightwing that, so far, has characterized the 21st century.)

Question: How much money we're talking about here? Answer: heh, heh, heh. C'mon, you weren't born yesterday!

For those of you who have been living under a rug, here's a link to MoveOn. If you don't like MoveOn, no biggie. Simply donate to a group you do like that endorses and funds political races. And if you donate directly to candidates, do so only to the absolute finest candidates and let the others come begging to MoveOn for endorsements and cash.

One final thing which you may not like to hear. Of course, you have to vote. But I'm sorry to say that if you can possibly afford it, you also have to pony up for decent congresscritters, governors, presidents, etc. No cash, no influence,

Does this sound like a shakedown? Well, yes. But remember, we're the reality-based folks and like it or not, you'll have to pay for good government. And if we don't pay, there never will be even a hope of election reform that helps curb the shakedown. Ever.

Yesterday, Larry send me an email asking me to include something in my blog. It's definately DivoBlog worthy. It's a MoveOn email:

Dear MoveOn member,

Yesterday, an amazing thing happened. After the Senate's shameful vote, and after President Bush called MoveOn "disgusting,"1 our email started to fill up with messages like this one:

I'm currently in Iraq. I do not agree with this war, and if I did support this war, it would not matter. You have the RIGHT to speak the truth. We KNOW that you support us. Thank you for speaking out for being our voice. We do not have a voice. We are overshooted by those who say that we soldiers do not support organizations like MoveOn. WE DO.

YOU ARE OUR voice.

And then came the donations. By midnight, over 12,000 people had donated $500,000—more than we've raised any day this year—for our new ad calling out the Republicans who blocked adequate rest for troops headed back to Iraq.

The message from MoveOn members was loud and clear: Don't back down. Take the fight back to the issues that matter.

So today we're shooting for a very ambitious goal: Reach $1 million so we can dramatically expand the campaign we launched yesterday going after politicians who support this awful war. Can you chip in $25 toward our goal?

https://pol.moveon.org/donate/mcconnell.html?id=11275-3133794-C_xJbL&t=2
All day, messages from vets and military family members kept pouring into our email, many of them aimed at the Senate:

I have given a son to this country. My brother, my father, my uncle have all served honorably and bravely. I am a loyal American. I am outraged and sick to death of the tactics this administration uses to try to silence dissent to a war that is unjust, built and maintained on lies, political power, and greed. I was content to let others fight more loudly, but no more.
–Sharyn W., NC

I am a prior soldier who served in Iraq for 13 months, and am now an expecting mom with a husband who is deployed in Baghdad. I don't think I can ever forgive the Bush administration for the lies that tricked America into this war and hurt my family so badly. I am ashamed of those American politicians who would condemn an organization for practicing the Freedom of Speech that so many soldiers have died for.
–Danielle B., OH

As a US Navy veteran and an Iraq war veteran of over a year I want to ask, What has happened to us? What has happened to our voice? Where is this country going with stopping free speech and free press? ... Every time I think of the long nights I had in Anbar remembering what I was fighting for, well here it is....
–Ahmad H., LA

These folks have made sacrifices many of us can't imagine. Their charge to us was clear: keep speaking the truth about how President Bush and the Republicans have betrayed our trust.

So we're going to expand our ad campaign—keep it on the air longer and run it against other politicians who helped block adequate rest time for our troops. Can you chip in $25 to do it?

https://pol.moveon.org/donate/mcconnell.html?id=11275-3133794-C_xJbL&t=3

And still the messages kept coming ...

I've had three nephews serve since 2002, one of whom was killed in Anbar Province. I have a fourth nephew at Quantico training. I want this war over before he is deployed and before any more of our soldiers are sacrificed.
–Michele R., NE

Three members of my family are military. Two Marines have served in Iraq and an Army Lt. is deploying in November. If we had all spoken out when the administration used General Powell perhaps we would not be in this mess.
–Carol B., PA
As a Marine I served for many reasons but one of them was to allow people the freedom of speech, whether I agreed with it or not. Wearing a uniform does not mean someone isn't a shill, is spewing propaganda, and downright lies. MoveOn has every right to buy an ad and say what they want about a public figure. This administration has lied to us, deceived us, misled us and when posed with a challenge this is how they respond?
–Keith G., VA

The Senate won't pass a policy to end the war or even to make sure our troops in the field have enough rest time between deployments, but they hold votes to crack down on millions of Americans who are upset about the war?

Well—it isn't going to work. We put together a hard-hitting ad that highlights how Republicans failed our troops and if we can raise enough money today, we'll air it across the country. Please help if you can:

https://pol.moveon.org/donate/mcconnell.html?id=11275-3133794-C_xJbL&t=4

For all of us on the MoveOn staff, this week was a bit of a rollercoaster—MoveOn was attacked by nearly the entire Republican party, while too many Democrats ran for the hills. But what kept us going were messages like these—and the incredible privilege we feel to serve all 3.2 million Americans in MoveOn.org.

When the story is written of how the Iraq war ended, you will be the heroes. Thank you.

–Eli, Adam G., Adam R., Anna, Carrie, Daniel, Erik, Ilyse, Jennifer, Joan, Justin, Karin, Laura, Marika, Matt, Natalie, Nita, Noah, Tanya, Tom & Wes
MoveOn.org Political Action
Friday, September 21st, 2007

So, everyone on Capitol Hill and inside the beltway had apoplexy about MoveOn calling Petraeus into question about his report. But, this is okay:

Chicago: Thanks for taking questions. What do you see at the event(s) that could really shake up either of the presidential primary races between now and January? I'm not talking about Osama blowing up the Sears Tower or 1,000 GIs being killed in Iraq next month but regularly scheduled events or debates, or the beginning of the millions in TV ads, things within the campaigns' control.

Jonathan Weisman: How about Obama blowing up the Sears Tower! I never liked that building anyway. (Just kidding, folks.)

And this is okay, too -

The left has core values. They're just not ours. But I mean, if Obama Osama -- here's the story. It's in the Orlando Sentinel. "Obama Osama Leads Star Power or Lends Star Power to Nelson. A Democratic U.S. senator campaigns for his colleague in a town hall forum in Eatonville. About 500 people rose to their feet in a standing 'O' worthy of a rock star, as U.S. Sen. Barack Obama Osama hit the stage."

Well, we've got another tape from -- I get these guys confused -- Usama bin Laden. Another tape says he's going to invade Pakistan and declare war on Pakistan and Musharraf, which, ladies and gentlemen, puts him on the same page with a Democrat presidential candidate -- that would be Barack "Uss-Obama." And let's go back to August 1st: "U-Bama" gave a speech on counterterrorism, and here's a portion of what he said.

And it is true that Barack Obama is on the move. I don't know if it's true that President Bush called Musharraf and said, 'Why can't we catch this guy?'

If you thought Obama's last name was enough of a political pitfall, get this: Last night on Hardball, GOP strategist Ed Rogers ridiculed a potential Obama candidacy by using — possibly for the first time on cable news — Obama's little-known and politically unfortunate middle name. "Count me down as somebody that underestimates Barack Hussein Obama," Rogers said.

The media, the drive-bys, are in the midst of Obama-gasms. Because Obama -- that would be Barack Hussein Obama -- has announced the perfunctory and predictable exploratory committee to go out there and ask people what they think he ought to do. And on February 10th, he will announce his intentions -- which we all know. Really gutsy of Obama to do this while Hillary's out of the country. Hillary had a 2 p.m. press conference today, but she canceled it because Obama's making such big news today. It's kind of like the "Breck girl" was in New York yesterday ripping into Hillary while she was out of the country. Shows that they still fear her.

The number of people that I personally know who quote Rush Limbaugh (the source of most of these quotes, all of which are attributed on Digby's site) and think he has something good to say .. it astonishes me.

I've circled back to the night of Walker, Texas President's inauguration. I was at the Texas/Wyoming ball, en tuxedo, quite drunk. Walker, Texas President entered with his lovely Stepford Wife. He promised to correct a campaign flaw in that he had never publicly danced with his wife for more than ten seconds - he promised to dance the entire "Waltz Across Texas" with her as we watched and the Coast Guard Academy orchestra played.

He danced for fewer than one full verse and then waved and left. On his first night as President, he lied to the faces his strongest supporters (and to me) and they ate it up. I had tears streaming down my face and the husband of a co-worker said "now you know how we felt when Clinton was elected."

Clinton, the centrist. "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Clinton. No more welfare Clinton. Privatize the government Clinton. That Clinton. Being a Centrist is so challenging to their positions that he had to be savagely attacked for eight years, and now seven years later remains a boogeyman.

I snapped back at the man "at least no one was going to shove you and your friends into ovens, buddy."

That's how I feel now. Like they've built the ovens, and just haven't started the mass arrests and shipments.

The man was shocked - he said "we'd never let that happen."

I didn't believe it that night, and I don't believe it now. All of my respectable, conservative, Republican friends would quietly sit aside as I vanished from the face of the planet and say nothing. And vote again for the people who have put our Treasury into the hands of their campaign contributors, stripped us of our rights and bastardized our courts that no reversals can take place.

When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.

When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.

When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.

When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.

When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.

Once they've shoved me into that oven, at least I won't be saying anything anymore. Not that a one of you is going to do anything about it at all.

Saturday anger and rage

First, I pick up my computer this morning to find an email from the sales manager of David Taylor inviting me to trade in my car. After all, it's got 36,000 miles on it. Almost.

They'd probably whack me for the broken windshield.

Such an opportunity invites reply! And here it is:

Dear Mr. DeSerf:

Thank you for your email inviting me to again do business with David Taylor.

I must compliment Michelle Gertner very highly. She's excellent at follow-up, has a terrific attitude and is wonderful to work with.

However, my experiences with David Taylor, aside from dealing with Michelle, over the past two years have been universally negative in the extreme. I had a dreadful sales experience with your former internet sales manager two summers ago, which prompted me to buy the Bonneville which you've invited me to trade in. With the Bonneville, I've had an ongoing service nightmare that has had me in more than six times for warranty repairs that were not done, not done correctly, damage done to my vehicle repeatedly, and a universal character of denying and defending - telling me that the problem was in my own mind.

Right now, I have a moonroof that was replaced by David Taylor two weeks ago and makes more wind noise than it did before replacement. The service advisor and the service manager have communicated that this is a normal condition and that I am too picky. However, the moonroof, when vented, makes less noise than it does while closed. Six people, including a David Taylor customer, have ridden in the car and have been speechless or derisive about how David Taylor's service personnel have characterized my experiences. I have an exhaust rattle under the hood that David Taylor's service department "can't find," but that people traveling in my car can hear and feel.

After these many fruitless visits, each time requiring time away from work and days without a car, all we can do is make jokes about my imagination being so vivid that it comes with sound effects. I have been again invited by your service manager to go on a test drive to review my complaints. When last at your store, the shop foreman acknowledged that the moonroof made a lot of noise, and told me that it was as good as they could do. Two days later, your service advisor told the GM representative that I was only hearing wind noise. That man has lied repeatedly about the condition of the car and how things were handled - there is no more credibility on the part of your service personnel.

I decline another opportunity to take time away from work, be treated with deference, have nothing accomplished and have the car returned to me in a lesser condition than it was put into your hands as the bailee.

In my more than twenty-five years in business consulting and behavioral counseling, it is clear to me that such behavior in a business structure comes down from the attitudes and the character of those at the top. My experience with sales in 2005, and my experience in service demonstrate that David Taylor does not have a culture of customer service, but is out to maximize yield in each day's transactions regardless of the future cost. GM as an organization also endorses and encourages this behavior, at least at the lower levels. I expected a different experience at a Cadillac franchised store. My experience has been different only in that the indifference I encountered at Chevrolet, Pontiac and Buick stores is sugar coated with a veneer of politeness and more attractive surroundings.

Even GM's factory representatives are only capable of repeating David Taylor's defensive transfer of blame to me; albeit with a perky and cheery voice.

My experiences at David Taylor have caused me to question whether buying another GM car after being a loyal and frequent GM buyer since 1978 would be in my best interest. As appealing as the 08 STS is to me, I must look at other, less interesting choices based on how I know I would be treated by GM and its franchisees.

You will please remove me from any future David Taylor promotional mailings or contact. I wish you the best, sir, but I can't say that I hold much confidence in a successful future at David Taylor based on its owners' and managers' business practices and beliefs.

The other outrage and recommendations will be in a follow-on post. I need to make some coffee.

Friday without OJ

This is delightful!

This is awesome!!

A series of recorded calls with a major national collection agency - as one of the comments points out - I can't even begin to count the number of violations of law that this recording contains. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS!!!

Thursday in a damaged shirt

So, we have a thing today at a bank that we do business with - a branch anniversary. I put on dressier clothing (has anyone noticed that almost no one wears a suit or a tie anymore?) and my nine year old nametag that makes everyone jealous.

As I pulled this shirt out of the closet this morning, I thought that it looked .. dingy around the collar, which I thought was weird, since I've worn this shirt probably no more than twenty times. I put it on, and saw what looked like an old coffee stain alongside the neckline, and thought "I never spilled anything on this shirt..."

I got into the office, and under the overhead lights saw yellowish stains EVERYWHERE. Like, the shirt is probably ruined. Which is okay; it was a gift and I never liked it much, as it didn't fit worth a flip.

Trying to buy a replacement Treo for mine that died when it hit the floor Friday last. After several not going so well, I found one that was about to close and sold for $127.50 with only $5.00 shipping. YAY! I expect that by the time I kill this one off, they'll have some brand new zippy Treo that will catch my eye.

After months of feeling disempowered, I've started keeping up with my Quicken again. Not up to where I should be with it, but I'm catching up.

My fury over Hillary's health care plan may have been overstated by the inadequate coverage given it in the traditional media - it does include full benefit mandatory underwritten coverage for people like me who can't otherwise get coverage and creates a very large risk pool that isn't tied to healthy people being their sole members. It restructures health insurance underwriting, and makes health insurance totally portable for people who have it through their employers, replacing COBRA.

For me, the health coverage isn't the issue on the monthly premium - it's the hard, out-of-pocket pre-pay that's $5000 that is impossible. To have pay for virtually all of my health care and pay another $4500 on top of that as against contingencies is unworkable.

I guess it's time for a "Hillary 2008" bumper sticker.

Racing for the bottom of the heap

I'm just utterly disgusted with the race to the bottom conducted by the Democratic candidates for President. MORE tax cuts? Are they insane? "Let everyone have health insurance?" Uh - health insurance plus deductibles for me is nearly a thousand dollars a month - explain how a tax cut is going to help me.

We were shopping at Target tonight - they have a blue jalapeño cornbread mix that's AMAZING. OJ's made pork chops and lentils and it's all .. terrific. Yummy. We're watching "Hollywoodland" and then we'll be watching "Pan's Labyrinth."

HAH! David Taylor just sent me ANOTHER email request for feedback on the "repairs" to Scarlett. Uh-huh. How snarky should I be?

Fantasies of solar panels

Well, we tried the EPA Energy Star programming for four days, and it's too bloody uncomfortable. Now, we're going with the Guy Energy sense program which is already more comfortable. Perhaps learning that there is a lock-out on the thermostat will spare me another $370 light bill.

Last night, though, we watched "A Crude Awakening," which was mildly disturbing, to say the least. Afterward, I was surfing around trying to find someone near Houston that installs residential solar electrical systems and .. didn't. Jeff from Orange County (who works for one of the big Sisters, formerly the Seven Sisters, but there's been some consolidation) tells me "it's very scary, but it's all true." What they say in the movie, that is. The cost of a residential system is going to be about $12,000 and there is a Federal tax credit, uncertain Texas credits and .. monthly savings averaging over $200.

One feels less like a granola chomping, hemp shoed nutball when one reads that far smarter people than I thought that this idea was how our country should be powered generally.

We almost played cribbage last night. It had been since I was a young teenager in Lake City, Michigan that I had played and the three cribbage boards that have floated down here to my life now sit in lonely silence on the coffee table. Somewhere, I even had a cribbage score pad, but I'm betting that was purged at some point. I had to go re-read the instructions in detail, and it seems clunky.

The cool front makes it possible that we could go outdoors after 7:00 or so and actually play around the patio table.

I'm hoping to toddle out onto the courtyard here in a short bit and clean up the plants and make it more appealing. Jeremy is feeling less than perfect, so we'll see if this comes together.

My obsession with GM cars.

Or, "I really am insane."

I've had almost all GM cars since I was in college - most of them new.

1978 Chevy Monte Carlo (purchased new)
1979 Chevy Camaro Berlinetta (purchased new)
1990 Pontiac Grand Am SE HO 2.4 (purchased new)
1995 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP 3.4 HO (purchased new)
1998 Buick Riviera 3.8 (purchased one year old)
2005 Pontiac Bonneville GXP (purchased one year old)

Now, let's let my letter to PMD and the dealer speak (partially) for me:

Last week, I had my 2005 Pontiac Bonneville into David Taylor for warranty repair work, VIN 1G2HZ54Y85U*******.

The car was delivered for service on Thursday, September 6 2007 and returned to me on Friday, September 7, 2007. Upon return, the vehicle had suffered damage while at David Taylor, specifically:

• Windshield is broken
• Interior lights and trunk light no longer operable

In addition, the warranty work performed was improperly done. The replaced moonroof leaks air and water, and rattles when the shade is opened. The car was returned with the dash, the rear package tray and rear seat soiled and dirty.

This is the car’s fourth warranty visit for the moonroof issue. In my experience, David Taylor’s service personnel have been reluctant to address noise complaints in the absence of clear physical evidence that a problem exists. I am reluctant to bring the car back to David Taylor for the moonroof if it will again be returned to me with a notation that no problem was found.

Your service advisor reports that David Taylor was not responsible for the windshield damage, and that the interior lights have to be inspected to determine whether David Taylor is responsible or Pontiac is responsible. The windshield damage bears a cost of $586.95 plus tax.

I request that this matter be reviewed by management, as the service drive staff have already denied David Taylor’s responsibility for any of these matters, and that a specific, reliable promise as to the level of care that will be delivered in reviewing these complaints and in performing any adjustments or repairs be given before I again take a partial day away from work to deliver the car for additional service.

Now, at this same dealer is this very nice and helpful saleslady who's trying to get me to buy this 2008 Cadillac STS.

Lovely. Lovely lovely lovely. She and I have been exchanging emails and she's been trying to be helpful with the service department.

The service manager (who has a different name that the "service manager" that the sales manager told me I should speak to) was not friendly, not even really businesslike. He was terse, cold, angry and basically told me that they'd let me bring the car back to give them a FIFTH shot at fixing the sunroof.

About twenty minutes later, I had an email from the nice saleslady, who had emailed to see if I'd heard from the service manager. I wrote her back saying this:

I did. I have to replace my windshield at my own expense; they're not willing to at all entertain that something happened to the car while they had it. They're taking the car in for the interior lights on Wednesday. I was very put off by the service managers tone. He was barely polite, but he clearly thinks that I'm the one with the problem.

I don't know about you, but if I had to take a $40,000 car to a luxury dealer to have the sunroof repaired four times and got it back leaking water and air AND damaged, there'd be a little genuflecting and apologies going on. Not the utter indifference and unwillingness to do anything but let me bring the car back in a FIFTH time to do the repair shop dance with them again.

So, Brian, whom I adore and cherish, says that only an idiot would buy an American car from a US manufacturer for exactly these reasons. He suggests a Hyundai Genesis or a nice Honda. Or something from Nippon, Infiniti, Lexus...

Of course, these cars leave me c-o-l-d.

When I bought the Buick, a deciding factor was that I could take the car to this same dealer and have it worked on under the supervision of my good friend who was a service writer there. He left, unfortunately, shortly before I bought this car.

So, I can take the car to the same dealer to have the same issue worked on the FIFTH time (along with the damage they did to the inside lighting) with no promise of how long it's going to take, and whether they'll even give it a half-assed shot to treat me with the decency that a buyer of a Kia Rondo should reasonably expect.

Ah - funny. I'm sitting here blogging, and I get the automated email from the dealer asking me to report my experiences with them:

I half expect later this week to have the car returned to me, with the interior lights that you damaged still not working and a notation that you can't find the problem since it's daylight or something.

Finally, when I do voice my complaints about having my car returned to me like this, I'm spoken to in a hostile and unfriendly tone - clearly the only motivation for the call from your store was because you HAD TO talk to me.

Anyone buying a car from your store and taking it there for service is insane.

I'd click this little box asking the service manager to contact me, but he's already called me to share his disdain with my complaints. I'll skip that in the future.

Today, I was finalizing the work I did last Thursday (remember - creativity?) and ... yes, indeed .. it was shared with everyone in the office again. I blew my cork for the first of four times today. Only three more episodes to go.

In the last few days, and due to a configuration error with Trillian, I have re-connected with "Timmy" from Frankfurt and James from Albuquerque - and I'm very very very very very happy to have done so.