Things that irritate me

[Houston1stWordOnTheMoon]

It was probably around $250000 or so right Moonman ?

$250,000 is exactly right My how things have changed. I wonder if it has anything to do with the US Presidential salary. As the Chief of the US gov. no gov. employee can make a higher wage, or death benefit payout. I wonder if this rise in the death benefit payout is a reflection of the rise in the US Pres. salary?

[Guest Marty]

How about Hencho en Mexico on the back of a 1979 Monte Carlo back Window! Talk about no Respect! Where,s Rodney Dangerfield when you need him!

[Pumapayam]

I think Parrot is talking about La Raza.

Doesn't La Raza mean 'ghetto', it is like they are making fun of themselves.

[Guest Marty]

Doesn't La Raza mean 'ghetto', it is like they are making fun of themselves.

La Raza means "the race."

[77017]

I'm driving through the subdivision of Bear Creek (off Hwy 6 near Clay) dropping off some letters I painted for a client. I see nice houses, nice yards, and then a few really crappy yards and crappy houses. This is too bad, because it looks like it's a cute little neighborhood (perhaps their HOA sucks?). What I do see a lot of is American flags hanging off of the houses, crappy and nice. I have always liked that; I grew up in a home that had a flag flying 365 days of the year.

I turn onto my client's street and notice one of the crappy houses is particularly crappy. Right next door is a beautiful house with a well-manicured yard and a fresh paint job. The crappy house, however, has seen better days. The brick needed to be power washed, the driveway was full of old cars and someone's broken-down ATV. The yard was overgrown with clover and weeds, and the thing that bothered me most was a giant Mexican flag that was strung up on a makeshift PVC "flagpole" that was duct-taped (classic silver, no less) to their mailbox.

Why did this bother me so? I really thought a lot about it. Was it the fact that there was no American flag with it? Maybe. But then, why does an Australian or Dutch flag flying from someone's yard not bother me? Maybe because European and Australian ex-pats aren't screaming they are the "Master Race" and begging for all of the same social benefits Americans receive. Perhaps it was the way it was put up; it was as if this family was shooting the bird at all of their neighbors, kind of a giant "Fu*k You" to everyone from the neighborhood cats to the HOA board to Americans in general, including little old me just driving down the street.

My client rolled her eyes when I made mention of it. They apparently moved in barely a year ago and had just put it up, in protest during the Fourth of July holiday. She said they had not yet contacted the association president.

Anyway, it bothered me. I'm not gonna lose sleep over it, but I just wanted to see what you all thought.

Yeah, so????

[Mark F. Barnes]

I find it ironic that this thread pops back up on this very day. D

[Vertigo58]

I hate to resurrect the dead but here I go.

My ribs are hurting from extreme laughter in how so many people got steamed on this topic. It was like a snowball rolling down a hill that just grew and grew! Each response just came in such repitity I became spellbound. Even a Hollywood screen writer couldn't have accomplished such a feat! Seemed like everyone and thier dog joined in. Reminded me of a Marx Brothers comedy.

This one should have won an Emmy hands down.

I am in complete hysterics...gotta go now Sister Bertrille is calling me now!

[dbigtex56]

Rising from the turbulent 1960s and drawing on the century-long foundation of Mexican American experience, the Chicano "La Raza" movement has finally become a dynamic force for societal change. The movement is not a monolith, but is rather an amalgam of individuals and organizations who share a sense of pride in Mexicanidad, a dedication to enhancement of Chicano culture, mutual identification, a desire to improve the Chicano socio-economic position, and a commitment to making constructive changes in U.S. society.

From A History of Mexican Americans in California:

Rising from the turbulent 1960s and drawing on the century-long foundation of Mexican American experience, the Chicano movement has be come a dynamic force for societal change. The movement is not a monolith, but is rather an amalgam of individuals and organizations who share a sense of pride in Mexicanidad, a dedication to enhancement of Chicano culture, mutual identification, a desire to improve the Chicano socio-economic position, and a commitment to making constructive changes in U.S. society.

In case anyone was interested...

[Mark F. Barnes]

From A History of Mexican Americans in California:

Rising from the turbulent 1960s and drawing on the century-long foundation of Mexican American experience, the Chicano movement has be come a dynamic force for societal change. The movement is not a monolith, but is rather an amalgam of individuals and organizations who share a sense of pride in Mexicanidad, a dedication to enhancement of Chicano culture, mutual identification, a desire to improve the Chicano socio-economic position, and a commitment to making constructive changes in U.S. society.

In case anyone was interested...

Actually I got it from here:

http://www.chicano.org/newsite/index.php?o...mp;limitstart=2

[dbigtex56]

Actually I got it from here:

http://www.chicano.org/newsite/index.php?o...mp;limitstart=2

Apparently, the article originally appeared in La Prensa San Diego Sept. 22, 2000 and has been widely reproduced.

[SpaceCity]

I am all for freedom of expression. But if the old country is THAT great why not move back?

I seriously doubt I'd ever fly Old Glory if I moved to another country.

Would y'all?

Agreed.

[Vertigo58]

Agreed.

Right on! As the old adage goes "When In Rome do as the Romans do".

Imagine going to a party you weren't invited to then start complaining about the food and the music and expecting all the guests and host to cater to you? I dont think so! The real sad thing is the country has become so scared over lawsuits, riots an so on that everyone is so scared to say what they really mean.

If I went to live in France (I wish) I would immediatly immerse myself in the language & culture. I wouldnt expect them to kiss up to me! I guess you would have to have been through car wrecks with these people to really get where I'm going with this. Most of my family has been wrecked into by non English speaking people whom did not have insurance, driver license or took off running. I was left with long time injuries because of an illegal that was driving DUI. I wont even get into having to live next to some that had cock-fighting and pit-bull fighting going on (yes in Harris County) plus the gunshooting & boozing 7 days a week. The local stores seemed to caved in to them too. Your lucky if anyone speaks English in these places. Talk about being non-inclusive! Enough of that I could write a manifesto, but someone is still going to bark back as they normally do here. Start the egg tossing!

and MidtCoog was correct I would not impose my flag elsewhere out of sheer respect for that country.

[RedScare]

Start the egg tossing!

You are really not worth the effort. Besides, where would one start?

[nmainguy]

Rising from the turbulent 1960s and drawing on the century-long foundation of Mexican American experience, the Chicano "La Raza" movement has finally become a dynamic force...

http://www.sierranevadavirtualmuseum.com/d...ure/mexican.htm

Ah...the plagerist is back.

[westguy]

You can't fly the American flag in other countries (safely that is). The rest of the world hates the US.

[Guest Marty]

We can disagree on Architecture design and all that but all these political threads do is just makes everyone get pissed at each other Are parents used to say don't talk politics with your friend's, to hell with the political/gay/religious threads.

[Vertigo58]

We can disagree on Architecture design and all that but all these political threads do is just makes everyone get pissed at each other Are parents used to say don't talk politics with your friend's, to hell with the political/gay/religious threads.

So True, then we all better avoid the new topic/thread on Neighborhood - East End - Protest at Home Dep. I'll have to sit this one out. Doctors orders

[lockmat]

Things that bother ME...

a. Sports broadcastes continuously using the phrase something to this effect..."he can ill-afford to do that." Maybe that's grammatically correct, but I just hate the way it sounds.

b. People younger than me who call me "buddy"

I'll think of more later.

[nmainguy]

Things that bother ME...

a. Sports broadcastes continuously using the phrase something to this effect..."he can ill-afford to do that." Maybe that's grammatically correct, but I just hate the way it sounds.

b. People younger than me who call me "buddy"

I'll think of more later.

Well all I can say to you, "buddy" is I am with you 100% on sportscasters and appreciate that you've never addressed me as "buddy." Us older guys appreciate the courtesy.

[houstonmacbro]

Well all I can say to you, "buddy" is I am with you 100% on sportscasters and appreciate that you've never addressed me as "buddy." Us older guys appreciate the courtesy.

You ain't an 'older guy' .. you're a 'better guy'.

But seriously, the things that gets me sometimes about all this spanish culture stuff is this.

Yes, we are in the United States of America. Everyone that has come here has assimilated to some degree (African slaves, Italians, Germans, Jews).

But the Spanish just seem to be almost Borg-like. Resistance is futile...

Everything becomes ... Spanish sooner or later until just about all things English fade away. Just look up and down 1960 ... taquerias, businesses, etc. ... all in Spanish.

Now, I am not shy about interacting with Spanish-language people, but often they seem uninterested or downright rude about interacting with me, and so I feel ... awkward and often unwelcome in their presence and/or establishments.

Is it because I am black? Not sure ... American ... not sure?

[Guest danax]

You ain't an 'older guy' .. you're a 'better guy'.

But seriously, the things that gets me sometimes about all this spanish culture stuff is this.

Yes, we are in the United States of America. Everyone that has come here has assimilated to some degree (African slaves, Italians, Germans, Jews).

But the Spanish just seem to be almost Borg-like. Resistance is futile...

Everything becomes ... Spanish sooner or later until just about all things English fade away. Just look up and down 1960 ... taquerias, businesses, etc. ... all in Spanish.

Now, I am not shy about interacting with Spanish-language people, but often they seem uninterested or downright rude about interacting with me, and so I feel ... awkward and often unwelcome in their presence and/or establishments.

Is it because I am black? Not sure ... American ... not sure?

You've got to know that many from Mexico and even the Central American countries had never seen a black person until they came here, except for the thugs on MTV perhaps, and with the abilty to live here almost entirely within their own subculture, interaction with other types of people is still possibly a non-event.

[houstonmacbro]

People that always act like they know it all.

People that don't let you finish your thoughts before they start cutting you off trying to get their thoughts in.

[KimberlySayWhat]

I don't know if I've already responded to this thread but something that really irritates me is what I call "bag eaters". They are people who take a "family sized" bag of chips or a box of cookies or crackers or what have you, and they carry it around, sit it on their lap, etc, and eat straight from it. My little nephew was over the other day and he was carrying around a brand new bag of tortilla chips eating out of it. I refuse to eat from it when I see that going on. I hate that. If someone's going to finish off the bag/box then that's fine. But not if a person is going to eat from it until they've had enough and then put the rest back in the pantry or whatever. It's already been contaminated. Their germs have already fallen in, skin cells have already fallen from their hands inside the bag.

[houstonmacbro]

I don't know if I've already responded to this thread but something that really irritates me is what I call "bag eaters". They are people who take a "family sized" bag of chips or a box of cookies or crackers or what have you, and they carry it around, sit it on their lap, etc, and eat straight from it. My little nephew was over the other day and he was carrying around a brand new bag of tortilla chips eating out of it. I refuse to eat from it when I see that going on. I hate that. If someone's going to finish off the bag/box then that's fine. But not if a person is going to eat from it until they've had enough and then put the rest back in the pantry or whatever. It's already been contaminated. Their germs have already fallen in, skin cells have already fallen from their hands inside the bag.

Here's the trick. You have to get to the bag FIRST!

I live alone, but still pour out my chips, or nuts (minds out the gutter) onto a plate or napkin 'cause I don't feel like digging in the bag myself ... and I keep clean hands.

[KimberlySayWhat]

I'm all about clean hands. When I sit down to eat I have what's called a clean hand and a dirty hand. The clean hand (left one) is for using silverwear and touching the food, though I wish I had a third hand for just silverwear because sometimes my dirty hand accidentally touches the handle of my silverwear if I'm not careful. The dirty hand (the right one) is strictly for answering the phone or using the remote control and for touching the outside of my drinking glass.

[dbigtex56]

It's already been contaminated. Their germs have already fallen in, skin cells have already fallen from their hands inside the bag.

I'm all about clean hands. When I sit down to eat I have what's called a clean hand and a dirty hand. The clean hand (left one) is for using silverwear and touching the food, though I wish I had a third hand for just silverwear because sometimes my dirty hand accidentally touches the handle of my silverwear if I'm not careful. The dirty hand (the right one) is strictly for answering the phone or using the remote control and for touching the outside of my drinking glass.

Kimberly. Dear.

That's abnormal. It's irrational and unhealthy. You cannot avoid germs. You're a healthy young woman who has less to fear than you think. Germs are not the problem; fear is.

Bacteria are normal; you couldn't live without them. Your mouth, your gut, your skin are rife with bacteria. Lucky you! They protect us, they help us digest food. An utterly sterile environment is not desirable (despite advertising to the contrary).

Cleanliness is a virtue. Like many virtues, it can be perverted.

[RedScare]

Obsessively clean people tend to get sick more often than those who do not obsess over it.

Somewhat ironic, don't you think?

[dbigtex56]

Obsessively clean people tend to get sick more often than those who do not obsess over it.

Somewhat ironic, don't you think?

Maybe they only think they're sick.

[KimberlySayWhat]

To various extents I've been this way since I was a tiny girl. When I was about as young as four-years-old, I can remember never wanting to drink after anyone. The few times I did drink after someone, I would turn the glass around to where their mouth hadn't been. That was at a very young age.

You're not telling me anything I don't already know. I understand that most of it is illogical. Part is habit, part is cautiousness. I'm not a sickly person, nor have I ever been. It's not hampered my life in any way.

[plumber2]

Perfectly Fine.

I like the American made car parked at the curb. Now that's patriotic!