"Your Rights and my Rights..." 'Michael A. Herr' (Aloha Friday)

Renowned author Michael Herr is back guest-blogging on this awesome Aloha Friday talking about,  THE FREEDOM TO WEAR ANYTHING? Make sure and check out Michael's website at; http://www.michaelherr.com/

  ALOHA FRIDAY

August 31, 2012

　


Your Rights and My Rights


Aloha Folks,

A company called Urban Outfitters recently came under fire for selling apparel (tee shirts mostly) with alcohol-related messages. Now, if I want to wear a tee shirt that shows my drinking preferences ("I don't belong to the Republican or Democratic Party. I belong to the Cocktail Party.") well, I'm over 21. But these shirts are being marketed to teens. Their model wearing the shirt is clearly underage. So, while Urban Outfitters has the right to sell these shirts, they should not try to push them onto teenagers.

Going off on a parallel road from the above, the proliferation of risque and downright filthy tee and sweat shirts that are being advertised in many of the catalogs I get truly upsets me. I like a good double entendre as much as the next person. But a good double entendre requires the use of some brain cells. Too many of the dirty shirts I see advertised (and worn) don't require any thinking to get their message. It's all too clear, and too blatant. A middle finger raised with a message that I won't include in this article.

I have at times been tempted to challenge someone wearing a foul shirt, especially in a public place frequented by women and children. So far I've managed to control myself.

I see airlines and schools telling people wearing such offensive garb that they either must change, or they must turn their shirts inside out to wear them. I only wish movie theatre and fast food restaurants had the same policies, and courage. If you want to buy a Big Mac, toss the "Fu*k You" shirt.

Of course, if parents checked on what their kids were wearing, or what was in their wardrobes, and then tossed out the blatantly offensive items of clothing that they found . . . Ah, but the parents of the kids who wear this stuff probably have better things to do. And better things to smoke.

All right, hold that stool while I climb down off my high horse. Yes, I know things have changed since the Middle Ages when I was a kid. And yes, I know I can't make them change back. But that doesn't mean I have to like it. And if you're wearing one of those disgusting shirts in the ice cream shop when I bring my grand-kids in for cones, well, you've had fair warning.

Okay folks, see you next week.
　

Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared from Facebook...

check out Michael's website at http://www.michaelherr.com/ 

The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and forum participants on this blog site do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Publisher of Dakinetalk the blog, but they could? ;D)

"Jesse the chicken plucker..." 'Debbie Eayrs' (Source)

  Steve and Debbie Eayrs live in Homer Alaska and run their own plumbing and heating business... They are the source of this interesting bit of  baby boomer history... enjoy!

 

Let me tell you, Jesse hated this job. And you would too, I imagine, if you had to do it. Jesse was a chicken plucker. That's right.

He stood on a line in a chicken factory and spent his days pulling the feathers off dead chickens so the rest of us wouldn't have to.

It wasn't much of a job.

But at the time, Jesse didn't think he was much of a person. His father was a brute of a man. His dad was actually thought to be mentally ill and treated Jesse rough all of his life.

Jesse's older brother wasn't much better. He was always picking on Jesse and beating him up. Yes, Jesse grew up in a very rough home in West Virginia . Life was anything but easy. And he thought life didn't hold much hope for him. That's why he was standing in this chicken line, doing a job that darn few people wanted. In addition to all the rough treatment at home, it seems that Jesse was
always sick. Sometimes it was real physical illness, but way too often it was all in his head. He was a small child, skinny and meek. that sure didn't help the situation any.

When he started to school, he was the object of every bully on the playground. He was a hypochondriac of the first order. For Jesse,

tomorrow was not always something to be looked forward to. But, he had dreams. He wanted to be a ventriloquist. He found books on ventriloquism. He practiced with sock puppets and saved his hard earned dollars until he could get a real ventriloquist dummy.

When he got old enough, he joined the military. And even though many of his hypochondriac symptoms persisted, the military did recognize his talents and put him in the entertainment corp. That was when his world changed. He gained confidence. He found that he had a talent for making people laugh, and laugh so hard they often had tears in their eyes. Yes, little Jesse had found himself.

You know, folks, the history books are full of people who overcame a handicap to go on and make a success of themselves, but Jesse is one of the few I know of who didn't forget it. Instead he used his paranoia to make a million dollars, and become one of the best-loved characters of all time in doing it!

Yes, that little paranoid hypochondriac, who transferred his nervousness into a successful career, still holds the record for the most Emmy's given in a single category.

The wonderful, gifted, talented, and nervous comedian who brought us Barney Fife was ...

Jesse Don Knotts.

Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared from Facebook...

"Great Party..." 'Bettejo Dux' (Classic Wednesday)

Guest-blogger Bettejo Dux is one of Kauai's most delightful  people, she has lived on the cosmic island of Kaua'i for over 40 years... She is an animal lover, people lover and enjoys life to the fullest. Today she talks about a great party....  www.bettejodux.com

I’m exhausted. it’s been a long day.

The house looked beautiful. So many of you sent stuff. Flowers, vans full. Crackers and cheese. So much Mozzarella I’m feeding it to the kids.(goats)  Wine glasses sparkled, called in a caterer. The bar was set up serve it yourself style but Bacchus offered to bar tend.

Hestia and I are sitting here by the fire,  she just loves the Tuscan Fire-pit I bought for the occasion. She arrived early to help  and has asked if she could stay awhile.

All my guests showed up in modern-day attire. Some casual. Some quite formal. The women look simply gorgeous in French and Italian designer gowns but when Pele and the Hawaiian entourage showed up in the skinny you can believe the gowns got pitched.  Venus was absolutely stunning and when she loaned her magic girdle to my beautiful cousin, Bobby, Zeus did his swan trick and made a pass. They looked really cute together and we waved goodbye as they wandered off. Pan was rather shy but we could hear him piping.

“You’re all so human…,” I sighed and took another sip of wine.
“…and you’re all so god like,” Hestia giggled. “Just took you awhile to catch on.”

The religious contingencies tended to arrive in bunches but once settled in-munching, drinking, introducing themselves and mingling-the party took off. Fifteen minutes before  count down a neighbor showed up with a large flat-bed truck and those of us who choose to take the trumpet ride clambered aboard. She had a boom box, I had the stop watch. I sat in the back with the trumpeters and voyeurs. Wasn't surprised to see Hermes and Loki and Eros there. When the  stop watch went off and the trumpets blared, an ear blistering crescendo, the asses started flapping and the three mischief makers got busy with their bows.

“Got one ,” Eros giggled.
“Hope it doesn't  fall out of the sky,” Loki said.
“it’d take a Roman catapult to knock that thing down.” Hermes answered.
“Should've happened  years ago,” I sniffed.
“Wouldn't matter,” my male companion commented. ”These guys didn't breed for beauty. They just breed. Like rabbits.”
“You’re insulting rabbits. Rabbits have darling bottoms.”
“Well there’s sure a flock of’em,” I said, taking another swig of Irish. “Hope we got’em all.”
“Make another pass. Just in case.”

On the way home we played some different tunes and when we got back the guest of honor had already arrived. He looked really dapper. Good looking guy. He smiled his way through the crowd and made for the bar. “They called me a wino. Might’s well be hanged for a wolf as a sheep.”

When he met up with Caesar Augustus a lively conversation followed. “They made me a god, too. Hated to think of some guy praying that I  heal his gout,” Augustus said.
By the fire, I sighed. “We’re gonna find a lot of bodies under the tables tomorrow.”
“Great party. We’ll make coffee, good stuff, and send’em home…”
“…then the real clean up begins…”

She slept in the water-bed. I slept in the loft.

Jesus and Augustus were still deep in mutual commiseration.

Hana Hou, (Encore)  Shared from Facebook...

Bettejo  also  publishes her own blog column.
You can check it out at ;  http://www.bettejo.wordpress.com .   Besides her blog she recently published and authored the humorous fiction book, "The Scam," check it out at(www.bettejodux.com) or  on Amazon.

http://www.bettejodux.com/

"Woman Politicians..." 'Obama Da Dog'

Campaign signs are  very misleading.
many times I do not recognize  the candidate
when I meet them in person...

I  am confused. I view numerous campaign signs and see photos of all the candidates running for public office.

The campaign signs displaying the woman running for office are most confusing. I do not want to embarrass anyone candidate therefore I am keeping this generic in saying most. Some men do the same but this is most prominent in woman politician.

 Most woman Politicians  have campaign photos of themselves from 5-20 years ago. I see these campaign signs and then meet the people in person and don't even recognize them.

A few years back I met a woman for running for Senate and thought I was talking to her mother, the photos she used for campaigning had to be twenty years old, or she had a stressful campaign and aged very quick in a few short months.

If a woman  is going lie  about her age in her photos what else will she lie about?

I am looking forward to meeting many more mothers of the woman running for political office.

Hana Hou, (Encore)  Shared from Facebook...

"Fall is upon us..." 'Judith Whitehead' (Inspiration Monday)

"Guest-blogger Judith Whitehead lives in Amherst N.Y. and has worked in the ophthalmology field of medicine for over 30 years..."Today Judy talks about Summer coming to an end...  ;D) Enjoy...

FALL IS UPON US
　
As the days of august come to a close there is a certain sadness in the air. School supplies fill the stores and Halloween candy of all things, and the school buses are doing their empty runs already. Where did the summer go?

It is also getting dark earlier at night and stays dark in the morning when I leave for work…that’s depressing. We can’t complain on the East coast though…it has been a wonderful, hot summer.

The only thing we could have used is more rain but on the upside…I did save on grass cutting costs!
Good luck to all the students out there, young and old and enjoy your new adventures that will start up in the Fall. Every school year brings good luck and new learning to challenge your brains with.

 I am doing some lecturing this fall which I enjoy, and of course my weeks are filled with WEDDING plans (for my son) and festivities that will culminate this Fall.

NEW BEGINNINGS FOR EVERYONE!!!

Hana Hou, (Encore)  Shared from Facebook...

"Kaua'i Theme Park..." 'Obama Da Dog'

Kaua'i says no to everything...

I am sitting down taking out my GMO modified corn on the cob from a super market plastic bag  from Honolulu. The corn is sweet as sugar as I began to fantasize about  cruising on a Ferry boat from Kaua'i to Oahu.
There is talk about opening up a theme park on Kaua'i .

I interlude and give my opinion on a name for the theme park!   The theme park would be barren land, with nothing on it, no telephone polls, lights, buildings, parking lot, nothing, just land. it would be called,  Oy vey! Welcome to 21st century Kaua'i!
 
Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared from Facebook...

"A note from the wife..." "Marvin Gross' (Source)

Marvin Gross is a financial consultant
currently residing in Western, New York.
Today he shares a note from his wife...

The wife left a note on the fridge.........
"It's not working!! I can't take it anymore; I've gone to stay at my Mothers!"

I opened the fridge, the light came on and the beer was still cold.........
What the hell is she talking about?!

Hana Hou, (Encore) Shared from Facebook...