niankhsekhmet

have been debating whether or not to start posting to this blog again. It's been so long and my interests have changed pretty drastically. Besides this, I am tending to use the fannyfae account because it is paid and just about everytrhing else I have is under that name. I will probably start posting some herbal things here again.

So, I put out my bill for the internet in the mailbox,secure it,put up the flag - the mailman picks it up. Hey, this is how rural mail works.

We had a blizzard last night apparently. This morning I waded out through the drifts of snow out to the mailbox on the road that has yet to be plowed in order to put in more bills, Moo-mas cards, etc. My eyes were greeted with the sight of the flag still being up, the door open and the bill is missing.

Good luck finding a white return enclosure envelppe in 12 inches of snow in the woodlands! :P

I called the internet company to let them know. They will get a replacement hand delivered tomorrow, providing the road and driveway get dug out. I then get to pay my bank for a stop payment on the check that is literally lost to the winds. *sigh*

Snow days are great. But snow days with 60 mph winds the night before are not so much fun.

Back in February, my partner and I decided to journey into Cedar Rapids for some wonderful burritos from our favourite burrito joint, Hot Harry's. We were on our way back, taking the Marion Bypass when I was pulled over for speeding. Now, this particular day, there was one hell of a crosswind and keeping my new Chevy Cobalt on the road was hard enough through the gusts. I had glanced down at my speedometer and it did say I was going 65. Yes, I know, the speed limit was 55. But we do have a "rigth to speed law" that allows us to go with the flow of traffic. Nevermind the fact that Marion, IA touts themselves as "America's Safest City". According to anyone in the tri-County area you ask, this is probably due to the incredibly young and allmost what I would call overzealous police department.

"Do you know how fast you were going," the officer asked.

"Why, yes," I said, rather matter-of-factly, "I was going 65."

"Well, you might have been going 65 when you hit your brakes, but I clocked you at 69."

At this point I was seeing scenes of "Thunderheart" in my head when the Tribal policeman, Walter Crow Horse, played by American Indian actor, Graham Greene, pulled over Val Kilmer's character for speeding in a 25 MPH zone. When asked to see the radar, Crow Horse replied, "I don't need any radar. The wind told me...69! Nail him!"

Anyway, that is how I felt about it.

The officer, after some period of time, came back with my ticket and said, "I kicked it back down to sixty five, otherwise you would have had a much bigger fine." Apparently the guy thought he was being magnanimous. I, on the other hand, was not amused.

"And if I intend to fight it?"

"There's the address and the date." he replied and went back to his vehicle.

I was angry not so much that I got a ticket, but because of the fact that either the speedometer on my brand new car was off (highly unlikely) or the fact that the Marion Police Department was doing what they have quite a reputation for.....profiling.

You see, in Marion, Iowa, if you're driving a new car, chances are you have more than enough money to pay for a ticket. If you are a person of colour and in one of the neighborhoods where the Police think you don't quite belongt, whether you do or not, you get stopped. I could on for days about the numbers of things I have heard from other residents of Linn, Jones and Johnson Counties about this particular PD, but I will save that for another time. Suffice it to say, what I am saying here is mild and their reputation for being a bit overzealous is completely justified.

I didn't make it to Court to fight it. In fact, my schedule for my job had just changed so my chances of being able to get pre-approved time off were slim to absolutely none. Nevermind what the law is. That is how the call centre where I worked operated. Those of you who have read my blog before know what a hell hole it was at times.

I realize I missed it so I read the ticket and pay the fine, including what I thought were the court costs. Two weeks later I get a letter in the mail, I owe another $ 14.95 in court costs. Ok, I pay that when I get paid again. I then get a letter from Des Moines that I owe $14.95 and if I do not pay it by X date, I risk my license being taken away. So I call the state Capital, on my dime, my cellphone daytime minutes and am on hold. I finally get a live body. I explain and he says, "Great! You still owe us $1.20. Would you like to put that on a credit or debit card?"

"Neither!" I said, "I am NOT going to put $1.20 on my credit card and I do not have a debit card. I will run to the county and pay it." The rep said fine.

I come back from Retreat to find a letter that says that they are going to suspend my license for failure to pay the full amount of my fines and fees and I will have to surrender my license IMMEDIATELY as of 9/03/09 if payment is not recieved by 8/24/09! Not only this, I have to send the attached appeal form AND proof of payment. Just paying it does not remove the order to revoke the license. I will not be safe until I get a letter from Des Moines (on the other side of the state, mind you) acknowledging that all fines are paid and I am now a driving citizen in good standing.

So, yesterday, I go in to Linn County District Court to pay my $1.20. On the wall was the sign:

"We are sorry: since we do not have a coin counting machine, we are unable to take coin payments for fines over the amount of $3.00"

I wondered to myself just how many people pay in their displeasure try to pay their fines in pennies. Believe me, I was damned tempted to do that when it was the original amount of the ticket! I fully confess that the idea of giving them $85. in pennies would have been strangely satisfying.

I explain the situation to the very nice clerk and she gets my file.

"So, isn't all of this alot to go through for $1.20?"

"Oh, well if the fine had been 85 cents, you wouldnt have gotten the notice and it would have just been let go."

That was very interesting to me. "Wait," I said, "so you're telling me that for 45 cents this County. and the State, and by the time I file this with my own County where I live, have spent far more than this in man hours, resources and such . Isn't that just a little excessive?"

She just laughed as she handed me my officially stamped receipt.

I drove home and filed all paperwork with my County at the Courthouse which is just up the street from me. This was very cheerily and efficiently faxxed to the State while I waited. But even during all of this, I am still left wondering what was the estimated amount of money spent that Linn County, Iowa went through to shake me up and get their bloody $1.20 - or if you really want to think about it...45 cents?!

I'm very sorely tempted to contact KWWL, CBS news in Cedar Rapids. They love stuff like this. Yes, I know I got stopped for speeding. Yes, I owed the money and I paid it IN FULL. But how many other people go through similar things? All I can say is, I am sure as hell glad i live in Jones County, Iowa and not in Linn County anymore. Not only are the taxes substantially higher in Linn County as they are in Jones County, but Linn County has just proven once again what horrible managers of their resources they truly are.

I just received a lovely package of a cranberry scented candle (Mmm!) but there was no return address, no gift enclosure or card so that I might thank them accordingly. The return address is from Texas.

SO....whomever you are, I hope that you will fess up. It is quite lovely, but I would REALLY like to say, 'Thank you!'

I really, really want THIS!!

Just...wow!

I am VERY happy to see this. Russell Means is one of my heroes as a kid. If this does go through, then I fully expect other Soveriegn Indigenous Nations to follow suit.

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/12/21/5946/

I need to contact my brother, Bill, who is now living on the Rez in Cherokee, NC. I wonder how folks feel about it there.

I finally got around to seeing The Curse of the Golden Flower. OMG, it was a HORRIBLE movie!! It was just so utterly depressing! *scrubs brain*

Ok, this just proves it that Drunvallo is a con artist.

Egyptian orgasm?! These people have not the first clue about Ancient Egyptian anything and yet, they can rewrite whatever they want. I guess they figure that no one will object.

http://www.spiritofmaat.com/archive/apr1/ankhing.htm

Not for the faint of heart.

I just got word that Tammy Fae has passed to the Beautiful West. I didn't much agree with her religious views, but no one deserves to suffer so. Cancer is a horrible disease.

Charge of the Beeotch

Listen to the words of the Great Beeotch she who of old is known as Arwen, Inanna, Jaz, Kriselda, Lynna, Raven, Suzi, and Wolfrose, and by many other names, some best left censored:
Whenever you have need of anything once in the month, and better it be when it is not my moontime or any other time when I might be tired or already irritable, then shall you gather and adore me, who am Queen of all Bitches.
There shall you gather, you who desire to learn the true Art of Bitchcraft, yet have not honed it to razor sharp precision; to these I will teach the esoterism of true bitchiness. And you shall be free from fluff; and as a sign that you are truly free, you shall cite tradition, correct misconception, bad grammar, spelling errors, and demand proper capitalization, and punctuation. For I am educated and can read above third grade level. Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever towards it and if anyone tries to stop you, smack them hard upside the head. For mine is the determination to succeed and educate the ignorant.
I am the Queen Mother Bitch, Who can give the Gift of Joy unto the heart of man or woman if you have not seriously ticked me off. On Earth, I give the Knowledge that to communicate effectively and honestly is no crime; and beyond death, I give peace from the fools who have annoyed you and freedom from those fools and reunion with other great Bitches who have gone before you. And actually, I do demand sacrifice, for behold; Putting up with these twits wears on my nerves. I am the Bitch of All Living and My Ire is poured out upon the Earth when I am grumpy.
Hear ye the Words of the Star Goddess: She under Whose Feet all stupid people are Dust, Whose Body encircleth the Universe especially when She is bloated.
I, Who am the Bitch Queen of the Earth and the Black Mood amongst the Stars, and the Mystery of why idiots are not drowned in my Waters, and the Desire
of the heart of man to avoid Me when I get like this. I call unto thy soul, all ye who would be Bitches: "Arise! And come unto Me!"
For I am the Soul of the Bitch, Who giveth Crap back to the Universe: from Me all things proceed, and unto Me all things must return and if they don't get here fast enough, I may hurt something. And before My Face, which is bitchy and known to all gods and men, thine innermost Bitch Self shall be enfolded in the Rapture of the Infinite Bitch.
Let My Worship be within the heart that tolerates no shit, for behold: all acts of bitchiness and honesty are my rituals. And therefore let there be bitching and strength, honesty and compassion, honor and humor, mirth and reverence within you.
And thou who thinkest to seek for Me, know thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not, unless thou knowest the Mystery: that if thou are stupid who seekest Me, then thou shalt never find Me.
For behold, I have been with thee from the beginning; and I am That which is attained at the end of PMS.
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Copyright © 2001 Arwen Nightstar and Gwen Wolfrose, all rights reserved.
May be reposted anywhere so long as this copyright is included.