Wednesday, July 9, 2008

Assembly Required


Why is in this day and age when you buy a product, it is required that you assemble it yourself? This typically includes such items as bicycles, grills, bookcases, picnic tables, storage cabinets, etc. Recently, this extended to a file cabinet that I purchased. After spending about $200 for this piece of furniture, it was wrongfully assumed that it would be delivered already assembled. No, it arrives in a flat box with a zillion pieces and directions that appear to be written in hieroglyphics. I admit to not being mechanically inclined and thus it took me over three hours to assemble this cabinet and other half an hour to clean up all the plastic packing material. By some miracle, I did finally get it together but how about all the other times that I or others have not be able, or found pieces to be missing, or fastened something incorrectly, or ended up with extra pieces requiring a disassemble and reassemble. I know the argument is that assembled merchandise would cost more but there are times I would exchange paying a little more for something rather than to spend hours of my time on something that may or may not result in a properly assembled product. I know this rant is not going to change the nature of business but it makes me feel better. Now what is the purpose of this hardware that I have left over and where is my cat?

Sunday, July 6, 2008

The Wicked Witch is Dead


I known this reference is totally inappropriate for a ministry student but considering that this man spent most of his adult life and political influence in opposing civil rights and denying government services to a portion of the population that he was personally prejudiced against ; hopefully, grants me some leeway. He fought bitterly against government assistance for AIDS research and treatment , saying the disease resulted from unnatural and disgusting behaviors of homosexuals. Another quote of his "The Negro cannot count forever on the kind of restraint that's thus far left him free to clog the streets, disrupt traffic, and interfere with other men's rights". He was much more than just a bigot, he spent his poltical career supporting inequality at home and violence abroad; all in the name of morality.

To all those who died too soon or who lived without being able to enjoy life to its fullest as a result of Jess Helms and his actions and influence, may you now find peace.