Open Letters to Idiots

Everyone has run into a complete dumbass who totally ruins the day by being a ... well, a complete dumbass.

Sometimes you are so stunned by their idiocy, you cannot think of a response before they walk away. Other times they are so big and bulky you don't want to say anything for fear of losing your teeth. (I'm a redhead. I usually say it, anyway.)

Holy Taco posts some open Letters to Annoying People, which proves that you are not alone in a world among dumbasses. My personal FAVs are the last two. Be sure to check out the comments from the decidedly deranged, who are members of my Fan Club.

Incidentally, if you Google "dumbass," you come across a political site: Dumbass.com. You gotta love this nation.

(Image found at http://theregulator.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/dumbass.jpg)

Someone Must Die

There are some times in your life when you have had it up to here with the white noise that is life.

Usually it is a parent (i.e. mom), so sick and tired of kids yammering away with snot running out their noses and diapers full of poop they have to scream - loudly - to oust the burgeoning frustration, or else kill their spouse (i.e. man) for procreating.

For this 34-year old, it isn't kids but parents.

Sometimes I feel like I'm raising them just like kids. Oh, I don't have a spouse (wishful thinking) or kids of my own (THANK GOD), but I do have my lovely folks.

Kind enough to take me into their small home after I lost my job, I get to sleep in the living room on a futon mattress that has seen better days (with my cats taking up most of the space since I don't have a spouse to kick them out) and listen to their constant yammering all day long.

My father loves to sing and whistle and slap his belly like a drummer who forgot the drum. Sometimes I think he does this to ping objects near him - like bats do. Seriously. You'd think it would at least keep the flies away, but alas, all it does is make my eardrums bleed and my left eye twitch. My other likes to bitch. She's in menopause. Nuf said.

It was really great of them to take me in, but the stint that I thought would be six months has turned into more than TWO YEARS. (Yeah, feels great to feel like a financial failure after all these years of living paycheck-to-paycheck. Sure glad the financial blessings are rolling in now! - That is sarcasm, if you could not tell.)

I'm nearly at the end of my sanity. I was on my own since I was 18 and it has not been a pretty transition.

If God wants to humble me, He's done a fine job of it. He's also stolen what little was left of my sanity after journalism and an ill-fated job in a small town. My financial stability sucks and my prospects for more freelance work aren't looking good.

I decided it was high time to start penning fiction again, since it is my first love and I know I could market it myself online.

I wrote some really terrific chapters of two books and a few short stories. Transcribing them hasn't happened.

Yeah, try transcribing a steamy sex scene while one of your folks is watching over your shoulder and see just how far YOU get.

I think my world would be better with aerosol Prozac. Sprayed at my will. All. Day. Long.

What was that blog post I read about counting your blessings? Hm. Well, I'm blessed to have a corner of the living room to sleep in. I'm blessed to no longer have financial stability, no prospects for a husband, let alone a damn DATE because of too many reasons to name, to have a car that needed $400 in repairs but is - Thank God - paid for...

Well, maybe I should just stick with bitching. It is what I do best.

Lori Drew Gets Away with Murder

A U.S. District Judge today acquitted cyber bully mom Lori Drew in the MySpace suicide of Megan Meier.

Prosecutors had said Drew masterminded a plot to create a fake profile on MySpace, befriend Meier, then harass her because she didn't get along with Drew's daughter.

A jury threw out some charges, but did convict Drew of three misdemeanors. Drew should have received the full sentence of three years in prison, plus a $300,000 fine during today's sentencing. {Her attorney said the fine was unfair, since she had to relocate because of harsh publicity in the case and had no money. (BOO-HOO)}

However, Judge George Wu threw out the case, saying Drew never read the Terms of service, so she could not know that she violated them. He also said that if convicted, Drew's sentence would mean anyone could be sued for TOS violations.

Out. Rageous.

Drew committed what I believe was an act of cyber bully terrorism that lead to the death of a young girl - a pretty girl that likely Drew's daughter was jealous of. You cannot tell me that Drew had no clue what was happening on MySpace - as her attorneys want you to believe. Know way am I dumb enough to buy that.

The jury wasn't dumb enough to buy that, either, and yet, the judge overturned the will of these 12 people who decided this case. Judge Wu should immediately be removed from the bench. No judge should ever overturn a jury unless there is solid evidence found after conviction that could have changed a trial's outcome. Period.

This act was a KNOWING violation of MySpace's Terms of Service. Sure, people will violate them, but not in such blatantly harassing ways as in the case of Megan Meier. That is a distinction this judge failed to make - one that should be plausible under the law.

Drew's acquittal makes online media open season for bullies like her. It also teaches us that if we don't bother to read the terms and we can get away with murder. It also says that Megan Meier's death - and fragile life - was meaningless.

I'm not saying we need to take away individual business rights when it comes to TOS or other online items; I'm saying we need to be responsive when people like Drew take advantage of the technology to pick on the weak and defenseless.

Read more:

Wired.com

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

L.A. Times

In other cyber bully news, the WSJ writes about a new report that talks about cyber bullying, but how regulation efforts could hurt the net overall"

Cyberbullying Report Opposes Regulations {Wall Street Journal}