Modern Slavery

Slavery still exists.  In the Unites States, in fact!

slav·er·y

noun

1.

the condition of a slave;  bondage.

2.

the keeping of slaves  as a practice or institution.

3.

a state of subjection like that of a slave: He was kept inslavery by drugs.

4.

severe toil; drudgery.

Slavery, bondage, servitude  refer toinvoluntary subjection to another or others. Slavery  emphasizesthe idea of complete ownership and control by a master: to be soldinto slavery.

slave

— n
1.	a person legally owned by another and having no freedom ofaction or right to property
2.	a person who is forced to work for another against his will
3.	a person under the domination of another person or some habitor influence: a slave to television
4.	a person who works in harsh conditions for low pay
5.	a. a device that is controlled by or that duplicates the actionof another similar device (the master device)

2.	a person who is forced to work for another against his will
3.	a person under the domination of another person or some habitor influence: a slave to television
4.	a person who works in harsh conditions for low pay

In the modern world, with the way corporations have taken over society and the economic field, slavery is in full swing, and most people don't even recognize it.

A lot of people today hate their jobs.

But with mortgages, kids/family, health insurance, car payments, bills, and taxes, most folks can't afford to quit their job.

That job that you started at out of high school or college, before any complications in your life, seemed like a good plan at the time.

As time progresses, you come to like/dislike coworkers, get a feel for the boss and Uppers, and find your little niche.  The pay is low, and you are everyone's bitch (secretary) but you have a lot of potential, and no responsibilities.

A few pay-bumps later, you get engaged, start saving for a house.  Living sparingly, because you have a wedding and a house to plan for.

With all the big plans, leaving your job is NOT an option.  Even as those annoying habits of your coworkers start getting to you, and your boss has you working longer hours, and doing a lot of bullshit work.  You have to suck it up, and fake a smile.

You're married now.  Just put a down payment on a house.  You CANNOT quit your job, or get fired.

You are living semi-comfortably.  You and your spouse make enough to pay all the bills, and start a nest egg.  Work is sucking, as you have proven to be a reliable person, and your boss's bosses have noticed.  You are working longer hours, more responsibility, and less opinions.  That paycheck isn't seeming as worth it anymore, but you have to suck it up and fake a smile

You consider switching jobs, or going back to school.  With option #1 it'd be less money for a while, but greater potential.  With option #2 it'd be a tight budget for a while, but manageable.

NOT AN OPTION!

You two just got that "+".

you NEED your health benefits, and your paycheck.

You are stuck exactly where you are, and you have to suck it up and fake a smile

Now you have another mouth to feed. And babies ain't cheap!

Spouse has been working fewer hours the last few months, and with a new baby at home, they are home too.  Less money, more mouths.

You can't even afford to take the sick days, to catch up on lost sleep......suck it up and fake a smile!

You do manage to get a promotion somewhere in there.  Crappier work, but more pay.

You are pretty much your boss's bitch.

You've been with the company long enough to be noticed, but not long enough to matter, in their eyes.  You've got the sucked-up smile down-pat.

You have two kids now, with another on the way.

You need a bigger house.  And with three little ones, daycare is too expensive, so your spouse is going to be staying home for a while.

You start working extra hard, for that promotion they are giving to one person.  Late nights, long weeks, just to prove you are worthy of a few extra bucks, and many extra responsibilities.  You never get to spend much time with your kids, but you've learned to suck it up and fake the smile well.

You get it!

You can finally afford to live life.

You get a new van for the spouse and kids to stay safe and get out, cause the 4 kids outgrew the sedan.

You can have those family vacations, and your kids can have the latest video games and toys.

All you have to give up is 70-80hrs a week.  Smile!

Your youngest is diagnosed with a disability.  You now are using your insurance to its full capacity.

Spouse is taking on special advocacy, and money is going to learning about everything, and adapting to life with new challenges.  Special needs are expensive when you want the best for your kids.

Middle school and high school come with clubs, sports, and lots of fees.  Kids are getting out, getting involved in the world, and that takes money these days.  Smile as they empty your wallet!!!

Then your kids get ready for college.  And you just about have a heart attack at tuition prices.

Your spouse needs to go back to work to help pay for it, but they've been out of the workforce for 15 years.  They get a retail job that doesn't pay nearly as much as yours, but helps chisel down the bills.

You help them relearn to fake the smile.

Then comes the downsizing.  

You have a choice: 

A) Get fired

B) Take a drastic pay cut

No one else is hiring.  Any job you can find is paying nowhere near as well as yours, even with the paycut.  And you'd have a 6mo reset period on your health insurance, which you can't afford because you have a Special Needs kid, and a kid in braces, and all of them wear glasses.

The years are also catching up to you, and your health is declining.  You only go to doctors appointments that can be fit into your lunchtime, or after work.  You can't give the company any reason to fire you.  You work hard, ignoring your health as usual.

Until the day comes that you wake up in the hospital, attached to all sorts of tubes and wires, lucky to be alive.

You are broken.

Damaged goods are useless to the company.  They don't tell you flat out, but after a while they inform you that your uselessness to them can't continue (its bad for profit margins!)

You are fired.

You have no choice but to sell the big house, the nice car, the club memberships.

You move into a small fixer-upper, and struggle to pay for your much-needed health insurance.

You know that if you have to find new insurance, it will be a lot more expensive, and wont cover everything.

You throw yourself back into the workforce, for shittastic pay, no benefits, and crappy hours.

You work several jobs, because none offer enough hours or money to sustain your family.

You are "too old" to appeal to jobs similar to your old one, where corporations are looking for young bucks with fresh ideas.  Your experience won't outshine your age, or your perceived set-in habits.

You die, broken, broke, and never having gotten the chance to truly enjoy life.....

Being a Leader

There is nothing quite as unsettling as a call in the middle of the night.  Now, put that call in Afghanistan, to a leader with several soldiers outside the wire, many more soldiers on the FOB, and an extended family in the rear, with a variety of health issues, including a pregnant wife, and you've got a guy bolt-up in his bed and answering as fast as possible.

I've had two such phone calls this week.

The first one was one of my junior leaders.
His convoy had been hit by sniper fire.
Fortunately, the "bulletproof" glass held, and the round didn't pierce the cabin... It would have taken off the TC's head.
The poor kid has only been here a month or two, and he received our first enemy contact this season.

The second phone call was not as simple.
Soldier calls, and first thing they say is "I'm alright"
....I'm fully awake now....
Their convoy.... Their specific vehicle....was hit during an ambush.
The impact rattled the vehicle a bit, but thankfully the vehicle did its job.  It saved their lives.
The worst injury was a cut to the face, and a small one, at that!
I was sooo very relieved to hear that!
The hardest part about being a leader is having soldiers you look after.  They are your "kids", and it is your responsibility to keep them safe, and get them home safely to their families.
That can sometimes be hard to do, especially in a war zone.

I should know, I lost 6 of my guys during my first deployment (including my leader).

I am thankful of the higher powers for the blessing of safety....
I am thankful of the Chaplin for blessing the convoy before it left, vehicles included....
I am thankful that the impact didn't destroy the vehicle...
I am thankful it didn't hit the gunner...
I am thankful my medic was able to stay level-headed, and do their job amazingly during their first true "test"...
I am thankful their weapons aren't as sophisticated as ours....

...And I am thankful for every new day I get to be with these amazing folks.  As we say goodbye to the ones leaving us, and we welcome in their replacements.  As we continue to run missions, and stay safe.  And as we finish up this deployment and return home to our families.  Together.

National Missing Children's Day May 25

In 1996, 9 year old Amber Hagerman was abducted by a man who took her off her bike and pulled her into his car. She was found dead three days later and her killer was never found. From this tragedy came the AMBER Alert, a notice that is sent out over the Emergency Alert System as soon as a child is confirmed missing. The first 24 hours are the most crucial in any investigation and by making the details public as soon as possible, hundreds of children have been saved.

Most people see things and have no idea that they may be looking at a kidnapper and his victim. Something as simple as a child in the backseat of a car that stops for gas could be a potentially deadly situation for that child. The AMBER Alert helps everyday citizens realize what they are seeing and report it. They might recognize the car, the child's clothing or even the kidnapper from a description on the radio or internet and be able to report it in time to save the child's life.

Are You Prepared?

Photos
You should always have current photos of your children. This isn't hard with phone cameras and digital cameras these days. Make sure you take a good, full face shot of your child at least once a month. If something does happen, you'll have a photo you can give to the police. Hopefully nothing will ever cause you to need to share pictures with the police and you will simply have good memories for years to come.

Fingerprints
Take your child's fingerprints. This can help the police identify a child when found with certainty. In cases where a child has been missing for several years and may look very different, fingerprinting is a good identifier.

Birthmarks and Scars
Keep track of noticeable scars and birthmarks that your child has. These can be used as identifiers should he or she go missing. Often missing posters will let people know if a child has a noticeable mark on an arm or the face, since this could be the clue they need to realize who the child is. You may want to take pictures of these marks, as well.

Buddy System
Make sure your children know and use the buddy system. They should never go anywhere alone. Most abductors will not go after children who are with someone else, even if it is another child of the same age. That doesn't mean it will never happen, but this is a good start for protection.

What Kids Need to Know

It's very important to let kids know about the potential dangers out there. If they don't know and they trust everyone, they are very easy targets for predators.

If you're not comfortable broaching the subject with your kids, then there are several books that can be helpful. You'll find these below. Here are a few things your child should know.

Make a ruckus. If someone tries to grab you, scream your head off. Yell, "You're not my mommy/daddy!" Abductors will often leave the scene without the child if they are making too much noise.

Adults don't need help from you. A common ploy of abductors is to ask a child to help them find a puppy, missing child or other aid. They then grab the child and pull them into a vehicle. Let children know not to go near strangers' vehicles. If someone asks for directions, tell them you will get your parent.

Don't take anything from strangers. Offering candy, toys or other treats is something that kidnappers do to draw kids close enough to grab. Stay away.

Never say you're alone. Answering the phone while your parents are out is ok, but you should say "Mom is busy right now, can I take a message?" instead of saying you are alone. Don't open the door when home alone, either.

Don't hide. If someone is following you, never hide. Instead, go to a crowded area or knock on someone's door and ask them to call your parents. It's dangerous to hide since the abductor can grab you without anyone seeing

http://www.squidoo.com/national-missing-childrens-day-what-you-can-do?utm_source=google&utm_medium=imgres&utm_campaign=framebuster

Home security...the dilemma

So.... Boy tried to mount an escape!
He does it all the time, but he never goes anywhere, he just likes being outside.
We've been told we need to get a security system for the house because of the twins. We have a pool, and a highway runs behind the cul-de-sac...
Firstly, the backyard is always locked, unless we are out there. And even still, since we have tots, animals, and wildlife... We have a 120 decibel alarm that sounds if something enters the pool.
To put an alarm system on the house would be impossible! We have Wife, BIL1, BIL2, girlfriend 1 & 2, Teenager, BFF1, BFF2, BFF3, babysitter, and our mothers (when they are there) going in and out of the house constantly!
12 adults! Now, how often do you think they'll remember to set the alarm? BIL1 works into the wee hours sometimes. And the girlfriends tend to come and go at odd hours too, because they both have jobs, and living with their parents. Teenager and her friends keep odd hours too!

Anyone have similar issues?

Quick pix of home

We got us washing the car, their expressions when they saw me, the house when I got home, and the new shirt(s), and family "photo"

A Port In Every Storm...By Wife

Wife wrote this as part of a class she was taking way back when... Thought we'd share:

I have a hideous device called a "port" surgically implanted in my chest wall. The chemotherapy I receive every three weeks is so toxic, if it were injected directly into an ordinary vein in my arm, it would disintegrate the vein and blister the skin around the injection site beyond recognition. It's so deadly, the nurses who administer my chemo are to wear special haz-mat suits. When the evil stuff is infused through the port, it is delivered straight into one of the bigger tougher veins deep in my body, where, theoretically, it can do less damage. Knock wood.

I also have a little card I'm supposed to carry in my wallet that announces, replete with random superfluous caps, "This Patient has a device Implanted." On the back it reports the catalog and lot numbers of my device, and informs avid readers that the Location of Portal is Right Chest Wall, and the Location of Catheter is Superior Vena Cava. I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to do with this card. Hand it out at cocktail parties? Place it on my dashboard so I can park in the blue zone? Show it to airport security personnel if my device sets off the metal detectors?

But let me tell you, the surgery to implant the device was just about the most exciting damn thing that ever happened to me. As I was coming to in the post-op recovery room, a blurry resident loomed over my face and shouted, "Mrs. _______? There's been a little problem. But everything is going to be all right, and your husband is here now."

Well shit yeah, there's a goddamn problem: suddenly I have a husband??? See, the scary thing is, I don't have a very good history with twilight anesthesia. After my first biopsy, I apparently phoned out and ordered pizza for the entire radiology department. But this time it seems I had called in the hospital chaplain and gotten myself hitched, to god only knows whom. Probably the inert appendectomy patient on the next gurney.

But thank the lucky constellations it turned out this alleged husband was only my designated driver. I guess they assumed we were married because, eww, it's just too gross to contemplate that a woman might have something as racy and exotic as a boyfriend.

Unfortunately, the "little problem" was a bit messier than a hasty marriage to a sedated stranger. During the implantation surgery, the blurry resident had used a series of guidewires to insert the device's catheter down into my SVC, and a 5-inch piece of one of the wires had unexpectedly broken during this delicate procedure. The renegade bit of wire immediately launched itself on a gleeful high speed joyride, tearing around through my vascular system at an alarming velocity, threatening to slice and dice.

As one of my non-husbands held my hand and the other snored his oblivious way out of his post-appendectomy delirium, the blurry resident explained that a crack team of radiological surgeons had been called in, stat. As soon as they had scrubbed, masked, and snapped their polyisoprene gloves into place, I would be wheeled into a special operating room where they would use their magic x-ray vision to locate the fugitive wire. They would then apprehend the fool thing and take it into custody, hopefully before it caused any fatalities.

I guess the radiologists had never forgiven me for ordering anchovies on their pizza after the biopsy, because this time they refused to give me any more twilight anesthesia. I'm not a big fan of being wide awake during surgeries, but fortunately for all I was still drunk enough from the morning's implantation imbroglio that I didn't put up much of a fight. I vaguely recall having an extremely interesting discussion about something or other with the chief radiologist, a distinguished, handsome, and delightfully charming man only a bit more senior of my age. As luck would have it, he discovered the idiot wire nestled in my groin, so this conversation was not without a tinge of indignity on my part.


I recovered from the consecutive surgeries without further incident (though I have yet to hear a damn word from my ex-non-husband, Mr. Appendix), and two days after it was implanted, the port was put to use in my first chemotherapy treatment.