Gentle Reader...

Hi everyone I just wanted to stop by the blog and let you know that I hadn't forgotten you. It has been so long since we have visited but there hasn't been much going on in the studio.I do have a cone 6 firing cooling so maybe some pictures in a couple of days but for now, I need to share my irritation with STOOPID PEOPLE! A quick disclaimer.  Most of you know that I am a retired special ed. teacher. I'm not talking about my former students whom I love and respect for trying to do their best. I am a little peeved with people of otherwise normal intelligence who believe every piece of crap they read on the internet to be true.

This morning, I paid a visit to facebook where I saw that a friend had shared an article that claimed" These 11 states have more than half their population on WELFARE!!! " If you read the article, their definition of WELFARE included every person who received any kind of government money for any reason.I used to work in the Welfare System. We counted AFDC and General Relief as welfare recipients. People who had earned retirements, government employees, Social Security recipients, people who had student loans,members of the military, etc were not included. A recent article on the Yahoo news screamed "4 of 5  Americans Face Poverty, Joblessness". The basis for this included the question "Have you ever been unemployed ?" Come on now, who hasn't? Doesn't mean the handle has been pushed and we are all circling the drain. One of my favorite professors used to say "Figures don't lie, but liars always figure". Remember that. People are so mad and have had so many of their fears stirred up that they forget how to read critically and examine the statistics that they are bombarded with. STOOPID PEOPLE who are allowing themselves to be manipulated. !

 As low as they are,even Faux news has some standards. This interweb thingie has none. No filters, no standards for truth, decency, and the American way. Generally, there are no real consequences for making up news from whole cloth. Birthers run loose in the streets. People are using the name of God to spread a message of hatred for anyone who does not agree with them. People are waving the constitution and the flag but ignoring the rights that the constitution gives to others.They think the second amendment entitles them to own hand grenades, machine guns, and cruise missiles. STOOPID PEOPLE ! These same people would be shocked to learn that fully half of America's children are below average. The more I hear from them the more I wonder if maybe Darwin was wrong.

While I'm pissed off I might as well include another peeve or two.I was recently invited to join a facebook group of potters. I did and it has some very accomplished potters as members and can be interesting but oh I do wish folks would think through their questions a little more. People will ask " why isn't my kiln getting to temp" then after 16 well reasoned responses they will add " well I am firing outside in the rain with the lid open". Please include all relevant info.Know that unless you ask a complete question you won't get a complete answer.

Well, I'm glad to have gotten that off my chest. Now to get back to work on the house. I have all the old heating system out and most of the new system is in. The patching and painting may just go on for ever. I'll keep you posted. Thanks for stopping by.