wiseguy182

I find myself in a weird place because the concept of a dating website being apparently off-limits to a wide swath of people (city folk) bothers me, but the commercials are kind of catchy. Actually, what these websites don't take into account is that often times, IRL, opposites attract. I don't need someone that's exactly like me in every way, and neither does anyone else. Those ads are also incredibly deceptive. I love how every single commercial from a dating website (such as match.com, etc) have all these absolutely wonderful looking people on there. Having tried a few of these, I can tell you that 99% of the people on there are nowhere near that good-looking. I used OkCupid for a while because I don't drink or smoke and am not into the bar/club scene, which makes meeting people difficult in today's world. But most of the people on there are there because they can't get a date. The old, the fat, the ugly, you get the picture. Of all the people that "liked me", (I think it was over 100), there was maybe a small handful that I would consider even remotely good-looking, and one of those was a scam from someone using a model's picture to get money. (And no, I didn't send him any). But I see your point. I hate it when the say "City folks just don't get it." Uh, what exactly don't we get? My mother was from the country and my dad from the city. They make it sound like that a country person and a city person getting together would never happen in a million years.

Exactly. A lot of people have sacrificed a lot in the wars. My point is, why didn't they get some of *those* people for the commercials? People talking about missing holidays seems such small potatoes to those who sacrificed limbs, senses, etc.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wounded-warrior-project-accused-of-wasting-donation-money/

Laura was NOT a nice person, even as a child. The worst of young Laura was when she wished for her baby brother to die (which actually did happen). Then while everybody was still mourning, she was celebrating by roping Pa into playing games all day. Then she ran away into the mountains and made everything about her. Brat. Or how about the time she got mean and jealous in "Gold Country" and led nice, poor, old Zachariah to his death? Both of those were from the early seasons. There are tons more examples. Laura was constantly, and I mean CONSTANTLY mouthing off, running away, stealing, lying, cheating, getting crap grades, neglecting her chores, on and on, even as a young child. And every time she ran away, she would force Charles to drop everything and go look for her. But what I really, REALLY hated was how she two-faced and manipulative she was. Whenever Ma or Pa or Mary or anyone would call her out on her actions, she would act all innocent and speak in this soft, little baby voice. Then when the issue breezed over, she would act all snotty and resume yelling at people over nothing. Pa *really* needed to spank her, but never did. Meanwhile, Andrew Garvey cheated because his tutor Nellie told him to and he got a whoopin from his pa, Big John Garvey. Messed up.

Wounded Warrior Project is another one. The entire series of commercials and the organization needs to go away. First of all, you have that homophobic, North-hating country bumpkin Trace Adkins doing them. He sits there, in his slow southern drawl, eyes not focused on the camera, looking thoroughly depressed and half-asleep. Whose bright idea was it to make this guy your pitchman? Then I should bring up that the organization itself is a scam, like too many charities these days. Your contributions may not go to those who need them, and may wind up in the hands of the greedy higher-ups who use them for extravagant purposes. Trace Adkins and his panhandling: "If you haven't found it in your heart yet to contribute, I urge you to do so because it's a very noble cause." Pardon me if I don't want to take the limited cash I have and give it to the rich. Trace has a net worth of 19 million, surely he could give more. The deceased soldier whose dying wish was his remaining loved ones get 100,000 people to contribute to Wounded Warrior. ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND?! I feel bad he died and his service to the country is admirable, but jeez, that's asking a lot. The people that talk about what they sacrificed. Okay, I get it. The troops really have sacrificed a lot and that is commendable. But the ones they pick for this commercial? "I sacrificed my family." Uh, no you didn't. Your family is still alive, you didn't give them up! Or..."I missed a lot of Christmases and birthdays." Well a lot of us have. That isn't limited to just troops! I work in the lodging industry and haven't had a Christmas off in 13 years. What about the doctors and nurses tending to the wounded on Christmas Day in the hospitals? They didn't get Christmas off either.

All Liberty Mutual insurance commercials need to be permanently banned from tv. And the person that thought up this marketing strategy needs to be fired. The one I'm getting a lot now on the Justice Channel is the guy who totaled his new car and wanted a replacement: "The guy says 'You picked the wrong insurance plan....NO....I picked the wrong insurance company'", in the most snotty, smart-alecky way imaginable. Well I guess you told him. Now you don't have a car, but you got a one-up on the phone representative of an insurance company you're no longer with. Great job. "The 'I love Brad'" lady is another one. "You looooved Brad." Is she suggesting that there was some sort of sexual relationship with the owner and Brad? It certainly sounds like it. Ew! Who can forget the "What are you supposed to do, drive 3/4 or a car?" lady. No. Or how about the one that downplays when people get in their first accident? It's as if they're saying: "Drunk and negligent drivers that kill people? Meh, no big deal. It was their first accident." Speaking of insurance, has anyone seen that Omaha Mutual Insurance Company one where the middle-aged guy with the extremely irritating voice is conducting a class full of seniors? He says "Take your seats". Dude, these are your elders! You don't need to treat them like infant children that need constant direction. Stop kissing everyone's ass with you "Yes sir, yes ma'am" crap and get off my t.v.

Mary kept her siblings alive in "The Blizzard". Carrie wanted to give up and Laura wanted to go back for her calendar that she dropped. Mary was there to move everyone right along and was instrumental in them not freezing to death. Mary usually had her crap-taking meter set to zero and in this case, it prevented the deaths of the younger Ingalls children.

The worst was in "The Award", where Caroline flips her wig on Mary. Mary was studying for a test and went out to the barn because she didn't want to disrupt anyone else in the house. She kicks over a lantern, on accident, thus starting a minor fire that Caroline quickly puts out. Caroline practically rips her head off and punishes her by not allowing her to take the test. The hell? Who prevents their children from learning? Caroline stands in the way of progress! Caroline quickly realizes how much she overreacted to the situation and wants to ditch the punishment, but allows herself to be talked out of it by Reverend Alden, who always seemed to be The Mole on that show. But that's another thread. Caroline was acting like Mary had set arson to the barn. Carrie, who never did anything seriously wrong in the entire series, said "damn", after accidentally dropping a hilariously large fork-full of food, a word which she overheard from the saloon, and Caroline practically rips her head off as well. (Come to think of it, Caroline never seemed to punish Laura either. Laura sure did get away with a lot.) In "Child Of Pain", Graham is a young local boy who is getting severely abused by his angry, drunken father on a constant basis, who blames him for his wife's death. The entire community rightfully suggests giving the father a dose of his own medicine (people who harm children are the worst) but Caroline interjects by stating that "If you hurt the father, you hurt the boy". No, you hurt the boy by continuing to allow him to remain in a household where he is getting black eyes and belt marks on his back. Anyways, Caroline is persistent about this, eventually leading to Charles "saving" him like he did everyone by putting him to work on the farm. Knowing alcoholics and how much they relapse, that guy was probably back to being on the bottle and abusing his son in no time at all. We never did see them again. I also hated Caroline's reaction whenever Charles returned from being away for awhile. She would come out of the house with a shocked look on her face and trudge out, arms flailing all over the place. It was ridiculous.

I liked Mary. She was a total badass. If she was moody at times, well, could you blame her? She was the good child, the one that got excellent grades, always did her chores, was kind and respectful. She had to watch as bratty Laura sucked up all of Pa's attention whenever he was in the room. Laura was constantly mouthing off, skipping school, being late for class, ducking out on chores, getting into trouble, starting fights and getting involved in crazy schemes and what not. Not to mention wishing death on her baby brother. Did Charles ever punish Laura? He was quick to threaten violence against other people's kids. The worst was when Mary lost out on that dictionary and not soon after, Charles gave one to Laura (who hated it) as a birthday gift. I think that was his way of sticking it to Mary because she wasn't as tomboyish as Laura and he didn't have any use for her. Anyways, Mary was at her best when she was sticking it to the assorted hicks and rubes that were all over the place back then. Like in "Money Crop" where the guy was like a day or two late with everyone's seed (he got in a wagon wreck) and the town was flipping its collective you-know-what. They all congregated on the steps of the Mercantile, swearing and yelling and driving away all the business and accusing the guy of running a scam, then accusing his wife, then Charles of being in on it. Mary, who was like a 12 year old girl at the time, went out to all those adult men and berated them. Tremendous. An even better example was "Whisper County", an extremely backwards, anti-technology town run by a religious zealot named Miss Rachel Peel, who is constantly spreading lies and trying to prevent kids from learning anything but the Bible. At the end, Mary finally releases the chokehold this woman has over the community by taking her lies and exposing them in front of the whole congregation, until Rachel Peel can't muster any mumblings about "Fake News". Laura was such a disruptive child and Carrie was so needy and helpless, I can't imagine either one of them functioning without Mary. Thank goodness she was there to help keep all the younger kids in line. Laura probably would have went on her way to murdering people had it not been for Mary.

Ha, North Medford, nevermind. Anyways, exciting news: I've talked with Sgt. Gomez of the Pasadena Police Department, and per my request, they're taking another look at this case. I've also started a facebook group entitled "justice for Matthew Marshall Chase", everyone is free to join. I've been posting rare info and pics and we've been having discussion. I'm also about to reveal something huge. Hope to see you all there.

Which school in Medford did you go to scowl?