I finished Shameless a little more than a month ago. This was my first time watching it. It was a good show and I’ll definitely be watching it again (all 11 seasons).
I found similarities between Frank in Shameless and Walter White in Breaking Bad.
I’m not sure if I blogged about Breaking Bad before but I really disliked Walter White during the later parts of Breaking Bad (probably season 2 and on). I rooted for him to die. He turned out to be a gigantic asshole who somewhat redeemed himself (though barely) in the series finale.
I had a lot of empathy for Walter. I mean, Breaking Bad, that entire premise wouldn’t have happened in any other developed country BUT the United States. I felt really bad for him. I didn’t blame him for doing what he had to in order to take care of his family. You gotta do what you’re good at and he was good at cooking meth.
Where he lost me was his obsession with power and getting mad at everyone when things didn’t go his way (ex. him blaming Jessie and Jessie’s friends when Skinny Pete got mugged). I also hated him not doing anything to save Jane. He also should not have killed Gus. Was Gus a good guy? No. But he had a great thing going there and he had to fuck it all up.
In Shameless, yeah, Frank is a big dick to all his family. He steals from them, takes advantage of them, breaks them up, etc. He really is a bad dude. Some of the worst for me was telling Carl that he had cancer, getting the kids removed from the house, and losing Liam.
But I feel more empathy for Frank than I do Walter White. I can’t really explain it but I guess because Frank didn’t really choose his lifestyle while Walter decided to do the things he did. Also, besides deliberately denying that woman her needed heart transplant, thus killing her (that was difficult to watch), Frank really doesn’t rack up many deaths. He works really hard to just not work. I guess maybe since I’m a fan of a universal basic income, the shit that Frank does just to be drunk all the time like he isn’t seeking power like Walter was. All Frank really wanted to do was be lazy, not work, and get drunk all the time.
I am really getting sick of people attacking Planned Parenthood. People seem to think all Planned Parenthood is out to do is destroy fetus’. They’re for family planning. They’re for helping people. Like 3% of what they do is abortions and yet that’s all they get flack for. They never get any good press. Get the facts.
If they do ANYTHING wrong, it’s like open season. They get flack from Congress, the Republicans, and basically anyone who is pro-life.
Planned Parenthood is one of the only places where women can go and get help and not be judged. (Besides by those idiot protesters who stand out front of the Planned Parenthood offices holding up stupid signs of dead babies; cause that’s effective.)
Women who are poor, women who are in college, any woman can go to Planned Parenthood and get their yearly examinations and mammograms for free; without insurance. It’s one of the only places that does this. They can even get birth control for free.
I know; I did it for years. I didn’t have health insurance for ten years of my life (through high school and college). Planned Parenthood was there for me.
I take offense to anyone who wants to smear them and tear them down. They’re doing good things. Why can’t people and the press see that? They’re helping people.
Isn’t it bull s**t that we have to pay “surcharges.” They’re getting to be ridiculous. These “surcharges” cost me $13 a month. My Verizon bill is almost $200 for two phone lines, 700 minutes, unlimited text, and 6 GB of data on one phone and unlimited on the other.
But these “surcharges” go up every month it seems.
It states:
Verizon Wireless Surcharges – Includes charges to recover or help defray costs of taxes and of governmental charges and fees imposed on us by the government. Other Charges and Credits – includes charges for products and services, and credits owing.
So it’s the governments fault? I see. The government charges too much in taxes so they need to pass that onto their consumer. Makes sense.
But wait. It turns out they don’t pay taxes! What the f**k? They actually make a s**t ton of profit and still pay no taxes. They even get money back from the government!
At least they create jobs right? Nope. Turns out, their tax breaks don’t even create jobs.
It’s such bull s**t. I think I’m going to start to complain. Why should I pay more to pad their bottom line even more than it is now when they pay nothing in taxes? I pay taxes! You pay taxes! Why should we pay more of “their taxes?”
I’m fed up with this country sometimes. It’s bull s**t.
Spread the word.
Dear Pepco and the American People,
First off I would like to say I’m sorry for getting solar panels on my house and buying all of those energy saving light bulbs. After three months with virtually no bill I now realize my error of my ways. The hard working people of Pepco no longer need to supply my old energy guzzling house with power. Instead I seem to be feeding them which can only go to reduce their huge quarterly profits. To make up for this I am sure Pepco is now going to charge even higher rates to my friends and neighbors, since they already charge the most for power in the state of Maryland. I now know I am costing Pepco lost revenue and they’ll have more reason to complain about the corporate tax rate which they, like many other companies (GE, BP, Exxon, Verizon, etc), do not actually pay.
Next I would like to send out a special apology to the people of West Virginia. For generations they have ripped up there land destroyed mountain tops and done everything else in the pursuit of coal. For generations they have toiled to provide me with the polluting coal and I so thoughtfully got solar panels not taking into the considerations their feelings or the sacrifices they are willing to make just so I can have unclean power.
Lastly I would like to say sorry to the American people as a whole. After hearing about all the possible clean energy jobs that could be created by going solar I bought into the hype. I now know the truth. Yes I am saving money and yes I did get the government to pay for 60% of my solar panels but at what cost I ask you? At the cost of all those jobs lost in West Virgina ripping up the land to give me unclean coal? At the cost of Pepco’s profits? My solar cost jobs, yes I know it is possible someone will have to come out and service my solar panels at some point but it has a 25 year warranty so you know it is going to last. Yes, I know it took someone to build my panels but think of all the coal I would have used without my solar system! Lastly, as I gazed today at my almost non-existent bill, I realized I am costing the government because I am taxed on my power usage and since I do not use any power, the government does not make any money off of me either. I am not a rich person and I am not exempt from taxes like the rich.
I’m sorry America,
A Maryland Solar Customer
I often wonder what the Republican idea is to save the middle class and to stop the humongous gap between the rich and the poor. Oh yeah, there is none.
From 2007 to 2009 (even with the economy being crap), Wall Street profits have gone up 720% while unemployment doubled and home equity fell 35%. The middle class is becoming extinct.
The top 1 percent of this country saw their income grow from 8% of the pie in the 1980’s to over 36% now. The top 400 income earners (400 people) make more than the bottom 50% of us. It’s because of welfare for the rich.
I am tired of the rich getting all the breaks. We are all suffering because of their greed and their hold on Washington. We’ve been sacrificing for them all these years; it’s time for them to make the sacrifice. They’ve gotten all the help with the economy sinking (bank bailouts, tax cuts). We’re the ones who need it, not them.
I’m glad people are finally raising up to it in Wisconsin and other parts of the nation. It’s time for people to stop voting against their best self interest and it’s time our politicians listen to the middle class.
Just a mini rant here, why don’t people wave anymore? I let people in all the time and none recently have given me a little wave. I feel so dissatisfied. Here I am slowing down to let a guy in and he can’t even take his stupid hand off the wheel for a second to give me any thanks.
Sometimes I really have to go out of my way and slow down a lot and force the people behind me to slow down. And they can’t even wave “thanks”. People suck sometimes.
I would probably add some rant about politics too, but I have the tumblr for notes to alleviate some political rage. Debunking and other rants will still remain on this blog.
