I don't know what motivated the shooting, if he acted alone, if he was mentally deranged and if he was influenced by politics and which side. One of Giffords' favorite charities now has a special fund,Those wishing to donate can log on to: www.communityfoodbank.org . I thought it was nice of the family to direct support for them in this way. It is the old neighborly, bringing a dish to the family, in this case to the community table. I feel that any donation to local food banks in honor of her service and in reaction to the attack would be appropriate. I felt a need to do something useful in reaction to this hateful act.

Those wishing to make a donation in memory of Christina Taylor Green may do so by: Logging on to the website of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona at www.cfsoaz.org and clicking on the link to the Christina Taylor Green Memorial Fund,

I am interested in finding out if different memorial funds or assistant funds set up in relationship with the Tucson shooting. I have identified two. But wish I could donate to all. I don't feel any victim is more important than the other, my heart goes out to the families of the slain and the wounded.

I was raised by Democrats, well I think Mom sometimes canceled Dad's vote. It was done politely, just by stepping behind the curtain. My extended family is mixed, both the elephants and donkeys are at the Thanksgiving dinner table. I was taught to respect people for their actions, their behavior and I certainly was taught to respect other people's opinion, There was a respect for business, I was raised in a family business, It was always important, if it was a job, it was to be done. Don't be casual about agreeing to do something, saying yes meant you had to do it. so say yes carefully.
When I went off to college my dad took me aside and gave me a little talk, two things, one he insisted he inspect any apartment before I rented one. He said Lawrence had a lot of cheap apartments that were fire traps. The other message was to warn me that where I was going was not like back home. You could not do hand shake deals. I'll do this if you do that, that people didn't know how to do that. That it is hard for most people to even understand how hard it was to keep to it, if it became inconvenient. He was amazingly right. Two of the apartments he rejected, burned in the next 10 years. My first room mates, ate my food, broke my furniture, skipped rent, made darling promises. I eventually chose not to be so understanding and not to be so helpful when their emergencies arrived. I think we all learn that lesson, unless we are the one that is always in dire straights.

Now that I have ran around the bush and beat the horse to death. Here is my point, a community or office develops a culture. We have seen it in offices, the little jealousies taking point over getting the job done. I watch some bloggers who always jump on any action or story with negative, sour, mean comments. Is it a habit?

Fifty years ago I heard a Chamber of Commerce guy tell my Dad he would not make any money or friends if he made a black man a foreman over whites. My Dad just said, he can do the job, he gets it. It was a hard job and the man had worked for us for a long time. The chamber guy said, you will never make money and you can't treat you crew like friends. This was over coffee at the old Coffee Cup Cafe. My Dad said " I don't give them money, I owe them money, for work" His crew worked hard and they showed up, and they showed up sober. My memory is perhaps softening this conversation. I don't think my Dad was talking about race or economics at all. I think he thought the guy in the suit was getting into his business. It isn't a liability to use respect in the workplace, or in discussion.

Which brings me to, what in the heck has happened to the Republicans, to the Democrats, to the businessmen, to the workers. Why are their remarks getting so predictable, sound bites for every meal. Expressing a thought takes more time than calling people names or dismissing ideas by yelling out a label. I dismiss an arguement when it is a knee jerk response, a snipe or carp, someone who is whining at every injustice, moment of discomfort or hardship. Ask the troll to make an argument to state a case. We are paying people to rant. I turn the tv off if the orator can only emote. Do it next time someone is emoting garbage. Or do you chime in because it lets you express your feelings, your anger and hopelessness. Get over it, find your manners, remember that jobs and community are part of a good life. You are responsible for how you look at things, how you communicate and what kind of culture you create.

I looking at the mounting piles of trash appearing around town. I watched sanitation workers spend 2o minutes cleaning up a mess left by tenants and I know neither the tenants or landlord will be paying for the extra time. The sanitation workers did a good job, our community is healthier and prettier thanks to them. The Sanitation Division will make me pay for this. It will be part of my trash bill, the expense will be part of why we can't have improved recycling service, it will be why my bill will be higher next year. I put out my trash in containers, according to their rules.

I once put out some limbs. a foot too long, got a tag, got the message and fixed it. No bitterness was involved . I think if the landlords and tenants knew it would cost them rather than me, things would be different. Landlords might encourage tenants to donate items, to have free sales, to package their trash like everyone else has to. Tenants should at least be hit with information how to be better at putting out something as simple as trash. I have complained and know other people have complained. The sanitation department said there is nothing they can do. I think there is. I also wonder if there is some way to charge them for selective enforcement.
Here are some of the rules. They seem fair and I think express consideration for people, they have provisions for the elderly and poor, they have addressed hazardous material, they have a liberal bulk pickup, they only thing they don't have is the will to enforce their own rules, except by whim or prejudice.

repost from earlier comment: There is regulation to prevent the mile high piles and to make the tenants or landlords pay, rather than putting the costs on all of us. It is not against the law to dispose of appliances through our system. You just call Bulk pickup. You do have to do safety things, like remove or lock refrigerator, freezer doors. It is part of our current service. There are provisions to assist the people who would be burdened by sanitation costs or changes. Excuse me for length of comment but if people knew the regulations, there would be less illegal dumping. Some fools take an old chair and dump it on the edge of someone's field, when they can put it curbside and call bulk pickup. As a “Hello” don't put a couch upside down in a dumpster, just put it beside the dumpster or call bulk pickup. For trash rules, http://www.ci.lawrence.ks.us/city_code/ and click on chapter 9.

City code (4) Charges which cannot be collected from the tenants either during their occupancy or after they vacate the premises will be billed to the building owner. 9-412.7 bulk pick-up. No extra charge will be made for bulk pickup of residential refuse. … Residential customers desiring collection of items such as refrigerators, ranges, bed frames, washers, water heaters, air conditioners, etc., can make arrangements with the Director of Public Works for this service. charges, low-income elderly persons. The purpose of this Section is to permit qualified low-income elderly person to have reduced sanitation charges. A low-income elderly person is one who is sixty (60) years of age or more on or before the 1st day of January of the year in which the reduced service charge is applicable. To qualify for this low- income elderly person reduced sanitation service charge: (A) The individual shall have an income during the preceding calendar year from all sources of less than $11,440 or (B) Any person who is the head of a family with a family income during the preceding calendar year from all sources of less than $15,400; (C) The individual must meet the qualifications of this Section.9-416

recycling of waste material. The City shall have the right to control and regulate recycling services within the City limits. No person shall operate a door-to-door service for the code of the city of lawrence, kansas 9-16 collection of recyclable material from residential, business, or other premises within the City unless authorized by license or other formal agreement with the City. Any person so licensed shall be required to comply with regulations established by the Director of Public Works. (Ord. 6061; Ord. 6155)

I do not agree that celebrities have no right to privacy. Everyone should have a right to privacy. The argument that an entertainer or anyone who gains financial reward through fame creates some automatic license to dispense with courtesy. The yellow journalists are out of bounds, they should have better manners. I do not care if they can sell the picture, they are still responsible for their treatment of another person.

I find it distressing that often hatred can be expressed or excused with the comment, " Now you have to admit he/she is weird" so anything goes in speculation or personal attack. Some of the weirdest people I have known have sterling character and gentle kind spirits. Imagination and sensitivity can combine for quirky and great humanity. Some of the most disgusting people I have met are quite traditional acting but lacked self awareness and sense of self responsibility.

Intellect is not some instant button of righteous, like most tools it can be used in a multiple of ways and can also mislead one to think that one is right. While I like an well made argument I try to remember arguments are made within a context and time and space as well as priority can change the character and truth of an argument.