RECENTLY ON TOL:
TOL Our Town
- A tumblr site dedicated to the people and places that make up Oregon and Southwest Washington.
TAGS:
Chrissy4605's comments:
on Sustainable Oregon and Iraq
I think it is good that Oregon is doing more to save our cities from destroying our environments. Unfortunately where we try to conserve and recycle our landlord fails when it comes to recycling. We have dumpsters that are often over flowing and no recycle bins. All but one bulb in my apartment are flurescent. That one bulb is incandescent 3-way. I am hoping to get LED light to replace all the bulbs I use. I am hoping that we can get a better grid to give us all cleaner energy.
posted 2 years, 7 months ago
view in context
on Juncture at Junction City
I am very lucky that I didn't end up under the PSRB when I commited my crime. Now most of the mentally ill end up in prison if they offend. Is it better in prison for these people? Our prisons are getting over crowded and they need to be reformed. Reagan had a bad idea back then when he empited the State Hospitals. Now we dump the mentally ill off on the streets of Portland.. Do we need a new State Hospital? The answer is yes, but we also need more help in the local communities where the mentally ill can be found.
I am also fortunate that I do fairly well on medication. I am also lucky that I am a veteran. I know several people who need more help from the community than we can help at this time. NAMI needs more funds to help the people who are on the street right now. But you cannot help people who do not want to be helped.
Where should the money come from? From the prison budget. There are way to many people in our prisons. Many of the lowest risk people should be put on Post Prison Supervision. That would allow some prisons to be closed.
Mental health money is hard to come by. But you are right that more community based solutions should be made available. At this point I am supported by a three legged stool: Therapy; Medication, and Community Support through NAMI. And NAMI only has so many resourses that they can depend on.
posted 2 years, 11 months ago
view in context
on No-Fly List
While I understand the need to keep terrorists off planes, the US and other countries need to get better at determining who is actually a terrorist and who is not.
posted 2 years, 11 months ago
view in context
on The Efficiency Factor
I have been doing some small changes and a fairly large change. I have been using lfourescent lights for about 5 years. My new car has a mileage rating of 21-27 MPG. I have been driving much more economically getting between 25 and 27 mpg consistantly.
My biggest frustration is my recycling. At the apartments I am at the complex has 1 blue can. It is always full. So I find myself throwing most of my paper away.
posted 4 years, 1 month ago
view in context
on Healthy Choices
I have learned through trial and failure that I needed to make some big changes in my lifestyle. Since eliminating all soda from my diet and very much limiting going out to eat has helped me drop weight quite effectively. Another part is my decision to fix my food at home. I don't like to cook, but in order to eat healthier I have had to change what I eat. Not as much frozen pre-made foods and other fatening foods. I eat chicken, pork, and beef. I generally eat potatoes or stuffing with those meats. I drink a little milk and lots of water. Most of all I still have treats. Some cookies, ice-cream, chips and salsa.
I have been consistantly losing weight. Six months ago I wa 236. Yesterday I was down to 215.5
posted 4 years, 2 months ago
view in context
on Life After Special Ed
I was in and out of special ed during my time in school. I am very high functioning but am still disabled. I was married twice and had two kids of my own who have their own disabilities. While my kids and I are very smart, we find funtioning in the world hard because of the emotional dysfuntion we have. My life is a wild rollercoaster. Recently I went to a book signing. There were about 100 people there. I had a massive anxiety attack that lasted two days. When I told this to a friend she asked, would you do it again?, and I answered with a resounding YES!
I think that the most empowering thing for me was the words that I could do anything and be anything worked to my advantage. Having continuing support is the most important thing. Tracking their lives would help too.
I made it into the Army because I am so smart. But during my second enlistment my disability came to a head. I discovered that I cannot work or go to school among groups of people.
posted 4 years, 2 months ago
view in context
on Changing the Kicker
In good times and bad... We all should be putting savings away for that rainy day. I think it is great when we have a surplus. But that should be saved to pay for things when the state is lacking, like right now.
posted 4 years, 3 months ago
view in context
on New Drug Czar
I think I understancd part fo the problem with the allure of drugs. I used Methamphetamine for 13 years. I also used Cocain and Marijuanan. Life is really hard for too many people across this country. And the fact that I am mentally ill didn't help. But the pressures of life got to me so much so that I needed an outlet. At 25 I had a fairly narrow view of my options. So I started using as a way to cope with the wild thoughts and emotional upheaval I have gone through all of my lfe. I can say that I have had to pay dearly for that use. Drug use led me to prison. I will be on parole foir my mistakes while on meth until 2018. One thing that is happening is that mental health is turning a corner from being a taboo thing to being sometihing that is part of everyone's life. The more mental health is addressed the more we will be able to treat those who are driven to abuse substances.
posted 4 years, 3 months ago
view in context
on Sex Offender Laws
I think the problem with society and the laws regarding sex offenders are a with the way we deal with them. More tests should be wrought to find offenders before the offend. But I realize that this may not be possible.
Another problem I find is the vapid way sex offenders are classed when murderers are almost welcomed back in to the community at large. How many sex offenders are there in Oregon and how many murderers are there? How are they treated? All people make mistakes.
I am not trying in any way to make excuses for the behavior of sex offenders. The fact is that I am one. If offenders refuse treatment or fail to register with the State Police then I think they should be sent back to prison.
But what must be known is that most sex offenders to follow treatment and graduate from treatment do not re-offend. I am a low level offender and I am happy that I got the treatment I did. In part, because of that I changed my life and the way I live it.
One thing that should be added to the public spector is "know your enemy". Instead of blanket castigation for all sex offenders it would be an idea to meet the people who offend and learn all there is to learn about them. 'Keep your friends and family close... Keep your enemies closer'. The more we all know about those around us the better off we will all be.
Another thing this country needs to learn is greet your neighbor! Befreind them and get to know them. You will soon decide if you like them or can trust them.
As to my own offence: I know what I did was wrong. I have damaged my victim for life. And I take full responsibility for my actions. I will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of my life! I have also learned what brought me to the place that I offended; Drugs, Sex and Kids. Too much stress also played a large factor. I have learned from those lessons. And I am vigilant every day so that I don't put myself in that position again.
posted 4 years, 3 months ago
view in context
on State of the City
I am really a supporter of the Mayor. But all this noise is problematic. Yes he lied. He is our mayor and this needs to be the focal point. I made some very serious mistakes. While some people think I should be locked up forever. But most people who come in contact with me see that I have made a strong effort at changing myself to be the better person I am today. I feel that Mayor Adams is going through the same situation. How he changes from here on is what we should judge him.
I hope the banter calms down so that Mayor Sam Adams can get down to the business of the city.
posted 4 years, 3 months ago
view in context
on Dollars and Sense
posted 4 years, 3 months ago
view in context
on Nuclear Northwest
I am for Nuclear Power. I agree that we need to take much better care to clean up after our waste. But we are an advancing people who need to step forward in using the clean abundant power source.
Oregon needs to reinvest in Nuclear power. And I do not think it is arrogant to think we can manage the waste in a safe effective way. We already have containers that can survive a train wreck with the locomotive plowing directly into the container. No leaks!
What will it take to make this a reality? I am think about that very hard.
posted 4 years, 4 months ago
view in context
on As We Are: Suicide
Suicide visits my life all too often. I am mentally ill and very smart. Given that I have Borderline Personality Disorder my life is often a roller-coaster from high hights to low lows. I am not able to handle stress very well and now is a very stressful time of year. Now at age 47 my body is in much pain due to arthritis and chronic back pain. I also get migraines. I am a veteran and 100% service connected disabled. While I receive enough money, money is a thing of great stress for me. I often overdraw my bank account even though I try to prevent that from happening. I see a therapist two or more times per month. And I will probably be seeing a therapist for life.I have been admitted to the psych facility of the VA Hospital 16 time since 2003. I would like to never to back there, but that is just wishful thinking on my part.
Growing up through my young adult hood I joined the military. I spent five years in the Army before having two major nervous breakdowns. At age 25 I started self-medicating, first with cocaine then methamphetamine. I abused them for the first 5 years or so, then I tapered off to the point where I needed to diconnect from reality. Drugs led to prison. I now live on parole. I no longer to street drugs and my life is better for it. But I have traded that one drug for 16 others in order to keep me healthy and stable. But they don't always work! Suicide was just under my radar this evening.
posted 4 years, 4 months ago
view in context
on Lower Returns for Higher Ed
posted 4 years, 4 months ago
view in context
on Reporting The News
posted 4 years, 8 months ago
view in context
on The State of the Economy
posted 5 years, 4 months ago
view in context
