Yeah, I don't worry about it as much when it comes to privacy since that ship has sailed. I just worry about how much it will actually be net neutrality or whether this will be an excuse for more censorship. And with all the corruption I'm not convinced that we won't see some sites intentionally slowed down or blocked because someone is in the pocket of one corporation or another. Not that it couldn't have happened without the regulations, but it's still a concern.
I'm more concerned with the industry. Unregulated data has been the cash cow and with it gone the industry is going to have to find something new to milk. at&t and Verizon both want to be cell only but with NN impacting cell data too? F U C K !!!
When I was 17, I had bonded pretty strongly with my maternal grandmother, who we called Nonny. Nonny knew my mom was crazy and did her best to stand in for her as possible. My girlfriend at the time and I spent a lot of time at Nonny's house, reveling in the sanity (we lived in my mom's garage at the time, it's what we could afford.)
One evening I got a frantic call from Nonny to come over immediately. She was having a massive respiratory failure. My cousin's wife was living with her at the time as her caretaker (my cousin was incarcerated at the time for several armed robberies of convenience stores) and told me not to worry, don't come, she could handle it. Nonny called twice and begged me, though. She felt like with my severe asthma, I could relate to her emphysema and COPD and give her good advice.
I showed up and she was very obviously going to die soon. As in, within the hour. My cousin's wife INSISTED that I not call any paramedics and just let her pass at home in peace. I asked Nonny how she felt about that, but she was delirious from lack of oxygen. All she said was "pretty bad!" She said it in a little girl's voice. Like a little terrified five year old girl.
I panicked and called 911 and paramedics came and took Nonny to a hospital where she was put in the ICU and hooked up to EVERYTHING and kept alive 3 more days. She was completely delirious and not at all at home. She kept screaming for her Mommy and Daddy in that little five year old girl voice, begging for them to help her, to take her home.
I still feel tremendous guilt to this day for insisting she go to the hospital. It's my fault she lingered for three days longer in complete hysteria and fear. That was twenty years ago.
It sounds like your grandma passed peacefully with you, your dad, and your mom close by based on your post and your mom's FB post. There are worse ways.
May your grandmother rest in peace and may she continue in your memories, Greg. Best wishes.
No, her lungs were wrecked from years of smoking and her heart was shot. My granddad had died a couple of years earlier. She was ready. I just held her up because I was panicked.
Once she got to the hospital, my bipolar, narcissist, wreck of a mom insisted on every possible intervention and tactic to keep her alive just a few hours longer (she later stole money Nonny had willed to me and spent it on ridiculous spree purchases in the course of less than a week, all of which was later stolen by her "boyfriend".)
There's a reason I don't talk to most of my family anymore, but now I'm on a tangent...
I believe there is a point where older relatives are content with their lives and live mostly for their relatives. I've noticed this to be especially true when the spouse has passed away. In some ways it always seems that passing on is the thing they're ready to do but go on for their children and grandchildren. It can be heartwrenching if you are close with your grandparents, but wanting what is best for them is the most sincere love you can give them. And I think in that way you can make them happy knowing that they lived for you.
It sounds like your grandma passed peacefully with you, your dad, and your mom close by based on your post and your mom's FB post. There are worse ways.
Meme had an awesome death. She didn't go suddenly. She had a slow decline over the course of about 36 hours. Over that period, something like 30 people rotated through the ICU to visit her. There was laughter, there was singing, there was music, some people read poetry to her -- it was fantastic. After about 14 hours in the ICU, she was able to open her eyes. We all rushed to the bed, including both my dad and my uncle, who only get together during either obligation or necessity. Looking around at all of us (there were probably 6 of us around her bedside), she uttered her final words "holy shit!"
Didn't make it any easier to watch the last 30 minutes or so, tho.
Human medicine's approach to inevitable death is terrible. Let the patient make the decision when to go in no win scenarios so it's not random alone and a shock. Euthanasia would be the more humane option.
So... I have no idea how to approach this situation so this is part vent, part asking for advice.
My girlfriend has been an assistant organizer for this rising meet up group called "Board of Games". I didn't think anything of it. She likes gaming and if she wants to volunteer, it's all good.
It turns out she's also been doing graphic design work for this guy for free. That really annoyed me and I told her she should be charging because not only is he getting her hours running event for no pay but also hours just doing work work for him, too (she's a graphic designer by trade). I didn't want to control her so I said my peace and let it be.
About a month ago, she tells me this guy is not happy with the demographics of his attendees and the venues of his events. Attendees have been your average gamer. Roughly 25-35 mostly male but a strong female presence, too. Venues have been places like IHOPs, the occasional cafe, the like.
So he asks my girl to design things with essentially strippers on them for him to pass out at college campus'. He really wants the college age males pretty badly. It upset my gf that he'd so willy nilly dismiss the people he already has and especially the women.
He's also beginning to schedule events at loud sports bars and clubs (literally clubs). No one wants to go to that. We've all been telling him.
Why don't we just stop going, you ask? Well, the rub is he's been making any and everyone who's worked with him in even the most inconsequential fashion sign noncompetes.
For running board games meet ups. Non. Competes.
So we found a cool place where someone knew the owner, the food was fantastic, the environment low key, and, most importantly, the owner is a recent convert to the board game hobby and loves having us!!
Some random person who never worked for this guy was the "organizer" as such. He called some people, made a single post on a different meet ups page, that was that. It was a Tuesday and that guy runs a ln event in LA on Tuesdays and usually gets about 15 people. Our new event got 25 people in Fullerton which is about 25 miles away.
So at the next event our quasi organizer was at that was run by this guy, he made a scene. Said he needed to stop, he was hurting his meet up, he demanded the guy sign some sort of noncompete and cease and desist from organizing anything until he did so, that he'd bring in his lawyer and sue him if he didn't...
All of his organizers save one we haven't been able to get in touch with get are jumping ship and we are formulating a way to let attendees know to do the same. It's just too much bullshit.
Those noncompetes last for a YEAR. Why anyone signed those things, I have no fucking clue but now we have to deal with it...
I'm thinking the best plan is for anyone who signed one of his bullshit noncompetes to lay low and have others take up the torch, say fuck you to this guy, and just ignore him.
This may not be entirely accurate but the impression I get from what I've gotten out of my gf is he is basically attempting to quash competition.
Your astute observation about money being involved is astute. This guy travels to events and sells board games. The legality of which is highly suspect but that's a side issue. He wants no other meet ups and to be the only game in town so you'll buy his games, of course.
I don't think noncompetes are enforceable for volunteers. Is he a registered business? Does he pay taxes on his sales? Are his books in order? Glass houses...
Steve - if he gets too up in arms, I'll be asking my attorney friends what's up. It seems super shady to me. I know they are offered discounts on board games but not sure about direct compensation. That doesn't seem like enough to qualify. If we can tell him to go fuck himself, that would just be delicious.
Rym - Glad I arrived at the correct position. I just don't always have the self confidence to feel it's correct.
I called things off with an angry Energizer Bunny. Just when I think she's said her peace and is don't ranting, she keeps going and going. It's kind of funny at this point.
I was about to say this. Plan of action: Everyone who wants to jump ship, show up to the next gaming meeting with this yahoo. Everyone have one person speak for the group and tell him you are all leaving. When he invokes the 'clause', tell him you'll see him in court. Exit simultaneously. Flipping the bird is optional. If no money was exchanged and no contract was signed, your girl can also still claim rights to her own work, especially since the NCA is likely complete bullshit from a rules lawyer who thinks he knows something, but doesn't in reality.
Comments
"we already know cops kill black men. who cares if they declare that hunting them for sport is now legal?"
The actual fuck?! When did he become insane?!
One evening I got a frantic call from Nonny to come over immediately. She was having a massive respiratory failure. My cousin's wife was living with her at the time as her caretaker (my cousin was incarcerated at the time for several armed robberies of convenience stores) and told me not to worry, don't come, she could handle it. Nonny called twice and begged me, though. She felt like with my severe asthma, I could relate to her emphysema and COPD and give her good advice.
I showed up and she was very obviously going to die soon. As in, within the hour. My cousin's wife INSISTED that I not call any paramedics and just let her pass at home in peace. I asked Nonny how she felt about that, but she was delirious from lack of oxygen. All she said was "pretty bad!" She said it in a little girl's voice. Like a little terrified five year old girl.
I panicked and called 911 and paramedics came and took Nonny to a hospital where she was put in the ICU and hooked up to EVERYTHING and kept alive 3 more days. She was completely delirious and not at all at home. She kept screaming for her Mommy and Daddy in that little five year old girl voice, begging for them to help her, to take her home.
I still feel tremendous guilt to this day for insisting she go to the hospital. It's my fault she lingered for three days longer in complete hysteria and fear. That was twenty years ago.
It sounds like your grandma passed peacefully with you, your dad, and your mom close by based on your post and your mom's FB post. There are worse ways.
May your grandmother rest in peace and may she continue in your memories, Greg. Best wishes.
Once she got to the hospital, my bipolar, narcissist, wreck of a mom insisted on every possible intervention and tactic to keep her alive just a few hours longer (she later stole money Nonny had willed to me and spent it on ridiculous spree purchases in the course of less than a week, all of which was later stolen by her "boyfriend".)
There's a reason I don't talk to most of my family anymore, but now I'm on a tangent...
Didn't make it any easier to watch the last 30 minutes or so, tho.
My girlfriend has been an assistant organizer for this rising meet up group called "Board of Games". I didn't think anything of it. She likes gaming and if she wants to volunteer, it's all good.
It turns out she's also been doing graphic design work for this guy for free. That really annoyed me and I told her she should be charging because not only is he getting her hours running event for no pay but also hours just doing work work for him, too (she's a graphic designer by trade). I didn't want to control her so I said my peace and let it be.
About a month ago, she tells me this guy is not happy with the demographics of his attendees and the venues of his events. Attendees have been your average gamer. Roughly 25-35 mostly male but a strong female presence, too. Venues have been places like IHOPs, the occasional cafe, the like.
So he asks my girl to design things with essentially strippers on them for him to pass out at college campus'. He really wants the college age males pretty badly. It upset my gf that he'd so willy nilly dismiss the people he already has and especially the women.
He's also beginning to schedule events at loud sports bars and clubs (literally clubs). No one wants to go to that. We've all been telling him.
Why don't we just stop going, you ask? Well, the rub is he's been making any and everyone who's worked with him in even the most inconsequential fashion sign noncompetes.
For running board games meet ups. Non. Competes.
So we found a cool place where someone knew the owner, the food was fantastic, the environment low key, and, most importantly, the owner is a recent convert to the board game hobby and loves having us!!
Some random person who never worked for this guy was the "organizer" as such. He called some people, made a single post on a different meet ups page, that was that. It was a Tuesday and that guy runs a ln event in LA on Tuesdays and usually gets about 15 people. Our new event got 25 people in Fullerton which is about 25 miles away.
So at the next event our quasi organizer was at that was run by this guy, he made a scene. Said he needed to stop, he was hurting his meet up, he demanded the guy sign some sort of noncompete and cease and desist from organizing anything until he did so, that he'd bring in his lawyer and sue him if he didn't...
All of his organizers save one we haven't been able to get in touch with get are jumping ship and we are formulating a way to let attendees know to do the same. It's just too much bullshit.
Those noncompetes last for a YEAR. Why anyone signed those things, I have no fucking clue but now we have to deal with it...
I'm thinking the best plan is for anyone who signed one of his bullshit noncompetes to lay low and have others take up the torch, say fuck you to this guy, and just ignore him.
Thoughts?
Tldr; if no money changes hands = unenforceable.
Your astute observation about money being involved is astute. This guy travels to events and sells board games. The legality of which is highly suspect but that's a side issue. He wants no other meet ups and to be the only game in town so you'll buy his games, of course.
Rym - Glad I arrived at the correct position. I just don't always have the self confidence to feel it's correct.
Plan of action: Everyone who wants to jump ship, show up to the next gaming meeting with this yahoo. Everyone have one person speak for the group and tell him you are all leaving. When he invokes the 'clause', tell him you'll see him in court.
Exit simultaneously.
Flipping the bird is optional.
If no money was exchanged and no contract was signed, your girl can also still claim rights to her own work, especially since the NCA is likely complete bullshit from a rules lawyer who thinks he knows something, but doesn't in reality.