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Post by texican on Aug 15, 2019 16:18:10 GMT -6
I see a cheater female in the making Sure has the signs. She is already there.... Thanks FT for the chapter.... Texican....
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Post by forthteller on Aug 18, 2019 17:57:54 GMT -6
She is already there.... Thanks FT for the chapter.... Texican.... You never know. Might be something else in the works. Somebody has a temper. Forthteller
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Post by sniper69 on Aug 18, 2019 18:33:26 GMT -6
She is already there.... Thanks FT for the chapter.... Texican.... You never know. Might be something else in the works. Somebody has a temper. Forthteller And only the next chapter will reveal.... Forthteller - thank you for sharing your excellent writing with us.
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Post by texican on Aug 18, 2019 22:41:32 GMT -6
You never know. Might be something else in the works. Somebody has a temper. Forthteller And only the next chapter will reveal.... Forthteller - thank you for sharing your excellent writing with us. Yep FT, The Moar Hounds do definitely need another chapter to determine who or is whom is doing what to whomever.... Texican....
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Post by forthteller on Aug 19, 2019 14:26:59 GMT -6
Chapter 19
Another disillusioned male steps out August, 2020
“Oh my god! I just took some money out of our account and looked at the balance. The bank must have made a mistake.”
Nonchalantly, Stewart says, “why? Is the balance less than it should be?”
“No. We haven’t had that much money in our account since you sold your truck and hadn’t paid off the loan yet.”
“Oh that. My bonus was direct deposit. That “bullshit male excuse” netted me almost half my years salary, would have been more but the government got almost half of it.”
“You got a bonus that big. You must have hit all your targets. Wow, I am so proud of you. We can afford to do the renovations and now that we know how much you are making; we can even afford to get a loan and get everything done.”
“Actually, we need to keep it in our account, just in case the bank calls in our margin when we renegotiate our mortgage next month.”
“What! I knew we should have sold and bought a condo.”
“They have dropped in price as well, even more. Had we done that we would have payed the transfer tax, real estate fees and lost even more money. We just have to hold tight and wait until housing prices start rising again.”
“That’s never going to happen. If we renovate, the value of our house will be more, then the bank will refinance at a higher value.”
“Renovating in todays market may cause an increase in the value of our house but not by nearly as much as the renovations will cost. If we were to repaint ourselves and do some of the other things you want done ourselves it would increase the value by as much, if not more than the cost of the materials.”
“I don’t want to paint. That is laborers work! Let them do that dirty job.”
“Might be a dirty job but they are skilled craftsmen and make very good money.”
“Yeh, part of the pay gap. Uneducated blue-collar workers, all male, all paid more than most educated office workers, mostly female.”
“They get paid that much because there is still a shortage of skilled trades people. There is nothing stopping women from taking on a trade instead of going to university.”
“It is stupid. I administer millions of dollars in public services, have a masters degree in sociology and still make less than you do even without a bonus. And you are a high school dropout.”
‘So, here we are again, arguing about how much I make and me having only completed grade 11. I make what I make because they need the qualifications I have and there is a shortage. It’s called supply and demand. You may also remember; it was me who paid for your master’s tuition and living expenses so you could get it.”
“Capitalism, righto. Your antiquated economic system where all the white men get the best of everything. Equality means we value everyone’s contribution equally.”
“So, if we pay construction workers the same as every other job, how many people will do the job? Not many. They will all want to work in offices and retail. Nobody is going to work in the rain, snow and sleet, suffer minor injuries and know that by the time they are 50 they will probably have early arthritis if they get paid the same as those inside air-conditioned offices.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You get paid that much because this is still a patriarchal world and men’s work pays more than women’s work because men set the value.”
“No. Supply and demand sets the value. We pay what it takes to get enough people to do the job. Your firm pays less because there are more qualified people available to do the job. Basic economics.”
“No, that is basic patriarchal economics. There are many who advocate a better system. MMT or even a fairer modern social system.”
“I don’t know how we got off the topic. Sorry I got the big bonus but as far as I am concerned, I earned it and I get to say how we spend it. So, getting back to the house. We do everything ourselves or it doesn’t get done. Simple as that. I earned the money.”
Red faced and livid, “that money is our money and I get a say in what it gets spent on.”
“No, my pay and your pay are our money and we budget together. My bonus is mine and I get to spend it on what I want and I want to pay down our mortgage.”
“No. We renovate the house. That will increase the value and we would have more equity in it and that money is ours, just like my year end bonus was.”
Getting angry, Stewart says, “you used your bonus for the down payment on a brand-new BMW X5E that we can barely afford the payments for. We did not spend your year end bonus, you did.”
Screaming now and advancing on Stewart. “We needed a new car and you know it. I need a car that is in keeping with my status in my department.”
“Your car was just fine; your friend got a new Mercedes and you needed to keep up with her. We did not need a 100,000 electric vehicle and it also cost us 12,000 to upgrade our electrical panel and wiring so we can put a charger in the garage. We could have easily gotten a much cheaper electric car but you had to have something fancy like your friend.”
Picking up a plate on the table, Sarah rears back and throws it in Stewart’s direction. He knew it was coming and easily ducks it. As she continues to get angrier, Stewart slips out the kitchen door and swiftly closes it as he hears a crash on the other side. “Holy crap, she is really pissed this time.”
Stewart heads out the sidewalk and around the front of the house. He heads over to his truck and turns the alarm off. After he opens the door, he sees the front door of the house open, “crap, now what?”
He gets in and unlocks the steering lock. Sarah comes down the sidewalk and scampers across the front of the truck and circles to the drivers’ window. Stewart cranks the window down expecting another blast but that is not what he gets.
“I am sorry Stewart. I am just frustrated and impatient. Please come back inside, no more money talk.”
“Ok. Let’s clean up and forget it then.”
The following week, Stewart drives out of the underground parking at the office and unknown to him a vehicle follows him. He drives to one of his sites and pulls in. No parking available so he circles the block a few more times and it is on the second pass that he notices the same car he has seen several times already. Interesting. He parks and glances at the woman in the car.
A week later, Stewart pulls up to the curb. Another truck is parked in his usual space so he parks behind it. He jumps out, sets all his locks and walks up his sidewalk as the front door opens and a man walks out carrying a bucket full of tools. “What are you doing in my house?”
“Ask the lady inside. You another contractor?”
“I just said my house. This is my house.”
“Whatever.”
Stewart storms in, the kitchen is totally demoed. “What the hell is going on here.”
Cheryl steps into the demolished kitchen. “I am having a kitchen makeover done and both bathrooms as well.”
“You cannot make that decision, that is a we decision.”
“Like you hoarding your bonus and lording it over me. This is our house and I don’t want to live in one of your recycled crap buildings. I want modern and convenient.”
“Have you ever seen one of my Recycled crap buildings, they look and function exactly the same as every other building, you never know the difference in completed units. We have joint ownership of the house; you cannot commit any expenses against the mortgage without my consent.”
“Apparently I can.” Waving the contract in his face. “This obligates us to pay for the services and materials consumed renovating our house.”
“It is not legal. I never signed it and I am not paying. I suppose you took the money from our account for a down payment?”
“I made the decision you were too chicken shit to make.”
“Now we wont even have the money to cover the margin when we renegotiate the mortgage next week.”
“Don’t worry about it. We have more than enough credit available to get a second mortgage.”
“We cannot get a second mortgage; we owe more than the house is worth.”
“Fine, we get an appraisal after the renovation is finished, it will be worth enough then. And we can easily get a line of credit.”
Looking at the estimate, “no, it won’t. You just tied our hands so that we wont even be able to finish this renovation.”
“I am doing it. Discussion is over. If you don’t like it, you can leave.”
“Really, just like that.”
“You don’t have a choice. Your green card is expired. If we weren’t married, you would not even be allowed to work in the US.”
“You would blackmail me like that?”
“It is not blackmail. It is a fact. Your Precious Trump changed the immigration policies, 5 years married or you do not quality for permanent residency. We are less than that. Economy is tanking, jobs are getting scarce. Without me, you would be escorted to the border within the week. Your choice.”
“Where did you get all these ideas?”
“I don’t want to be controlled by you so I went to see a lawyer.”
“So, you want a divorce?”
“No, I want equality in our relationship. I want to be part of all the decisions.”
“But you made the decision to put us in more debt with your car and now a renovation we can’t afford? How is that equal decision making?”
“How is always saying we cannot afford the things we deserve equal decision making? You always get to make the financial decision; I want a say in them too.”
“No problem. You figure out how we are going to afford all this, I am going to sleep in my workshop.” Stewart heads into the bedroom and collects some clothes and toiletries.
“Right. You get to spend whatever on your workshop but I don’t even get a servable kitchen.”
Stewart cannot control his tongue and says something on the way out that seals his certain divorce now. “I don’t know if you noticed from our bills, I never purchased a single thing to build or outfit that shop, everything was salvaged from my jobsites on my own time. Even the bathroom was repurposed. I, on the other hand, spend more time in the kitchen cooking and cleaning than you ever have.”
Stewart never sees it coming but the plate hitting him squarely in the side of the head sends him spinning to the ground. Later in the hospital, alone in his room, a now awake Stewart wonders how he could have been so deceived.
Over the next 2 days, Stewart is visited by several people, including the police. Like a gentleman, he decides not to press charges. What a mistake that will turn out to be.
As he goes through his memories, he remembers meeting Cheryl while he was taking his Site management courses at a local university. He remembers how happy they were and how they had planned out their life together. He remembers how excited they were when they had gotten married and had bought their first house. He remembered her pride when she graduated with her Masters Degree.
What happened, how did she change so much and so fast? Was he at fault? Could be. Too controlling, too pragmatic, too accommodating? “Takes two to make a marriage, it takes two to destroy it.”
On day three, a still slightly dizzy Stewart takes an Uber home. Cautiously, Stewart walks up the sidewalk to his house. He can hear workman inside; he wonders if Cheryl is home. Stewart enters, walks into the bedroom and begins to pack. Once done, he takes his three suitcases and rolls them out to his truck. His two friends from work roll up in their truck and hop out. He hands the keys to one who unlocks the door, disengages the alarm, unlocks the steering wheel and slips in. Stewart slips into the passenger side.
Staying at his friends’ place is only temporary, eventually he would have to talk to Cheryl. Not once did she visit him at the hospital and it was not until his second day that he learned that she had not called 911. One of the workmen had done that when he had returned for forgotten tools an hour later. Luckily, she had given them the keys and the alarm code to get in.
After the first week, he reluctantly placed a call. Thinking to himself as it rang and went to message, “how can I be so confident when I am on the job and in everything else I do and so frightened by my own wife?” Thinking about a few new DC laws, his answer came. They would believe her on her word but he would not be believed even if he took a lie detector. The new law was in place to protect rape victims but could be used as a bludgeon for any other male female conflicts whatsoever.”
Saturday morning Stewart gets up and is having breakfast with his friend. His wife still has not answered any of his calls. A knock on the door. His friend looks out the keyhole, a uniformed individual is there, flanked by two others. He opens it and asks what they want.
“We are looking for Stewart Preston, is he here.”
Stewart, now standing behind his friend, pipes up. “I am Stewart, what do you want?”
Flashing badges and IDs, “ICE. Agents Trumain and Ward. Turn around and put your hands behind your back. You are under arrest for immigration fraud.”
“Immigration fraud?”
“We have reason to believe that your marriage was solely to gain a work permit in the USA and is being used to gain citizenship.”
“I had a green card before I was married.”
“That can be decided by an immigration hearing.”
“Mark, call Justin. Let him know what is going on. I am going to need a lawyer.”
Several weeks later, Stewart is still living out of a suitcase, legal bills are piling up and he still has not talked to his wife. He has already received a notice of divorce and it is going to be costly.
At the first divorce settlement hearing; two lawyers, Cheryl and Stewart and a divorce adjudicator is present as well.
Cheryl’s lawyer starts. “My client is claiming damages for 5 years of abuse. Controlling behavior during which time she was continuously diminished and degraded for perceived inability to understand basic financial disciplines. If it is necessary, we will be reminding the court that she has a masters degree and he is a high school dropout so she would most certainly be in a better position understand and make those decisions.”
Stewarts lawyer responds, “abuse, my client spent three days in hospital with head injuries from an object thrown by your client. Your client illegally entered into a contract that binds both parties. Your client removed all the monies from the joint accounts and spent or placed it in her own account which he was unable to access. I hardly see any cause of action from your side.”
“My client denies throwing any object at yours so that is a he said, she said argument, no court would ever accept that claim unless charges had been laid, which they were not. The contract was for the betterment of communal property so both parties would benefit and she needed the money, being the party with the lower income.”
Stewart pipes up, Looking at Cheryl. “You cannot be serious, you almost killed me with that plate and you didn’t even have the decency to call emergency. Had that worker not forgotten his tools, I would most likely have died or suffered permanent brain damage.”
Cheryl attempts to stare him down but looks away in shame. She says nothing.
Her lawyer re enters the conversation. Looking directly at Stewart and then his lawyer, “what is said here means nothing, what you can prove in court and who the court chooses to believe will be everything. We are giving you the chance today to settle without it going that far.”
“My client will be deported to Canada if the divorce is finalized and our two parties cannot reconcile.”
“My client has no desire to reconcile. She is frightened that she will once again fall under his controlling influence.”
Looking at Stewart, “can we have a moment to discuss this in private?”
“Be our guest. We haven’t yet told you what we want.”
“Be that as it may, I need to confer with my client to determine what he is willing to do here.”
“Fine, we stay here, you can confer with him out in the hallway.”
“It is customary for you to give us the room for a few minutes.”
“Not today. You want privacy, you leave.”
Stewart starts up. “Fine, we talk in here with you present, I have nothing to hide. For starters, I can prove she threw that plate and hit me, it is on the camera she had installed in the kitchen to monitor the workmen. If she insists on preceding, I am going to provide the evidence to the police and have her charged with assault.”
Cheryl’s lawyer looks at Stewarts. “Saul, did you know he had this video?”
“News to me. I haven’t seen it yet but I think it could be ground breaking.”
Looking at Cheryl, “did you have a camera in the kitchen?”
“I did but it was well hidden.”
“How did he know about it?”
“I don’t know, possibly one of the workmen found it and told him.”
Looking at Stewarts lawyer, “okay Saul, we would be at a stalemate. I could argue that years of abuse was responsible for the outburst and that she was not guilty for that reason, there is a good possibility of a not guilty verdict. We would be attempting to recover costs for the legal fees if that was the outcome.”
“Alexander, you know full well that because she did not call emergency when it happened, and just left him to suffer, that would look pretty damming to the jury I would be demanding.”
“I doubt you would be able to convince the court to assign a jury and I have enough connections to almost guarantee an amicable female judge. No, I would be able to get an acquittal.”
“You possibly could get an acquittal but in civil court, that would never be the case and I will have a jury for that.”
“Ok, Saul. If you give us the room for a moment, I will confer with my client.”
“We will give you the room but I might remind you of your previous discourtesy.”
Outside, Saul and Stewart discus the case. Stewart says, “give her everything, I want to walk away from this clean. No debts and no alimony. She can have all the assets.”
Saul sighs. “Are you sure? We have them over a barrel. I am pretty certain we could put her in jail or at least make sure the assault gets on her record.”
“I don’t actually have the video.”
“How did you know she had the camera?”
“She has no respect for construction workers, she thinks we are all out to rip her off. I knew she would have one.”
“Remind me to never play poker with you. I have to make a phone call.”
Saul calls the detective who was originally investigating the incident when Stewart was originally injured. He informed him of the video camera but implied Stewart was party to placing it there and was giving permission to search. The detective got a warrant and retrieved the video before Cheryl had made it home from the meeting.
Back inside the room, Stewart and Saul both sit down. “We are not settling for anything less than a clean break today. Otherwise, we will see you in court after you have your day in court for assault.”
“My client wants the house free and clear and a reasonable alimony until her income reaches a median for professionals in her field.”
Looking at his watch and then checking his phone. “Not today, clean break, my client is willing to offer the house and all assets but the lien for everything goes with it. He walks away with no debt, no alimony and no obligations today or we see you in court.”
Alexander looks at Cheryl, she shakes her head, “no.”
Saul stands, “See you in court, we will also be asking for compensation for the tuition my client payed for, the expenses he incurred while she was in Stanford and for all the frivolous expenses she incurred prior to and after they were married. And we will also be calling Stephen Jones to the stand.”
“Who is Stephen Jones?”
“You may want to ask your client.”
Alexander looks at a shocked Cheryl who shamefully nods. “He is my personal trainer.”
“You never mentioned him. Can we have the room please?”
Cheryl sighs, “no need to. I will accept his previous offer.”
Saul says, “we didn’t want to stoop to your level but unfortunately you made us. Do you have the papers for us to sign?”
“Right here. We just have to fill in the details of our settlement.” Alexander looks at Cheryl angrily. Knowing it was now going to be difficult for him to even get full payment, he was wondering if he somehow could salvage this.
They sign the documents and head their separate ways. Cheryl drives her X5E home wondering how she is going to pay her bills while Stewart heads over to his friends to start packing. Deportation hearing is 2 months from now but he could just leave before that. He had already given his notice to his company and they had engaged him as a consultant so he would be back and forth from Calgary for the next few years. He would like to think there were no hard feelings but unfortunately there were plenty.
Cheryl gets out of he X5E and plugs it in. Through the breezeway Stewart had built and into the kitchen she had no idea how she was going to pay for. The doorbell rings and she walks over to answer it, expecting it is the workmen, it’s not.
Detective Shillaber is there and he politely asks her if he can come inside. A uniformed officer is standing beside him. “Absolutely not, what do you want.”
“Very well, Cheryl Reid-Preston, you are under arrest for assault causing bodily harm and failing to inform emergency services when you knew a person was in certain peril. Can you turn around and place your hands behind your back, please?”
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Post by NCWEBNUT on Aug 19, 2019 15:19:20 GMT -6
I'm happy she got what she deserves, Thanks for the long chapter Forthteller
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Post by texican on Aug 19, 2019 15:19:32 GMT -6
Detective Shillaber is there and he politely asks her if he can come inside. A uniformed officer is standing beside him. “Absolutely not, what do you want.”
“Very well, Cheryl Reid-Preston, you are under arrest for assault causing bodily harm and failing to inform emergency services when you knew a person was in certain peril. Can you turn around and place your hands behind your back, please?”
Well, justice is served for now....
Some folks just go thru hell when married.... Sad....
Thanks FT for the chapter....
Texican....
ps; A woman spurned may become more than a problem especially after being arrested....
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Post by jwh123 on Aug 20, 2019 6:29:46 GMT -6
Thanks for sharing your story, I'm appreciating it!
slight editorial note: check the second line of this chapter (19) - Richard? Should be Stewart, no?
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Post by forthteller on Aug 20, 2019 20:02:29 GMT -6
Thanks for sharing your story, I'm appreciating it! slight editorial note: check the second line of this chapter (19) - Richard? Should be Stewart, no? You are correct. Stewart it now is. Richard seems to have passed on but he must still be in my memory. Forthteller
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Post by forthteller on Aug 22, 2019 22:41:13 GMT -6
Chapter 20,
Clarise, hatred and brilliance intersect
February 2022
Breathing rhythmically, Clarisse completes her final cooldown and begins to stretch out at the rear of her mom's new house on the outskirts of Portland. The detached garage that usually contains similar Volvo electric cars is empty. "Awesome, I don't even have to deal with either of those losers."
Losers? A high school teacher and a health care administrator? Financially they do great but in Clarise’s view, they don't do anything of value. They both protest at climate change rallies, they both advocate for women's rights and they both sit on committees looking for solutions to the explosion of homelessness. Yet they reported a homeless person for sleeping in his parked truck on the street and they campaigned against a church that wanted to expand its homeless shelter. They purchased a 5-bedroom house with only 2 children and everything in it is brand new but they attend rallies to advocate for the climate change emergency. They attack and condemn president Trump at every opportunity yet still support the state governor who is in the process of being impeached so he can be charged for corruption and is embroiled in multiple sexual assault allegations. They both advocate for free speech yet Clarise is censored by the school and by her own mothers.
The fact that both cars are out means that nobody is home to feed Ben. It also means that whatever they are doing, they aren't doing it together.
Clarisse despises them both. Since her father's death, her mother and her new stepmother have progressively taken everything meaningful from her life and from Bens. She was withdrawn from the school track team, from the debating team and was no longer allowed to select her own classes. The school stopped handing out letter grades this year so Clarise only gets comments and a satisfactory progress on her reports, her mother never even looks at the marks she gets on her assignments.
She heads into the house and finds her little brother playing on his PS5. He attempts to hide what he is playing until he realizes it is Clarise and not mom catching him.
"Better have your homework done or mom is gonna be POed".
"Of course, it is, not like they give us much. You’re not going to tell mom I was playing Warcraft, are you?
"Of course not. little bro, I may even give you a lesson or two. What do you want to eat?"
"Mom has something coming from her dial a dinner app. Probably vegetarian pasta or something like that."
"Where is she?"
"Don't you remember? The fundraiser for family planning international. You were supposed to be home right after school. I got here and you weren't so I whipped off my homework and went on my game. Where were you?"
"Running intervals at the track." Thinking about her mom being out, "I am going to ask a friend over later, he is going to bring you something but you have to keep it secret".
"A boyfriend?"
"Not really. I told him about you and he wants to help out."
"Not a good idea, Charlene will be home by then. You know how she is with boys."
"I know. Let's go out for a bit after we eat and come back close to bedtime so we don't have to talk to her. I will call Eric and have him meet us."
Supper arrives. The two sit down to the Alfredo pasta. "I hate this stuff. Bad enough there is no hamburger in the sauce but she won't even get the kind of sauce I like either."
I know Ben. I don't like it much either but we have to eat. Just be glad she hasn't gone full vegan or gluten free. I am getting a job at a fast food restaurant, I will bring you some of the stuff they sell, you know, meat."
"Mom said the other day that she wouldn't let you work at any unethical places."
"I turn 16 next week and I am going to threaten to leave if she does that. I finish grade 11 this year so she should believe me and if she doesn’t, I will call family services."
“What for?”
“I record everything. All the things we love that she has taken away from us, the time Charlene hit you, the names they have called me and the times they left us alone overnight.”
“Family services would not take us, would they?”
“No but mom would be embarrassed. She wants everyone to think she is perfect. Just threatening to call will be enough to get her to back down.”
"I don't want you to leave. I want you to stay."
Picking up the dishes and scraping them into the garburator, she rinses and puts them in the dishwasher. She opens the fridge and grabs some grapes and 2 apples.
"Let's go Ben. I won’t leave you, ever; I promise.
They walk several blocks and cross SE Stevens Street. At the park they walk across the melted snow-covered grass to the skateboard park. Eric sees them coming and meets them on the south end of the bowl. He is riding an Alien Workshop board and carrying a second, older but well-maintained board with his left hand. Sliding to a stop, he flicks the board he is riding up and scoops it into his Hand. In one smooth move, he slides it under his right arm. Holding the board in his left out, "try this out, tell me what you think, I just put new Shake Junt sixes in it.”
Ben drops it on its wheels and hops on as it starts rolling. Over the edge he goes and within moments he is rolling throughout the park, getting the feel of the board. Within minutes, he is doing basic tricks. Progressively, he attempts more difficult stunts and it is a full ten minutes before he rolls back up the face at speed and lands a spinning flip directly in front of Eric. "Awesome ride Eric, new bearings are perfect, how hard of a hit do you think they will handle."
"For someone my size, not much but for you I doubt you could make a hit hard enough to damage them. Boards for you to use.'
"For me, why?"
"Clarise told me your mom took your board away after you hurt your wrist and never gave it back."
"I can't take this home. She will throw it out too. I am not allowed to ride anymore. They are afraid I may get hurt again and they don't like the boarding crew."
"I know, Clarise told me. You can keep it at my house and when you want to ride, come over and get it. I just watched you, you got some great skills, I would like to see you get even better."
Summer 2022
Charlene is teaching summer school to a class full of students who are so far behind that they are holding other students back in the classes they are in. "No child left behind" mandates that a class can only proceed to new material when a majority of the students have internalized the currant material. No method of determining when that is or how many the majority is has been adapted though. The currant thought is that the other students will assist the students having trouble and the whole group will progress together. What actually happens is that the students who have achieved competencies, simply read, talk or do other things and others do things that distract from the rest of the class. The boys are the worst, they are usually the ones failing to progress and those boys who do progress are the most disruptive.
Her class is mostly boys and they are a frustrating group. 12 to 14 years old and full of misdirected energy. A few are from disadvantaged homes but most are from middle class professional families.
As she enters the class, a group of boys are noisily discussing a local kid who did a 720-kick flip and landed it, twice. Thinking this will be an opportunity to help her students see how geometry is practical in every day life, she interjects. "Can any of you tell me how many circles the skateboard rotated?
One of the boys responds, "2, obviously."
"Exactly, and if he rotated three times, how many degrees would he rotate."
A different boy responds, "we don't do degrees."
"You do. The number 720 refers to a rider rotating 2 full 360-degree rotations. So, 3 full 360 rotations would be what?"
The first boy answers, "it would be a 1080 but I know Ben can't do that yet. Besides it is the board that flips not the rider. He has to land it though."
"Ok. Everyone into your seats. We are on fractions today and I expect you all to be able to do today's work by the end of the day."
After a very stressful morning she is relieved when lunch arrives. The entire class is required to eat in the class because in the past, several kids did not return after lunch. Most of the boys all noisily eat in the back corner, three lone girls sit quietly by themselves near the front and a third obnoxious group is made up of 4 boys and 2 girls. She has to remind them all several times, to use inside voices.
Several times she overhears the boys in the back talking about the young skateboard phenom. After hearing his first name several times, she was curious who the boy was. Walking over, "excuse me boys, who is the boy you are talking about, he sounds really good?"
"Ben whatever, we don't know where he lives because he always comes with Eric."
"Is Eric a great skateboarder too?"
"Eric won the Portland x games in trick boarding and got silver in the half pipe, yeah he is good."
Knowing that Eric, the boy who has been seeing Clarise is a skate border and has won a few times, Charlene asks, "is that Eric Chalmers."
One of the boy’s chimes in, "she knows who Eric is, not real." They seemed to have a little more respect for her that day.
On the way home, Charlene ran the scenario around in her head, Eric brings a young protege to the skateboard park with him and the boy has the same name as Emilie’s son. "Too close to be a coincidence," She says to herself.
Later after Clarise and Ben are in their rooms, Charlene raises the subject. "I think Clarise' friend Eric is taking Ben to the skateboard park against our wishes."
"Really. Is it that bad, he is doing good in school and does all his chores?"
"It has been my experience that all of the boys involved in that sport are users and far behind their peers in everything that is truly important. They socialize poorly, cannot work cooperatively and are resistant to guidance. I don't think these kids are a good influence on Ben.
"Richard always promoted it but when Ben got hurt last year, I didn't want him to take those risks anymore. Losing Chloe was bad, I don't want to lose my son as well. That is a very dangerous sport. How do you know?"
"The kids I have in my class we're excited about some tricks a boy named Ben can do. He comes to their park with Eric. It could be another boy named Ben but I don't think so. I recall him being quite proficient. "
"Thanks, I will find out and deal with it. I am ready for bed, you?"
"Pretty quick. I have some exams to mark."
"I thought you were not supposed to give exams anymore."
"The kids in my class are doing grade 5 math when they should be at a grade 8 entry level. They are all going to high school and they cannot even do basic algebra, equations, fractions and some can barely use a calculator. I have to do what I can. Several will be in my math class next year. Their parents need to know how far behind they are as well."
"Wow. Never thought I would ever hear you say that."
"With these kids in my class, I will have to spend all my time teaching them and I will not be permitted to introduce new material until I can show that they have reached comparable competencies. There is a movement that would separate boys and girls at the high school level. I think it would provide enhanced safety and confidence in the girls’ classes. It is already being done in several European countries and they are reporting good success."
“I was at the women’s conference. The girls are getting better results and are doing better in Europe but women outnumber men in the universities over there 3 to 1.”
“Exactly what we need to level the playing field. When more women graduate we will displace men at the highest ranks of industry and government without quotas. We will flourish with women leadership, equality is within our reach at last. 10 years from now, we will see a major transformation.”
"Well I am off to bed. See you soon." A wink and she is off, wondering how she will find out for sure if Ben is sneaking around behind her back.
At breakfast, Ben scarfs down his breakfast cereal and is about to dash out the door when, "were you off to in such a hurry Ben?
"Just hanging out with my friends. We might play some ball or hockey in the park."
"Forgetting your glove and stick?"
Running back to his room to grab them, Ben hopes this isn't going to start the next Inquisition. He scrambles down the stairs and gets halted at the door.
"Would Eric be one of the kids you are hanging with?"
"Eric. No. He is like, 17. Not really fair."
"Not doing anything else with Eric?"
Knowing he has been caught but keeping up the charade, "of course not. He doesn't hang with a bunch of little kids."
"You’re not going to the skate board parks with him are you."
Stammering now, "nnnooo, you took away my board and told me I couldn't anymore."
"I think you are lying to me; I am going to make sure Eric doesn't corrupt you any more. Up to your room young man and don't come down until lunchtime." She makes a show of turning the internet off.
Ben leaves the room. Clarise who has been listening at the door comes in. As she pours herself some cereal and milk, Emily realizes she is about to be once again confronted by a defiant 16-year-old. Bad enough she works for Burger palace but she still won't stop training even though she is not allowed to compete. The girl will not conform.
Clarise eats silently for a bit. She engages in small talk and then the big one. "You know Eric has been invited to the x games to compete this year. He will make an average month’s wages by making it into the semi finals and a year’s wages should he win. Plus, endorsements and sponsorships."
"And why are you telling me this?"
"Because Ben is better."
"I don't care, he will not participate in that toxic sport while he is living under my roof. You may have gotten your way and got that job but your brother is only 13 and I am not losing him too."
Calmly and with practiced precision, "is that what you think, you lost me when I decided to get a job? I have news for you, you lost all three of us when you stopped us from seeing dad. We all heard what was said in court and nothing you can ever say will erase it. Taking me out of track after he died only galvanized it more. You may get to make the rules but some day that won't be the case."
With rising anger, "I did what I did to protect you. Your father was attempting to subvert my guidance. You need to cooperate and fit in. You were all swimming against societal norms and you father was encouraging it. I was trying to stop it, that is why I had to divorce him."
Still controlled and confident, "you divorced him because you were fu$#ing your co worker and he knew it. You did what you did to us to get back at him and justify your own crap. He was teaching us to think critically and to be who we are not whatever yes man you want us to be."
Emily goes to slap Clarice but her hand is caught in an iron grip, inches from her face. "Do that again and I make another call to family services and this time to the police as well."
Stepping back. "You little bitch, I am still your legal guardian and I won't sign anything that needs a waiver and should you even think about forging my signature, think carefully. I will not be crossed."
Ben is listening from the stairwell. Silently he slinks back up to his room.
Three hours later, Ben hasn't come down for lunch. Emily has paged him several times, no response. Matching up the stairs, muttering about punishing the ingrates, she turns the knob and slams the door open. Before she can get the first curse out, she gasps. Hanging from a hook in the ceiling, her only son, hangs. Eyes bulging, a chair on its side, silence.
Screaming, she grabs his feet and lifts him up. From behind her, "too late. You were about to rip the only thing he cared about from him and he couldn't deal with it. I almost did that too but I was with dad long enough to know I had more to live for than that. Ben had nothing.”
Sobbing, Emily turns turns to look at her daughter. In her eyes she can see hatred, broadcast with the volume of a tornado. As quickly as the look is there, it is gone: she will never forget it.
January 21, 2023
“Your reports from school are very good and your entrance exam results are exceptional. We have not yet talked to your parents, when will I get to see them?”
“My father is dead and I doubt my mom will even bother to see you.”
“I see. We still need her consent to proceed further and there is the matter of tuition and residency to consider.”
“I have an appointment for a tryout with Coach Hawkins. She says she will give me a chance to make the team. I will get a full ride.”
“You are pretty confidant; I don’t see anything here that indicates you have any track experience beyond grade 8.”
“My mom would not consent.”
“She has to consent for us to register you. Once you are 18, that won’t be an issue but it would mean you will have to wait another year if she refuses.”
“She will consent. You have my word.”
“I can tell you this, when you get consent, you will fit in well here at Gonzaga University. Our founders and our current benefactors value confidence and steadfastness in our students. We do not expect conformity, we value the individual and all our professors are selected because they encourage critical thinking skills. Because we are not funded by the federal and state governments, we are not forced to adhere to their guidelines.”
The next afternoon Gabby Hawkins stands just inside the southwest corner of the Gonzaga Bulldogs cushioned outdoor 400-meter track. Surrounded by bleachers, a media tower and locker rooms, a full soccer field inside it. There is noisy group of young men, warming up on the east end and another, quieter group of young women in the west end of the field.
Clarise emerges from the change rooms, shorts and tank top on. Coach Hawkins sees her coming and looking over the svelte, fit looking young woman, “hi Clarise, I see from what you have given me, you were state champion in the 5k for 14 and under girls when you were only 13. Why did you drop out of high school athletics? An injury?”
“My dad died and my mom would not sign the waivers so I could participate. I have not competed since; I train alone and I have eaten a mostly vegetarian diet since then.”
“What would you be interested in running?”
“5000 and 1000 meters.”
“We already have 2 top runners in those disciplines and several up and coming juniors. We do need some freshmen and sophomores in the 400- and 800-meter disciplines.”
“I can beat any girl on the field in the 5k right now. Your allowed to enter 3 runners in all preliminaries, I think one should be me.”
“I like confidence but I have a bad feeling when it bubbles into overconfidence. I said I would give you a tryout though. Run over to the girls warming up, I will see what I can do for a tryout.”
Clarise runs over to the group of girls, lightly on the balls of her feet, arms tight, stride clean. Gabby watches her as she runs, admiring her stride. “Might be!”
As she warms up with the obviously older girls, Clarise feel right at home. The coaches all know what they are doing and the competitiveness and comradery seems to be the right balance. As the warmups come to a close, Gabby strides over. “Clarise here wants to be a member of our team and is looking to take someone’s spot on the 5/10 k group. If she is successful, it would mean that our slowest person would be moved to the practice roster. Who here wants to race her?”
Several hands shoot up. Almost the whole team is up for the challenge.
“I never expected a response like this, how about our 2 juniors and 2 sophomores. That should be a challenge.”
“One of the girls, Lidia, pipes up. I am just getting over my calf strain; I don’t think a full race would be advisable today.”
“Agreed. How about this. The three of you racing her in a 3000-meter race, just to see what she has.”
Smugly, one of the girls says, “she doesn’t have nothing, lets do this.”
Knowing that Lisa is extremely competitive and from an extremely wealthy benevolent family, Gabby tries to diminish the growing animosity. “I don’t think that is very sporting Lisa. I hope for your sake she doesn’t show you up. Let’s get to the line girls.”
At the starting line, Clarise is given the inside lane. Furthest back but on the inside. She lines up and waits. The other girls line up.
“Take you positions. Ready, set, go.”
Four young women rocket out of the starting blocks. Lisa on the outside is determined to get the lead and control the pace. Clarise is content to take up the rear. Striding in cadence with the others does not work for Clarise so she moves a bit to the outside. Gabby takes notice. “Lack of training”, she thinks.
First lap in a blistering 1:16. “Too fast thinks Gabby.” She lets them go.
Second lap, one of the freshmen girls has dropped to a slower pace and Clarice easily passes her. Another 1:16. “Still too fast, what is she doing.” Gabby knows there is no way Lisa can run a sub 10 minute 3000. She has to slow down. “Discipline girl.”
The second sophomore also knows it is too fast and she has dropped to a slower pace. Clarice is now in second, on the heals of Lisa, race barely started.
By the 4th lap, Lisa has only slowed to a 1:18. Clarise matches her pace but not her stride. The other two girls are half a lap back, matching one another.
At lap 5, Lisa looks to be slightly faltering. Clarise goes to the outside off the corner and passes her down the straight stretch. She pulls away from Lisa.
Lap 6, Clarise reels off another 1:17. Lisa is now well back of her.
Lap 7, Clarise is now closing on the two girls she started with. Off the corner, she passes them both and reels off a blistering 37 second 200 but keeps on running, second half of the lap back on the 1:17 pace.
Lisa, 25 seconds back finishes and pulls off, the other girls finish and pull off 59 seconds after that.
Clarice passes the finish line another time, this one at a fast 1:16.
Lap 10. Clarise reels off another 1:16. No sign of slowing.
Lap 12. Clarise has now put in a push. Time is down to 1:13
Gabby looking on but not stopping her, “road race move, I wonder where she learned that?”
Last ½ lap, Clarise runs a 35 second blast and begins to coast down to a slow run. After 1 lap cool down, she pulls off to join the others who stand speechless. She had just run a 5000 meter in under 16 minutes, in practice. On top of that, she had pushed Lisa to run her personal best 3 k but she was not satisfied as she had lost to the new kid.
Almost speechless. Gabby watches as the girls stretch out, Clarise looking like she had just run a marathon. “Now that was a spectacle. When was the last time you ran 5 k on a track, Clarise?”
With regained breathing and now a declining heartrate. “Never. I always ran cross country or on the road with my dad. He is alumni here.”
“Really. Was he on the track team?”
“In a way. He was an assistant coach. He ran track in high school, got hurt and went into construction. He came here as a mature student and paid his way by coaching. Mid 1980s. He graduated sometime in the early 90’s.”
“Richard. Richard Saxon. He was still coaching when I started with the track team. I barely remember him; he only coached the guys and the senior ones at that. Small world.”
“So. Do I make the team?”
“Are you kidding, you just ran a stadium record and almost matched a state record going back 20 years. I can find a spot on the team for you and nobody told me you were alumni.”
Weeks later, letter of acceptance in hand, Clarice enters the study where her mother is reading. Looking up, “what is it now?”
“I have been accepted at Gonzaga University in Spokane. I need you to sign my forms.”
“I am not paying for a religious university that has no concept of equality.”
“Pardon me. I have been accepted and I want to go.”
“I don’t care. I am not signing and I am not paying for that place.”
Charlene, who was in the kitchen, heard Emily raise her voice. She walks into the study. “If I might interrupt Emily, I have some experience with people from that institution.”
“Really. Richard was an alumnus. He graduated in 1993. Seemed to be a pretty conservative school and overly focused on competition.”
“That is the problem with it. Being privately funded, its alumni need to see trophies and awards to keep the money coming in. They are always at the top of the WCC. Publicly funded schools are more stable and provide more balanced programs.”
“I dated Richard during his last two years and that was my read. He got paid more than I did as a part time assistant coach. Seemed strange at the time.”
“Mom. You don’t have to pay. I got a full ride. Complete with residence and meals.”
“How did you get that missy? Your dad was alumni but I doubt they extend that kind of benefit to their kids.”
“Track. I got on their team. Full ride.” She passes the acceptance letter to her mother.
“You’re not doing competition. 2 strikes now. Your going to the public university that has state funding and subsidized tuition. Student loans for the rest. That is what I will sign for.”
“Nope, I am going here and if you wont sign, I will find another way.” Clarise stalks out of the room.
Charlene looks at Emily. “She isn’t going to let this go. You know that she will go to family services and if she chooses to bring up Bens suicide, that would look really bad for us. You know the two children we are adopting need parents like us, do we want to jeopardize that?”
“I think you are right. She will stir the pot. Better we let her go and then we won’t have her interfering with our parenting. I will go up to see her. You always bring sense to disorder.”
“Thank you.” She kisses Emily gently on the lips and exits the study.
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Post by texican on Aug 23, 2019 0:19:00 GMT -6
Charlene looks at Emily. “She isn’t going to let this go. You know that she will go to family services and if she chooses to bring up Bens suicide, that would look really bad for us. You know the two children we are adopting need parents like us, do we want to jeopardize that?”
“I think you are right. She will stir the pot. Better we let her go and then we won’t have her interfering with our parenting. I will go up to see her. You always bring sense to disorder.”
The only thing that matters to Emily is Emily and her beliefs and attitudes.... What a worthless POS....
Justice will be served hot before it is over....
Thanks FT for the chapter, even though you got my blood pressure up more than a few points.... This was not acceptable when I was younger and still not acceptable.... It definitely looks like sides are being taken and it will not be pretty....
Texican....
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Post by NCWEBNUT on Aug 23, 2019 3:13:04 GMT -6
I've been around women like those two, and they just like these two had that same sicken superior attitude as well, thought they knew better for very one else than anyone, got to watch them both far to many times run their mouths about people that owned guns, and what a danger they where to the public at large, and how all guns must be destroyed even to the point of other men with guns going to take them, (funny how that works right ) any way someone tried to break into their house one night while they were home and scared one of them so bad that she pissed herself, they came to work the next day wanting me to help them get a gun' I laughed in their faces and asked what about the cops did you call them, the one said sure but they were 20 mins getting to our house, I said but that's what you expect every one else to endure if you take away every ones guns what makes you any better than me or anyone else I got no response just a dirty look, we don't talk any more.
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Post by papaof2 on Aug 23, 2019 11:27:54 GMT -6
I've been around women like those two, and they just like these two had that same sicken superior attitude as well, thought they knew better for very one else than anyone, got to watch them both far to many times run their mouths about people that owned guns, and what a danger they where to the public at large, and how all guns must be destroyed even to the point of other men with guns going to take them, (funny how that works right ) any way someone tried to break into their house one night while they were home and scared one of them so bad that she pissed herself, they came to work the next day wanting me to help them get a gun' I laughed in their faces and asked what about the cops did you call them, the one said sure but they were 20 mins getting to our house, I said but that's what you expect every one else to endure if you take away every ones guns what makes you any better than me or anyone else I got no response just a dirty look, we don't talk any more. When seconds count, the police are only minutes away...
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Post by forthteller on Aug 27, 2019 15:21:54 GMT -6
Chapter 21
Canada takes the lead
November 12, 2021. Synopsis of the National Demographics from 2020 census:
Inside most major Canadian municipalities, the breakdown is as follows;
-M/F ratio. Males, 42.9 percent; female 53.2 percent; other or refused to identify. 3.9 percent.
Exceptions are municipalities in the 3 prairie provinces, eastern and northern British Columbia and the north in both Ontario and Quebec, where all the numbers are almost reversed.
-Birth rate. 1.41
Population increases in major cities. .001 percent.
Net in migration from other parts of Canada, -2.9 percent.
Net immigration from other countries, 4.31 percent
-Rural Canada and in municipalities with less than 50,000;
M/F ratio. Males, 53.1 percent; female, 44 percent; other or refused to identify, 2.9 percent.
Birth rate, 2.29
Population increase in rural Canada, 3.93 percent
Net in migration from other parts of Canada, 2.25 percent
Net immigration from other counties. 0.61 percent
November, 2025
National News
2 Canadian federal byelections were held last night to replace conservatives Maxwell Peters of Barrie, who passed away in July and Marie Trembley of Montreal center, who resigned in early august. Both ridings were won by Green party candidates and the Conservatives have now been reduced to a minority government. Speculation is that the currant official opposition, the Green Party, will ask the NDP to support them in ousting the Conservatives. If they do come to an agreement, it is thought to be very unlikely the Governor General will allow them to form government.
However, if this happens, Elsie Klatt will become only the second female Prime Minister in Canada’s history. As the greens and NDP are both 70 percent women, expect a mostly female cabinet and a strong feminist agenda in parliament.
Monday, November 14, 2025.
Honorable Elsie Klatt, the leader of the green party ascends the stairs to the Governor Generals residence for a meeting where she will ask to form government without first having to call a vote of non confidence which will likely trigger an election. As the currant house of commons was only a little over a year old it was a reasonable request.
After being seen in by the doorman and greeted by the governor general, Elsie was ushered into a private meeting room where only she and Thomas Spenser would meet. “Tea, Madame?”
Inwardly offended by the pronoun but not mentioning it, Elsie says, “water, 1 ice cube, section of lime.”
The doorman leaves to get the drink and a tea for Thomas.
“Take a seat, honorable Klatt. We could sit at my desk or on the chairs in front of the fireplace, your choice.”
Elsie looks at the comfortable looking chairs and at the opulent sitting room. “At your desk would be best.”
“Very well. I believe I know why you are here but I think it best for you to tell me yourself.”
“As you know, the conservatives only had a one seat majority after the last election and now that the recent byelection has passed, they no longer have a majority. It is my belief that there is no way they will pass the budget and anything that happens between now and then will be wasted time and finances. I have a letter from the leaders of both the NDP with 29 seats and the leader of the liberals with 46 seats saying they will support us on all votes of confidence. We have enough in agreement with them both that we will be able to form a stable Government.”
“True, the Conservatives no longer hold a majority but the Peoples party has 3 seats and in votes of confidence they will most likely side with the conservatives so the conservatives will still pass legislation, if I allow you to form government your numbers will not be sufficient to pass any legislation and as a result your government will fall.”
“Yes sir, they probably will but if you read todays news, their leader has been implicated in a sexual harassment charge in his campaign office. He will have no choice but to resign. A byelection in his riding will put another green in his place.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“We have a star candidate ready to run and we will mobilize all the female voters in the riding. We will win.”
“I have a meeting with the Prime Minister later today. It is most likely he will ask me to decline your request because with the two remaining Peoples party members the house is tied and the speaker, who holds the deciding vote is a conservative.”
“I have made my request. You should seriously consider it. My meeting with you and our desire to lead parliament is already public. It wouldn’t go well for you should you be seen to be siding with misogynistic men when the electorate has spoken.”
“You can threaten me if you like but the numbers do not support your claim. Should I allow you to form government, the opposition would call for a vote of non confidence as soon as you present your throne speech and we will have another election anyways.”
“I guess we will see. It would have been better for you to support what is right but since you insist on supporting the old guard, you may well go down with them.” She takes a sip of her water and stands. “I will see myself out.”
As he watches her leave, the doorman returns. “I was going to see her out sir but she declined. You have a call on line three as well. I do not know how they got that number.”
“That is fine Pete. You are dismissed as I won’t be needing you any more today. Have a great afternoon,” Thomas says as he picks up the rare handset.
Pete exits the room and closes the door. Thomas listens to the voice on the phone. “Yes, I knew Alexa in high school.” Pause as he listens further. “No. We never dated. She dated a friend of mine and went to some of our get togethers.” Listening again, “that never happened, you know she is lying. None of this would stand up in a court of law.” Listening again to a second voice, “you wouldn’t, you can’t.”
3 days later, the house is abuzz. Never before has a parliament been dissolved and a new coalition taken its place without a new election. As Thomas Spenser explains how this transition will alleviate the necessity of another election, commotion from the conservative side rises to a crescendo. As soon as the speaker can get order, 2 conservative members, Patricia Wilson and Chloe Grace stand and silently cross the floor and sit in the Green party seats.
“I guess the numbers speak for themselves. The coalition of the Greens, the NDP and the Liberals now has 4 more seats than the Conservatives and the peoples party, It is my opinion that these numbers and the expressed public support will produce a strong, stable government.”
January 7, 2026 Throne speech by Prime minister, Elsie Klatt.
“It is a fabulous day and a new beginning for Canada and all its citizens. This year will see the beginnings of changes that had only ever been dreamed of previously. My good friend Alandra Estelle Cordova, the vice president of the United States, introduced a plan for the American people that not only addresses the extreme need to combat climate change but also addresses the inequality that our patriarchal society has produced. Those days are over in Canada and as we achieve great things, Canada will become the model for every other nation to follow. A new dawn has come.”
Elsie Continues on, her throne speech more like a campaign speech. She eventually gets to some of the details of her new government’s agenda.
Some quotes from her speech.
“Climate change will be the top priority for the new government. Despite new evidence and a growing scientific challenge, the new Klatt government is going to double its commitment to battling climate change. Effective May 1st an additional 25 dollars per ton will be added to the price of carbon. In addition, carbon taxes on gasoline will be increased by an additional 5 cents per liter and the incentives to purchase electric vehicles will be increased. A new incentive program will be introduced to encourage homeowners to invest in solar panels and solar roofing. Ontario’s Pickering nuclear plant is to be decommissioned by December 2028 and its energy output to be replaced by green renewable energy sources.”
“The Klatt government will also seek to place an immediate moratorium on all new pipeline construction and pipelines currently under construction will have their permits reviewed. If legally possible these will also be cancelled.”
“A new pay equity policy for the private sector will be rolled out and will be administered by a new cabinet post created solely for this purpose.”
“The Klatt government will sponsor a bill to further regulate, register and restrict all firearms in the country. A committee will be struck and will return with recommendations before the house sitting in September.”
“Several new national no go parks will be established throughout Canada. These parks will become human free zones and the eco systems will be free to develop 100 percent naturally. Individuals residing in the new park areas will be relocated as close as possible and fairly compensated.”
“Beginning this year, oil and natural gas exploration will be reduced with an all-out moratorium on all exploration by 2030. Alberta, British Columbia and Newfoundland will have these industries replaced by green technology industries.”
“Beginning Next summer, several communities will become test sites for the administration of guaranteed basic income. One of the communities will be a city over 100 000 in size. What we learn here will result in implementing GBI in our next term when we are re-elected.”
“Today, I am promising the women of Canada that 200,000 priced to income daycare spaces will be created before the next election. These spaces will create good paying jobs for women and offer more women the opportunity to have their children cared for in a loving, caring, compassionate and educational space. It is the Klatt governments goal to increase daycare spaces by 100000 every year until all demand has been met.”
“As for the crumbling infrastructure in our major urban centers, we are initiating new policies to encourage and motivate the construction companies and workers of our country. Income taxes will become more geographically flexible. Those who have run afoul of the law will be offered shortened terms in exchange for contributing to the rebuilding of our nation. We will also be instituting new migration policies within Canada to discourage gender disparity in our urban centers and we will also adjust our immigration policies to attract woke male immigrants with needed skillsets.”
In cities like Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatchewan and Winnipeg, men reading or listening to the throne speech recoil. The message to them is that men have become the new slaves. Those who own firearms rush to find storage places for them and those without, flood gun stores everywhere to acquire anything they have.
The western separation movement has just shifted into high gear, civil war is on the horizon. Interesting but not surprising, movements and demographics similar to Canada have appeared throughout the western world. Looking on, the leadership in Russia and China are both waiting for the aftermath.
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Post by accountant on Aug 28, 2019 10:58:42 GMT -6
Hey Forth,
Love the story so far. The terrifying part is that it could very well happen in the not so distant future.
the way things are going, the Greens don't need to become the official opposition, the NDP and/or Liberals could appropriate their policies. The Liberals already have with their carbon tax and other legislation.
I just have one little nit to pick if I may. Klatt went to visit the GG on November 14, 2025, but became Prime Minister on January 7, 2022. I'm guessing either this is a typo, or she has a time machine you haven't told us about yet.
Thanks for spending the time. I appreciate all the hard work.
A.
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Post by texican on Aug 28, 2019 23:45:19 GMT -6
FT,
The dye is cast and it will generate choas....
Texican....
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Post by forthteller on Aug 29, 2019 17:50:31 GMT -6
Hey Forth, Love the story so far. The terrifying part is that it could very well happen in the not so distant future. the way things are going, the Greens don't need to become the official opposition, the NDP and/or Liberals could appropriate their policies. The Liberals already have with their carbon tax and other legislation. I just have one little nit to pick if I may. Klatt went to visit the GG on November 14, 2025, but became Prime Minister on January 7, 2022. I'm guessing either this is a typo, or she has a time machine you haven't told us about yet. Thanks for spending the time. I appreciate all the hard work. A. Hi there Accountant. Out west, the Liberals have lots of seats under the last Trudeau administration but BC is not likely to be as friendly with his next election. Lots on the coast and on the island are against the pipeline and the greens stand to gain from that decision. PEI elected 4 greens in the last provincial election and may continue to support the greens. I personally believe the greens are the future opposition and government in waiting. You can probably tell from my writing who I would support. Forthteller
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Post by forthteller on Aug 30, 2019 15:23:52 GMT -6
Chapter 22
Uniting the response
April 20292
After taking course overloads, summer offerings and online supplements, Peter competes his under grad, masters and doctorate in less than 7 years. His PHD in Human-computer interaction and masters in computer engineering has brought a myriad of offers to consider but most of his suiters had not read or even considered his thesis.
His doctorial thesis had been written about the possibility that artificial intelligence could become sentient with only a single generation of development and that good and evil would be equally possible. Most
Computer think tanks and research schools dismissed his theories as nothing more than science fiction but a few who had achieved comparable results believed that he had not only theorized the scenario but had created it in his research and programing.
During his years in school, the frugal, workaholic, Peter had developed and patented several AI programs. Most importantly, a sub processor that can learn and collect experience and use that data to reprogram its own primary processor. He had also developed a newer, more economical method of manufacturing micro processers. He had sold a few patents already but had kept most of them, most notably the self educating sub processor.
Alongside each of the job offers, Peter has a demographic of each of the cities he would have to live in. Looking less at the actual job and its compensation, he was more interested in the cities. Vancouver, Toronto, New York, Las Angeles, Sacramento, and Boston all went straight into the trash. He did not even look at the actual jobs. Dallas and Tulsa both had research universities that wanted him. He looked up their staff. Tulsa, 1 female research fellow and 1 female research assistant, into the trash. Dallas, similar. Into the trash. All the other offers, likewise, into the trash. Now what? Financially, peter does not have to work, his trust funds were gone but he was already a self made multi millionaire.
Dec, 2029
Synopsis for the IPO offering on the TSE. “Mclean technologies is on the leading edge of AI computer processing. Their patents are worth billions and even though the company has weathered several employment discrimination controversies, their growth potential is exponential. Headquartered in Calgary, the company produces computer hardware and software that is not compatible with any other product on the market. Unique and effective, the company’s sequential interdependence of the various units means that they have almost no interaction with outside companies or corporations. Hardware and software divisions are interconnected in a way that could invite government intervention in the future but at present there is no indication the Canadian government is looking at this. Barnet and Jones recommend buy and we expect this stock to do nothing but appreciate.”
On the day of his companies IPO, peter steps out the front doors of the 68-story building he owns outright and heads over to the C-train. Standing in the shelter, he looks around at the men sharing the platform with him. Once on the train, he looks out at the structured angular architecture passing by and the predominantly male passengers sharing the train car with him. Peter has seen the latest census and he knows that Calgary now has 81 percent men and only 19 percent women. He can see the future and, in his vision, there are no women at all. He smiles.
August 2030
4 Star General Alexander, says, “the M92 tank you see to the right has our currant programing in it. The M92 on the left has the Mclean Technologies hardware and software in it. If you watch, the one on the left will learn and adapt its defense and attack as it observes and experiences the actions and techniques of its opponent. Even when we use human remote control, the Mclean Technologies equipped tank always wins.”
As they are watching, the standard M92 has located and locked on to its enemy. It launches its main weapon. The Mclean Technologies tank tacks, launches evasive decoys as it backs up and swivels to the left and shuts down. The self guided missiles follow it for a moment but track onto the decoys and turn away, hitting a nearby hill. The Mclean Technologies tank stays silent. The other tank has lost it on its radar. As it is searching the Mclean tank fires up, swivels right and darts forward to take up a new position. The Maclean technologies tank then drives straight towards the other tank and as the other tank circles to fire, it halts, backs to the right and stops. The other tank has lost it on radar again. It swivels towards where it thinks the Mclean tank is and stops. Radar searching, somewhere a Staff seargent analyzing the output. The McLean tank locks on to the standard tank and waits.
Seconds later, the standard tank searching for its prey is locked on and fired upon, without sufficient time to deploy decoys, it suffers a direct hit. “See what I mean, the Mclean technologies was able to learn and adapt accordingly. The other tank was actually remotely operated by one of our best. What I have seen in similar demonstrations is that even when we modify our tactics, the program adapts and responds just as quickly. I have a video of a similar display with aircraft, the same result. Human controlled equipment has never triumphed.”
The Canadian Chief of Defense Staff gets general Alexanders attention, “is there a failsafe in the system to shut it down?”
“Shut it down?”
“Exactly, what happens if it sees its own, as enemies? What if it falls under accidental friendly fire and retalliates? What if it is somehow hacked or taken over by another group or enemy.”
“The developers and those working with him have something called a root kit in the program and they can shut it down if instructed.”
“You just demonstrated to us the thing can learn, how do we know it cannot learn to disable the, what did you call it, ‘root kit’?”
“I am not an engineer or a computer scientist but our best has worked alongside the McLean Technologies people and we are certain that is not possible. What you are talking about is science fiction, this is nothing more than a machine, built to serve us and the only risk is who is at the controls. That is where we need security.”
Around the room, NATO commanders from several nations stand emotionlessly. Each one knows that from this point on, war was about to change forever.
That day, Mclean Technologies became one of the most important US and NATO military contractors. Within a year, Maclean technologies will have a new facility in Texas and a third in Liverpool, England. All the facilities will be strategically located where there is a massively disproportionate ratio of men to women.
April, 2031
Peters’ Calgary Production manager was due to graduate from his part time masters program this week and Peter was on his way to the ceremonies. As a mechanical engineer, a mechanic, journeyman carpenter and able to easily travel between Canada and the USA, Stewart Preston was the right person to lead the McLean Technologies Military contracting division as President.
Peter stands as the train car pulls into the Jubilee C-Train station. Looking around at the well dressed, fit looking men in the car with him, he wonders why none look to be happy or content and not a single person is interacting in any way with one another. Like robots really, heading off to do their robot things. His always creative mind drifts back to the AI program he is currently working on. “Emotions, is it possible to write an open-ended program that would enable the development of emotions and what could the consequences be if the emotions became the controlling element?”
Unlike previous people who advanced science in a significant way, Peter always stopped to determine if he should, before he determined if he could. In this case, he is pretty sure he can but he is having difficulty deciding if he should. “Does the risk outweigh the benefits?”
What he hadn’t considered was balance. In a society where there are no women, men have lost something intangible and almost nobody, Peter included, has noticed. Task, activity and goal focused; men have sacrificed relationships in pursuit of achievement. They have become harsher and more intolerant while becoming ever more productive. The cities they live in are more prosperous and modern than ever before and environmentalism has been coupled to productivity. Electric cars are now the norm, not because they generate less carbon but because they can create more power while taking up less space. Battery technology has improved exponentially because men competing with men pushed it forward in the pursuit of wealth. Energy efficient buildings are now commonplace, not because they are environmentally positive but because they are cheaper to operate.
Energy costs had quadrupled since the war between Israel and Palestine had escalated to the point that by 2024, several Arab nations had joined the fray. The whole world found out how far Iran had come with its Nuclear ambitions when they launched a first strike on Israel and with its superior armaments, Israel had responded. The resulting Holocaust had wiped out the entire middle east and no petroleum products will be extracted from the area for hundreds of years. With the shortage of supply, Russia and China seized on the shortage to increase profits on the supplies they controlled. Unnoticed by many, the earths temperature began to drop.
Venezuela, Brazil and the entire south American continent has been embroiled in the largest civil war ever and less than 10 percent of its oil can be extracted as wells and platforms are sabotaged and destroyed as fast as they are built. United states with its own divisiveness, has been impotent and every attempt it makes diplomatically has backfired.
Canada has vaulted into the number 2 producer of world oil resources but its battles with environmentalists has blocked its ability to get its product out to world markets. The new pipeline going down to the USA and through to Texas was doubled during construction and is defended along its entire length by the United states Army. Canada has but 1 customer, the Oil oligopoly in the United States.
Peter gets to the steps of the Jubilee auditorium. Alone, he enters the building and presents his plus 1 invitation to the usher. Inside, the auditorium buzzes, thousands of men and a few women in the audience. Peter takes his seat and puts his case on the empty seat and opens it. He opens a flip phone that flashes to life and sets it on top of the case beside him. Taking his tablet, he starts it up and does what he always does, work.
Lines and lines of men and fewer women cross the stage accepting lower degrees. Next, men and women cross the stage to accept their master’s degrees, amongst them Stewart Preston. Finally, graduate students take the stage and take front seats in the audience. The speaker announces the class and then calls the commencement speaker.
“It my honor and privilege to call to the stage; esteemed recent alumnus from the University of Calgary, successful business man but most importantly a pioneer in the field of artificial intelligence. Peter McLean." Up until this point, it had been a secret who the speaker was to be and Richard, sitting in the auditorium isn't surprised. He watches as his boss and mentor gives the speech he would remember for the rest of his life. “This guy actually believes AI can become sentient.”
Over coffee, peter and Stewart talk about school and at some point, Peter says, “what next.”
“I have not really considered that. I already have a job with you, I expect that won’t change.”
“It might. We open our new manufacturing facility in Fort Worth by August. I have multiple contracts to supply systems to the US, Canadian and British forces and several more in the works. In addition, we will need to provide ongoing support. The military portion of my business needs to be separated from the business side so I need a new president.”
“You are offering the position to me? Just like that.”
“Just like that. A chance to change the world. In or out?”
“Did you actually mean what you said in the speech, it is possible that AI could become sentient?”
“Without a doubt. It already has. Nobody knows yet. Opening up his briefcase, Peter takes out something that looks like an old flip phone. As he unfolds it, it instantly comes to life. “Hello Peter, how are you today? I see you have Stewart with you, are you going to introduce us?”
“Looking at Richard, “Elron, this is Stewart, Stewart meet Elron.”
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Post by texican on Aug 31, 2019 0:32:02 GMT -6
Peter has seen the latest census and he knows that Calgary now has 81 percent men and only 19 percent women. He can see the future and, in his vision, there are no women at all. He smiles.Only 19 females for 81 males does not make a real male smile.... All the facilities will be strategically located where there is a massively disproportionate ratio of men to women. There is a basic problem here.... Guys can make good friends, but not bed partners.... In a society where there are no women, men have lost something intangible and almost nobody, Peter included, has noticed. Without females and males conjoining, humanity will cease to exist.... Now how will the guys and gals solve this problem with such a wide moral and attitude separation between the sexes? Will be interesting.... “Did you actually mean what you said in the speech, it is possible that AI could become sentient?”
“Without a doubt. It already has. Nobody knows yet. Opening up his briefcase, Peter takes out something that looks like an old flip phone. As he unfolds it, it instantly comes to life. “Hello Peter, how are you today? I see you have Richard with you, are you going to introduce us?”
“Looking at Richard, “Elron, this is Richard, Richard meet Elron.”Smart computers that can interact and learn and expand from their interactions may prove to be a problem.... Thanks FT for the chapter.... Texican....
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Post by forthteller on Aug 31, 2019 1:18:30 GMT -6
Peter has seen the latest census and he knows that Calgary now has 81 percent men and only 19 percent women. He can see the future and, in his vision, there are no women at all. He smiles.Only 19 females for 81 males does not make a real male smile.... All the facilities will be strategically located where there is a massively disproportionate ratio of men to women. There is a basic problem here.... Guys can make good friends, but not bed partners.... In a society where there are no women, men have lost something intangible and almost nobody, Peter included, has noticed. Without females and males conjoining, humanity will cease to exist.... Now how will the guys and gals solve this problem with such a wide moral and attitude separation between the sexes? Will be interesting.... “Did you actually mean what you said in the speech, it is possible that AI could become sentient?”
“Without a doubt. It already has. Nobody knows yet. Opening up his briefcase, Peter takes out something that looks like an old flip phone. As he unfolds it, it instantly comes to life. “Hello Peter, how are you today? I see you have Richard with you, are you going to introduce us?”
“Looking at Richard, “Elron, this is Richard, Richard meet Elron.”Smart computers that can interact and learn and expand from their interactions may prove to be a problem.... Thanks FT for the chapter.... Texican.... We first met Elron 95 years in the future, chapter 11
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Post by NCWEBNUT on Aug 31, 2019 5:08:15 GMT -6
I'm thinking the war between sexes that is to come will be interesting to say the least, I got to think there will be allies on each side that see the world as it should be and not so cut down the middle Man against Woman, maybe the AIs will of already figured this out about humans ?
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Post by sniper69 on Aug 31, 2019 8:05:50 GMT -6
"amongst them Richard Saxon"
Should this have been Stewart Preston - or maybe I missed something in reading?
Also I want to say thank you for the new chapter. I always look forward to reading more of your great stories.
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Post by forthteller on Aug 31, 2019 22:39:35 GMT -6
"amongst them Richard Saxon" Should this have been Stewart Preston - or maybe I missed something in reading? Also I want to say thank you for the new chapter. I always look forward to reading more of your great stories. Thanks. I almost brought Richard back to life. Don't worry, no zombies in this book. Forthteller
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Post by NCWEBNUT on Sept 14, 2019 20:34:13 GMT -6
Whats a fellow got to do to get some more of this story posted?
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Post by sniper69 on Sept 24, 2019 4:09:16 GMT -6
forthteller - I went back and reread the latest chapter from your excellent story and look forward to reading more of your excellent writings when you share them with us.
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