A few days ago, the back cover was starting to pop out and couldn't shut!
Yesterday, I went to one of those phone-repair kiosks at a mall and asked if they could fix the problem. He took a look and said that the battery is swollen and that trying to push against it would make it worse. He also mentioned that getting BlackBerry batteries here would be hard to find, but suggested that I search on eBay. He promised that once I get a replacement battery, he can fix the issue. I went home, look online for the following issues
swollen batteries (best to get rid of it, it can be dangerous if it gets even more swollen)
does the local Best Buy still sell BlackBerry KeyOne (no)
does eBay sell replacement batteries for BlackBerry KeyOne? (yes, I'll have to wait about a week before receiving the delivery)
I also tried to charge the old BlackBerry Q10 that I haven't used since 2018. It couldn't charge!
Meanwhile, my mind was thinking
while waiting for the replacement batteries to arrive, do I want to risk continuing using the KeyOne with the swollen battery?
do I want to risk being phone-less for the rest of the week, which will mean I have nothing to use to call 911?
do I want to risk being phone-less for the rest of the week, which will mean that I won't be getting calls from family, friends and employers?
do I want to spend big money on a smartphone that I could get now at the nearest store, even if it's not a BlackBerry?
should I just get a flip-phone for now, just so I have something to call 911, and I can still receive calls from family, friends and employers?
I just decided to get a flip-phone at the nearest T-Mobile store. I explained my situation and the store associate was very helpful!
So I'll just use the flip-phone until the replacement battery for my BlackBerry KeyOne arrives.
This situation teaches a very important lesson!
for your smartphone (or any device for that matter), always have at least one replacement battery ready. Don't wait until something goes wrong before ordering a replacement!
[note: unlike the Q10, the KeyOne back cover is designed to make it hard to open and replace the battery yourself, so contact a professional]
always have another phone available in case your main phone goes down!
in this case, I just bought a flip-phone as a back up so I at least have something to use for emergencies and receiving calls.
In the past decade, the Left tends to be the ones who want laws banning plastic bags, plastic straws, and styrofoam. I think they should reconsider. Why?
Just imagine the most abrasive "Karens" (slang term for those who call the authorities for the most minor of "sins". ) out there who notice an African-American holding a plastic bag, plastic straw, or styrofoam. What do you think is going to happen? She'll be calling the police hysterically and the police might come? Imagine if that police officer already had multiple complaints of brutality that he shrugs off like it's nothing, but can't shrug off any civilian (especially if African-American) who refuse to kiss his ass! What do you think is going to happen?
All because of a law banning plastic bags, plastic straws, and styrofoam?
Stop getting law enforcement involved with your dislike of plastic/styrofoam!
First off, apologies for taking so long to blog about this. I already shared many articles & memes on this issue on Facebook, but blogging takes up more time, time I didn't have because I have so many personal issues to take care of. Now I have the time to blog on this . =======
facebook profile photo
George Floyd
On Memorial Day, May 25th, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, George Floyd was at a store when a staff member noticed he was using a counterfeit bill. Going by the usual store protocol, the store employee called the police. According to the owner, when the police are notified about a counterfeit bill, the police usually just asked the person where he/she got it from. Most people don't know they're using a counterfeit bill, and the police usually just want to trace where it came from. see the interview with the store owner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAFe6xUAwvw
The police got aggressive with George Floyd, bringing him to the ground. Had the police just put the handcuffs on him and put him in the police car, this would've been a small story that might only merit a short paragraph in the local newspaper. However, the police officer arresting George Floyd did much worse. He put his knee on Floyd's neck for 9 minutes, cutting off his air supply and killing him.
George Floyd was African-American. The police officer, Derek Chauvin was European-American. The other 3 police officers (2 Europeans and 1 Asian) on the scene didn't even attempt to get Chauvin's knee of Floyd's neck This was caught on video which went viral and revitalized a movement against racism and abusive policing. This got people on the street after months of mandated "stay at home" orders and social distancing. Many of the protests were peaceful. But some did get violent, with people looting & burning stores. Some "woke" activists felt that criticisms of looting, arson and other forms of vandalism were somehow "talking down to black people". But if you actually watched many of the videos, it wasn't just African-Americans involved, there were many European-Americans involved too. In fact, many of the African-American peaceful protesters confronted the European-American Antifa rioters/looters to tell them to stop.
White Antifa vandals confronted by peaceful African-American protesters
outside an LA Starbucks
The Antifa had to realize they have to take a back seat to all this. They have to realize that their quest to re-enact fantasies of violent revolution isn't helping the situation at all. The rioters, looters & arsonists think they are "Fighting The Power". Actually, The Power isn't really hurt by the rioting, looting, and arson at all. The people who are hurt are the innocent lower-income people in the community. The people who were employed by the stores. The people who relied on the stores and have no way to access stores in other communities because public transportation has been shut down. The people with disabilities and other medical issues that can no longer go to the pharmacies & clinics that got burned down. The "woke" so-called "justice" warriors demand we listen to the voice of the rioters, looters, and arsonists. I say we listen to the voices of African-Americans who were harmed and outraged by the rioting, looting, and arson, Stephanie Wilford, a woman with disabilities spoke out about how the looting has made it hard for her to access essential items.
"I live in the high-rise right back here," the woman said, pointing to the building behind her. "And I seen them as they came down Lake Street but then they turned and started coming over here. And I'm sitting here looking out my window and they went straight to Office Max, [inaudible] the store and every other store around here that I go to."
"I have nowhere to go now. I have no way to get there now because the buses aren't running," Wilford said through tears. "These people did this for no reason. It's not going to bring George back here. George is in a better place than we are. And last night – I'm going to be honest – I wish I was where George was because this is ridiculous. These people are tearing up our livelihoods."
"This is the only place I could go to shop and now I don't have anywhere to go," she said. "I don't have anyway to get there."
Here, an African-American woman Desiree Barnes made a powerful speech on the streets of New York about how the looting & rioting has hurt her community
This is the owner of a sports pub looted in Minneapolis. They even went back to try to steal his safe. He was crying so hard. He invested his life savings into it. He said didn't know what to do now.
Now how does this contribute to a community when a business is no longer operable & people are without jobs? Should capture the vandals & force them to help rebuild but hey, if some communities enjoy not having anything what can one do? How does looting from Target endear a cause?🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
Some of the torched businesses in Ferguson didn't return. Teens with internships & jobs prior to the riot lost out.
article : https://heavy.com/news/2020/05/kb-balla-scores/ And in response to all those "woke" so-called "justice" warriors who keep quoting Martin Luther King Jr's "riot is the language of the unheard" while taking that quote out of context
These consequences were actually foretold by some in the Civil Rights Movement, including the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is common on social media to see people quoting King’s statement that a riot is a “language of the unheard.” But in the same remarks from which this popular quote is drawn, King also stated that “riots are socially destructive and self-defeating.”
In February 1968, nine months before Richard Nixon’s election, King warned that increased rioting would lead to a “right-wing takeover.” He pointed to segregationist George Wallace’s presidential bid, saying, “Every time a riot develops, it helps George Wallace.”
===================And for every over-reaction, there is an opposing over-reaction! The police came out in full force pushing anyone that gets in the way. They also used tear gas and rubber bullets against anyone who is in their way, and even against those who just happen to be around. To those cops, they don't care about "protect & serve", they care about being the biggest, baddest gang on the streets!
Asheville Police surround a medic station created by protesters as they stab water bottles with knives and tip over tables of medical supplies and food June 2, 2020. The medic team, made of EMTs and doctors, said the medical station was approved by the city. 📷 @angwilhelm .
======================= And in response to the police's over-reaction, there is another over-reaction. There are calls to get rid of police departments. Good luck with that. Even people like Ice-T (who got controversy over the "Cop Killer song) have said you should call the authorities if you know a terrorist is boarding a plane or if someone in the neighborhood is raping little girls. We need the existence of police. But police need to change. They need to change their mentality from being the baddest warriors on the streets toserving with the community. Police who get caught using violence against nonviolent protesters should be sentenced to prison with no protective custody! They can't share cells together.
I know some people advocate that wannabe cops should take college courses in de-escalation, mental health, sociology, ethnic studies, and more before joining the police academy.
I would also add that before they join the police academy, they should work at least 3 years as either a substitute teacher or a teaching assistant where they would have to deal with tough situations without having a gun, taser, pepper spray, batons or even self-defense lessons. I have worked as a substitute teacher for 13 years. The first year is rough. I had to deal with tough situations that I never experienced before, and I had to learn from my mistakes in dealing with those tough situations. The people who knew me from those first year would've been amazed by how much I have grown in the position since then. I also find it interesting that those who are advocating the de-funding of police happen to be on the left-liberal end of the political spectrum. I also find it interesting that in the last few years, it is the people on the left-liberal end of the political spectrum happen to be the ones who wanted the government to enforce bans on plastic bags, plastic straws, and styrofoam. And that is the problem. People keep saying "there ought to be a law" in response to many problems. But many times, we don't need extra laws. We have to remember that laws are rules enforced by violence. If a person breaks the law, the person who enforces the law would use any means necessary to stop the person that is breaking the law. Laws are tools of intimidation. That's why people resort to bans on plastic bags. They want to use intimidation against people who use and offer plastic bags. The nonviolent way of reducing the use of plastic bags including making bags from non-plastic materials, mention non-plastic bags in advertising, and boycotting those who use or offer plastic bags. But too many activists and politicians think that's not good enough. They want laws so that police can intimidate people. That's the whole purpose of laws.
my previous blog posts about laws are rules meant to be enforced by violence https://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2014/12/laws-are-enforced-by-violence.html https://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2017/07/you-cant-evade-fact-that-laws-are.html
and my video speech "Laws are Rules Enforced by Violence" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yokkGFrXP94 And in this society, police intimidation isn't distributed equally. Those who are rich can just pay off the authorities. Those who are poor can't and therefore easy targets of intimidation. Those who are of non-European ancestries are also easy targets of overly aggressive police officers whose minds are dripping with Trump's deplorable correctness. And this is where Black Lives Matter comes in. Historically, the police have been more aggressive towards African-Americans than towards European-Americans. Too many have been encouraged, whether consciously or sub-consciously, to view African-Americans with suspicion. It doesn't matter how well-educated, religiously conservative, or well-behaved an African-American person is, they have long been treated with suspicion by society in general. But that suspicion is dangerous when it's coming from a police officer, who has the legal authority to use violent force. But you shouldn't even have to prove that you're well educated, religious, or perfect in any other way to be treated humanely. People like Rodney King and George Floyd did struggle with addiction. That's no excuse for the police to be overly aggressive with them. The video-recording of their brutal arrest triggered memories within African-Americans from all walks of life about dealing with racist & abusive treatment. The Black Lives Matter is revitalized! And unlike the 1992 LA riots (which predates the current Black Lives Matter movement), the response to George Floyd's death hasn't generated that many publicized attacks on people with non-African ancestries. The movement realizes that they need all the allies they can get. Many are also willing to stop rioters, looters, and arsonists from ruining their movement. The movement has gone worldwide. Even here in Hawaii, there has been a march in one of the largest protests in recent history. Those protests were peaceful and multi-racial. I just happened to briefly stop by the rally at the State Capitol last Saturday and it was all love. People of various ethnicities and from all walks of life were there. Nearly everyone there was wearing masks out of concern of COVID-19. There were a few skeptics who expressed comments online on Hawaii media outlets about "why is this our problem?" Activist Ashley Dee, stated it beautifully https://www.staradvertiser.com/2020/06/06/breaking-news/honolulu-police-warn-of-traffic-between-ala-moana-and-downtown-for-black-lives-matter-protest/
Ashley Dee, who helped with previous demonstrations, spoke to the crowd prior to the march about police brutality against the black community.
“Stop allowing people around you to tell you that this isn’t their problem. Newsflash: If they love our music, it’s their problem. … If they love to copy the styles of our hair … it’s their problem,” she said.
I would also add if they are fans of NFL & NBA teams, then this should also be their cause. If you're going to cheer on African-Americans when they score points for your team, then you should cheer them on when they fight for their basic human rights. As Martin Luther King Jr stated
"injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"
I voluntarily left one job at the end of last month. I reconnected with a temporary staffing agency that I worked with before and will be working with them again soon. I spent the last few months "working from home" (mostly just morning teleconferences and responding to emails) and enjoying the extra free time. I got my stuff reorganized, did a few blog posts, and made a few instrumental tracks and music videos for my alter ego Pablo the Mad TigerWarrior. And of course, I spent a lot of time walking (and sometimes biking) outdoors. I had a lot of time rest by sitting near ponds and streams while thinking about life. But now that I'll be back to working a full-time schedule in my new temp job, other things will take a back seat in the time being. But I will always appreciate the last few months of staying home while appreciating the new opportunity I'll be doing the next few weeks or so.
