Gats Off ro the President

I was not going to write today. I have a 11000 things to do in about 8 hours. But, I have to congratulate and applaud the President and, for once, a group of bipartisan Congressmen and Senators for their new prison reform Act
For too long,  we have tried to reduce crime by way of punishment. This, very obviously, does not work. This Act will end the era of draconian punishments. No longer will small time, non violent crimes be punished by long prison terms.
When much younger, I saw parents beat, not spank bur beat, kids when they did wrong. It just meade them think of ways to not get caught. Even in training dogs, smart folks know that rewards work far better than punishment. All prisons do is make better criminals.
Of course, the violently criminal must still be hailed, but do we gain anything by harshly punishing small time criminals? The answer is a definite no and we actually lose a lot, because when they get out, they are badly damaged.
Now, this Act applies only to Federal sentencing. Let us hope that States will take similar steps.
 So, again. waty to President Trump. Way to go Congressmen and Senators. At last, the two sides are working together and maybe that will spread. It is a good day and may your day be blessed.

The Dangers of Thought

The rain is still coming today and after a day spent doing and thinking nothing, my restless brain is ar it again. I try to tell the little guy to chill, but, alas, it eill not cooperate. Thinking tends to make me face unpleasant issues.
We are still recounting ballots. Strange, back in the days before we had modern technology, we never had such problems. If the counts were off, and they may have been, results were called and we got on wuth the running of the Country. I have a very sharp bs detector and I think a very rotten game is being played, by both sides.
Don't like the results? Blame it on all sorts of malfeasance. Don't like the call for recounts" Claim the other side is trying to steal the election. The frustrating thing is that both sides seem to be right. What is happening"
Simple. There is a war, a serious war, between the factions trying to run the Deep State. Those who remember the Iran-Contra hearings under Reagan know that such a thing exists and that it is immensely powerful. They have the means and will to just ignore the Congress The President, and the Constitution. For a brief while, they all seemed on the same page, but power seeks more power  and such alliances will always fail.
The factions? Huge corporations and banks. The Military. The Intelligence community. These are the basics. Who is behind them? Shadow figures from all over the World, who control more money than you or I can imagine. Presidents like Wilson and Roosevelt spoke of such figure and how they truly ran things. They spoke of them once and had sense enough to go no further with their explanations.
There is much discord among such factions. Or is there? Possibly, that is a scam. designed to keep the American people on a confused, disturbed state of mind. Why? Enough chaos, and the Shadow Government can declare a Notional emergency and suspend the Constitution. Will they? Maybe, but not now. More power must be amassed. People must be ready for such a move, fristrated into accepting it. Remember, there are still a lot of very independent Americans who are quite craanky and heavily armed. Can the whole mess be avoided? Sure. Be honest and admit that right now, we have a big mess. President Trump to the contrary, we have not become great again. B etter, yes, but far from great. We still have far too much poverty, too many homeless including may kids, and overprice and unaffordable medical care. Our education system us a joke. We are still raping the Earth out of nothing more than simple greed. Much of the World loathes us and the rest tolerate us only because we are the big dog and they are scared of us. The only way out, other than letting the Powers that Be take over, is to get it together, at least moderately behave yourselves, and do your work, as long as uyou feel that the work is honorable. Do not actively resist. That will trigger the take over.  Passively resist ny forming communities, helping others and generally doing all yoy can to get rid of the tension, anger and dismay that the Nation is going through. Don't rock the boat. Instead, row it gently. Remember, you cannot stand up in a hurricane, but, like the palm trees, you can give a bit, go with the flow and then, when the storm passes, stand tall. I never thought I would see the day when a simple act of kindness was an revolutionary act, but there you are.
Anyway, the rain is easing and I have things to do, so let me end mu rambling nonsese by just say, Bless you, one and all.

A Quiet Day

Just hangin' out here in the middle of nowhere. Got nowhere to go, got nothin' to do. Dr. John. Shoo Fly Goes Marchin' On
That pretty much sums up my day and I intend to enjoy every minute of it. Fires are raging in California. Votes are being recounted in several Sates,  leading to the possibility of many lawsuits. The President of France is scolding President Trump, who does not take scolding well, and we are still reeling from 2 mass shootings and a series of mail bombs.
Gere, in N. Georgia, it is cold and rainy and I am going to have to be content with just hanging out. There was a time when I would have been frantic because I can not get out and about.
Now, all is well. I have come to greatly enjoy ;azy days. They give you rime to think things through. Or, on better days, just turn off the logical, problem solving part of the brain and drift along.
Just drifting along for a spell is health. From such rimes springs great creativity. When you run and push, sometimes you are simply banging your head against the wall and need to back off and find away around all of your issues. Have you ever watxhe a good running back head toward the line, see no opening, then stop, back up and go around. Such a move often leads to a big gain. That is why I value lazing around as a strategy.
Of course, you di not want to spend a lot of your time doing that. You want to ease off just long enough to see that opening. Then, run with it.
So, if you are in a place where you can go slow and easy for a little while, relax and enjoy it. When you see the opening, rake off. Even if that opening does not show, you have lost nothing. Just the opposite because you have gained a nice rest and, when realty intrudes and you must crank back up, you will do is with recharged batteries.. 
Whereever you are and however your day is shaping up, enjoy yourself. Trist me. Life is too short and too scared to spend your days struggling and worrying. Have a Blessed day, one and all. Remember, Thanksgiving is almost here and Christmas is right around the corner.

Meow

Cats fascinate me. I have never owned one,as if anyone can truly own a cat. Byt, I have had friend's with cars and they are odd creatures indeed.
When in college, my housemates had a Siamese. That was fine because, even though I am horribly allergic to cars, they are short haired and hypoallergenic. She was the princess of the household. When she wished to be held or petted, she let nothing stand in her way. No matter how mich syou discouraged het, she found a way into your lap and stayed as long as she pleased. If she wanted to be left alone, you dared not pick her up. Inwanted affection got you scratched. Dinner had best be in her bowl, when she wanted it, or you felt her wrath. But, in ger way, she was lovable and it was fun watching her explore her world.
Since then, I have been around friend's and neighbor's cats. They are interesting to watch, from a distance, If they get too close, I start sneezing and coughing.  They are an odd mix. They love exploring and are very curious. Yet, they seem terribly upset when anything is not where they expect it to be. A neighbor's cat, who spent a lot of time outdoors, was shocked when, after a hurricane, the woods and field were re-arranged. For days, she puzzled over the change. Or, I think that was what she was upset over. Who knows what cats think,except, perhaps, wizards and sorcerers.
I like cats, although not as mich as dogs. But, there is a problem. There are a lot, a whole lot of, stray cats. They carry disease. They root around in garbage cans and the mess ends up scattered all over. And, worse of all, they feed on small wild creatures, including small, mammals that people like and lovely song birds that we all love. In some regions, they make a large, negative impact on the environment. In some parts of the Country, they are shot on sight.  Sad, vyr necessary.
So do your feline friends a favor. If they are ever allowed outside, ever, get them neutered. Cats that roam around loose will drift away for days Sometimes they come back, sometimes not, but beyond a doubt. they will breed. The killing of the cute little creatures is not a nice thing to contemplate. So do your part and get them fixed. Then enjoy their curious ways. Blessings and Meow.

Again

I really wanted to write about cats today, but, again, horror has erupted. College night at a Country bar in California gunned down. Why? I have no idea and, at this point, as far as we are being told, neither does anyone else.
We must begin to acknowledge, I am coming to believe that there is no reason. Not in any way we normally think of reasons. Anger, terrorism, political motive, what does it matter. Insanity is what is happening. The cause of insanity may simply be insanity.
I am beginning to believe that insanity is like a virus. It infects people and spreads, sort of a psychic flu. It may be time to stop trying to deal rationally with the  irrational. I reluctantly think that at almost any public gathering there needs to be someone, or several someones who are armed. The minute a shooter pills a gun, shoot them. This is what you would do with a rabid animal and there is not much else to be done.
On a day to day basis, we as those still untouched by this horrible virus must stay spiritually strong. Look to your higher angels and stay calm and compassionate. I know of no other effective course of action. Such strength can spread from one person to another and, often, heal those taken by 'the virus.'
Be very careful about the what you watch and read and think. Watch what you say. When angry, calm yourself.
We are in a battle with an enemy we cannot see. Where it comes from, what it wants, we do not know. What we do know is that every culture on Earth has beliefs in spirit beings who are malevolent.
For now, keep cool. and pray, in whatever manner you choose, for a return to normalcy. It is unlikely that the human race will ever be rid of these waves of violence. They have happened before and will almist surely happen again. Just remember, that we have the tools to fight back and, always, these waves pass. Blessings on all of you.

It's All Over Now

Blessedly, the mid terms have passed. Tomorrow, I think I will write about something important, like cats. But here we go.
The Democrats won the House. They figured to and that means they can continue the never ending investigation if the Administration. If they do so, they will not win again for a very long time. The American people are sick of all if that. It also gives them a lot more leverage on budget matters. When most Americans perceive the economy as at least doing better, I don't know if even they are dumb enough to recreate the mess we are just leaving.
The Republicans keep the Senate and this is what mist be infuriating to liberal Democrats. To be blunt, Justice Ginsberg will not last a whole lot longer. The President will almost surely get one more Supreme Court Justice seated and that will tip the court far to the right for years to come. With a Senate majority, he could name Genghis Khan and get him confirmed. Me? I have no problem with that. Others will be frantic.  So be it.
Many Republican Governors will take office, some returns and some new. In a time when many States are still not exactly thriving economically, fiscal responsibility is important to voters.
To sun up, the elections show an edgy satisfaction with the way things are going. Shaky, but confident. They do not want a still leaky boat rocked. That os a reasonable position and they have spoken.
Tomorrow, I want to write about cats. So, until the, meow.

We Don't Know, What We Don't Know

I want to be fair. I will also be brief because we, here in Atlanta, are about to get hit by a huge thunder storm.
I criticize President Trump and his fellow Republicans a lot. I also criticize the Democrats, a lot. I have criticized every President in recent years and will continue to do so. Oddly, this is not a political post. It is just about fairness.
I base these criticisms on the information the public has. that is all any of us can do. However, in a World that has grown amazingly complex and a World that seems to be moving faster every day, combined with a media that gives us news in 20 second sound bites, we do not really know what is going on. Add to that all the information that Presidents get that is off limits to the public, and there is just know way to be able to make a truly fair judgement.
What is going on behind the scenes is a fascinating subject and er can, and will continue to, try to figure that out. That is human nature and sometimes I think we get close to the btruth. But, we seldom get full answers.
We simply do not know what sort of struggles and battles go on behind the scenes and in foreign lands. Heck, there may be news of a looming UFO invasion or plans to try to trigger the Yellowstone super volcano. There may be word of potential bio weapon attack. The public's access to such horrific intelligence mist be limited or their would be chaos.
Let me quickly say the I know of no such crises on the horizon. My point is, there are things we just do not know.
It all boils down to whether we trust our  leaders to handle the stiff we are not told.   Mostly, I do not. We have been promised things over and over again by leaders and they do not deliver. I will give President Trump a good bit of credit. I do not find him likable, nor do I like his rhetoric. But, more than any President in recent memory, he has delivered on his promises. I do not agree with all that he has done, bot by a long shot. But, in a begrudging sort of way, I trust him. That counts for a lot.
No matter how today's elections turn out, just keep your cool. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth, but we will all be fine, if we just keep some perspective and get on with our lives. Blessings to one and all.

Meet the New Boss

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. The Who, Won't Get Fooled Again
Tomorrow, at long last, we have the midterm elections. And, they will change little, if anything. The Republicans will still do their thing and the Democrats, theirs. Business as usual. Once upon a time, that was fine, because at least they were, if not on the same page, in the same chapter. Now, they are not even in the same book.
We are in the midst of a massive, overwhelming paradigm change. People do not see the World as they once did. Fine. That is the way it shoud be, but in such shifts, there is always great chaos. The problem is, in great part, we are trying to deal with that using the old style politics. The old game of fixers and manipulators, of threats and rants, od accusations and wild promises, of backroom deals and campaign fund payoffs, will not help. In fact, it will make things worse.
The electorate is frustrated. That is whu we are seeing such viscous rhetoric. I will not be surprised if, here and there, we see substantial violence in tomorrow's wake.
We will be stuck once more, with the same old politicians going about their work with the same old, tired, routines. No changes, even in the face of a Nation and a World that are changing ar a frantic pace.
I would say, as I gave in the past, a pox on them all, but is insufficient. Nothing that will happen that will solve our staggering load of problems. Vote Republican or Democrat, whatever you choose. Or just ignore the whole rotten mess.  Spend the day doing something that really counts. Make something, Learn something. Help some one. Heck, hus go out and pass a football around' at least you'll get some exercise. Then get ready to duck, because something si going to hit the fan.
The only way around this mess is, I am sorry to say, to learn all you can about what we are discovering about our Earth and its inhabitants. This will give you a clue about the nature of the paradigm shift and some ideas of how we need to change. Or, at the very least, it will give you an idea of how to get around the agents of the status quo. The end of the old age is here and they do not know that. But they will. Harsh thoughts? Yes, but this can be a harsh World. The best way out of this is to just ignore the rantings of power mad old men and women.
I will leave you a line from Dylan's All Along the Watchtower. 'Let us not talk falsely now for the hour is getting late.' Have a Blessed, healthy and happy day.

TGIF

It is true that I no longer hold a job. Retirement is a mixed blessing, but that is not what I want to write about.
Even retired, I look forward to weekends. There is just a different aura hovering in the air starting Friday evening. Some of the tension leaves people, and there are different activities afoot. Now some of those activities get a might unsavory, but mostly they are good, naps, sports, shopping, meals, and just general nonsense. I like nonsense.
Maybe my love of the weekend is just a memory of what they were when I was younger. I realize that these days many work those days. I guess I get stuck ib the past a bit, but I also think that it is food to rememver the days when, for two and a half days, folks just tried to enjoy themselves. It was good for body mind and soul.
To those who say that our economy os booming, I have a question. If things are so great, why are people working so many hours just to get by. Yes, some people do love their jobs and some are just work-a-holics, but trist me, I have been there and worked with a whole lot of folks and I can say that most people just pur up with their jobs, and that becomes more and more the case when they are working 55, 60, or more hours a week.. That tolerance soon turns to loathing and no one should have to spend  most of their waking hours at something they detest.
The answer is simple. Let the big corporations, and smaller businesses that are making large ,profits turn loose with some money. Increase wages, and even the Government's numbers show that wages are still too low and hire more people. Give folks more of their own lives back. When you already habe a lot of money, do you really need that much more? When does the profit incentive become just plain, stupid greed.
To those working this weekend, I hope things change your way, For those who have the time off, enjoy every minute of it. Enjoying your weekend has almost become a revolutionary act. Blessings to all.

The Ghosts Are Gone

Halloween is past. When I was a wee tyke, it was just a fun day. No big deal. Trick or treat, a few parties, it was just a bit of a laugh.
Now, it has become a mega big holiday. Many millions are spent on costumes that will be gone the next day and candy that will be gone just as fast. Don't get me wrong. I love silly little holidays. However, you can take a food thing and blow it up into a monster.
The saddest thing is that trick or treating is now a hazardous outing. No sane parent would let their kids do that and it is a shame. Again, we have changed a harmless, fun day into what is just a bizarre near obsession.  In days of old, All Hallows Eve was a day to remember the dead and to acknowledge and appease other spirits. Sort of like, but bot exactly like Mexico's Day of the Dead. This is why very conservative Christians have always loathed the day. Well, they need not worry. As we usually do, we have taken a semi-spiritual day and turned it into a cash cow.
There are merits to that. We really do not need folks spending a lot of time dealing with dark spirits and you can remember the spirits of loved ones any time. But, we do need to tone down the whole massive spending spree that Halloween has become. Folks can take that money and spend it on a variety of fun events instead of spending it all on junk. Some candy, a party or two, maybe some well supervised trick or treating in safe neighborhoods, fine. Massive spending and excessive partying, not fine.
But, folks will do as they please. Remember though, at Christmas, when you really want a big celebration and you are sgort of cash, that you did not need to spend all that money on Halloween.

The Aliens Are Invading - Run For Your Lives

Another short post because I am buried inn things to do. I have ti comment in the latest immigration lunacy.
You would think that Attila the Hun was massed at our border with at least a million heavily armed troops. Our President is threatening to over ride the immigration laws, even Constitutional rules, by executive order. We are rushing 1000s of troops to deal with them.
Well, there are a few 1000 immigrants, poor, some kids, some not  at all well, walking. Slowly. They are about 2 months away and may not even make it this far.
But boy are we worried and we are prepared and it is all a bunch of nonsense. All of this is just a political game. It is all about power and it is a waste of time and money and every one who is wringing their hands and getting hysterical about this should be ashamed of their selves.
Just chill out and stop all of your lunacy

Brazil

One of the most overlooked and important events of recent days is the election,, in Brazil, of an extreme right wing President. Okay. Fair enough. It is their Country.
But, watch what happens. I have written a lot about our mistreatment and neglect of our Southern neighbors. Again. The chikens come home yo roost.
Brazil certainly has problems. Deep poverty alongside decadent wealth is never a good thing. Neither is way too many people in latge urban areas and a wildly uneducated population.Crime is outrageous.
The newly elected President promises  to be tough on crime. Good, but their is a fine line between tough and nightmarish. Just ask the people of the Philippines about Duarte.
The new Brazilian regime promises economic growth. Great. But, how much will reach their wretchedly poor urban population.
To get that growth, he plans to whack down some more of the Amazon rain forest. That cannot be allowed. With climate change a reality (yes, President Trump, it is real, not a Chinese hoax), to cut down that vast canopy of trees would be disastrous. If Brazil; proceeds with this, the rest of the World needs to hit them with every sanction imaginable. We can get along without their mineral wealth (which is considerable, but there are other sources), without their timber (we grow our own on properly managed tree farms and are coming up with new alternatives to timber every day), and the little bit of oil they pump.
What else do they have? Sugar, and we all eat way too much of that. Ayahuasca, a hallucinogen,  which we definitely don't need. Throw in some produce, and that's about it.
They also need tourist dollars and the new President's extreme dislike of gay people will not help that at all. Carnival brings in a lot of money and picking on gay folks will not do Brazilian tourism a lot of good/. Again, it's their Country and they can do what they want, but this cannot end well. Watch an old movie called, appropriately enough, Brazil/ It is sort of a comedic take on 1984. let's hope it is not prophetic

Hello

I have way too much to do, so I just want to write a brief note and say,'hello.' We are trying to move and that is not  easy. But, the day is fair, we both feel pretty well, and it is important to be sociable and wish someone a nice day.
Actually, that is one of the most important things we can do, every day. The stock market is jumping up and down, we still don't really know what happened with those bombs, A synagogue was shot up and 11 killed. We are still figuring out what to do with the Saudis and those immigrants are still on the way.
But, it is a grand day and there is no point moping around when things go  badly. I am always aware of the negative. That is just part of life and I will never change that. i would not even if I could because it is just how things are and I am not qualified to remake Creation.
But, I can control my reaction when things go off the rails, and I refuse to let any of it get me down. So, I am going to have a great day and I urge you to do the same.

Dogs

Today, no bombs, no immigrants, no elections. Just dogs. I love dogs. They are a joy.
But, an ill mannered dog can be a nightmare. They may still be lovable, but they are a problem, unless you properly train the, and remember a few things.
They are easy to train because they want to please you. They are extremely social and when they come home with you, they want to be a part of your family and will gladly follow family rules. Bit, they have to be taught the rules. Use short commands and be patient while they learn the,. Use positive reinforcement. A pat on the head carries far more weight than a whack on  the bottom and a 'good dog' and a small treat does more than screaming at them.
If you cannot handle their training or are short on time, obedience school are a fine idea. You must be consistent. If you allow something sometimes and not others, you are confusing them.
Also, get the appropriate breed. mixed breeds are best because they are not products of inbreeding, a common practice among greedy breeders. If you have a small apartment, don't get a Great Dane. Unless you have a lot of time to exercise them, don't get a dog bred to work, like a border collie. If you have no time to spend with them, don't get one at all. Again, they are very social and don't like being alone. If you are always busy, get a cat. They have no issue with being left alone. If you have small kids, a tiny dog may be a bad idea, because your child may not understand that they have to be gentle with the tiny creature.
All of that said, dogs are one of Natures finest efforts. Intelligent, playful and loving, they are noble beings. Treat them well and train them well and you have a fine companion. They are so full of sheer jot while they are in the World. I have often thought that if we could find a way to mix our intelligence with their pure joy, it would be an incredible mix. You can do the next best thing. Get a dog to hang out with them and, of you pay attention, you will learn as much from them as they learn from you.
Normally, on a Friday, I leave you with 'have a fun and Blessed weekend.'Today I will leave you with a hardy "Woof."

Confused Yet?

Okay. Now we have a whole bunch of package bombs. Not a one has exploded. The media is beset with experts trying to figure out what is going on. And, for once, most are admitting that they really have no idea.
The bombs themselves seem amateurish almost too amateurish. Maybe they were not intended to explode, just scare, If so, then they may be the work of a real expert.. In ways, it is much harder to make a good fake than the real thing/
There is the political angle. This definitely is aimed at very liberal Democrats. Unless it's not. In the World of the Deep State, things are not always what they seem to be.  But, this may be from an individual ir group that is independent of any part of the Government, or the power behind the Government.
A 'lone nut?' That is the idea usually trotted out and, after all the times it has been used, that is wearing a bit thin. Beside, this is a fairly large event and I don't really think that one person is doing this.
One thing for sure, If the object is to scare, it has worked. Statements by politicians to the contrary, it has brought a large chunk of NY City to a stop. Not to mention the panic it has brought to up State NY, S. Florida, DC and now Delaware.
One thing this should bring to mind is a much overlooked fact. With the exception of 9/11, most of our terrorists have been homegrown. Remember Oklahoma City, the Unibomber, Las Vegas, the Olympic bombings in Atlanta some years ago, the Weathermen bombings in the 60s. And the list could go on and on. Throw in the Zodiac, the Zebra Killings and Son of Sam, all events that, yes, terrorized cities. Heck, you can go back to John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry before the Civil War, an act that these days would be considered terrorist.
I have no idea what's happening and neither does anyone else, except those responsible. I am a bit surprised no one has claimed credit yet. That is not a good sign. It tells me that more is planned
What to do? Not much. Stay on your toes and pay attention. But, don't worry a lot. It will do you  no food and much har, All of this is nothing new and, it will pass.

Something Smells

This will be short because my internet connection is just plain weird today. Of course, the bomb deliveries are the huge topics. Here's my issue.
First commentators are saying that the whole thing is a sophisticated affair. If so, then why is it that nothing exploded. The plans for such bombs are all over the internet and citizens in many Countries whip them up with no problem. Funny, isn't it?
Something smells. I have an excellent nose for bovine eliminations. I have no idea what has happened, and we may never really know, but something is really, really weird.

Moral Ambiguity

Sometimes, often in fact, it is almost impossible to know what to do. What is right for some is horribly wrong for others.
This leaps to mind when witnessing the looming border crisis. There is no denying the plight if the wretchedly poor streaming toward Texas. Were I a citizen of Honduras, I would probably be among them. It is a heart breaking sight and anyone with an ounce of compassion wants to help them.
Bit, the USA is very shaky at the moment. Some economic improvement is evident, but the cost of that has been great. We are at each others throats over silly, nit picking nonsense and no one, on either side seems willing to give an inch. Most do not even want to talk about the possibility of giving an inch.
On top of that, there is still much poverty, economic, emotional and spiritual, in the Land. We are still not even dealing effectively wit war Veteran's issues. racial tensions are always on the edge of boiling over and crime is a major problem everywhere.
We are not ready to take in a whole slew of impoverished immigrants. Yet, there they are. What do we do? President Trump has vowed to srop them. How? If by force, then there will be bloodshed and you will gear cries of outrage, well justified, not only across the USA but around the World. Do we process them legally? Sorry, we do not have enough judges and no where near enough housing to hold them as they await hearings. By the way, courts have ruled that they are definitely, Constitutionally, entitled to these hearings.
Get my point. There is no good answer, no easy right or wrong. Such moral ambiguity is the essence of how the World works.
I have no solutions, but I can tell you that there is a way to prevent the constant occurrence of such issues. A lot of these problems in South and Central America have happened because of the sorry way we have dealt with that region. For many, many years we have stomped on their poor people to keep tyrants in power because those thugs dealt favorably with big American corporations, especially in terms of agriculture and mining, (think United Fruit and the copper mining in Chile)
Most of what is happening now is the result of our history of meddling in other Nation's business. As I have often said, the chickens always come home to roost.
What happens at the border will not likely be good for anyone. It is a sad and sorry event.

Life Will Go On

Immigrants are pouring toward our border. Politicians are fighting desperately for mid term election power. The President is keeping things as stirred up as possible, an effort matched word for word by his opponents. The Stock Market is becoming unstable. And, now, another possible hurricane is getting all wound up in the Gulf/
Confusion, chaos and struggle seem immanent;
Yet, more and more, I find that I just don't really care. More precisely, I have a mild interest and I keep up with what's happening, but I have no attachment to the whole mess.
The history of Humanity is a patchwork of ups and downs. Things have been much worse. If you don't believe that,, read Dickens' A Tale of Two Cities and contemplate the vision of Guillotines and heads rolling in the streets. Things, in the USA have not reached that level. We, despite all the noise, still function as a somewhat civil society.
Guess what? Even if things worsen, which they may well do, life will go on. WE will get by and, from time to time. we will thrive. Just take it easy, do your work and do not get all caught up in the string of angst presented by the news media. All will be well and you just have to ride out the rough parts. Hang in there.,

Manners

Just a quick thought or two on manners. I am not talking about the formal manners of Emily Post. I am talking common courtesy.
 Take the time to say 'please', thank you, and 'I appreciate that. Be patient in crowded stores. help folks who are having a tough go of it. By that I mean help the elderly and disabled when they are having troubles with doors and items high on shelves. Get out of the way when parents are struggling with kids. Be a courteous driver and don't cut people off in traffic and never bang your horn and scream obscenities. In fact, watch your mouth in all situations. We live in an ever crowded Nation. Most folks live in cities and they are all overcrowded and that breeds tension; do not make things worse
Manners are a coping mechanism. They are essential buffers that disperse tensions and they are simple and easy to follow. You and everyone you meet will have better lives if you just display  an ease during interactions and manners are the key to that. As your Mom might have once said to you, mind your manners.

Look Around You

Now that I am retired and don't have to run around like a maniac, I have time to watch the World and its inhabitants. Here and there, I watch people. Two words for all of you. Slow Down.
Yeah, I know, it seems that you have to go full speed to keep up. Take it from someone who did just that, If you run and run, just to keep up, you are doing something wrong. Streamline your life. Get rid of what you don't need. When you work, work efficiently. Get tasks out of the way and do them right the first time.
To those who say that they have to work multiple jobs to keep up, I have a number, 7.1 million. That is the number of unfilled jobs in the Nation. They go unfilled because American workers are unqualified. The solution to a lot of problems is simple. Take whatever time you can and get qualified. There are many training programs and Community Colleges and Technical schools and they are pretty inexpensive. Give uo a few nights out with your friends and a game ot two and get busy. In the long run, actually quicker than you think, you will have the kind of job people used to have. % days a week, 8 hours a day and enough income to live well. Not lavishly. but well.
Just watch people. They waste so much time and effort and accomplish so little. They concern themselves with details of celebrity lives and local gossip. They carry on about political issues that they have no say on. trust me. despite everything you hear, big time politicians  are going to do, what they are paid to do, which is often not what people really want them to do. Rid yourselves of concerns that are not yours. Take care of your own business and do so carefully and efficiently, always remembering to be kind when called upon and to see to the well being of family and friends when they ask for help.
Then, when you find that you suddenly have time to relax, take a deep breath, open you eyes, and look around at this magnificent World. Have a Blessed day.

Open Up

There is a great line in an old Yes song. 'Don't surround yourself with yourself.'
Ever since psychiatry became a hit, people have been almost obsessed with self analysis. Just go in a bookstore and see the endless array of self help books, many masquerading as 'spiritual' guides. Look at the whole 'motivational speaker' scam. Then think of all the folks who spend years and dollars seeing therapists
Of course, we all have to, here and there, stop and take a look at ourselves, but past a certain point, that is a stupid waste of time. If you find yourself doing things you don't find acceptable, just stop doing them. For countless centuries, that is what humans did.
The only way to see yourself is through the rest of Creation. Open up. get out of your head and look. You will find a whole fascinating World at your fingertips. You will also see that your little issues fade in importance. In short, you are freed.
There is another issue. When led by a therapist, they are the ones leading you and they will apply their favorite theories to you and, trust me, those theories are deeply flawed.
You are a wonderful being, but let's be blunt. Your every thought and every urge are not that fascinating and dwelling in these things just traps you.
A character in Malcolm Lowry's magnificent novel, Under the Volcano, put it well. 'A little self knowledge is a dangerous thing.'

The Saufis

Our relationship with the Saudis is sinking fast. There is likely some connection between the death of a journalist and the Saudi royal family. Okay, why are we surprised.
The Saudi regime has long been considered, by Amnesty International, to be one of the most brutal and oppressive in the World. We speak of them as great allies and friends and, for that, shame on us. We sold our souls for oil. We do not need them as military allies and, at this point, we can get by just fine without their petroleum.
We must stop supporting them in their war in Yemen, which is just a proxy war with Iran. We must stop selling them arms. We must hit them with sanctions as stiff as those we have placed on Iran and N. Korea.
Will we? That is hard to say. There is fear that any sanctions will stifle our marginally growing economy. There is fear that we can throw off ant stability that exists in the Muddle East.
Gere is the question. Will we act in a moral manner or will we continue selling our souls for cheap oil and a shaky chance at getting a Mid East peace treaty, which really is for the benefit, bit of the USA, but for Israel Our best strategy would be complete withdrawal from all alliances in that idiotically warlike region, but there is about as much chance of that as I have of sprouting wings and flying away.
Nations, as well as individuals, are subject to the laws of, for want of a better word, karma. We certainly have a history of doing great and wonderful things in this land, but we also have a history of dealing, on uncomfortably friendly terms, with some of the most inhumane regimes the World has ever known. This will, one fine day, come back to haunt is.
There is an old saying my Daddy was fond of. "When you lie down with dogs don't be surprised if you get up with fleas.",

Flow

The saying,'go with the flow' has some merit. A lot of merit.
We tend to see life as a series of discrete events, snap shots in the flow of rime. That is simply the way our brain functions. What continuity we perceived comes when our brains fill in the gaps. It is sort of the way digital music is heard. Tiny bits of music are strung together and we fill in the spaces. That, by the way, is why analog recordings sound more natural, more alive.
In reality, there are no gaps. Events flow seamlessly through time and space. What is more, they are all intertwined. The separations of space are an illusion. Nothing stands alone.
Quiet your mind and you begin to perceive the flow of everything. That is ab excellent strategy for getting along in the World. You perceive more of reality and can see the motions, the flow.
Going with the flow does not mean that you like, or even accept, everything going on. You see it, and, much like a martial artist, you turn that energy to your own advantage.Sometimes you win, sometimes not. Either way, it is usually a more effective strategy than standing firm and fighting.
A prime example comes from our recent hurricane. The might oaks fell. The flexible palms. while badly battered, stood.
Anyway, it's something to think about as you go through your day's struggles. Here's hoping that those struggles are few and light and that you win your share of the battles. Remember, it's all just a grand game. As mu Daddy used to say, 100 years from now, no one will care or remember. Go lightly and easily through the coming week. Blessings to all.

Kanye's Big Day Out

Just a quick post today to ask a question. Who really cares what Kanye West says. A huge deal is being made about his White House appearance and rambling speech. One may agree or disagree with what he said, once you decipher it, but, really, who cares? And, if you do, why?
When are we going to get past our juvenile obsession with celebrities and their opinions? They have no more knowledge, and usually much less than your average working American. The same goes for academics. They all live in an insular World and there day to day concerns are not the same as yours and mine.
We do not need these folks to tell us what to do and what to think. Same goes for career politicians
Learn all you can about problems and come up with your own solutions. Then get together with like minded people and get to work.
We have no time to even give thought to the half baked ideas of celebrities.
Have a wonderful and Blessed weekend

The Violence of Nature

In our culture, we say that we abhor violence, yet we are fascinated by it, Just look at our movies and TV shows. We are taught to value peace and have no qualms about blowing Nations to bits when they disagree with us. We are a curious people. Perhaps we are so fascinated with violence because we are taught that violence is completely unacceptable.
The World, in fact the entire Cosmos, is violent. Stars are fueled by thermonuclear reactions, creating unthinkable hear. Here and there, they explode. Galaxies literally eat each other. On the Earth, we witness volcanoes, earthquakes and tsunamis. Just yesterday, America was able to witness the full fury of a Category 4 hurricane. The aftermaths of all of these events are horrific. But, witnessing the event itself, the eruptions of amazing force is to witness, not necessarily beauty, but the sublime. You cannot avoid being made aware of the awesome mystery.
So, having established that our Creator uses violence in his Creation, what about on the human level? We can be a violent lot and there is no reason to deny that. What can we do about that?
First, di not deny it. That just gives the violent urge just gives it more power. Bow, that does not mean to give in to these urges. Redirect the energy. Use it to find new answers, and, if you cannot do that, go out and find a way to burn off that energy. Work out. Play a sport. If you physically cannot do so, then sublimate the energy by watching physically violent activities such as football and boxing. The arts are another way to give safe vent to our darker impulses.
War is, to state the obvious, is violent and, while I think war is a stupid activity, it is justified in cases of direct attack by another Country. On a personal level, self defense or the defense of others is just fine.
The most troubling aspect of violence are the acts of random violence. Random acts of any sort are hard for humans to deal with. We want a neatly ordered World. We;;. it is ordered, but it is not always neat.
To sum up this rambling mess of a post, violence is part of the World and part of human nature. Sp be it. All you can do us learn to control, to sublimate, violent impulses and keep, by strength of will, your violent responses to a minimum. Peace is wonderful, but it will never, be the only game in the Universe. Have a fine day and say a prayer for thise who went through yesterday's monster storm.

What is Going On

I turned on the news this morning, a bad habit, to get some news about the storm. For reasons unclear to myself, I put on Fox News.
Did i get news on the storm? No. They were chatting about the Kavanaugh confirmation and how it will effect the mod-term elections. Really?
The Florida coast is about to be hit with a catastrophic, historic Category 4 storm, with 140 mph winds and a massive storm surge. The Damage will be beyond belief and lives will be in danger.
And they are talking politics.
Yesterday, the President spent an inordinate amount of time saying good bye to Nikki Haley. His only comment about the storm was that the Federal Government  will be ready to help. He threw in a few Kabanaugh comments and some mid-term election comments.
Again, a disaster is about to occur, effecting Florida, Georgia, and S. Carolina. And all the Fox News and the President want to talk about is politics. What is happening to our moral priorities. Lives come first. Who really cares who the Ambassador to the UN is. How many of us really keep track onf Supreme Court rulings. And, for good or ill, most people do not bother to vote, especially in mid-term elections.
The President and his ilk are obsessed with one thing and he made it clear in the elections. They care about winning. Power is the prize and morality and good sense have taken a back seat. This is sad.
Tomorrow, when I get up, I think I'll hunt for some cartoons in the morning.  Maybe I can find Curious George or Clifford the Big Red Dog. That would be time better spent.

Ready or Not, Here It Comes

Michael is coming. Yep, another hurricane and a pretty good chance that this one will be outrageously strong.
I am not going through another check list of preparation procedures. I did that recently and, if you wish, you can check back a couple of weeks.\The point is, if you are not ready now, you have a problem.. We started hearing that at least a strong tropical storm would hut the Florida Panhandle. Anyone who has watched these storms over the years should have seen that it would get worse. It did. Much worse. The gulf waters are very warm and there are no fronts to shear the winds. It is clear sailing for Michael.
Here's the thing. I used to live in the Panhandle region and the coasral areas were sparsely populated and there were no high rises on the beaches and islands. There really was ere not many buildings at all. Storms came in and left damage, but it was tolerable. Now, there are huge buildings everywhere and many residents and tourists.
 The possible huge storm surge is the issue. They can, especially when pushed by high winds, cause major structural damage. You could wake up on the 10th floor and find that there us not much left to the lower floors. Power will be out, Bridges may develop structural damage and remain closed indefinitely. Water service will be interrupted. Supplies will be cut off.
If you stay along the coast, you may be stranded for a good while.
This storm came up quickly and those on ots path have not had much warning. This underlines the necessity to plan ahead.
But, that aside, if you live along the Florida coast and are told to evacuate, do so. Now. All the rest of us need to pray for everyone in that region.
One last thing. Local authorities need to have an idea of what they will do to get the elderly and disabled. A society is and must be judged by how it treats those most in need.

Let the Good Times Roll

Just a quick note today. Right now, our World is filled with turmoil. As Yeates wrote, 'the center cannot hold. Mere anarchy is loosed upon the World.' As Jesus said, 'be not troubled. These things must come to pass.' What do you do in the meantime? Have as much fun  as you can, without harming others.
Celebrate. Eat, drink and be merry. Sing and dance and tell tales of great men and women. Play games and go hiking and talk to kids. Play fetch with dogs and watch cats stalking their prey. Raise gardens and smell the flowers. And, sometimes, just sit and watch the clouds roll by.
Our Creator does not begrudge us pleasures. The World is here for us to enjoy as long as we also take care of it.
Times of turmoil will likely grow worse before they grow better. A lot worse. You do not, in the days of dry wood. want to look back and wonder why you did not enjoy things now.
Remember the end of Yeates' poem. "Who knows what rough creature is slouching toward Bethlehem, his hour to be born."

Childhood's End

Childhood's End is a great sci-fi novel by Arthur C. Clatke, based around some of the ideas of Tielhard de Chardien a Jesuit monk and paleontologist. Basically, the end of humanity will come when we evolve to the point where we no longer need physical form, but are able to exist as pure intelligent energy. Or something of that sort. i don't know if I but that completely, but I do believe we are reaching the end of our childhood
Look at it this way. If you have kids, do you want them to remain kids or to grow up? There are a few parents who really want their kids to remain kids, but that is not the norm. And, if you want your children to grow up, then why would you think our Creator would not want us to further evolve?
The problem is people, the people who rub things. It is to their advantage to have us remain children because then, they can play Daddy and that means that they can control us. I have said it before and stand by this statement. Power is the most addictive drug. Not power with a purpose, just sheer, raw power fro its own sake.
Also, those who are being controlled want to remain so. It is more comfortable and easier to be told what to do than it is to think. On top of that, we grow comfortable with the old stories, the old myths and are loathe to discard them. We find comfort in tales of gods and goddesses. angels and demons,and all manner of spirit beings. These beings likely exist, in some form, but they are not supernatural. They are beings functioning in a different manner than we do, but they are still subject to the Natural Laws. We simply do not understand those laws fully.
And that is the point. Instead of clinging to ancient tales of dragons and ogres and trolls and Sea Gods, let us grow up and explore this vast and wonderful Universe. We will find it far more amazing than children's stories. Truth is always stranger and more fascinating than fiction.
Our Creator is telling us that story time for the kiddies is over.

Pain

Stephen King, as a result of a hit and run accident, became something of an expert, on a personal and experiential level, on pain. In his fine novel, Duma Key, the main character goes through rehab from a horrible accident and points out that pain is the most powerful dictator on Earth. As I have pointed out a few times, I have issues,, big issues with chronic pain.
Pain, chronic pain, rules your life.When it strikes, and it does so almost whimsically, the rest of your life stios. Ohm you keep functioning, usuallt, but you are never fully present, Part of you, a big part, is taken by the pain. Do not give me that mind over matter nonsense. Do not tell me that you have to be string enough to ignore it. I used to say those things and I was an idiot. You can learn to tolerate pain, to work around it, but pain, when it hits, cannot be ignored or simply pushed aside, not for long. In an emergency, yes, for a very short time, then it is back with a vengeance.
Even when the pain is dormant, it rules you. You are thrilled that you don'y hurt, but you know it will be back and a part of you is wondering when that will be. A sneeze, a slight slip, a quick turn of the head and there it is. Psychologically, it preys on you. You begin thinking that the whole mess is your fault, that there is a punishment factor involved. This is a feature for those of us raised inn the remnants of the old fashioned fire and brimstone Protestantism. It takes a while to get past that one.
What can be done? Damned if I know. There are drugs that help for short periods, As we all know, they have some very nasty consequences if you do not handle them correctly, but they work. One reason I am writing this post is because of the uproar over opiate abuse. There is almost am attitude developing a moral attitude about addiction, a feeling that the addict is weak. morally, and this is wrong. Often, opiate addicts started by trying to deal with very real physical pain. Likewise, many self medicate with alcohol.
We must not make addiction a moral issue. At the same time, we need to find a way to deal with chronic pain. There may be some possibilities with marijuana and, blessedly, those are now being explored. There is also, out on the fringes of research, some evidence that tiny doses of LSD like drugs may have considerable value.
Or, maybe we just have to accept a certain level of controlled addiction. You cannot simply tell sufferers to live with it. That is not going to happen, nor should it. We are often, in these cases dealing with the elderly, the very young and potentially terminal patients and we mist never grow so Puritanical about drugs that we refuse pain relief. There will always be those who simply abuse the drugs because they like them, but that should not lead us to the denial of useful medicines to those who need them, Again, we may have to accept a certain level of controlled addiction, but I am afraid that, in our current political clinate, such reasoned response may be out of the question.
I have nothing left to say ob the matter, no magic answers, no pep talks, no sermons. All any of us can do is use our heads and ise compassion. I truly hope that no one out there suffers chronic pain, but that is a foolish wish. Many of you will and I hope that others understand. Bless all of you

The Ryder Cup

Once again, America, despite being a far superior team, has shown that it cannot win a Ryder Cup in Europe. It really has become quite a strange thing  I gave no idea what is behind this, but here goes.
It is true that the course was set up to favor Europe. We do the same thing when we host. In this case, the fairways were very narrow and the rough very high. This took driver out of play for the long American drivers, but it did the same for Europe's Rory McIlroy and John Rahm, yet they coped. The greens were very slow but that is needed in Europe because the courses are often in windy areas. If you have high wind s and fast greens, it is no longer golf' it is hockey. American players do not like slow greens. Why? Who knows? But, they do get testy when forced to play slow greens All such talk misses the point. The course is to be played as you find it and the player is there to adjust. In fact, that is almost the point of the whole silly game.
There were bad decisions by the American Captains. Tony Finau was playing great, yet was sat out for some matches. DeChanbeau was playing poorly, so, of course they kept plating him.. Tiger Woods was clearly exhausted, yet was sent out for all 5 sessions. Phil Mickelson, after an early season win, has played horribly and continued that trend throughout the tournament. He appeared to have no idea what he was doing on the course.
The big issue was the lack of enthusiasm. At any given time, about half of the Americans on the Course appeared about half awake  DJ and Koepka could not understand that in foursomes, if your partner is in trouble, you have to play safe. DeChambeau's mathematical approach to the game fails when he finds himself in wildly uneven grounds with knee high rough. Patrick Reed's Captain America routine finally ran out of gas when he found himself driving terribly. For a spell there, he couldn't have found the fairway with a bulldozer.
I really don't care about the whole Ryder Cup thing. I always have found it silly, but it does show the problem facing golf in the future, the very near future. The game is so dominated by power, that when the players can't just bomb the ball out there. They lose interest. Yet, the power aspect has to be reined in. We cannot keep simply making courses longer. Land costs too much to start designing 9000 yard courses. In addition, the upkeep, especially the irrigation, would be absurdly expensive. The whole game can be brought back into focus by changing the ball. It used to spin more and travel less and that can be done again. However, the modern players will scream like the spoiled brats that they have become. The game will grow less and less watchable on the pro level. However, there is an emphasis on building short, playable courses for families and friends to enjoy.  In the long run, who cares about the pros. Go have some fun yourselves. And, while you're at it, have a Blessed Day.

Conclusions? None Today

I hate to admit this, but I watched the entire Senate hearing yesterday. It was a hell of a show. Mesmerizing. Ir was a dark drama that, when all is said and done, makes Macbeth look bright and cheery.
Did we find out what really happened? Not at all, nor should we have expected to. All we heard was 'he said' and 'she said'. This was not a trial and there was no presentation of evidence and no witnesses. It was a show, but a moving and well played show. All I can say is something happened. It is as definite as anything can be that Dr. Ford was assaulted, by someone at sometime and was left traumatized. For whatever reason, she associates Kavanaugh with that incident, and has done so for years.
He showed properly righteous indignation at being accused, but, as the day wore on, he seemed to grow a bit shaky and incoherent. He stopped answering questions and just kept repeating lines from his opening statement. He became apoplectic, then unresponsive,, when pushed about a possible further investigation, not a response you would expect from a man swearing his innocence. He also grew very touchy when pushed about his fondness for alcohol. I speak from experience when I say that such a response comes when you are indeed uncomfortable about your level of alcohol consumption. The point being made was, of course, that heavy drinking does wreak havoc with memory.
There are no conclusions to be drawn. In my own opinion, something happened and we will never know what because neither party really remembers. There are gaps that will not be filled in because they cannot be filled in. Should he be confirmed? No, because there will always be an overhanging cloud. That is not fair to him, bur life is not fair and it is not appropriate that a Supreme Court Justice is obscured by clouds. What I think does not make a bit of difference and he will be confirmed.
Still, it was great drama. But, when the dust settles and the uproar dies down, what will remain is the ugliness. This was American politics at its rawest. It is nothing new, but we seldom see it on such open display. There is not 1 Senator or lawyer who can, if honest, walk away with their head held high. I have seldom seen such stupidity and incompetence, such willful ignorance and stubborn nastiness. This is our Nation at its worst.
One last point. The Democrats have one chance to rake a lot of seats in the mid-terms. They must motivate young, left wing voters to get to the polls. If they play it right, the Republicans have dealt them a winning hand, 

The Destructive Lunacy of the News Media

I do not much care about the outcome of the Supreme Court Nominee. These things come and go and, most always, the opposition party acts like a bunch of buffoons. I expected no more nor no less than what is happening.
What is a disaster is the news coverage. On all news broadcasts, you are hearing pundits, commentators and reporters going on and on, over and over again about the facts of the issue. Guess what? None of them, not a single one, knows what happened at those parties.They were not there. I was not there and you were not there. Yet those in the media ramble on about the issue. The White House is throwing in random comments. A variety of Congress people (is that how we now phrase it?) are offering opinions and none of it means a thing. Commentary by Elmo and Big Bird are of equal worth. Let me say it again. None of us know what happened because we were not there.
The proper response to all of these accusations is, "Hey, here are some accusations. Let's have them investigated by the proper authorities and we'll let you know what they find. Stay tuned." Instead, the media goes on and on, just picking at sores and keeping everything on edge. They drag out all sorts of so-called experts, including some in Government on, nit a day by day, but hour by hour basis. Those idiots go along because it's and election year and this gets them on TV. And it makes things worse.
It is ironic that all of this is over a Judicial appointment and, instead of letting Judicial processes run the investigation, we have turned it over to the news media
The whole display, on both sides is sickening. My advice. Forget the whole mess. Go to work enjoy your day, go home, have some fun and get some rest. This stuff is lunacy and the news media, Congress, the White House and everyone else involved should hang their heads in utter disgust at a display that makes childish tantrums look like fine behavior. The whole mess is sickening and , ultimately is doing irreparable harm to the USA. As Jack Nicholson's character in Easy Rider said, "This used to be a damn good Country."
Hang on folks, it is going to get worse. The mid-terms are only a month and a half away and this will not be fun.

Daytime TV

I have been sick for a couple of days with God knows what. The flu, a cold. some exotic mosquito borne disease from a far off tropical land, whatever it was, it hut me like a ton of bricks I/m still not back to normal, so I have nothing of importance to say.
But, maybe I do. When you are ill, the temptation is to get bored, bet up and get busy and there are 2 possible results from those actions. !, you will make yourself sicker or 2, you, being contagious, will make others sick. Now that I think of it, there is a third possibility. You may will do both of the above
But, help is on hand. Daytime TV has something for everyone and is a fine way to pass tome when you just cannot do anything else.
Soap operas, old comedies and drams, and game shows have been around since the 1950s. Talks shows seem a bit scarcer than they used to be, bit they are still around, along with the Judge Judys and other pseudo-court room battles.
My usual choices are the History Channel, The Travel Channel. The Food Channel,  and  the Golf Channel. I can, when sick enough, watch hours of Ancient Aliens, Chopped, Bizarre Foods ot Feherty.
Today, thankfully, I am a bit better. Still, I am a little tired and have some congestion, so, after lunch, I am going to lie down for an hour or so. I wonder if Chopped is on.

The Big Cat is Back

Okay, I was wrong. Tiger Woods did win another tournament, and did so in fine style. I never thought he could overcome the enormous physical challenges and, as I know from personal experience. constant pain takes a psychic toll. Remember, he has a whole bunch of metal in his back. But he did it.
A year ago, he could barely stand and was developing a pretty strong drug problem. But, when given the all clear from his doctors, he went to work. He returned to the gym an d the golf course and worked. He had to build a new swing when he had no idea how far he could push things. He is 42, a time of life when pro golfers don't win a lot. He was able to do this for a couple of reasons.
First, at this point, no one in the game knows the game better. He has hot and practiced every shot imaginable and know every bump on most of the courses
Second, sheer will power. Once he saw he could play, he was determined to be competitive. Once he was competitive, he was determined to win. Here's an example. At some tournament earlier in the year, the weather was rainy and cold by the time dusk was falling. All the other players were in for the day. No one was on the practice area, except Tiger. He was on the putting green, in rain gear, by himself, hitting purr after putt.
If he can stay healthy, next year's golf season may be very interesting. Today's young stars will have to step it up because, Tiger will not back off.

Look to the Rabbit

Americans and may other folks are going to have to change their eating habits. The main issue is beef. I love beef. When I was a kid, its was cheap and I was brought up on huge roasts and sirloin steaks and huge hamburgers. It was great and I still lobe them. But, here is the problem.
It takes a lot of land to raise cattle, along with a lot of feed and a whole lot of water (for both the feed and the cows). Potable water is an issue around the World. As the climate changes, and make no mistake, it is changing rapidly (sorry Mt. President. You are wrong about this issue). drought is affecting huge American farming area. California, where they grow a lot of produce is in a long drought and the Midwestern farmlands where they grow all the grain are also lacking rain. When less feed is grown, you must raise fewer cattle and it will soon become a question of whether we want water and produce for humans or feed and water for cows.
To those who say, as some always will, 'That won't happen in the USA," well, it has. Read your history books and learn if the Dust Bowl days of Oklahoma. The difference is that there were a lot fewer people than there were then
Beef will likely nit go away entirely, but it will grow monstrously expensive. Pork is an option but, again, there is a problem. Free range pork is a wonderful meat. Pigs raised on today's factory farms have a nightmarish life and, the ensuing karmic issues aside, they have little flavor. Same for poultry. We have fushed the oceans literally to bear death and while farm raised fish is fine, you had better look closely ar the farming conditions, unless you enjoy eating hormones and pesticides.
So, I believe that we must turn to the rabbit,, It takes very little room, food or water to raise them and the meat is tasty and wonderful, lean and healthy. They are easy and cheap to raise, in part because they breed like, well, rabbits. You have a continuously self replacing crop.
All you have to do is get people to stop thinking of them as Bugs Bunny or Peter Rabbit. Those who raise them. my Dad did when he was young (it was during the Depression and they raised them for meat) will tell you that to know them is not to love them. Dispelling the myth of the cute little bunnies should not be difficult.
So, I say to you, Look to the Rabbit, unless you really want to live on tofu. Have a Blessed and fun weekend

Freedom

In our culture, we often prattle on and onn about 'freedom' and we have no real idea what we talk about. Freedom comes with many definitions.
There is freedom to, the idea that you can do exactly what you want. There is a validity to this. If you wish to write, or become a dishwasher, or walk around the Country, no one can it should stop you. But, such freedom has a dark side and this is the realm of the many monsters that are loose in the World, There are those who rape women and those who rape the financial world and those who rape the Earth itself. Are they free to do so? In a sense, yes. Nothing can really be done to stop them from trying. Of course, the rest of us can try to stop them from continuing to do so. Sometimes, we do stop them, but we should get better at that.
Then, we have freedom from. This can take 2 forms. The first, physical, can be boiled down to freedom from want, the idea being that no one should go hungry or homeless. This is a profoundly noble idea and, while this will very likely never be fully achieved, it is a goal we must never lose sight of.
Then, there is the freedom from compulsions. If you are driven to do something and you cannot control these drives, you are not free. For example, if you cannot avoid chocolate ice cream and you are 80 pounds over weight and no that is killing you, you are trapped by your compulsions. You are not free. This is true of people with addictions to drugs, food, alcohol, sex work sports, money or anything that rules your life.  Now, not all of these compulsions are awful. If you are addicted to sex and confine your activity to relations with your spouse, that is not a great problem, although you will likely go through your days really, really tired. On the other hand, an addiction to amphetamines will kill you, but not before you go stark, raving mad. All of our addictions are to things that are pleasurable and, in and of themselves, not necessarily bad. It is the trap that the person finds themselves , their lack of freedom from the compulsions that is the problem.
Our Creator has been gracious in giving us a World  where we have great freedom and rarely does anything to curtail or freedoms, with the exception of the Natural laws of the physical World. But, we are not guaranteed freedom from consequence. Anything that takes away your freedom from is too be dealt with cautuosly or not at all.
The freedom to do as we please is fine withing limits. Those limits kick in at the point we start interfering with the freedom of others. The exceptio of course comes when we take away the rights of those who engage in blatant and damaging criminal activitie, ie those who step on the freedom of others. Remember, there are consequences.
But, far more important are the freedoms from. No one should be denied the necessities of life. That is to be assumed. The freedom from our various compulsions is where our true freedom lies and, when we deal with these issues, we find ourselves free of so many other troubles. Free at last. Those are fine words.

Guilt

Guilt is an odd topic to write about these days. Seems that the current trend is to ignore the subject to sweep past misbehavior under the rug. The past is past, move on. One problem with that. It is not the way things are. The past creates ripples in space-time. We all do wrong. We know it and feel bad about it, unless of course you are a pure psychopath and blessedly there are very few of those. This is guilt for you folks who don't know. It is a natural, human feeling. What you do with it is the key.
There are those who try to slough it off. 'Well, it's no big deal.' Sorry, often it is and it will come back to bite. Or, there is this.'Well, we;re all human and we're all just old sinners.'  Nope, that won't cut it. All of do wrong, but we are called om to try to do better and you cannot let your humanity excuse your sins.
Then, you have folks who go to the other extreme. They wallow in their guilt, bemoaning the fact  that they have done evil and  deserve a lifetime of punishment. That accomplishes nothing and causes huge damage. It freezes you and brings all hope of progress to a halt.
Built can, and should be, an energizer, driving a person to do better. If amends for the sin can be made, make them. Apologize to your Creator and try to make things right with the offended party. At the very least it should push you to do something positive. Move on, yes, but only after you have learned a lesson and only when you have an idea of how to move things on a positive direction.
An acceptance of the old idea of guilt would actually be a healthy thing. Just don't get buried in it.

Maybe I spoke to Quickly

Recently, I conceded the Country to the Socialists. I may have been to hasty. Not because there are not a whole lot of them. The left wing may gain a bunch of seats in the mid term elections, but it may be very temporary. This will not be a political blog. It is more about our perceptions and about how things can change in an instant. And, about some surprising twists life can take.
In the wake of Florence, much aid is promised from the Feds and I am sure a lot of money will ve sent. But, so far, the emergency relief has been handled by local and state officials in conjunction with many wonderful volunteers, many from other states. The National Guard, military and FEMA are not doing the hard, quick work needed in disasters. They, no doubt, will get there and do good work, but so far, it is a local effort. A fine job is being dome without Washington. If folks are paying attention, they will see that the Feds are limited, both by circumstances and by their inherent incompetence. Corporate America, the other darlings of the left are impotent in such situations. Again, local residents and businesses are the heroes.
At the same time, reports on the economy are painting a far less rosy picture than the Administration. Things are somewhat better, but not that much, unless you are at the upper echelons of a large corporation. On top of all of that, the whole Washington power structure is teetering on collapse from the weight of its own bloated corruption. Spies and secret cabals, bribes and lies, double dealing and rampant sexual misbehavior, have all meshed together to paint a sleazy picture of power mad corruption and both sides are up to their necks in in the muck.
Now, many, especially among younger voters will turn up their noses and vote the party in power, Republicans, our, and turn to the rhetoric of the left. Not their fault. They have not been taught enough about how the World functions to know better and are being media led. Many will just skip the elections and I don't blame them. The left will make gains and the Federal mess will get bigger and worse. But, eventually, the disaster of the Feds and the efficiency of local and State governments, combined with the humanity and heroism of  what we , call ordinaty people( U hate that term, we are all extraordinary), may drive home the point that we must function locally and in a true free matket (By the way, our economy is now a cannibalistic, cut throat capitolism. We have not been a free market economy since before the Civil War. Sometime, read a bit about Lincoln's power grab whicj was followed soon by the rise of the great robber barons like Rockefeller, Carnegie, Morhan and a few others. They, in conjunction with old Abe, ruined this Country).
The left will likely have its day, but it will be a short one. The Federal Government will prove itself incapable of handling much of anything. Corporate America will price itself out of the US markets and concentrate on the World economy which will, in turn fuel a revival of small American businesses.
The final result will be a return to the idea of some of the Founding Fathers, The USA will become a loose confederation of States withe Federal Government being responsible only for defending us from foreign direct aggression and arbitrating  squabbles between the States. Sanity will be restored after a brief period of madness. Maybe. Hopefully. My advice is to keep yourself out of the way as musch as possible and pay attention. realize this. Perceptions determine reality and events, often unexpected, will change perceptions. Have a Blessed day.

Thoughts in Passing

Monday is here and I have nothing in particular that I feel like writing about. So, just some passing thoughts.
The Storm has devastated N. Carolina and their flooding has not peaked yet. I hope that a lesson is learned. Florence came ashore as a Category 2 and dropped to a 1 quickly. Yet, it has been catastrophic and the damage was not in the least confined to the eye wall area. As is usual, the wind is spectacular, but it is the water that does the worst damage. Do not concentrate on the exact strength and where landfall will be. The storms are horrific and a slow moving minimal hurricane or a tropical storm can be worse than a fast moving, strong storm., although both are fearsome.
Second, the Cavanaugh mess. Maybe the allegations are true and he was a bad boy. Maybe very bad. Bit, if so, why is this information coming out 35 years later.
The Manafort plea bargain seems to further confirm the fact that all of the sides in our political circus are  corrupt beyond what we might have suspected.
Much is being said about Obama;s reemergence into the political fray. Who cares? He only has the power that he is given by those who pay attention to him. I ignore him.
Personally, I would rather spend the day thinking of better things. The lovely, yellow flowers in the hedge next door are far more arresting than the mess we see daily on the news. I am looking forward to the upcoming baseball playoffs and the PGA finale on Atlanta this weekend.
I would rather spemd time contemplating the good fried chicken dinner we will have tonight or the coming of the crisp, cool days of autumn that are nearing. Most of all,  I am planning what we might do to celebrate my friend Deb's quickly arriving birthday.
Call me irresponsible. I do not care. I have at last reached the age when I feel justified in letting younger folks deal with running the World. After all, it is now theirs. I watch and have thoughts and make comments, but even those are growing less frequent. I am content to enjoy my life. I hope I am around for long years to come. I worked hard, very hard, throughout my life. I, like many my age, deserve the chance to just enjoy the World. At the same time, young people deserve their shot at running things. I do hope that they do a better job than we did. Have a Blessed day.

Patience

We humans are a hasty, impatient lot. That is quite understandable since we know we have limited time on this Earth. But we must temper this with wisdom. You cannot do everything at once and, somethings must wait. Sorry. That's just the way it is.
Haste makes waste goes the old saying and that is true because when you hurry, you often get sloppy and make poor choices.
Nature ,obes in cycles. Modern humans, especially Americans, do not accept that. For example. Most folkks love melons. Melons come into season in the summer and early fall in most of the Country. Well, Americans want melons whenever they get the taste. As a result, we pay huge sums to have melons shipped across the Country from California. They are picked green and are nearly tasteless, b ut we get them. They cost a lot in terms of gas usage, traffic, pollution, man hours and they are sorry excuses for melons, but we get them.
But, there are times of year when even our Western lands cannot grow them. Do we patiently wait the next season. anticipating the next, sweet batch of goodness? No. We start shipping them in from Guatemala. More cost, because they now are bringing them in on ships and then trucking them across the land. And, the quality is just as poor, if not worse.
Time was, we waited with anticipation for the year's first melons, usually around the Fourth of July. It was fun to wait and then have that waiting justified and satisfied. This is called delayed gratification and it is a fine thing Now, we damage the environment and the economy in hour list for instant satisfaction.
This is just one example of our impatience and admittedly, it is a somewhat trivial one, but I think it makes my point. Yes, there are emergency situations, but, by definition of the word emergency, they are rare.
I bring this subject up because a great many Americans are about to get a sharp lesson in patience. Hurricane Florence is passing, very slowly. Already I hear reporters asking officials about damage reports and repair status. The storm is not over, but they want answers now. Sorry. Cannot do that,
 And the residents are going to find themselves in a situation that will be unpleasant at best. No power. No cable or internet. Water everywhere. Automobile traffic nearly impossible. Food deliveries to stores will be slow and sporadic if stores are even able to open.
And, what will be the worst for them all, there is not one thing they can do to solve the problems.  I have seen this before and have been in it. It is so hard to deal with, but you must and the only path is patience. Americans do not like having to be patient, but that is all you can do. There is one plus in that. You will learn a great deal about who you are as a person.
Stay calm and help your neighbors. That is how you get through. The rest of us, those not in the storm need to pray for those who are about to suffer.

Time

Time is perhaps the greatest mystery. St. Augustine said that when he didn't think about it, he understood it. But, when he thought about it, he realized that he had no way to discuss it, Einstein called it a persistently stubborn illusion. You can even make a case that past, present and future are all happening at once.
Bur let's not get all scientific here. On a day to day level, we all know how slippery time is.  Days can fly by in a blur and, here and there, days can seem to drag on for months. The mind can seem to crawl through data and sometimes process input in a blink.
New Age types often prattle on about staying in the 'now.' You cannot do this. There is something called the Hallusian gap. The fastest we can process sensory input is about a thirtieth of a second
In essence, we are always watching a movie of our lives. We see what just happened.
That aside (okay, I have o get a little scientific) the smallest unit of time we can measure is called Plank's time, about 6 times 10 to the negative 25 power, and unthinkably runt number, but a number nonetheless. Before that, the laws of physics break down (this is a singularity). What exists then, if anything, id unknown. But it does mean that in the purest sense, there is no 'now.'
I gave no idea why I am writing this. Maybe, as I get older, I am trying to find a way to stretch the days, but any such effort is doomed to failure. Time will do what it does and pass. Shakespeare wrote that 'the days creep by at a petty pace." He mist have written that when young, because as you age, they fly (my Daddy told me that and I laughed at such foolish talk. He was right.).
What to do with time? Nothing, Don't drive yourself crazy. Time is an interesting topic to think about, but all you can do is follow the advice of the great band Little Feat and "roll with it."
Have a great 'Time' today. And, please, say a few prayers for the folks in the path of Hurricane Florence. God bless all of you.





What to do? What we always have to do with life. In the words of the great band :ittle Feat, "Roll with it."

Homeless

1. Feeling alone, the army's up the road
   Salvation a la mode and a cup of tea
   Aqualung my friend don't you start away uneasy
   You poor old sod, you see it's only me Jethro Tull, Aqyalung
2. Ever been homeless" I have. Ne and my friend Deb were for 4 days in  Ft. Lauderdale, Fl in 2002. Just bad luck and a bad economy in a bad spot. No drufs or alcohol. We had both been clean for years.
3. It is a nightmare. If you want to get in a shelter, you have to register about sun up and, then, you cannot stay there in  the daytime. That didn't matter because we were not going to one. They are more dangerous than the streets. The daylight hours aren't too bad/ You can walk around and hang out in malls or parks. Then comes dark.
4. You cannot stay still fir long. Coos will move you along or try to arrest you. Not their fault, just their job. There is no place to get indoors. If it;s cold or rainy, you just have to do your best and get under a tree or behind a wall to break the wind and rain. When the weather breaks, you walk.
5. Sleep is the real issue. It is far too dangerous to sleep on the street sides or any open grounds. Even if it were safe, the street noise is constant. If you find a quiet place, out of sight, it is even more dangerous because, if you find it, so will others.
6. There are people out there, at night who are dangerous,, mean, crazy or both. Of course, alcohol and drugs are often their fuel, but nit always. Sometimes, the sober ones are the worst.
7. Then are the scenes that break your heart. Women with little kids, Physically handicapped people. Old folks, some very old.
8. Again, sleep is the problem. You catch naps. 10 minutes here, 20 there. And it is not really sleep. more of a light doze. By the end of the 3rd day, I was hallucinating lightly. By the 4th, it was fairly intense. Blessedly, a few things went our way and some nice folks helped and we got out of it. Things were touch and go for a spell, but they did get better.
9. Right now, in America, there are many, many homeless. About a quarter of the m are children. I cannot imagine what this does to them. Something must be done, but what?
10. Government, on all levels, seems to have no clue. Churches, some of them, do help a bit. The problem is that there are just so many to help.
11. It is almost impossible to find work when you have no home. You need to be in a reasonably stable environment to make any headway. If you get a little money, there are extended stay hotels and thatr is a whole lot better than nothing, but they take most of a week's wages to stay in and you can never seem to get ahead enough to get a real place. Also, apartment agents do not look kindlt on such places when they start checking you rebtal history. And while those hotels are better than nothing, they are not places that you want to stay at for ling. They are costly and many of the folks there are none too stable.
12. The only solution I can think of is for Governments to but abandoned properties and renovate them to house the homeless. The cost would be extremely high, but something must be dome if we are to continue to call ourselves a civilized land
13. Truth is, nothing will be done anytime soon. There is no will to do this. Instead, most people will just go about their business and, when they see a homeless person, just shake their heads and say'what a pity.' Or they will grow hostile. I have seen this. They want such folks rounded up and hauled away. Where" they don't car e as long as they don't have to see them.
14. But see them is assured.  Again, what will the children going through such nightmares grow up to be. I can promise you that it will nit be pretty.
15. I will leave you with a thought from Steely Dan's song Razor Boy. "Will you still have that song to sing, when the Razor Boy comes and takes your fancy things away." Always in this World, the chickens come home to roost..

Get Ready

I see hurricanes ablowin'. I think the end is almost here. Credence Clearwater Revival
Well, it's not that bad, but somewhere on our Atlantic Coast there is going to be a nasty little storm. Where is impossible to say right now because hurricanes are so unpredictable. It is a Category 4 at the moment. Generally these tings weaken as they approach land, but not always. Folks really don;t need to be concerned with that unless they are directly in the path of the eye wall/ That is usually a small area. Those in that area have a serious problem.
But that doesn't let others off the hook. You will have high winds and a ridiculous amount of rain If you are on the shore line or one of the little island along the coast, you need to leave now.
Everyone else in the area will have a rocky rode, but, if you use good sense, you will be fine. I have been through 7 hurricanes and 16 tropical storms, so let me give you a few helpful hints;
Make sure all of your cell phones are fully charged and use them sparingly. You will almost certainly lose your power. I have seen the power restored in 12 hours and I have seen it take 3 weeks
Fill as many containers as possible with water and pit as many as possible in your freezer. That will keep the fridge surprisingly cold for about a day.
Fill your bath tub and as many buckets as you can find with water. There are often water problems since, without power,city pump stations shut down. Some cities have enough generators but most don't. The tub and buckets won't be for drinking. They can be used to flush toilets and believe me, that comes in handy. Just take the lid off the tank, pour in the water and flush.
If you have a generator, great. Make sure you know how to use it and do not put it an enclosed area. Same with grills and camp stoves. Use them indoors and you will either burn your house down or die from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Stay pit until the authorities say you can go out. After the storm, there will be many dangerous situations outside and emergency crews need clear roads. Don't get in the way.
You are going to have to learn patience. You will get power back when ypu get it. Getting angry does nothing. Be prepared. You may not get your cable or internet service for a good while. Nothing you can do about that.
Here is a tip you seldom hear. But a few cans of mosquito repellent. There will be standing water and that means that about a week later, there will be millions of the tiny blood suckers around and you are dinner.
The storm itself is a wonder to behold. Rarely do wee see the full power of Nature. The aftermath is a nightmare. Things are dirty, wet, smelly and dangerous. The areas hit will be changed and there is nothing you can do about it. If the storm does the unexpected, and turns out to sea, don't get angry at officials who launched emergency procedures. They cannot wait until the last minute. They do a reasonably good job . If it misses you, just be thankful. Stay safe and God Bless all of you.

Computer Madness

Let me quickly say that I love my computer. I don't want it to get mad at me and it is a bit cranky today. Actually, it is not the computer, it is the whole internet issue.
I gave just spent almost 2 hours getting my email. I only bothered because I am expecting something important. I kept losing connections and very bizarre things. It deleted the one thing I wanted without me touching the keyboard and it took a very long time to retrieve it from the deleted file/ This got me wondering just how much time is lost each day through such malfunctions.
We were told that all this technology would streamline all procedures, eliminating much paperwork and freeing workers for more creative tasks. Now, constantly, I run into situations where computers are down or internet connections are overloaded and business and other works slow to a crawl. Information gets lost and important issues, sometimes just get wiped out. They disappear, lost in some alternate universe, I suppose. Occasionally they pop back into our reality, more often not.
Part of the issue is simple, but I do not believe it will be solved anytime soon. There is just to much stiff being sent over the internet. It was initially designed to disseminate technological and scientific data, Then businesses started using it and that was fine. Now, we have the ridiculous use of social sites and there is just too much junk being sent.
Back in the dark ages, not many tears ago, if  little Alice wanted to tell her folks how her Economics exam went, she picked yo a phone and called, not texted or tweeted. Of Cousin Sally wanted you to see h,er new baby or Uncle Fred wanted you to see his new car, they sent photographs. I know that sounds primitive, but it worked. It was nice. You do not have to see or know everything the instant it happens. Delayed gratification is very sweet.
What will happen? People could wise up and stay off their computers a bit. That likely will nor happen. The Government could step in and demand that internet providers charge more and thus limit usage.. They can do this by increasing taxes on companies like ARR and Comcast, or they could charge  companies like Facebook  a huge licensing fee that they would, of course, pass on  to the customers.
Or, the whole thing might just collapse under its own weight. As demands increase, the systems will have to become more complex. Chaos theory states that any system that grows too complex will break down. Then, we will see what can be dome  with the remnants.
Until then, I suppose we all will just have to put up with what is an increasingly more complex systen that, here and there just does really strange things.
To alter Shakespeare a little, the fault lies not in our computers, the fault lies in ourselves.

Daydreaming

What a day for a daydream. The Lovin' Spoonful
That was one of my favorite songs in the mid-60s and it fits my mood today. When I was a wee lad, teachers would chastise is for daydreaming. We had to be bust and thoughtful, They were dead wrong. Daydreams are an expression of our minds constant need to create. Stifle them and you lose an important part of yourself.
You can learn a lot about yourself by, while awake, letting your mind rom free. What draws your attention. Are your fancies dark and mysterious or light and whimsical.Are they always of a sexual nature or do you dream of great deeds. Don't judge, after all they are just little fantasies, but they can reach you a lot.. On occasion, ideas od worth pop through. Answers to what has been vexing you may appear.
Even if your daydreams are not profound, they give your mind a nice little break suring the day, a few moments of freedom from the daily grind. They are amazingly refreshing.
Now, you do have  to exercise some control. If you're driving a truck, you don't want to dreaming of throwing the winning pass at the next Super Bowl. If you are performing brain surgery, you don't want to be drifting away to a lovely tropical shore.
But, when you have a break in your daily action, letting your mind drift away for a few moments is a fine health thing.
I write this post on Friday because I always found Friday, especially late in the day when the week us winding down to b e a fine time to ease off. A little daydreaming helps set the stage fpr the weekend. I hope ypurs is a wonderful and Blessed weekend.

Chaos

We live in an orderly Universe governed by rational laws. Mostly. The Creator threw in a wild card, chaos/ We can predict very little because we never know all the factors influencing reactions. On top of that, we have quantum influence. In the quantum, world, not only are their countless reactions happening at amazing speeds. I can only speculate, not being God that this was done to prevent a stagnant Universe. A mechanical, clockwork Universe would be incredibly boring.
There are folks, many, who are not thrilled with this. It shows up in all religions, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, even some types of Hinduism. Not so much in Buddhism, but that is really more of a psychology than a religion.
You see this among the World's leaders. They want power with the intent of establishing a World order that meets their ideas of the way things should be. Upon establishment of that World, they will fight, bully and connive, cheat, lie and even kill. This has happened over and over again throughout human history and still continues. It does not, has not and will not work for any extended period of time. For brief instants, yes, although always at a terrible price.
 The Universe will not abide stagnation and will not long tolerate those who try to impose their will over the Creation. And yet, the elite, the powerful continue to try . They are quite mad and yet they are the World's leaders and many of the populace just go along with their agenda. Maybe they hope to make some money, maybe they are scared to oppose, maybe they want to bask in the false glory of their leaders, or maybe they just are too beaten down to stand up and say no. Or maybe they want the reassurance of tyranny, preferring that to the discomfort of uncertainty.
The Universe is glorious because it will always change and always amaze. You cannot own it, you cannot possess it and you cannot control it. Because of the chaotic nature of things, chaotic in the sense that we can never know all contributing factors in a process and never be sire of the outcome,  for the same reason, all attempts to impose any individual's or any group's view on our World, is an affront to our Creator. It is an attempt to set yourself up as God and that will not work. Have a very Blessed day.

War

We humans have been fighting each other as long as we have been on this planet. By the time the early nation-states, like Sumer, rolled around, we weer fighting on a grand scale. I have no problem with self defense, but most wars are wars of acquisition. Nations want what others have, and try to take it from them.Okay, that's how it has been. Things are a bit more subtle now, but, in essence, the same. Look at the current scenarios.
No one is attacking the USA. With our nuclear arsenal, we will not be attacked. Yer, we have troops everywhere. Why?
Iraq did not attack us. Terrorists from Saudi Arabia led the 9/11 attacks. Afghanistan did harbor ben Lauder, but we found him in our ally, Pakistan's mountains He's dead, we are still in Afghanistan Iran has not attacked us. N. Korea has not attacked us. Vietnam never attacked us (the Gulf of Tonkin incident was staged' the military's own records admit this). On and on goes the list, and America's troops are still scattered all over the Earth. Men and wo,en are being killed and crippled. Why?
Thar's the easy question. Power. Control. And their stepchild, wealth. Troops are scattered simply to protect American bug business interests. To keep any country that might get a dollar richer off us, under our thumbs.
You say, what about terrorism?. Look at the facts. Most of our terrorism is home grown. Even 9/11 was done by our great allies, the Saudis.
N. Korea? They are just trying to scam is to get money and trade. They know that any attack is suicide.
The creation of nuclear arms, killed the classic idea of war. Now, we fight lottle battles for no reasons other than economic.  Or for the display of power. Poiwer is the most addictive drug their is, and its pursuit is a deep mental illness.
There will come a time, sooner rather than later, when the USA will no longer be the big dog. This has happened to every powerful, militant Nation in the history of the World and there is no reason to think we will be the exception. How will we handle that? Well. that is for those coming along now, the younger Americans. Maybe, they will finally, at long last see the lunacy of War. Or, they may choose to go out in a blaze of glory, much like Hitler did in Germany. Or they may just curl up in a little ball and whine. I have no idea. Bur, it will be their choice.
As always, have a fine and Blessed day.