America and Heroes

I am occasionally taken aback by the way we throw words around. Consider the word 'hero.' I have grown tired of hearing the word applied to celebrities, especially sports figures. Hitting a ball or throwing a pass  does not make a person heroic, Skilled? Perhaps. Calm under pressure? Beyond doubt. But heroic? No way.

I grew up in the era of Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays, of Bart Star and Jim Brown. I watched the entire careers of Mohammed Ali and Jack Nicklaus. Those guys were as good as it gets. They were thrillling to watch not only for their talent, but for their nerve, their ability to deliver in a tough situation. But, I never thought of them as heroic. They were highly paid professionals, just doing their jobs. No, these men did nothing truly heroic.

Then in the 80s, Bill Moyers brought Joseph Campbell to PBS and the Nation, at least the elite in academia and entertainment, were given a different view of the hero. Campbell put forth the proposition that the hero was one who left the ordinary to seek some undefined thing that he was driven to discover, despite any obstacle. He then came back to teach. Let's look at that by using one of his prime examples, the Buddha.

The Buddha was a wealthy and incredibily spoiled Prince who grew disenchanted with life when he learned that people grew sick and old and died. This, when he was fully grown with a wife and son. That should give you an idea of how spoiled and sheltered he was. He was so upset thatb he abandoned his family and resposiblilites to one and all and disappeared on a spiritual ques, without a word to anyone. His great discovery? Life is often sad and you need to behave well and limit any unrealistic desires you have. I have known men and women, folks who work and take care of their responsibilities who could have told him that and saved him the trouble, not to mention all the angst he must have caused those who loved him. Why is he a hero? Supposedly because he followed his dream of becoming 'enlightened.' Well, if that is enlightened then I have known dishwashers and grass cutters who were easily his equal.

No, to me, he was a selfish brat who ran off to do what he wanted with no thought to anyone. That is closer to psychpathic than it is to heroic.

So what then is a hero? Of course the soldier who sacrifices his self to save his brothers in arms is heroic, as is the person who runs into a burning building to save others. The person who gives a kidney so another may live is heroic.but there are others, on a more mundane level. I know parents who work themselves half to death to support their families. I have known doctors and nurses who worry about patients in their off hours. I have known small businessmen who settle for smaller profits so they do not have to lay off valued employees.

On a personal level, I have to mention my father. He, when I was young, was not a heavy drinker, he was a prodigious drinker. He really did not care about living a long life and would, personally, been happier spending all of his time drinking, reading, playing, golf and gambling on the horses. However, he saw what his drinking was doing to others so, when I was 16 and he was 40, he quit. No rehab, no AA, he simply quit getting drunk. Then after years of abstinance, just to prove to himself that he had willpower, he began, occasionally, to have a drink or two, something that is said to be impossible for an alcoholic. Yet, he did it, and I never saw him drunk again. He sacrificed his desire to benefit others, then took a risk to prove something to himself and others. He is one of my heros, yet to the World, he was a quiet, pleasant, small businessman.

You do not have to, nor should you make artificial heros out of celebrities, and you certainly do not have to look to mythology for heroics. I am sure that you can find plenty of worthy people in your own lives. 

America - Get Some Rest

It is cold and windy, Trump is braying like a mule with a thorn in its hoof, Cruz is lying about anything he can and Rubio is whining like a junior high kid who's date just stood him up. Bernie Sanders is trying to prove that he is a friend to all minorities while glossing over the fact that he wants to jump our taxes through the roof and Hillary, while winning, is on ever shakier legal grounds. Obama has grown delusional, thinking he can rule by Executive Order like some Third World despot and the N. Koreans are still threatening war, despite their inability to feed their own people. The Stock Market and oil markets are jumpimg around like fleas on your dog's back and Kanye West is requesting donations to help him out of the 53 million dollar debt he has somehow run up.

In other words, business as usual in modern America. What to do? Let it go. Do not worry about it, because, really, when you come right down to it, what can you do? All of our worry, all of our fussing, all of the talk, will not change one damn bit of it.

On the other hand, if we put aside all thought of the mess that our leaders and celebrities and other self-appointed big shots have created, then we free up a lot of time and energy that can ve put to good use.

Take care of yourself and those you are close to. Get some exercise, a little anyway. Eat decent foods; you don't have to be fanatic, just use common sense and relax when you eat. Get proper rest. learn a little. Keeping the brain active will serve you well as you age.Read stories, even if they are simple and silly. Play games, not just video games but simple things like borad games or word games or work puzzles. If it's nice out, just throw a ball or play badmitton or go to a driving range and hit golf balls. Such things will help you unwind, mentally as well as physically.

Take some time to look around, at people, animals, flowers and trees. Watch a river flow or the clouds stream by. Close your eyes and listen to the wind, feel it on your skin. If it's raining, watch the drops fall, listen to the sound as the drops hit. Such activities are as beneficial as any formal kind of meditation; in fact their is no difference.

Take a nap, even if you don't sleep, lying quietly is good for you. Talk to people, loved ones, neighbors, kids, your dog or cat (they love to listen to you, and respond in their own way), just try to keep things light and easy.

If all of that seems like wasting time, well, yes and no. Actually, wasting time, when possible, is anything but wasting time. It is giving yourself a chance to recharge and that is as important as anythingelse you might do. It keeps you feeling young, it energizes you. And, since I see no let up in the stress we are all going to be subjected to in the next few years, it is vital that you relax and keep calm. Folks, we are in for a bumpy ride. In fact, the next few years are going to make a roller coaster seem tame, so take care of yourselves and those around you. Chill out here and there, as often as possible, and then you will be able to rise to the occasion and face any weirdness that comes your way and, have no doubt, the weirdness is just starting.

America - Read

I am confused about something. Actually, about most things, but one at the moment. I sometimes hear pundits lamenting the fact that people no longer read for pleasure. At other times, I hear that book sales are high. Obviously, that makes little sense as I doubt that folks are just buying books and letting them sit there.

Possibly, those complaining are upset that the kind of books they approve of are being ignored. You know, the great works of literature that we were told in school that we must read. There we have the problem. I am convinced that English teachers generally beat the love of good books out of their students.

For example, when I was a junior in high school, we were assigned Moby Dick to read. Our teacher who, I think, was well meaning, prepared us for this by stressing how difficult the book was and how we had to watch carefully on every page, for the deep symbolism. Then, day after day, in class, we tore the book apart searching for all sorts of hidden meanings. We examined that book almost word by word, and before we were a quarter of the way through, I hated that book. She ruined it for me and, I am sure for many others.

Then in college, I was again assigned the book. This time however, the Professor told us he wanted us to read it for the fun of it, not to worry about anything but enjoying a great adventure story. Reading it that way, I loved the book. Then, when we were through reading it, he becgan to discuss symbols and meanings and they were perfectly clear and easy to see. The lesson; enjoy the story. That is first and foremost.

I recently read Malcom Lowry's sublime book Under the Volcano, a book that is often said to be extremely difficult, and you know what? I followe my old Professor's advice and just read it for the story. It is a great and strange tale, a fine, fine story written as well as any I have read. It is true that there are some obscure references throughout the text, but I just skipped over them. That in no way lessened the impact of the story. Then, I went back, and had no trouble finding what those passages were talking about. That deepened my understanding of what Lowry was saying but it was important to first read the story. The tale's the thing, as Shakespeare said, and Willie, as he often was, was right.

I urge peolpe to go back and try some of those seemingly stale classics your high school teachers ruined for you. They really are fine tales once you realize that it is the story that matters, followed closely by the quality of the writing and the writers of classics are known as such because they were masters of both.

America and the X-files

I rarely watch current TV shows in the evening because I find few of them worth the time. I was a bit reluctant to watch the current run of the X-files because I thought that they would just be a stale rehash of the old show. Boy, was I surprised.

They have muddied the waters even more than the old show did. That is how it should be because, when you look into the odder things that are going on in the World, what is sometimes called High Weirdness (I love that phrase), the waters grow darker and darker. There are no simple answers because none of us really know for sure what is being done or to what end. But, any honest person who looks at the bizare happenings in the World know that somethings or some people, or both are trying to do something, and odds are, it is none to pleasant.

There is a growing consensus that the old idea of UFOs and aliens as visitors from another planet arriving in nuts and bolts spaceships  is probably not quite accurate. More likely they are beings who have figured a way through from some other dimension. Most physicists are leaning toward a model of the Universe that has more that our 4 dimensions, although no one has a clue what goes on outside our own limited space and time.

Long time students of weird phenomenon, such as Jaques Valle, make the case that what we see as ETs are the same beings that have always plagued and delighted man, angels, demons, devas, manitou, gods and godesses, kami. They go by many names. Some seem wise and benevolent and some seem very malevolent, but, one and all, they are tricksters and dangerous. To the religious out there, read your Scriptures. Angels were not thought of as beautiful androgynes or fat, winged babies, They were grand and terrible and people were scared when they appeared.

Who do they serve? What do they want? Who knows? They just seem to be here, now and forever, but, humans being what they are, try to use and manipulate these powerful entities, usually to disasterous ends. The interwoven plots of men and these spiritual tricksters become so baroque in their complexity that the truth of the matter is lost and things just go on and on. Schemes rise and fail and morph into new forms and will do so until the end of time, if time indeed ends. Why? Ask the Creator. I have no clue.

So, Mulder is right, the truth is out there, but neither he nor any of us will find it because it is a constantly evolving morass of lunacy. All we can do is pay attention and dodge when the mess flows our way.

But, back to the X-files. They did something I never thought I would see; they had Mulder take a Magic Mushroom trip and portrayed it a reasonably positive fashion. Was it a realistic portrayal. Well, yes, sort of. Not exactly, but such experiences are awfully hard to convey in any medium. I was just amazed that they did it.

America and Golf

I love golf. I have not played in over 30 years, first due to time constraints, then because of physical issues. Recently, I have been thinking of buying a wedge and a few balls and just going out and chipping balls for the fun of it.

It is not really a sport in the sense of an athletic event. It is a game of skill, like billiards or bowling, only played on a really big scale and subject to weather conditions. It is not an easy game. If you take up the game and immediately play well, just wait, the game will turn on you and cause you to spend many tormented hours wondering what happened. But, once hooked, you will keep on.

Golfers will try anything. Hours are spent adjusting grips and stances. I have seen professionals on the range with a variety of bands twisted around themselves, trying to forve their bodies to learn a certain swing pattern. You may hit a 1000 balls on the driving range and be sure that your swing is perfect, only to go to the course and miss every fairway.

But, when you have a good round, or even when you simply sink a difficult putt, the rewards are hard to put into words. A sort of glowing satisfaction takes over, at least until the next hole when you miss a 2 footer.

I am not sure if non-fans of the game are aware of the amazing skill that the professionals display. Those guys are able, usually, to not only drive the ball in the fairway, but into the exact part of the fairway they want to. I have seen Tiger Woods hit a 100 yard pitch shot, then say he was going to take 2 yards off the next one and hit his spot precisely. They do this shot after shot, day after day, week after week. They really are that good. Usually, for even the best, have days they just cannot hit a shot the way they want to. That is why it is so much fun to watch them; they suffer the same frustrations that the average player does.

Yes, the game is slow paced, but so is baseball, where a game is seldom under 3 hours. Football is a game with a 1 hour time limit but, with all of the time outs and plays that stop the clock, it too usually lasts 3 hours or more. The pace of golf allow tension to build and, in a close tournament, it is fascinating to watch the players respond to that tension. Besides, why not relax for a few hours and be entertained by highly skilled players?

Now, for the average player, I do agree that the game is too slow. To those playiing a round with their buddies let me remind you of this. You are not pros playing for a million dollar prize. Look over the shot and hit the damn ball. You do not need to take forever because you do not know what you are doing. A pro must examine a shot closely because he is trying to hit a very precise shot. Most of you are simply trying to put an approach shot somewhere on the green. Faced with a 40 foot putt, a pro has to look it over because he has to see every nuance if he hopes to sink it. Most of you should be thrilled just to 2 putt. So, don't dawdle.

It is a grand game, both to obeserve and to play. The pros are overpaid, certainly, but no more so than in any other sport., If you have some time to relaxed and be entertained, I recommend golf; both playing and watching.

America and the Internet

I have not been able to blog for a few days. We seem to be having Internet connection problems. Why? Well, who knows? We deal with Comcast and they are not big on providing answers. They are also not big on fixing things.

But this just serves to re-inforce something I have thought a lot about. We have become almost totally dependent on that cobbled together system we call the Internet and when, not if, there is a breakdown that knocks it out of commision, even for a day or two, there will be chaos.

A failure of the internet is inevitable. Chaos theory states that the more complex a system is, the more likely it is to malfunction. It is true that the system has built in redundancy so that if one link goes bad, another will take up the slack, but suppose it does not. Remember, anything we build has a chance of not working and we really cannot do a lot of test runs on the system without shutting part of it down deliberately, and that is not done. We are banking almost everything on assumptions.

Then, there is the issue of cyber attacks, It is possible for skilled hackers to bring down servers. A coordinated attack could bring down several. There have already been instances where individual servers have simply been bombarded by traffic and stopped functioning. A massive operation could temporarily shut down the Internet and even if only temporary, it would cause upheaval. Anything depending on precise timeing would be thrown off and businesses would suffer. Also, faith in the Internet would waver and a frantic search for alternatives would ensue and no one is ready for that.

We are also faced with the possibility of physical damage to the web. Recently, the US became fairly frantic when they discovered Russian submarines lurking near a spot where many cables were laid. Nothing happened, but the threat lingers.

Another potential source of problems is Mother Nature, herself. We are subject to such unpleasantries as Solar flares, which, if they occur when our magnetic field is in one of its weak phases, have the potential of wiping out most everything electronic.

Finally, we cannot overlook the chance of terrorist attack. Of course, they have little chance of bombing major computer hubs but, if any one of them ever gets their hand on atomics, a simple blast, set off in the air, will have the same effect as a Solar flare, due to the creation of an electromagnetic pulse. Now that I think of it, the North Koreans, hardly a bastion of stability, are getting very close to that capability.

The solution? There really is none, short of weaning yourself off its use. The problem is that businesses are going to be loathe to do that. so we humans will almost certainly become more and more dependent on the internet. It is a handy tool for business, but, putting all your eggs in such a fragile basket is a really bad idea, one that will bite us in the rear one day. When that day comes, just stay calm and trust that you will find a way to muddle through what will likely be a nightmare.

America - The Majority

I want to make something clear. I love America, both the idea of it and the majority of its citizens. I have taken to task the media, the government and the big corporations, for good reason, but the vast majority of folks are decent, good people. and the structure that made the Nation great is still in place, sort of.

The media is dominated, in fact, owned by, big, big corporations. I have little doubt that the on air news people are basically decent people, for the most part, so I do not really fault them. They, like most of us, are just trying to make a living, and, like most of us, have to play by the boss' rules. I will say that in times of emergencies, they do a pretty good job, at least until the crisis passes and they have to start spinning the information again. It is the giant corporations that are to blame for the focus most broadcasts choose. Certain events are covered, others ignored, and always, those favored by CEOs are given smooth passage.

I am also sure that many public officials are, at heart, decent people. I doubt that few of them go home and kick the dog or make their kids live on gruel. I am sure many of them would love to actually help people and, every now and then, they manage to push through a piece of legislation or two that does help. The problem is this. To get elected, and keep getting elected, costs a bunch of money and, always, there are business representatives, lobbyists, PAC funders, etc., who are just waiting with big checks, provided you do as they wish. Power, which does come with elected office, is perhaps the most insidious of drugs, and the lust to obtain and keep that power clouds the minds of even those with the best intentions. In the Lord of the Rings, even the great elves, even Gandalf, had no desire to take the ring from Frodo, lest they be tempted by all of that power. So, government grows more and more corrupt and less and less concerned with the welfare of the vast majority of its citizens.

Even amongst corporate leaders, I am confident that many, if not most, are reasonably honest men and women who simply want to put out a good product at a decent price and who try to treat their employees fairly. It is when we get into the upper reaches of business, the mega-corporations and the mega-banks that we begin to detect the truly rotten apples that spoil the business world. These are the manipulators, the men and women who are always trying to steer the world in the direction they want, no matter what the cost to others. In the board rooms of these ridiculously large institutions, the most despicable lust for power is put on display. These giants of business have polluted the environment, released a mind boggling array of pharmaceuticals, crushed smaller businesses in the drive to own the World, have manipulated economies in ways that have enslaved most of the Earth's population, and are looking for more.

The majority of American citizens are, at heart, or so I fervently hope, still as ornery and cranky as ever. Likewise, they are still the hardest working and most creative people around and also, the most fun loving. But, right now, they seem to be slumbering, sleepwalking through the beginning years of this millennium. Understandable, since, as I have previously explained, we have been bombarded with change at a furious rate over the course of the last century. But, unfortunately, we cannot yet rest. There are countless troubles on the horizon and we must face them or this great experiment, The United States, will be nothing but a fond memory. Forget troubles abroad, we must solve our problems here. Walt Kelly's wonderful old comic strip Pogo had the wonderful line, "we have met the enemy and he is us." That is the truth.

The structures that made this Nation great are still in tact and we need to reclaim their use. The elections we are seeing unfold are nothing but a farce. I urge you to vote, but not for either of the 2 parties. Vote for any 3rd party candidate you can find. They will not win, but it will send a message that you wish to participate in elections but refuse to put up with the current dog and pony show of Trump, Clinton, Bush and the rest of the confederacy of dunces ( not an original line. A Confederacy of Dunces is a wonderfully funny novel by John Kennedy Toole. I just love the phrase). If there are no 3rd Party candidates, write in Homer Simpson or SpongeBob Squarepants. Just let the ruling elite know that you are wise to their game and you have had about all you can take.

Will that work? Who knows, but right now, it seems to me to be the only palatable response; if mockery does not get their attention, then, as was done in the 60s, it might be necessary to get in the streets, to start demonstrating. I sure hope not because, trust me, that is not pleasant. In the meantime, simplify your lives, avoid debt like the plague, learn as much as you can about everything and take care of yourself, your friends and your families. Remember, you are the physical and spiritual descendent of the brave and brilliant people who created and built this Nation.

 

America _ More Wild Speculation, Part 3

So far, I have shown you the existence of a 'shadow government' and mentioned a few of the reasons they might think up to justify claiming power. One thing for sure, they intend to seize power. Groups like that do not think up elaborate plans just for the fun of it. They are not really a lot of laughs and they are mad, obsessed with power and control. So, how do they take the final step?

Easy. With the stroke of a pen. All it would take is the President's signature on a statement of National Emergency. These plans were begun during the Nixon days and are now firmly set in place, all under the umbrella of FEMA. Remember FEMA, those nice folks who totally botched the handling of the Hurricane Katrina mess. One reason they did so poorly there is that real emergencies are not what they are created for.

Perhaps some of you have seen the pictures of the emergency camps FEMA has set up here and there. The sight of those camps should chill the blood. When, not if, some emergency, real or, more likely, contrived does occur, the Federal Government will take over full control of the Nation. The following is not conjecture, not conspiracy nonsense. This is all a matter of public record, signed executive orders.  The constitution will be suspended. They will control the production and distribution of all food. Energy and mineral resources will be taken over, as will banking. You will surrender all weapons. Anyone, of proper age and in decent health will be drafted, either into the military or civilian work groups. Property will be seized and they will have the power to relocate anyone, even entire communities may be moved. They will control all highways, sea traffic and air traffic.

Anyone resisting any of these steps or voicing any opposition can be immediately detained and held indefinitely without any sort of legal recourse. Minorities will be watched very closely, as will anyone suspected of holding weapons, as will anyone who speaks or writes in opposition to the implementation of these policies. If we send troops to invade another country, anyone in opposition will be treated as a traitor. This puts those little FEMA camps in a different light, doesn't it?

I do believe that they have not done this yet only because they have not scared the American people sufficiently. After all, by nature, we are an ornery and cranky lot and they want as little opposition as possible. But, as I pointed out in the last part of this series, it would not be hard to create such a scenario. No, they have not yet sufficiently consolidated power, but, they are working on it. Watch the next elections. Clinton will try and further centralize power, carrying on the work of Obama. It may take the appointment of some new Supreme Court justices to do the trick, but with 4 of them in their 70s, that should be coming. The Donald is coming on more and more like a demagogue and is hinting at the extreme unilateral steps he wants to take. Trump, may have what it takes to really tighten the grip of the Federal Government. Do not be taken in by his supposed outsider stance. He, by definition, is the establishment, a fantastically wealth business man, an insider. I still have no idea what Bernie Sanders wants except a huge increase in taxes and a huge increase in government. Just what he means to do with that enormous government is what concerns me.

I really loathe politics and had intended to pay no further attention to these ridiculous elections. I still can think of no one running who I could support, or even drag myself to the polls for. I truly believe that who is elected just doesn't matter, They will do the bidding of their masters, the corporations who really run this Country and most of the rest of the World. However, more and more, I feel a need to keep an eye on what is happening, because that is the only way to figure how to respond.

Again, the above steps that are authorized under Executive Orders are not conjecture or conspiracy rantings. They are documented and are Federal law and it only takes a signature to begin implementing them.

America - More Wild Speculation, Part 2

Last time, I talked a bit about the existence of a shadow government that may possibly be plotting to take control of the US, for any of a variety of evil purposes. How, you may ask, would they actually go about that?

Glad you asked, because there are any of a number of possibilities. Of course, all of this is just wild speculation, maybe. But it is fun, so let me proceed.

Let's start with natural disasters. You may think that such things are out of man's control. Well, not exactly. When I was a youngster, back inn the dim past, cloud seeding was a hot idea. Silver iodide crystals were dropped into burgeoning clouds in hopes of making rain. That failed, but, undeterred, we began seeding hurricanes. The thinking was that maybe by intensifying them, while they were out in the deep ocean, they would burn themselves out before reaching land. They didn't. Instead, they intensified and hit land  Then came a new idea, electromagnetic pulses. Now, the government has implemented that program, first as HARP, then as DARPA, and assure us that they are just stimulating the ionosphere to improve satellite signals, but the folks who invented the technology state quite clearly that these pulses can be used to muck about with the weather, not that we would ever think of doing that. Would we? Then we have chemtrails. These are vapor trails from jets we are told. Well, again, when I was younger, living in South Florida, we saw vapor trails. They were an occasional sight, and lasted a few minutes, before fading. Now, I see many of them crisscrossing the sky and they linger for an hour or more. Do they affect the weather? Who knows? Who even knows what they are dumping? But I do know this. I am in South Georgia. The other day, the long term forecast was for sunny and warmer. I went out, saw a whole lot of chemtrails and, sure enough, the weather turned rainy then very cold. It should be in the 70s here and I am freezing. But, I am sure that I would be told that it is just a coincidence. Funny, I keep running into a lot of coincidences recently.

Then we have the specter of  terrorism and/or civil unrest. We certainly have seen evidence of both in the last year or two, and while I imagine that mostly they are the work of malcontents, I just cannot help remembering a little program from the 60s, COINTELPRO. Look it up sometime when you have a few days to spend online and you will see what our government is capable of, We are assured that such things no longer go on, but why should we believe that?

Finally, the most screwball idea of all, a laughable bit of nonsense, except for the fact that it was suggested by the esteemed Henry Kissinger. Henry K suggested that the best way to get Americans to accept strict control was by faking an Alien invasion. After all, we have the technology; a lot, if not all of the UFOs spotted are military test projects. All you have to do is land one, dress up some guys in ET costumes and report that to the media. The media, in turn, will do their job and work the Nation into a paranoid frenzy. Then, our benevolent government will spring into action, and declare a National Emergency. What happens then? Stay tuned for part 3.

America _ More Wild Speculation, Part 1

I had so much fun the other day with various wild speculations about possible natural disasters that I decided to look at a man made one today. Keep in mind that all of this is speculation and not likely to happen, or so I am assured. Who knows?

Let's start with a big one. It has been considered among some of the weirder folks who write, both in print and on the Internet, that soon, very soon, the Government, in some sort of conspiracy involving the Military and the Executive Branch, will create a crisis and use that as an excuse to suspend the Constitution. This is based around the existence of a 'shadow government' designed and kept operational for just in case a true disaster arises. Now, certainly, we need plans for emergencies, but, not when those handling those plans are using them to run things, form outside the legal government. That such provisions exist is a fact, documentation abounds, and we have seen this shadow government stick its little nose up for air a couple of times. During the Iran Contra affair, it became clear that certain people within the government and military were playing by different rules and running a sort of parallel government, one not necessarily in synch with the official one.

Then, as the horror of 9/11 was unfolding, we saw more evidence. Remember GW Bush sitting reading to school kids. Remember how Dick Chaney was swept into safety and seclusion. Remember how orders for dealing with the aftermath were being carried out, even though we, the people were not told where those orders were coming from. Who actually ordered all of that metal from the wreckage to be gathered and sold for scrap before it could be analyzed? Who, in the midst of a total lockdown of the Nation's airports, approved the flight of Saudis who suddenly had an itch to go home? Who, when it was clear that planes were being flown off course and toward major cities, ordered the Air Force to stand down with no protective response? Well, someone did. Major operations such as that do not happen spontaneously.

If you poke around a bit, dig through some records that are easily found on the Internet, you will see that such things have gone on for a while. Just look at a little deal called Operation Paperclip. At the end of World War 2, Truman, our President and Commander in Chief, ordered that ex-Nazis of any significant rank, not be allowed into the US. Well, the head of the OSS, Alan Dulles, which then morphed into the CIA, had false documents drawn up so that we could import a whole bunch of ex=Nazi scientists, including 'rocket man' Werner von Braun, a former SS officer. As part of the deal, the brainchild of Hitler's secretary, Martin Borman, we also allowed many loathsome individuals, who should have been tried at Nuremberg, to flee to South America with a bunch of money.

Fast forward to the latter days of the Eisenhower administration and you will find, in the government's own records, the insane proposal of Operation Northwood. It seems that once Castro decided he was a Communist and began ousting American business interests, largely the holdings of such outstanding citizens as Meyer Lansky, Carlos Marcello, and Santos Trafficante, our Military and CIA began urging the President to do something unthinkable. They thought we should dress Latin-looking soldiers up in Cuban Army uniforms and sent them through the streets of a few major US cities, randomly shooting people was proposed. It was assumed that this would rile the citizens into supporting an invasion of Cuba. Eisenhower thought it a good idea. Before it could be done, Kennedy took office and said, no, we definitely would not be doing that, the beginning of a hostile relationship between himself and some of the more shadowy figures in out government and military the ended with, well, we know how it ended. The shadowy side of our Government, those secreting themselves and pulling the strings from the background have been gaining power ever since.

Look at the mess. Assassinations, the CIA guarding of opium flights out of the golden Triangle, project MkUltra, project COINTEl, Watergate, Iran-Contra, the cocaine flights of Barry Seal into Mena Arkansas, Whitewater (that investigation was never pushed hard into the financial areas, instead we worried about the President having some girl play with his private parts), 9/11, the shameful manipulations and lies that sent us into our never ending adventures in the Mid-East, on and on the lists go. Some group is pulling the strings, calling the shots, and it is not our elected officials. They are just marionettes, front men. This has gone on throughout our history but, since the second World War, this shadow group is calling the shots more and more.

So, will they declare an emergency and finally, at last, complete their takeover. How would they manage that you may ask? Stay tuned for Part 2.

America - Think Outside the Box

It has been said, I believe by Albert Einstein, that the definition of insanity is continuing to do the same thing, over and over, while expecting the results to change. If you go out this morning, and you have a dead battery, you can go back every 5 minutes and try to start your car and, trust me, it won't start. If you keep expecting your engine to roar into action, you have a bit of a mental issue.

Well, we go out every 4 years and go through the same process of choosing a President and Congress, and, guess what? Nothing changes, at least not in the way we hope for. Things certainly do not improve. As a result, I have come to the conclusion that we, as a Nation, are actually quite mad.

Now I have no problem with madness. Most of the folks I have counted as friend throughout my life have been unusual, to put it nicely. I myself, have been long considered eccentric, by some, and a lunatic, by others, and I accept those descriptions with a bit of pride. But, as weird as I am, I do not bang my head against the wall.

There must be a new way, a different way, to affect change in America. The problem is, the elections, the whole process of them, requires a lot of money, and, for the most part, money is funneled through PACs to the candidates. The PACs, of course, represent special interests, in other words, big corporations. They do not want change that will benefit the average American. To do so would cost them money and power. I do have a little interest in Bernie Sander's campaign which seems to be financed by small donations. Interesting, and I will watch to see how far he can go before the well runs dry. Maybe, in his candidacy, there is a glimmer of hope that the process might work, but do not count on it. I will be shocked if, as time goes on, the big business does not just start flooding money into other campaigns.

It is interesting that young folks seem to be Bernie's supporters and are the ones contributing. That is great but, to be blunt, there are 2 problems there. First, young people are generally not that affluent and it is not sure how long they can keep donating. Second, past history shows that young people have attention spans much like that of a puppy. They go wild about something for a brief while, then  turn their attention to the next thing that grabs their eye. I am not faulting them; I was the same way. It is just the nature of young humans. So, in short, while I am interested, I am not holding out great hope for Bernie.

No, I think that, in the end, this election cycle will be just like the others, a waste. So, how will we right the American ship of State. By turning our attention away from the tried and true. Take your life into your own hands. If you have an idea, no matter how unusual, for a business, try it. Start small and stay small. That way, you retain control. Start considering alternative approaches to economics, such as bartering. Look into forming cooperatives, like minded folks who work together to buy various things in bulk, at better prices. Look into things like community gardens. Consider, as much as possible, to barter for goods, and especially, for services. Look after your own health; even with good insurance, doctors and medicines are costly. Avoid hugely expensive entertainments, such as big concerts and top level professional sports. You can often hear great music by lesser known artists and a school baseball game can often be as entertaining as a Yankee game. Better still, learn to make some music yourself, or get out and play sports with friends.

Vote locally and try to find folks who will attempt to change things at a local level. That is where you still have a chance to make something actually happen.

Stay out of debt. If you are in debt, get out as soon as possible. Do not buy on credit unless it is a dire emergency. Once you are in debt, you are trapped.

Most of all, stay small and stay away as much as possible from the mainstream. The big companies and the big politicians will eat you alive. When you are free from the machinations of those who are running the big show, then your mind is free to think outside the box. When we start to do this, there is a chance for real change. But, if you continue to keep doing the same thing, day after day, year after year, with the hope that one day it will work, you are quite mad, but not in a fun way.

America and Wild Speculation

In my last blog, I stated my belief that something big is about to hit America and that our leaders are keeping our attention focused on this inane election so we would not notice. Don't upset the rabble; keep the peasants calm is often their attitude. I also said that I did not want to engage in useless speculation, but, on second thought, why not? Wild speculation is fun and seems to be  a favored pastime. So, here goes.

Let us assume that our government financed scientists keep things from us. That is a good assumption. There are 3 natural disasters that are very possibly going to hit in the foreseeable future. We are told that scientists have no clue when but, I think they might have a wee clue.

First, the Yellowstone super volcano. It is definitely due to blow. Seemingly it does that on a periodic basis and is slightly past due, and the crown in the caldera is rising at an ever increasing and alarming rate. What if it blows? Well, for ages we have been told that it will wipe out much of Earth's life and bury US citizens in ash up to our neck. There is a growing consensus among geologists that such an estimate is a little exaggerated. If you are within 1000 miles of a full blow, yes,, you are gone but, further away, the chances of survival improve. Certainly life will be tough and vastly changed, but many, the further away the better, will survive. We will still likely have the capability of feeding ourselves. However, the rest of the world will be in deep trouble. We grow a whole lot of food and, in the aftermath of such a disaster, we would stop exports. It is estimated that about 400000000 Africans would die of starvation quickly and we have no idea what this would do to China, since they too depend on us for a lot of food.

Even a partial eruption would create chaos. Chaos, of course breeds conflict and I do not believe that the rest of the World will sit by and starve peacefully. Areas like the Ukraine also produce much grain and, this may give you an idea why Putin is so eager to keep control there. I certainly cannot blame him, however I can understand why Europe gets a but edgy over the whole scenario, especially since it now has all of those Middle Eastern mouths to feed.

However, there is now thought that the volcano may not blow. Instead, the building pressure could cause a shift in the tectonic plates, leading to a massive Earthquake, something on the scale of a 9 on the Richter scale, the equivalent of 99000000 tons of TNT. What this would do to the rest of our Earth's very unstable crust is legitimately unknown, but remember, almost all of the Pacific rim, including California and Alaska is unstable and subject to both earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Just the quake in Yellowstone would be a National disaster on an unthinkable scale.

The other possible impending disaster comes from space. Our friend and neighbor, the Sun, gets a bit cranky on occasion, and spews an enormous amount of radiation our way. Solar flares are known to disrupt electronics on Earth. Fortunately, we are surrounded by a magnetic field that, mostly, protects us. However, mostly is not always and our shield fluctuates. If a big flare occurs at one of those moments of weakness, all, and I mean all, electronic circuits are fried and modern life shrieks to a halt. No computer, no TV or radio, no AC, not electric lights, nothing, unless you have a generator, and, guess what? No electricity means you could not zip on down to the gas station and get the fuel to run that generator. All of that is bad enough but, even worse is the damage to life. Much of the planet's life, including us, would be devastated by the intense radiation.  

The third possibility is a little more of a long shot, but why not throw it out there. Most agree that any asteroids headed our way would not make it through the atmosphere and hit land. Probably true, but we should remember that in Siberia, in the early 1900s, one made it far enough in to explode in the air. It wiped out a very large swath of forest, knocking over trees like matchsticks. On a lesser scale, a meteor exploded over Russia a few years back and the explosion blew out glass windows and scared the hell out of a lot of folks. That is not the problem. A slightly larger explosion than the one that hit Siberia would produce an electromagnetic pulse, much in the way a nuclear bomb exploded in the air would do. The effect? Again, as with the Solar flare, lights out.

Are these potential disasters looming? Is this why our attention is being directed toward Hillary and the Donald and toward the non-existent Zika virus crisis. I don't know, but I guarantee you this. Something is going on, or is about to go on, and we are being kept in the dark. But, cheer up. Maybe I am wrong and the only thing about to happen is a simple invasion by aliens from a hostile planet.

America Waits for the Other Shoe to Drop

Iowa. We are obsessed, according to the news media, with Iowa. Today, they have their caucuses and the results will prove absolutely nothing. Many former Presidents have lost Iowa, not surprising since, no offence to any Iowans, they are not representative of most of America. However, like sharks smelling blood, Fox and CNN are devoting the day to coverage, which is very strange since there will be no results until much later in the evening.

Elsewhere, wars are raging, terrorists are threatening and the weather around the World is downright bizarre. The only other story I have seen mention of is the Zika virus, so let's look at that. I did a bit of research this morning and learned that it really is none to serious, Only 1 in 5 who have the virus show symptoms and that those symptoms, when they develop, are fairly mild and gone in about 2 weeks. There is some concern about pregnant women, but that is true with every illness. Yet, the media and the World health Organization are wringing their hands and declaring a possible pandemic.

Think back. In recent years, we have had pandemics of MRSA, bird flu, swine flu, Ebola, and SARS predicted. They never materialized. Yes, some people got sick and some died, and I do not want to make light of serious illnesses, but pandemic is a little bit of an exaggeration. Let's keep some numbers in mind. There is about 7 billion people on Earth. AIDS, as horrible as it is, has killed about 35 million. A horrible thing? Of course, but that is 1/2 of 1% of the total population.

We will have a true pandemic one day, but not now. Zika will not be the scourge of humanity.

Why then are we beset with doomsday prophecies and inane election coverage? Simple, something big is going to happen. What? I am not sure, but what we are seeing in the media is misdirection. Those who run the World in general, and the US in particular know something and do not believe we, the general population, can handle it. Either that or they are afraid we will stop it. Is it a Natural disaster? A political coup or some new military adventure? Perhaps the long awaited Extraterrestrial invasion (odd threat they just brought back the X-Files and the CIA just released its old UFO files)? An economic collapse? I really have no idea and have no wish to engage in wild speculation, although that is a lot of fun, but I have been around long enough and seen enough strangeness to know when something funny is in the works. I am just waiting for the other shoe to drop, and, given how weirdly edgy most people seem, I think a bunch of other folks are doing the same.