It's Saturday. Hooray for the weekend, If you have off, relax and have fun. It you have to work, make lots of money.
A great thing to do would be to take a virtual trip to Kindle and check out the new ebooks I have out. Sorry, I have to sneak in a short commercial.
This is a two part story. They are sold separately and each can stand alone, but they are better when read consecutively,
Principalities of the Air, Part One, Ravening Wolves, by John Wright, tells the tale of two ancient enemies, who meet in modern times and find themselves in a battle over the fate of two very unique children,
Part Two, Cut Down to the Ground, is a continuation of the story, with the same enemies, in somewhat different forms, fighting a new war, this one for the fate of mankind.
The stories are tense, funny and intelligent. You will be on the edge of your seat and your brain will be put into overdrive, and at times, you will be smiling, laughing, and moved to tears. These are tales of nobility and heroism, without the fantasy, Sword and Sorcerer stuff.
Personally, and I admit to a little bias, I think that reading them would be a fine way to pass a few hours this weekend.
However you spend your weekend, I hope it is a fun, pleasant and Blessed couple of days.
Saturday, June 30, 2018
Friday, June 29, 2018
Talk to Each Other
There is a disturbing trend in this Country. People no longer talk to each other. Oh sure, we say hello, mostly, and how are you and maybe comment on the weather. In stores, if you are very lucky, someone may ask if they can help you. They generally seem relieved if you say no.
I am talking about actual conversation, give and take on actual subjects. Not necessarily heavy debates on politics or philosophy. Just simple, natural conversation.
I grew up around country folks, and while they sure had their flaws, they could talk. The eldest had grown up with no TV and didn't even have radios until they were adults. Those in my parents age group had grown up with radio, but seldom had time to listen a lot and TV was a novelty, to be watched sparingly. For entertainment, they talked, told stories, debated politics a little, maybe squabbled a bit over sports and generally, just kept up a wonderfully entertaining string of small talk. There were arguments, sometimes heated, but always there was respect between the arguers. Generally they ended with someone saying something funny to break the tension . Either that or my Grandmother would bring out something to eat, and her food could bring peace between Nancy Pelosi and President Trump.
I don't long for a return to those pre-electric days. Not at all. But I do miss conversation,
Anytime I am in a store, I try to get workers to chat bit, Same around where I live. Sometimes it works, often not, but I have to try.
Why am I so concerned about this. Simple. We are human beings and our minds and souls love stories. As far as I know, we are the only creatures on Earth who do so. It is healthy and solidifies social bonds.
I don't mean texting. We need to hear the human voice. Reading is wonderful, bur it doesn't give the same feeling of contact.
So, go out of your way to talk to folks. Small talk, nonsense, babble are just fine. Talk and listen and your life will be richer.
I am talking about actual conversation, give and take on actual subjects. Not necessarily heavy debates on politics or philosophy. Just simple, natural conversation.
I grew up around country folks, and while they sure had their flaws, they could talk. The eldest had grown up with no TV and didn't even have radios until they were adults. Those in my parents age group had grown up with radio, but seldom had time to listen a lot and TV was a novelty, to be watched sparingly. For entertainment, they talked, told stories, debated politics a little, maybe squabbled a bit over sports and generally, just kept up a wonderfully entertaining string of small talk. There were arguments, sometimes heated, but always there was respect between the arguers. Generally they ended with someone saying something funny to break the tension . Either that or my Grandmother would bring out something to eat, and her food could bring peace between Nancy Pelosi and President Trump.
I don't long for a return to those pre-electric days. Not at all. But I do miss conversation,
Anytime I am in a store, I try to get workers to chat bit, Same around where I live. Sometimes it works, often not, but I have to try.
Why am I so concerned about this. Simple. We are human beings and our minds and souls love stories. As far as I know, we are the only creatures on Earth who do so. It is healthy and solidifies social bonds.
I don't mean texting. We need to hear the human voice. Reading is wonderful, bur it doesn't give the same feeling of contact.
So, go out of your way to talk to folks. Small talk, nonsense, babble are just fine. Talk and listen and your life will be richer.
Thursday, June 28, 2018
And Now an Opposing View
It occurs to me that yesterday's predictions drifted a wee bit toward the gloomy side. I stand by all of them, but I do see some bright spots.
First, the announced retirement of Supreme Court Justice Kennedy. He was basically a moderate and I guarantee his replacement will be conservative, a fairly young cponservative, who will sit there for many years. The President has Congressional Majorities and will hanner thiss appointment through before the mid terms. Hooray.
Second, by imposing his travel and immigration ban, now approved by the Supreme Court, the affedted countries will be forced to deal with their own problems instead of pushing dissidents over here. Most European natins will follow suit and the Mid East may finally setlle down.
We will finally redognize the importance of Latin Amerrica and turn our attention toward them, nor ro impose our will, but simply to become good neighbors.
We will see even lower Federal taxes. Local and State taxes may go up a bit,, but at least those officials know what their citizens need and want.
We will, at long last, make a serious move to repair our disgraceful infrastructure.
More, non violent criminals will be punished ny fines, community service and being restricted in their travels ( home to work and back). This will lower the overall cost of imprisoning the truly dangerous. Also, more and more prisons will be administered by provate companies. Nothing improves efficiency ike looking for profits.
Likewise, you will see a move to have schools run by private companies. They may still be public, but not government administered.
The Space Program will return, only this time at a more practical level/ The first steps toward creating a Moon colony will begin. It will be small and, initially serve as a base for launching probes and Rover type missions to Mars, of course, but also to the moons of Saturn and Jupiter, which may actually support life. We will explore the asteroid belt and, at last see what lies beyond Pluto.
Huge entertainment blockbusters will give way to small local show. They are less expensive and usually more entertaining, Golf will become more popular as an actual sport people play instead of watching with the spread of tiny courses, (9. or even 6 holes), short and playable by all. Bowling will get more popular as will other sports that real people can play, badminton, croquet, flag football and such. Restaurant chains and fine dining palaces will give way to small cafes, diners and even street vendors. On line shopping will fail just as soon as their business is hit with sales tax, which us right around the corner.
A religious revival will occur, but not the old time fire and brimstone evangelism. Instead, we will have a gentle, community action oriented faith, short on doctrine and long on helping those in need, and open to moderate Christians, Jews and Moslems, to all the People of the Book. And, at last, we will have a religion compatible with science, as it used to be.
So, cheer up. Things are dark, but glimmers of light are staring to show. \
First, the announced retirement of Supreme Court Justice Kennedy. He was basically a moderate and I guarantee his replacement will be conservative, a fairly young cponservative, who will sit there for many years. The President has Congressional Majorities and will hanner thiss appointment through before the mid terms. Hooray.
Second, by imposing his travel and immigration ban, now approved by the Supreme Court, the affedted countries will be forced to deal with their own problems instead of pushing dissidents over here. Most European natins will follow suit and the Mid East may finally setlle down.
We will finally redognize the importance of Latin Amerrica and turn our attention toward them, nor ro impose our will, but simply to become good neighbors.
We will see even lower Federal taxes. Local and State taxes may go up a bit,, but at least those officials know what their citizens need and want.
We will, at long last, make a serious move to repair our disgraceful infrastructure.
More, non violent criminals will be punished ny fines, community service and being restricted in their travels ( home to work and back). This will lower the overall cost of imprisoning the truly dangerous. Also, more and more prisons will be administered by provate companies. Nothing improves efficiency ike looking for profits.
Likewise, you will see a move to have schools run by private companies. They may still be public, but not government administered.
The Space Program will return, only this time at a more practical level/ The first steps toward creating a Moon colony will begin. It will be small and, initially serve as a base for launching probes and Rover type missions to Mars, of course, but also to the moons of Saturn and Jupiter, which may actually support life. We will explore the asteroid belt and, at last see what lies beyond Pluto.
Huge entertainment blockbusters will give way to small local show. They are less expensive and usually more entertaining, Golf will become more popular as an actual sport people play instead of watching with the spread of tiny courses, (9. or even 6 holes), short and playable by all. Bowling will get more popular as will other sports that real people can play, badminton, croquet, flag football and such. Restaurant chains and fine dining palaces will give way to small cafes, diners and even street vendors. On line shopping will fail just as soon as their business is hit with sales tax, which us right around the corner.
A religious revival will occur, but not the old time fire and brimstone evangelism. Instead, we will have a gentle, community action oriented faith, short on doctrine and long on helping those in need, and open to moderate Christians, Jews and Moslems, to all the People of the Book. And, at last, we will have a religion compatible with science, as it used to be.
So, cheer up. Things are dark, but glimmers of light are staring to show. \
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
All Over the Place
This post will be all over the place. I am going to get out my Tarot cards, I Ching and crystal ball and try to predict what is going to come out of our ever changing scene
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the President's
immigration orders. There will begin a move to limit, or eliminate the Supreme Court.
There will soon be a crisis at the border, resulting in violent demonstrations. Keep a pot on a hot stove long enough and it will boil over. These confrontations will be ugly and will result in the beginning of the end of the left in this Country.
There will be major quarrels over the rights of Christians in this Country/ We have grown tired of being ridiculed and marginalized by the pagan/atheist movement in the US. Jesus said to turn the other cheek, but we have run out of cheeks.
A kind of 60s revival will take place, only this time weed will be legal. Psychedelics will make a comeback (already I see articles praising their effects). This will be short lived. The World is too complex now to tolerate such foolishness. Besides, I was there in those days and it was not all that great.
N. Korea will slowly and reluctantly live up to the recent nuclear deal. Iran will not and, very soon. the US and Israel will deal quickly and harshly with them.
China will learn to play nice on economic issues because, while they have money, they cannot grow enough food to feed their people. We can. Case closed.
Russia's economy is stumbling along and Putin will go, one way or another. God knows what will come out of that.
Mexico will give in to economic pressure from the US and get a grip on their side of the border. S. and Central America and the Islands will not be allowed to send its wretchedly impoverished people here and will have to solve their issues.
The EU will complete its collapse and Europe will descend into a sort of Dark Ages 2.0, for a good long while.
The climate is changing, and tropical weather will be fierce. That, combined with rising sea levels and beach erosion will send people fleeing those coastal homes they all just bought. At the same time, droughts will beset other regions forcing us to completely rethink our farming and food consumption habits
On a lighter note, Martin Kaymer will win the Open Championship and Bubba Watson will win the PGA. Tiger Woods will not win anything and will announce his retirement due to back injuries. Phil Mickelson will fade into golfing oblivion and tournaments will stop handing out invitations to old, fading stars who just take up space on the courses. Soon, pro golf will become unsupportable due to overly bloated purses and equally bloated egos, and courses that require 9000 yards to keep up with the new power game. Pro golf will also be hit by a steroid scandal. Football attendance will dwindle and baseball and basketball will not be far behind. Tickets are too high and the level of play is not good. Boxing will all but disappear.
Last, Republicans will beat the stiffing out of Democrats in the mid terms and that will spell the end of the Democratic Party.
Have fun. This is going to be interesting.
The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the President's
immigration orders. There will begin a move to limit, or eliminate the Supreme Court.
There will soon be a crisis at the border, resulting in violent demonstrations. Keep a pot on a hot stove long enough and it will boil over. These confrontations will be ugly and will result in the beginning of the end of the left in this Country.
There will be major quarrels over the rights of Christians in this Country/ We have grown tired of being ridiculed and marginalized by the pagan/atheist movement in the US. Jesus said to turn the other cheek, but we have run out of cheeks.
A kind of 60s revival will take place, only this time weed will be legal. Psychedelics will make a comeback (already I see articles praising their effects). This will be short lived. The World is too complex now to tolerate such foolishness. Besides, I was there in those days and it was not all that great.
N. Korea will slowly and reluctantly live up to the recent nuclear deal. Iran will not and, very soon. the US and Israel will deal quickly and harshly with them.
China will learn to play nice on economic issues because, while they have money, they cannot grow enough food to feed their people. We can. Case closed.
Russia's economy is stumbling along and Putin will go, one way or another. God knows what will come out of that.
Mexico will give in to economic pressure from the US and get a grip on their side of the border. S. and Central America and the Islands will not be allowed to send its wretchedly impoverished people here and will have to solve their issues.
The EU will complete its collapse and Europe will descend into a sort of Dark Ages 2.0, for a good long while.
The climate is changing, and tropical weather will be fierce. That, combined with rising sea levels and beach erosion will send people fleeing those coastal homes they all just bought. At the same time, droughts will beset other regions forcing us to completely rethink our farming and food consumption habits
On a lighter note, Martin Kaymer will win the Open Championship and Bubba Watson will win the PGA. Tiger Woods will not win anything and will announce his retirement due to back injuries. Phil Mickelson will fade into golfing oblivion and tournaments will stop handing out invitations to old, fading stars who just take up space on the courses. Soon, pro golf will become unsupportable due to overly bloated purses and equally bloated egos, and courses that require 9000 yards to keep up with the new power game. Pro golf will also be hit by a steroid scandal. Football attendance will dwindle and baseball and basketball will not be far behind. Tickets are too high and the level of play is not good. Boxing will all but disappear.
Last, Republicans will beat the stiffing out of Democrats in the mid terms and that will spell the end of the Democratic Party.
Have fun. This is going to be interesting.
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
Back to the Madness
All right, now. had a nice weekend and a stormy, but quiet Monday and I' m ready to go. I think. That's the thing. Sometimes, I read and watch the news and my brain sits idling and the poor thing just doesn't know where to go.
Well, let's just jump right in.
A long time Congressperson (is that right?), Maxine Waters, from California, is calling for Trump supporters to be harassed and driven from the marketplace. Literally. I can think of no more frightening comment. The lunacy and danger of her statements should be apparent to all. My first thought was, 'okay, she has just killed the Democrats in the mid terms', but, I see actions around this Nation, mostly, and sadly by the young and the minorities, and I realize that many, many feel the same. We Americans are rapidly descending into a state of near war between the opposing factions and the up coming elections will not be pretty.
There are street demonstrations blocking immigration hearings and more concern is being shown for illegal immigrants than for America's impoverished families. Veterans, kids, the handicapped and the elderly are shown less compassion than drug smuggling violent thugs crawling into the Southwest.
Day by day, the level of discourse is growing harsher. People, not all, but many, can no longer have dialogues. They either scream and threaten or refuse to speak.
Any mention of God, has, for some time now, been met with scorn. For the last several years, it was a gentle scorn, a condescending ridicule. Sort of,'oh, isn't that cute that they believe in such a thing." Remember Obama 'a comment about 'clinging to their guns and Bibles." Now, the rhetoric is hostile and any mention of beliefs will likely get you shunned. Next comes active persecution and a banning from the marketplace. Remember Revelation? "He without the Mark of the Beast could not buy or sell." This is why Water's call for ousting Trump supporters from businesses and social events, and ousting in a forceful manner, is so disturbing. Folks of that mind set need to remember that line about clinging to guns. Those who cling to guns tend to use them when threatened and Americans are a cranky lot, especially in the conservative regions. And, whether the left like it or not, there are a lot of those folks.
No one in their right mind wants violence and there is no need for it, if we can just get back to civil discourse. One side seems willing and the other does not and that is the problem. Many on the left are determined to have their way, with no compromise. Well, that's not going to happen.
There is another option. If things get bad enough and elected officials cannot govern, and things are closer to that than anyone wants to believe. a group who thinks they have the power, can seize control and suspend the Constitution. That was codified under Obama, after being a well kept secret for years. All that information is available on line if you want to hunt for it. I did once and it is a daunting task which I once did and won't do again, I have far too much to do. If that were done, it would be nightmarish for some and not too bad for many. The Military would likely run things and a rather conservative wane would sweep the land. I really doubt it will come to that, but who knows? The way to stop such drastic measures is to grow up and learn to speak civilly and listen.
Well, let's just jump right in.
A long time Congressperson (is that right?), Maxine Waters, from California, is calling for Trump supporters to be harassed and driven from the marketplace. Literally. I can think of no more frightening comment. The lunacy and danger of her statements should be apparent to all. My first thought was, 'okay, she has just killed the Democrats in the mid terms', but, I see actions around this Nation, mostly, and sadly by the young and the minorities, and I realize that many, many feel the same. We Americans are rapidly descending into a state of near war between the opposing factions and the up coming elections will not be pretty.
There are street demonstrations blocking immigration hearings and more concern is being shown for illegal immigrants than for America's impoverished families. Veterans, kids, the handicapped and the elderly are shown less compassion than drug smuggling violent thugs crawling into the Southwest.
Day by day, the level of discourse is growing harsher. People, not all, but many, can no longer have dialogues. They either scream and threaten or refuse to speak.
Any mention of God, has, for some time now, been met with scorn. For the last several years, it was a gentle scorn, a condescending ridicule. Sort of,'oh, isn't that cute that they believe in such a thing." Remember Obama 'a comment about 'clinging to their guns and Bibles." Now, the rhetoric is hostile and any mention of beliefs will likely get you shunned. Next comes active persecution and a banning from the marketplace. Remember Revelation? "He without the Mark of the Beast could not buy or sell." This is why Water's call for ousting Trump supporters from businesses and social events, and ousting in a forceful manner, is so disturbing. Folks of that mind set need to remember that line about clinging to guns. Those who cling to guns tend to use them when threatened and Americans are a cranky lot, especially in the conservative regions. And, whether the left like it or not, there are a lot of those folks.
No one in their right mind wants violence and there is no need for it, if we can just get back to civil discourse. One side seems willing and the other does not and that is the problem. Many on the left are determined to have their way, with no compromise. Well, that's not going to happen.
There is another option. If things get bad enough and elected officials cannot govern, and things are closer to that than anyone wants to believe. a group who thinks they have the power, can seize control and suspend the Constitution. That was codified under Obama, after being a well kept secret for years. All that information is available on line if you want to hunt for it. I did once and it is a daunting task which I once did and won't do again, I have far too much to do. If that were done, it would be nightmarish for some and not too bad for many. The Military would likely run things and a rather conservative wane would sweep the land. I really doubt it will come to that, but who knows? The way to stop such drastic measures is to grow up and learn to speak civilly and listen.
Monday, June 25, 2018
A Quidk Word
Hope everyone had a great weekend and is getting through their Monday with ease. On the news, people are threatening and posturing. wailing and gnashing teeth and acting like complete jackasses. A bunch of folks were shot here in Georgia and I am sure that happened wherever you are. Scams are being pulled, animals and kids abused and general mayhem is breaking out all over.
We are about to have a monster thunderstorm erupt here, so let me be brief.
Don't sweat this stuff. It is all cyclical. The human race gets like this from time to time. It has happened before and it will happen again. Then, things ease off for a bit. Just ride out the storm, sort of like I am about to do with the one just kicking in here. Stay safe. Use your head and you'll be fine. Tomorrow, a real post.
We are about to have a monster thunderstorm erupt here, so let me be brief.
Don't sweat this stuff. It is all cyclical. The human race gets like this from time to time. It has happened before and it will happen again. Then, things ease off for a bit. Just ride out the storm, sort of like I am about to do with the one just kicking in here. Stay safe. Use your head and you'll be fine. Tomorrow, a real post.
Friday, June 22, 2018
Take a Break and Lighten Up
I write these blogs and I rant and rave and it does me a world of good. There are problems and we all should have some awareness of what's going on. When I think of answers, I offer them. At least I present some facts in a plain spoken, simple manner. I am serious when I write and mean everything I write.
But, that only takes a small part of my time. The rest of the time, I write creatively (remember those e books I have on Kindle. (sorry, just a quick ad), I talk, wander around, and watch a bit of golf on TV. I enjoy cooking, music and good wines and beers. I look at the trees and flowers, listen to the magnificent mockingbirds and talk to the squirrels. Yes, they answer, in their own way. I exercise, meditate and pray.
My point is this. I pay attention to politics and social issues, but I am not obsessed with the, Thinking and writing about the problems, is a small part of my day. I bring this up because it seems, from reports I hear and read, that many in this land are over the top when it comes to these matters.
This is not healthy and, more to the point, it is just silly. Problems, with the possible exceptions of natural disasters and illness, do not arise quickly and take time to solve. I don't care if you hammer away at them 24/7, they take time to fix. On top of that, you, the individual, will not solve them alone. All solutions are group efforts and that means taking time.
Chill out. Relax and have some fun. It's the weekend for many. If so, just enjoy it, If you're working, sorry, but come your days off, have some fun and get some rest. All these problems will still be there tomorrow and if they're not, guess what? New ones will take their place.
Make room for life's pleasures and relish each and every one.
But, that only takes a small part of my time. The rest of the time, I write creatively (remember those e books I have on Kindle. (sorry, just a quick ad), I talk, wander around, and watch a bit of golf on TV. I enjoy cooking, music and good wines and beers. I look at the trees and flowers, listen to the magnificent mockingbirds and talk to the squirrels. Yes, they answer, in their own way. I exercise, meditate and pray.
My point is this. I pay attention to politics and social issues, but I am not obsessed with the, Thinking and writing about the problems, is a small part of my day. I bring this up because it seems, from reports I hear and read, that many in this land are over the top when it comes to these matters.
This is not healthy and, more to the point, it is just silly. Problems, with the possible exceptions of natural disasters and illness, do not arise quickly and take time to solve. I don't care if you hammer away at them 24/7, they take time to fix. On top of that, you, the individual, will not solve them alone. All solutions are group efforts and that means taking time.
Chill out. Relax and have some fun. It's the weekend for many. If so, just enjoy it, If you're working, sorry, but come your days off, have some fun and get some rest. All these problems will still be there tomorrow and if they're not, guess what? New ones will take their place.
Make room for life's pleasures and relish each and every one.
Thursday, June 21, 2018
Immigration - Let's Get a Few Things Straight
I am sick of the immigration issue. Americans, and others, need to get a few points straight in their heads.
Illegal immigrants are, by definition of the word 'illegal,' criminals. We are a Nation of laws and they have broken them. They are not citizens and have no rights. We do not beat them or starve them. They should be detained until deported. Part of our problem stems from past policy. We let them loose if they promised to show up for hearings. They did not and we now have no idea how many there are or where they are. Now we detain them.
We separate them from their kids. Okay, that is sad, but detention facilities are not a good place for kids. This is not new. When citizens are imprisoned, they don't take their kids with them and in abusive and neglectful home, child welfare removes them. Separating kids and parents is not new. Regretful. but standard procedure..
Do not believe this 'we always welcomed immigrants' nonsense. I am old enough to remember the 'no Jews allowed' signs and in my grandmother's day, the Irish and Italians were scorned. The Asians and Hispanic were never welcomed with open arms.
In our early days we encouraged immigrants because we were sparsely populated and needed people to develop the land. Then, we industrialized and needed factory workers. In case you haven't noticed, we are no longer sparsely populated and since we need things like food and water, we have little land left to develop. And we no longer do a lot of heavy industrial work and much of that is robotically done/ Like it or not, and I don't, get over it. That's just the way it is now.
Immigration should be allowed in an orderly lawful manner. Applicants should have to prove that they can support themselves for some period and that they have something to offer that we need. We have a woeful lack of skilled workers and if an applicant has needed skills, let them in. Maybe that will wake up young Americans and they will get busy learning something. If not, I hope they enjoy picking fruit.
The same scenario is playing out in Europe. Germany's Chairman Merkel is threatened with a loss of power if she does not get a grip on immigration.
Compassion is always required but so is Justice and good common sense. Pay no attention to that inane little poem on the Statue of Liberty. Most people were never enamored of immigrants except when they needed cheap labor. It is just a silly poem, not National law or policy.
Illegal immigrants are, by definition of the word 'illegal,' criminals. We are a Nation of laws and they have broken them. They are not citizens and have no rights. We do not beat them or starve them. They should be detained until deported. Part of our problem stems from past policy. We let them loose if they promised to show up for hearings. They did not and we now have no idea how many there are or where they are. Now we detain them.
We separate them from their kids. Okay, that is sad, but detention facilities are not a good place for kids. This is not new. When citizens are imprisoned, they don't take their kids with them and in abusive and neglectful home, child welfare removes them. Separating kids and parents is not new. Regretful. but standard procedure..
Do not believe this 'we always welcomed immigrants' nonsense. I am old enough to remember the 'no Jews allowed' signs and in my grandmother's day, the Irish and Italians were scorned. The Asians and Hispanic were never welcomed with open arms.
In our early days we encouraged immigrants because we were sparsely populated and needed people to develop the land. Then, we industrialized and needed factory workers. In case you haven't noticed, we are no longer sparsely populated and since we need things like food and water, we have little land left to develop. And we no longer do a lot of heavy industrial work and much of that is robotically done/ Like it or not, and I don't, get over it. That's just the way it is now.
Immigration should be allowed in an orderly lawful manner. Applicants should have to prove that they can support themselves for some period and that they have something to offer that we need. We have a woeful lack of skilled workers and if an applicant has needed skills, let them in. Maybe that will wake up young Americans and they will get busy learning something. If not, I hope they enjoy picking fruit.
The same scenario is playing out in Europe. Germany's Chairman Merkel is threatened with a loss of power if she does not get a grip on immigration.
Compassion is always required but so is Justice and good common sense. Pay no attention to that inane little poem on the Statue of Liberty. Most people were never enamored of immigrants except when they needed cheap labor. It is just a silly poem, not National law or policy.
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Watch for Scams
I am not going on a long rant today. I di want to warn everyone abiyt a variety of scams going ib.
I have had some idiots calling saying they want to reimburse me for some computer problem they foxed for me. 3 years ago, my computer, not the one I have now, started going nuts. I got notice that I could use a Microsoft approved service to fix it. Being naïve, I paid them $200 to do so. It worked. Of course ir did because as I found out later, they hacked it and caused the problem. About a year later, they started calling, wanting to service the computer. The first 2 times, I said, nicely, that there was no need as I was using a different unit and had no problem. They kept calling. I finally started screaming at them to stop and then just stopped answering the phone, telling everyone I knew to leave a message/
Then they started calling wanting to reimburse me for overpayment. I may be dumb at times, but not that dumb. Their calls were blocked. Then I got an email form a collector demanding payment. I checked and no such service exists and I learned that many others were being targeted. I marked it as a phishing scam and deleted.it
Now we are getting threatening robo calls saying that they are going to take money out of our bank of we don't call them. They have no current bank info so we are not worried. Keep in mind, this is a robo call that starts in the middle of the rap. We get many such calls. Auto insurance past die. We have no car. Unpaid student loans. We are both in our mid 60s. And so on
The local news is filled each day with tales of computer scams and telephone hustles. Don't speak to these people. Don't open emails. Don't return calls. Do change user names and email accounts often. It is a pain, but worth it/. Sane foes for passwords. Do not take any calls or emails at face value. I gave been emailed several times saying I had bank problems and I needed to call immediately. I called the bank, had no problems and filed a phishing report. Watch your bank and credit balances. If you but on line, check the web address at the top of the screen. Just because an ad says it is a reliable store doesn't make it one. N ever but on the phone unless you initiate the call
Very young adults who have grown up online tend to be open to such scams. Old people, who panic easily are worse.
Theses people are the scum of the Earth and that is an insult to scum everywhere. I hear mention of Justice Department efforts to stop this insanity and I hope that is true. Until then, be ever vigilant.
Wow. Sorry. I guess I did go on a long rant. Maybe we all should. Let lawmakers know that this issue must be resolved.
Paranoid? A bit/ But, remember what R. Crumb's great cartoon character, Mr. Natural said. 'Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean people aren't out to get you.'
I have had some idiots calling saying they want to reimburse me for some computer problem they foxed for me. 3 years ago, my computer, not the one I have now, started going nuts. I got notice that I could use a Microsoft approved service to fix it. Being naïve, I paid them $200 to do so. It worked. Of course ir did because as I found out later, they hacked it and caused the problem. About a year later, they started calling, wanting to service the computer. The first 2 times, I said, nicely, that there was no need as I was using a different unit and had no problem. They kept calling. I finally started screaming at them to stop and then just stopped answering the phone, telling everyone I knew to leave a message/
Then they started calling wanting to reimburse me for overpayment. I may be dumb at times, but not that dumb. Their calls were blocked. Then I got an email form a collector demanding payment. I checked and no such service exists and I learned that many others were being targeted. I marked it as a phishing scam and deleted.it
Now we are getting threatening robo calls saying that they are going to take money out of our bank of we don't call them. They have no current bank info so we are not worried. Keep in mind, this is a robo call that starts in the middle of the rap. We get many such calls. Auto insurance past die. We have no car. Unpaid student loans. We are both in our mid 60s. And so on
The local news is filled each day with tales of computer scams and telephone hustles. Don't speak to these people. Don't open emails. Don't return calls. Do change user names and email accounts often. It is a pain, but worth it/. Sane foes for passwords. Do not take any calls or emails at face value. I gave been emailed several times saying I had bank problems and I needed to call immediately. I called the bank, had no problems and filed a phishing report. Watch your bank and credit balances. If you but on line, check the web address at the top of the screen. Just because an ad says it is a reliable store doesn't make it one. N ever but on the phone unless you initiate the call
Very young adults who have grown up online tend to be open to such scams. Old people, who panic easily are worse.
Theses people are the scum of the Earth and that is an insult to scum everywhere. I hear mention of Justice Department efforts to stop this insanity and I hope that is true. Until then, be ever vigilant.
Wow. Sorry. I guess I did go on a long rant. Maybe we all should. Let lawmakers know that this issue must be resolved.
Paranoid? A bit/ But, remember what R. Crumb's great cartoon character, Mr. Natural said. 'Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean people aren't out to get you.'
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
We Interrupt This Program
We Interrupt This Program was a great TV movie special some years back. It was fully advertised as a phony news broadcast. To prevent a panic, like War of the Worlds in the 1930s, they made it very clear that it was fiction.. It opened with news bulletin of an asteroid strike and turned into a story of our first alien contact, It did not end well. This was a terrifying and thought provoking movie that is still around on DVD and is well worth watching.
But, that us not what this post is about. No, it was a sneaky way to lead inti a short ad. I want to tell you about 3 more of my books, all available on Kindle.
First, The Grand Game, co written by Debra Weiner. This is the story of a strange, intense golf match on an old classic Scottish links course. The match takes a stunning dark turn, which leads to a deep spiritual revelation for one of the participants. This is a fine blend of sports and the spiritual that you will enjoy
Second, is The Guava Grove. I still hear and see a lot of nonsense about the infamous 60s, I was right in the middle of the whole mess and, trust me,It was not all just sex, drugs and rock and roll. For many, it was a time if complete madness. This is a fiction story of a well intentioned, nice, bright young man destroyed by demons, both personal and chemical. It is frightening and to quote Ken Kesey, from One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, 'it's the truth, even if it never happened, it's the truth.
Third, I present a non fiction work, To The Mockingbird's Trill. This was a tune my Grandmother used to hum. I set out writing an autobiography to help me figure our a few things. As I wrote, I discovered that I had a fascinating story if a time and its people who are now all but forgotten. To forget the would be a shame because their characters and their work made his Nation what it is today. Their story is , at turns, funny sad, and heroic. You will love these cranky, wonderful folks as much as I do.
We now resume our regular programming.
But, that us not what this post is about. No, it was a sneaky way to lead inti a short ad. I want to tell you about 3 more of my books, all available on Kindle.
First, The Grand Game, co written by Debra Weiner. This is the story of a strange, intense golf match on an old classic Scottish links course. The match takes a stunning dark turn, which leads to a deep spiritual revelation for one of the participants. This is a fine blend of sports and the spiritual that you will enjoy
Second, is The Guava Grove. I still hear and see a lot of nonsense about the infamous 60s, I was right in the middle of the whole mess and, trust me,It was not all just sex, drugs and rock and roll. For many, it was a time if complete madness. This is a fiction story of a well intentioned, nice, bright young man destroyed by demons, both personal and chemical. It is frightening and to quote Ken Kesey, from One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, 'it's the truth, even if it never happened, it's the truth.
Third, I present a non fiction work, To The Mockingbird's Trill. This was a tune my Grandmother used to hum. I set out writing an autobiography to help me figure our a few things. As I wrote, I discovered that I had a fascinating story if a time and its people who are now all but forgotten. To forget the would be a shame because their characters and their work made his Nation what it is today. Their story is , at turns, funny sad, and heroic. You will love these cranky, wonderful folks as much as I do.
We now resume our regular programming.
Monday, June 18, 2018
Can't We Do Anything Right?
Last week I wrote about the US Open golf championship. Well, the USGA, just as they have many times before, messed up a great tournament. Shinnecock Hills is a magnificent old course. But, like many old courses, it was not designed to play with fast greens. Seaside means wind. In Europe, where they have many such courses, they sensibly keep the greens slow. The USGA has a strange obsession with super fast greens and to get that they shave the grass and double roll them to pack the sand. Sand is another issue. It requires much water to keep grass alive. On top of that, they use a grass called poa annua. It is not a true grass and, as the day passes, it grows and becomes bumpy. and the sun and wind make it dry and crusty. They could use fescue or Bermuda, but for reasons I have never heard explained, they don't. They should/
In short, the greens become hard and way too fast and the last groups are putting on something resembling cauliflower, with the wind blowing the ball all over the place. You can manage that on nice flat greens, but, like many old courses, Shinneccok's greens are full of odd angles and slopes. The course becomes unplayable. Yeah , you can play a round, but it is not a test of skills, as the USGA claims. It is more a survival test. The USGA has a history of this and is rapidly losing all credibility.
On top of that, we had Phil Mickelson acting like a spoiled brat. He missed a putt and ran across the green and whacked the moving ball to keep it from rolling off the green. Yes, it was a frustrating day, but no one else acted like a petulant child. He insulted a game that has made him millions of dollars. Them making matters worse, claimed he knew what he was doing and the 2 stroke penalty was better that having the ball go off the green. Nonsense. He likely would have made an 8. but that beats a 10. He did get that 2 stroke penalty, but he could and should have been DQed.
Why all this fuss over golf, The golf is not the point. We Americans have developed an obsession with power and speed and either we back off that to a reasonable degree or we will lose many grand old traditions, like golf at classic courses. Plus, we have grown to tolerate stupid displays of selfish, childish behavior, especially by celebrities. I love golf, but many of its stars are becoming spoiled purulent kids, and that is an insult to kids everywhere. What is true for athletes is true for many other citizens. Last week, Robert Diniro went off on a profanity laced, public condemnation of the President, There are still some of us, probably many of us, who find that offensive, but he will go on making countless dollars and spewing venom
We do not need pro athletes and we do not need big name performers. We may enjoy them, but we don't need them. On the other hand, they need us and they need to realize that. No audience, no money. I remember when golf pros got 20000 for winning a tournament, sometimes less. WE all thought that 20000 for 4 days work was huge money. Now, they get around a million. They have no right to get stupidly angry and no right to ever just go out and use a tournament to warm up for one of the major events and many admit that they do just that. The fans deserve better for the large sum they pay for tickets.. Football players should respect the Country, baseball players shoud learn the basics of the game ( they make many errors that in the past would not have been tolerated by managers and team owners), basketball players should learn that they need to do more than run and slam the ball, and entertainers should be overjoyed that folks pay their hard earned money to watch their antics.
This is all symptomatic of the problems we have in this Country. Americans have grown comfortable with the mediocre. the inane and the downright insulting.If we cannoy even put on a golf tournament, how can we get down to solving problems and making America great again. Because, let's face it, President Trump is right. We lost our greatness and mast make up our minds to get it back.
In short, the greens become hard and way too fast and the last groups are putting on something resembling cauliflower, with the wind blowing the ball all over the place. You can manage that on nice flat greens, but, like many old courses, Shinneccok's greens are full of odd angles and slopes. The course becomes unplayable. Yeah , you can play a round, but it is not a test of skills, as the USGA claims. It is more a survival test. The USGA has a history of this and is rapidly losing all credibility.
On top of that, we had Phil Mickelson acting like a spoiled brat. He missed a putt and ran across the green and whacked the moving ball to keep it from rolling off the green. Yes, it was a frustrating day, but no one else acted like a petulant child. He insulted a game that has made him millions of dollars. Them making matters worse, claimed he knew what he was doing and the 2 stroke penalty was better that having the ball go off the green. Nonsense. He likely would have made an 8. but that beats a 10. He did get that 2 stroke penalty, but he could and should have been DQed.
Why all this fuss over golf, The golf is not the point. We Americans have developed an obsession with power and speed and either we back off that to a reasonable degree or we will lose many grand old traditions, like golf at classic courses. Plus, we have grown to tolerate stupid displays of selfish, childish behavior, especially by celebrities. I love golf, but many of its stars are becoming spoiled purulent kids, and that is an insult to kids everywhere. What is true for athletes is true for many other citizens. Last week, Robert Diniro went off on a profanity laced, public condemnation of the President, There are still some of us, probably many of us, who find that offensive, but he will go on making countless dollars and spewing venom
We do not need pro athletes and we do not need big name performers. We may enjoy them, but we don't need them. On the other hand, they need us and they need to realize that. No audience, no money. I remember when golf pros got 20000 for winning a tournament, sometimes less. WE all thought that 20000 for 4 days work was huge money. Now, they get around a million. They have no right to get stupidly angry and no right to ever just go out and use a tournament to warm up for one of the major events and many admit that they do just that. The fans deserve better for the large sum they pay for tickets.. Football players should respect the Country, baseball players shoud learn the basics of the game ( they make many errors that in the past would not have been tolerated by managers and team owners), basketball players should learn that they need to do more than run and slam the ball, and entertainers should be overjoyed that folks pay their hard earned money to watch their antics.
This is all symptomatic of the problems we have in this Country. Americans have grown comfortable with the mediocre. the inane and the downright insulting.If we cannoy even put on a golf tournament, how can we get down to solving problems and making America great again. Because, let's face it, President Trump is right. We lost our greatness and mast make up our minds to get it back.
Friday, June 15, 2018
High Tech Madness
I love technology, when it works. When it doesn't, I am ready to rip my hair, what little I have, out. Yesterday, I spent a great deal of time waiting for Internet Explorer to decide to work. MSN kept drifting away and I gave up on google long ago. It is frustrating and tiresome.
Then, we have the issue of ads. You notice that I have none on this site (okay, a very few mention my books. By the way, they are available on Kindle, but the ads are short and to the point and easy to skip). My issue is with pop ups. I can be in the middle of something and an ad for some product I will never buy, shows up. Or, ads are interspersed within the text that completely disrupt the flow.
Pictures are another issue. I got over needing my reading accimpoanied by pictures when I left 2nd grade
Then, we have websites that are uselessly old. I get all excited sometimes, when I find just what I want, only to discover that they have not been updated for 10 years.
I also find sites that have nothing to do with the highlight on the search engine. For example, I type in 'golf history' and click on a site that says it has the definitive history of the game, It does not. Instead, it is selling condos on golf courses. Then of course, thanks to the nice folks at google, I get bombarded with ads for condos.
I know that people have to make money and I know that they don't always have time to keep things completely up to dare, but really, we can do better. Keep it up and it will grow so tiresome that people will stop using it and they will certainly stop paying attention to the ads. The users need to get a grip or the big tech people will. Failing that, the Government will have to start regulating and no sane person wants that.
Then, we have the issue of ads. You notice that I have none on this site (okay, a very few mention my books. By the way, they are available on Kindle, but the ads are short and to the point and easy to skip). My issue is with pop ups. I can be in the middle of something and an ad for some product I will never buy, shows up. Or, ads are interspersed within the text that completely disrupt the flow.
Pictures are another issue. I got over needing my reading accimpoanied by pictures when I left 2nd grade
Then, we have websites that are uselessly old. I get all excited sometimes, when I find just what I want, only to discover that they have not been updated for 10 years.
I also find sites that have nothing to do with the highlight on the search engine. For example, I type in 'golf history' and click on a site that says it has the definitive history of the game, It does not. Instead, it is selling condos on golf courses. Then of course, thanks to the nice folks at google, I get bombarded with ads for condos.
I know that people have to make money and I know that they don't always have time to keep things completely up to dare, but really, we can do better. Keep it up and it will grow so tiresome that people will stop using it and they will certainly stop paying attention to the ads. The users need to get a grip or the big tech people will. Failing that, the Government will have to start regulating and no sane person wants that.
Thursday, June 14, 2018
Look South
We pay so much attention to China, Korea, Russia and the Mid East and, for reasons I don't understand, we pay little attention to South and Central America and the Islands in the Gulf and Caribbean..
Those Nations are our neighbors, they are all based in Western Civilization and they can be a great boon to us or our worst nightmare.
The boon? They gave an abundance of resources, oil, minerals, timber and crops. Plus, they are a huge market, with many millions eager to buy quality products.
The nightmare? Well, they don't much like or trust us. With good reason. Over the years, we have supported brutal governments ib their lands so long as they supported our businesses. Remember Somoza in Nicaragua. Batista in Cuba. Remember how we led the overthrow and assassination of Allende in Chile (by the CIA's own admission). Don't remember? They do. And these were not isolated incidents. Add that enmity into a hellish impoverishment and you have a fine recipe for terrorism, Terrorists are not all Islamic.
Nothing to do about the past except move on and we can do that by helping these Countries when we cam. WE do this by treating them like adults, Do business when both sides are ready to trade as equals. Stop telling them how to run their own governments. Refuse to deal with them when they brutalize their own people and do nothing to end extreme poverty. Brazil has vast wealth, but most live in deep poverty, while the elite party in Rio.
And definitely refuse to deal with them when they tolerate drug smugglers shipping their products to the US. Cut off Nations like Peru, Columbia and Mexico until they get a grip on the production and smuggling of drugs in their own back yards,
In addition, we, Americans, need to learn more about our neighbors. They have rich and fascinating cultures. Understanding them will enrich us all.
Those Nations are our neighbors, they are all based in Western Civilization and they can be a great boon to us or our worst nightmare.
The boon? They gave an abundance of resources, oil, minerals, timber and crops. Plus, they are a huge market, with many millions eager to buy quality products.
The nightmare? Well, they don't much like or trust us. With good reason. Over the years, we have supported brutal governments ib their lands so long as they supported our businesses. Remember Somoza in Nicaragua. Batista in Cuba. Remember how we led the overthrow and assassination of Allende in Chile (by the CIA's own admission). Don't remember? They do. And these were not isolated incidents. Add that enmity into a hellish impoverishment and you have a fine recipe for terrorism, Terrorists are not all Islamic.
Nothing to do about the past except move on and we can do that by helping these Countries when we cam. WE do this by treating them like adults, Do business when both sides are ready to trade as equals. Stop telling them how to run their own governments. Refuse to deal with them when they brutalize their own people and do nothing to end extreme poverty. Brazil has vast wealth, but most live in deep poverty, while the elite party in Rio.
And definitely refuse to deal with them when they tolerate drug smugglers shipping their products to the US. Cut off Nations like Peru, Columbia and Mexico until they get a grip on the production and smuggling of drugs in their own back yards,
In addition, we, Americans, need to learn more about our neighbors. They have rich and fascinating cultures. Understanding them will enrich us all.
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Sports Time - The US Open
One of America's great sporting events starts tomorrow, The US Open Men's Golf Championship. The Masters is great, the (British) Open captures the grand history of the old game, and the PGA is always the most fun. But, there is nothing like the test that the USGA likes to put the players through.
The last few years were a let down. The Chambers Bay course was a joke since the course was not at all prepared for serious competition. Oakmont was hit with rain and that great course could not live up to its reputation. Last year was held on a newer venue, Erin Hills. The course was hit with rain and the wind laid down and Brooks Koepka dismantled the course.
This year will be a return to the evil ways of the USGA. Shinnecock is a very old course and being near the sea is similar to the Scottish links courses. But, similar is not same. The greens are harder, treacherous is a better term. The rough is brutal and the wind unpredictable. The big difference between there and Scotland is the green speed. The USGA wants the greens so fast that they border on ridiculous, especially with the severe slopes on those greens. Pitting will be difficult, chipping touchy and approach shots will be hard to stop anywhere in the greens. The winner will be the finest golfer this week because luck will not get it done. Only skill will prevail. Already, many are saying that half the field has no chance. That is too generous. Out of 180 brave souls starting Thirsday, maybe 30 have anything close to a realistic chance.
It is not always fun watching such stern tests of the game, but if you stick with it you will find the tension growing almost unbearable by the time Sunday rolls around. Anything can happen then and that is fun.
The players will suffer a bit this week, but they get paid enough to deal with the pain once a year. Call me sadistic, but I will enjoy seeing them tested to the breaking point. Have fun watching this US Open.
The last few years were a let down. The Chambers Bay course was a joke since the course was not at all prepared for serious competition. Oakmont was hit with rain and that great course could not live up to its reputation. Last year was held on a newer venue, Erin Hills. The course was hit with rain and the wind laid down and Brooks Koepka dismantled the course.
This year will be a return to the evil ways of the USGA. Shinnecock is a very old course and being near the sea is similar to the Scottish links courses. But, similar is not same. The greens are harder, treacherous is a better term. The rough is brutal and the wind unpredictable. The big difference between there and Scotland is the green speed. The USGA wants the greens so fast that they border on ridiculous, especially with the severe slopes on those greens. Pitting will be difficult, chipping touchy and approach shots will be hard to stop anywhere in the greens. The winner will be the finest golfer this week because luck will not get it done. Only skill will prevail. Already, many are saying that half the field has no chance. That is too generous. Out of 180 brave souls starting Thirsday, maybe 30 have anything close to a realistic chance.
It is not always fun watching such stern tests of the game, but if you stick with it you will find the tension growing almost unbearable by the time Sunday rolls around. Anything can happen then and that is fun.
The players will suffer a bit this week, but they get paid enough to deal with the pain once a year. Call me sadistic, but I will enjoy seeing them tested to the breaking point. Have fun watching this US Open.
Tuesday, June 12, 2018
They Did It - Trump and Kim
I wrote a silly post yesterday about KFC diplomacy. Well, it worked. Seemingly, our President made Kim an 'offer he couldn't refuse,' and then they 'reasoned together'. When it comes down to negotiations, sometimes you need to take Don Corleone's approach. The Godfather knew when to play hardball. That is what Trump did.
And, it must be noted, he is still doing the same. Sanctions will not be lifted until we see progress on the dismantling of Korea's nukes and will be ramped up if there is any backsliding.
What does Kim get? Well a chance to keep breathing a while longer and an opportunity to bring his sad nation into the world of modern humanity.
We really should not have to act like thugs to protect ourselves, but it is a tough, hard World and, when needed, we have to be the meanest kids on the block. We cannot have power mad dictators threatening to nuke us and that means making them get rid of those weapons.
Next stop should be Iran. Some of their leaders are followers of an apocalyptic cult, a minor but dangerous branch of Islam, that believes that they must start the ball rolling toward Armageddon. Letting them build nukes is an especially poor idea and we obviously cannot take the Obama-Kerry approach. You know, give them a ton of cash, lift sanctions and trust them when they promise to play nice. No, I'm afraid that we will have to 'make them an offer they can't refuse'. Then maybe we can negotiate. Maybe over Big Macs and fries.
And, it must be noted, he is still doing the same. Sanctions will not be lifted until we see progress on the dismantling of Korea's nukes and will be ramped up if there is any backsliding.
What does Kim get? Well a chance to keep breathing a while longer and an opportunity to bring his sad nation into the world of modern humanity.
We really should not have to act like thugs to protect ourselves, but it is a tough, hard World and, when needed, we have to be the meanest kids on the block. We cannot have power mad dictators threatening to nuke us and that means making them get rid of those weapons.
Next stop should be Iran. Some of their leaders are followers of an apocalyptic cult, a minor but dangerous branch of Islam, that believes that they must start the ball rolling toward Armageddon. Letting them build nukes is an especially poor idea and we obviously cannot take the Obama-Kerry approach. You know, give them a ton of cash, lift sanctions and trust them when they promise to play nice. No, I'm afraid that we will have to 'make them an offer they can't refuse'. Then maybe we can negotiate. Maybe over Big Macs and fries.
Monday, June 11, 2018
KFC Diplomacy
I am not in a serious mood today and it seems that neither are certain World leaders. Our President and the N. Korean leader are about to meet. Over a KFC lunch. Yep, fried chicken, mashed potatoes, Cole slaw and a biscuit. The 'Colonel's' original recipe may be the key to World peace.
Why not? It beats stringy roast beef or dry roast chicken with boiled, mushy vegetables. It would put me in a fine mood and it adds a touch of whimsy to what will be an extraordinarily tense meeting. The fate of many. many people lies with this discussion, Relax things as much as you can.
Will it work? Who knows? The importance of this meeting cannot be overstressed. We all need to pray for its success..
If it does, then maybe we can try this elsewhere. The key to peace in the Mid East may be Big Macs.
Why not? It beats stringy roast beef or dry roast chicken with boiled, mushy vegetables. It would put me in a fine mood and it adds a touch of whimsy to what will be an extraordinarily tense meeting. The fate of many. many people lies with this discussion, Relax things as much as you can.
Will it work? Who knows? The importance of this meeting cannot be overstressed. We all need to pray for its success..
If it does, then maybe we can try this elsewhere. The key to peace in the Mid East may be Big Macs.
Friday, June 8, 2018
Parts Unkknown
It seems that Anthony Bourdain has killed himself. I seldom write about celebrity mishaps and I was no fan of his on screen persona. However, I did like his show, Parts Unknown.
It was a way to get a glimpse into the way other people live. It was daring, insightful and, at times, fairly dangerous. I had trouble with his extreme liberal view of things, but that is just who he was. At least we had way to see how our fellow humans live. I often thought that it would be interesting to have a conservative host visit the same spots to see an opposite view. The truth general lies somewhere in the middle.
But, that is not going to happen. Real conservative get no time in the media, except on Fox and then all they seem to do is praise and defend the President.
We get little insight into how other folks live. There are internet reports and that is admirable, but the TV networks have so much more money and vast resources. They could do spectacular programming.
I am in no way a globalist, but I do believe that the individual nations need to understand each other. We must get along to some degree. The best way to get there is by showing each other our lives. Let the Chinese see our day to day doings and let us see the Iranians. Let New Jersey see the Congo and let Christians see Buddhists. We all have our quirks and faults but we have mire in common than we think. The media could be the path to bridging many of the World's divisions.
Instead, we get Dancing With the Stars and Real Housewives.
It was a way to get a glimpse into the way other people live. It was daring, insightful and, at times, fairly dangerous. I had trouble with his extreme liberal view of things, but that is just who he was. At least we had way to see how our fellow humans live. I often thought that it would be interesting to have a conservative host visit the same spots to see an opposite view. The truth general lies somewhere in the middle.
But, that is not going to happen. Real conservative get no time in the media, except on Fox and then all they seem to do is praise and defend the President.
We get little insight into how other folks live. There are internet reports and that is admirable, but the TV networks have so much more money and vast resources. They could do spectacular programming.
I am in no way a globalist, but I do believe that the individual nations need to understand each other. We must get along to some degree. The best way to get there is by showing each other our lives. Let the Chinese see our day to day doings and let us see the Iranians. Let New Jersey see the Congo and let Christians see Buddhists. We all have our quirks and faults but we have mire in common than we think. The media could be the path to bridging many of the World's divisions.
Instead, we get Dancing With the Stars and Real Housewives.
Thursday, June 7, 2018
Globsters
I love science and I love it when scientists are stumped.. Take the case of globsters. These are not new, but they are rare. They are masses of stinky, organic matter that were once living creatures. But, what?
Some are claiming that they are the corpses of ancient ETs. long hidden in the Sea's depths now dead and rising. Or there is the ever popular thought that these are Lovecraft's old gods. You know, Cthulu lives, that sort of thing. The answer is much more interesting.
We do not know much about the Ocean's deepest parts. The pressure is so high that the cost and danger makes its exploration near impossible. We have, in our limited views of that world, seen bizarre creatures. Globsters are likely just the corpses of such sea life. DNA tests are inconclusive because of degeneration, but they are likely whales, squid, and octopi. Who knows? Maybe they are types of creatures that we have never seen, perhaps survivors of ages long past. It is a hoot to see scientists actually admit that they don't know something. It is a blow to their massive egos.
They are showing up now probably because of the extreme seismic and volcanic activity we are currently experiencing along with the prolific tropical storm activity of last year. Such violent activity stirs up the sea bottom. This, by the way is a good thing, briniging much needed nutrients to the surface life.
Maybe, in our past, the rising of these bodies, which do look like the stuff of nightmares, are what triggered tall tales of sea monsters and viscious gods. It must have scared our poor anscestors half to death.
For us, in this age, it is just another grand puzzle for scientists to ponder. Good, it keeps them humble. For us normal folks, don't worry. Cthulu is not going to eat you.
Some are claiming that they are the corpses of ancient ETs. long hidden in the Sea's depths now dead and rising. Or there is the ever popular thought that these are Lovecraft's old gods. You know, Cthulu lives, that sort of thing. The answer is much more interesting.
We do not know much about the Ocean's deepest parts. The pressure is so high that the cost and danger makes its exploration near impossible. We have, in our limited views of that world, seen bizarre creatures. Globsters are likely just the corpses of such sea life. DNA tests are inconclusive because of degeneration, but they are likely whales, squid, and octopi. Who knows? Maybe they are types of creatures that we have never seen, perhaps survivors of ages long past. It is a hoot to see scientists actually admit that they don't know something. It is a blow to their massive egos.
They are showing up now probably because of the extreme seismic and volcanic activity we are currently experiencing along with the prolific tropical storm activity of last year. Such violent activity stirs up the sea bottom. This, by the way is a good thing, briniging much needed nutrients to the surface life.
Maybe, in our past, the rising of these bodies, which do look like the stuff of nightmares, are what triggered tall tales of sea monsters and viscious gods. It must have scared our poor anscestors half to death.
For us, in this age, it is just another grand puzzle for scientists to ponder. Good, it keeps them humble. For us normal folks, don't worry. Cthulu is not going to eat you.
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
Take Back Your Lives
Stop and think. Ask yourself, who am I? No, really. Just do it and you might surprise yourself.
Are you a family man/woman? A lot of folks think that and then spend a lot of time trying to avoid those responsibilities and many have very mixed feelings about the whole thing.
Are you a business man or a proud employee? If so, then why do I run across so many in businesses who want to do the bare minimum required to get a check?
Are you a sports guy who loves to hang out at sports bars with other like minded guys watching whatever game is on. Really? Then why do you need to get hammered to sit through the game/
Are you a woman who loves going on a 'girls' night out'? Do you really like getting sloshed and watching half naked men gyrate to bad disco music. If you want sex, whats's wrong with having the real thing with your husband or boyfriend?
Political activist? Do you really velieve all that drivel or di you just like to feel that power rush uou get when you scream and carry on at rallies?
Ask yourself these questions. Search your soul. Maybe you have not yet committed to any pattern of behavior. Great think before you start identifying with ant role. If you have commitments, you must honor them. Don't abandon greinds and family. But, you can back off a bit and give yourself some room to be you. When you have fulfilled your commitments thebn yiy are free to be yourself.
All of us are a bundle if different characters and interests.We are the ones who mist choose the paths we nwant to follow. Do not let people push you into being untrue to yourself. Again, respect your commitments, be honorable, then be yourself as much as possible. You decide. Not others.
Are you a family man/woman? A lot of folks think that and then spend a lot of time trying to avoid those responsibilities and many have very mixed feelings about the whole thing.
Are you a business man or a proud employee? If so, then why do I run across so many in businesses who want to do the bare minimum required to get a check?
Are you a sports guy who loves to hang out at sports bars with other like minded guys watching whatever game is on. Really? Then why do you need to get hammered to sit through the game/
Are you a woman who loves going on a 'girls' night out'? Do you really like getting sloshed and watching half naked men gyrate to bad disco music. If you want sex, whats's wrong with having the real thing with your husband or boyfriend?
Political activist? Do you really velieve all that drivel or di you just like to feel that power rush uou get when you scream and carry on at rallies?
Ask yourself these questions. Search your soul. Maybe you have not yet committed to any pattern of behavior. Great think before you start identifying with ant role. If you have commitments, you must honor them. Don't abandon greinds and family. But, you can back off a bit and give yourself some room to be you. When you have fulfilled your commitments thebn yiy are free to be yourself.
All of us are a bundle if different characters and interests.We are the ones who mist choose the paths we nwant to follow. Do not let people push you into being untrue to yourself. Again, respect your commitments, be honorable, then be yourself as much as possible. You decide. Not others.
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
When Will It stop?
Well, things are not good. Yesterday, I was having a nice, productive little day, then, Boom. Not literally, but almost. I am in N. Georgia and living in an extended stay until we find an apartment. It's okay, sort of, and had at least seemed quiet and safe, until it wasn't. Imagine my surprise when at about 1:30 PM, the cops knocked on the door and asked us to leave the room while they dealt with an 'issue.' We were kept out for about 5 hours. Finally, when we were let back in, we learned that the 'issues' was the fact that our neighbors, who had seemed very nice and pleasant, were running a meth lab. For those who don't know, the chemicals used to make the rotten stuff are very toxic and extremely explosive. Blessedly, we didn't Go Boom.
Call me a wimp, but this scared the crap out of me and, as a result, today, when I have much to do, I am exhausted and shaky. I'll get over that, but I am not as young and resilient as I used to be.
My own issues aside, there are kids living here, along with folks who are older than I and others with more severe disabilities. This kind of lunacy must stop and stop now.
I am a tolerant person and not one to want to throw people in jail for small crimes, especially when they involve personal behavior. For example, while I think that smojing weed is a bad idea, I don't think that folks should be jailed for it, as long as they don't drive while high and don't give it to kids.
But, what my beighbors did was way past that. They endangered the lives of many people. Plus, the Gwinnett Ga Police, who did a good job, had to send 5 officers, 2 fire truck, 2 fire rescue trucks, a hazmat team and a bomb squad, costing the county a whole lot of money.
On top of that, they were making one of the worst drugs around. Meth kills. It is that simple
The answer starts with the courts. Anyone producing or selling any type of hard drugs needs to be jailed, for a good long while. Sale of the chemicals needed to make the stuff should be severely restricted. If someone has a legitimate use for them and can prove that, fine. Otherwise, anyone buying them in any substantial quantity, should be investigated. One of the chemicals needed to make meth is pseudoephedrine. The sale of this , it is used to treat congestion, is restricted in the US. But, it is shipped in from Mexico. That must be stopped.
Life is full of risks, and if I wantv to risk my life, that is one thing. But, no one else has the right to decide to risk my life, without my consent. Such disregard for others is a severe crime and thise who do such things need to be placed where they cannot enbdanger others.
When will such madness stop. When we, the people of the USA decide that it will.
Call me a wimp, but this scared the crap out of me and, as a result, today, when I have much to do, I am exhausted and shaky. I'll get over that, but I am not as young and resilient as I used to be.
My own issues aside, there are kids living here, along with folks who are older than I and others with more severe disabilities. This kind of lunacy must stop and stop now.
I am a tolerant person and not one to want to throw people in jail for small crimes, especially when they involve personal behavior. For example, while I think that smojing weed is a bad idea, I don't think that folks should be jailed for it, as long as they don't drive while high and don't give it to kids.
But, what my beighbors did was way past that. They endangered the lives of many people. Plus, the Gwinnett Ga Police, who did a good job, had to send 5 officers, 2 fire truck, 2 fire rescue trucks, a hazmat team and a bomb squad, costing the county a whole lot of money.
On top of that, they were making one of the worst drugs around. Meth kills. It is that simple
The answer starts with the courts. Anyone producing or selling any type of hard drugs needs to be jailed, for a good long while. Sale of the chemicals needed to make the stuff should be severely restricted. If someone has a legitimate use for them and can prove that, fine. Otherwise, anyone buying them in any substantial quantity, should be investigated. One of the chemicals needed to make meth is pseudoephedrine. The sale of this , it is used to treat congestion, is restricted in the US. But, it is shipped in from Mexico. That must be stopped.
Life is full of risks, and if I wantv to risk my life, that is one thing. But, no one else has the right to decide to risk my life, without my consent. Such disregard for others is a severe crime and thise who do such things need to be placed where they cannot enbdanger others.
When will such madness stop. When we, the people of the USA decide that it will.
Monday, June 4, 2018
Blogs - Be Carefuk What Yoi Read
'Let us not talk falsely now, the hour is getting late.' Bob Dylan, All Along the Watchtower
I have no lost of blogs I read because I read very few. Today, I am going to mention the 3 that I sometimes glance at. I read them because they are just plain weird, but I am concerned that some may take them seriously. I will be accused of 'trolling' but, who cares?
Visup, on the surface seems to be a history of strange events in America and the World. The writing is straight forward and competent and much documentation is provided. However, the documentation comes from other 'conspiracy' writers and if you check their works, they have almost no valid documentation. In other words, they put out largely unfounded conclusions and say that they are true because they make sense to them. They operate on the 'guilt by association ' idea. If A knew B and C knew B and B did something illegal, then A and B must also be in on it. It is easy to fall into that trap. I have done so a time or 2. Associations may warrant investigation, but they prove nothing. Take the NEXIVM cult. Some big-time public figures have given them money, lots ot it, but does that mean they knew what was going on. Who knows? I sure don't. This is a matter for the Justice Dept. to investigate, not bloggers or sensationalist pseudo-journalists.
Another such blog is mind control murder missile madness. This is a much better written blog, but most of the material is, again, a blend of huilt by association innuendo and pyre specolation.. It is like a a bad tabloid piece written by HP Lovecraft.
The last blog I will mention is The Secret Sun. It's wtiter once wrote a mildly entertaining book about comic book heroes, comparing them to the ancient mythological 'gods'. This was hardly a new idea. Most kids I knew back in the early 60s figured that out, but the book was fun. Now, he blogs about symbolism in modern Culture. Good topic. Important, to a degree, but he has gone so far over the top. True, he has read a lot of old mythology, but he does not seem to grasp the fact that this stuf was never meant to be taken literally. Our ancestors knew poetry, better that we do, and were written symbolically, allegorically,to teach lessons and to try to figure our themselves and the World. Sometimes they were just told because they were great, tall tales and humans love stories.To take them literally is to fall into the same trap as the people on Ancient Aliens. Yes, strange things have always happened and always will, but that does not mean that we are being controlled by ETs, interdimensional beings or old gods. Do such beings exist? Maybe yes, mayve no, but, if you hear the lessons of both Jesus in the West and the Buddha in the East, they have no power over us unless we give it to them. Ignore them, and the go away.
These 3 blogs, if you can believe that stats they show are popular and get a lot of comment. Do not take them seriously. I almost wonder if they are simple disinformation, allowed to exisr just to keep the weak minded on edge, otherwise I am not sure why they have not been removed and the authors sued.
There is one investigatot into deep weirdness who at least provided good documentation/ I do not agree with Peter Levenda on much and I cannot think that he and I would be buddies, but at least he has gone to the trouble, a great deal of work, to dig up original source documentation for his work. Even if you disagree with his conclusions, he presents as much fact as possible and avoids the guilt by association trap. Plus, he's a darn good writer.
This is the first time I have mentioned other blogs by name and it will be the last. I can guarantee you of that. I only do this to point out the need to be a discriminating reader. Going down the path of wild conspiracy is not a real good idea. Yes, there are conspiracies, many, but they must be tracked down carefully. Do not let chasing the White Rabbit down his hole take you away from our real and very solvable problems.
I have no lost of blogs I read because I read very few. Today, I am going to mention the 3 that I sometimes glance at. I read them because they are just plain weird, but I am concerned that some may take them seriously. I will be accused of 'trolling' but, who cares?
Visup, on the surface seems to be a history of strange events in America and the World. The writing is straight forward and competent and much documentation is provided. However, the documentation comes from other 'conspiracy' writers and if you check their works, they have almost no valid documentation. In other words, they put out largely unfounded conclusions and say that they are true because they make sense to them. They operate on the 'guilt by association ' idea. If A knew B and C knew B and B did something illegal, then A and B must also be in on it. It is easy to fall into that trap. I have done so a time or 2. Associations may warrant investigation, but they prove nothing. Take the NEXIVM cult. Some big-time public figures have given them money, lots ot it, but does that mean they knew what was going on. Who knows? I sure don't. This is a matter for the Justice Dept. to investigate, not bloggers or sensationalist pseudo-journalists.
Another such blog is mind control murder missile madness. This is a much better written blog, but most of the material is, again, a blend of huilt by association innuendo and pyre specolation.. It is like a a bad tabloid piece written by HP Lovecraft.
The last blog I will mention is The Secret Sun. It's wtiter once wrote a mildly entertaining book about comic book heroes, comparing them to the ancient mythological 'gods'. This was hardly a new idea. Most kids I knew back in the early 60s figured that out, but the book was fun. Now, he blogs about symbolism in modern Culture. Good topic. Important, to a degree, but he has gone so far over the top. True, he has read a lot of old mythology, but he does not seem to grasp the fact that this stuf was never meant to be taken literally. Our ancestors knew poetry, better that we do, and were written symbolically, allegorically,to teach lessons and to try to figure our themselves and the World. Sometimes they were just told because they were great, tall tales and humans love stories.To take them literally is to fall into the same trap as the people on Ancient Aliens. Yes, strange things have always happened and always will, but that does not mean that we are being controlled by ETs, interdimensional beings or old gods. Do such beings exist? Maybe yes, mayve no, but, if you hear the lessons of both Jesus in the West and the Buddha in the East, they have no power over us unless we give it to them. Ignore them, and the go away.
These 3 blogs, if you can believe that stats they show are popular and get a lot of comment. Do not take them seriously. I almost wonder if they are simple disinformation, allowed to exisr just to keep the weak minded on edge, otherwise I am not sure why they have not been removed and the authors sued.
There is one investigatot into deep weirdness who at least provided good documentation/ I do not agree with Peter Levenda on much and I cannot think that he and I would be buddies, but at least he has gone to the trouble, a great deal of work, to dig up original source documentation for his work. Even if you disagree with his conclusions, he presents as much fact as possible and avoids the guilt by association trap. Plus, he's a darn good writer.
This is the first time I have mentioned other blogs by name and it will be the last. I can guarantee you of that. I only do this to point out the need to be a discriminating reader. Going down the path of wild conspiracy is not a real good idea. Yes, there are conspiracies, many, but they must be tracked down carefully. Do not let chasing the White Rabbit down his hole take you away from our real and very solvable problems.
Friday, June 1, 2018
The Rains are Gone
'Birds are winging, no rain is falling from a heavy sky.' The Grateful Dead, Box of Rain.
That is pretty much the story here in N. Georgia. The deluge we have been through is moving out, though there are still ominous clouds around, The birds are indeed flitting about and the mockingbirds are singing their lovely songs. The hard rains bring bugs and worms to the ground's surface and this is the time when the birds can get nice and fat.
My last few blogs have been a tad grumpy. Okay, angry and downright hostile. I just get really upset by acts of thoughtless inhumanity.
But, on days like this it is hard to stay angry. The air is cool and clear. The rains washed out the last of the allergy inducing spring pollens. Everything is lush and green. So, today, no complaining. No ranting and raving. The only rumbling today will come from the afternoon thunderstorns that might pop up, Until they do, all is sunshine and fait sailing.
Wherever you are,, whatever the weather, stop for a minute or two and note the day's beauty. There will be time enough next week to deal with problems.
Enjoy the weekend.
That is pretty much the story here in N. Georgia. The deluge we have been through is moving out, though there are still ominous clouds around, The birds are indeed flitting about and the mockingbirds are singing their lovely songs. The hard rains bring bugs and worms to the ground's surface and this is the time when the birds can get nice and fat.
My last few blogs have been a tad grumpy. Okay, angry and downright hostile. I just get really upset by acts of thoughtless inhumanity.
But, on days like this it is hard to stay angry. The air is cool and clear. The rains washed out the last of the allergy inducing spring pollens. Everything is lush and green. So, today, no complaining. No ranting and raving. The only rumbling today will come from the afternoon thunderstorns that might pop up, Until they do, all is sunshine and fait sailing.
Wherever you are,, whatever the weather, stop for a minute or two and note the day's beauty. There will be time enough next week to deal with problems.
Enjoy the weekend.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)