The Boy Scouts are becoming largely irrelevant. Blacks and Hispanics are extremely rare in the BSA. It is mostly an organization for white boys. Muslims are allowed in theory, but atheists are not.
The Boy Scouts of America is a organization. And just like in many other mature organizations, survival, growth, and increasing membership has become the top goal. I have seen the same thing happen with other groups like the Sierra Club and Greenpeace.
I don't particularly have anything against the Scouts, but since they are mostly for white kids and since they won't allow membership by boys who are atheists, I view the BSA as just another form of organized religion. It has not changed with the times and has grown increasingly irrelevant.
-
-
-
-
-
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Criminal Anarchy in Mexico
More people have been killed in the last few years in the border city of Juarez, Mexico than the total of American troops who have died in the entire country of Afghanistan since the war began.
To fight the war on drugs President George Bush Jr. promised Mexico substantial numbers of helicopters and other instruments of war, but America has actually come through on less than 10% of what Bush II pledged. Even if we had lived up to our word, it unlikely to have made much difference in the outcome.
The major problem that Mexico faces is corruption. Especially in the military, the police, the government(s), and worst of all in the Mexican judicial system. Very few law breakers ever get arrested. Of them very few ever go to trial, and of those that do very few are convicted and punished. Mexico is a country where you can commit serious crimes like murder and kidnapping with a high level of confidence that you will never be held accountable for your actions.
The Republican presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and the Bush dynasty have all enthusiasticly supported the militarization of the war on drugs. Apparently these right wing American Presidents and their advisers didn't see any solution to the endemic corruption throughout Mexican society, so they just ignored the problem.
Almost a carbon copy of this is taking place in Afghanistan. The government and the society as a whole are rife with corruption. The idea of a country-of-laws where the rich and the poor have to obey the exact same laws has never taken hold in either Mexico or Afghanistan. If you have money you are exempt from most laws in both countries.
Everyone knows that military leaders always want more troops and more weapons. This is just the mentality of military people worldwide. Why the American civilian leadership is so easily led around by the nose by these uniformed lifers is a bit harder to figure out.
It is time to totally pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan. All troops, all mercenaries, trainers, and all contractors. We may want to give one side or the other some financial support, but in retrospect looking back over the last 50 years, we need to recognize that America has supported the wrong side more often than not.
The war on drugs will never succeed. It has no chance, any more than the prohibition of alcohol consumption was successful.
The American government needs to get organized and tightly regulate both the growing/manufacturing and sales of all the various recreational drugs. And they need to tax these various horrible substances, just like they do with tobacco and alcohol.
Prescription drug addiction has now become common. The various heroin like prescription pain killers have been dispensed and sold as if by drug dealers in the wild west. Doctors have not shown any inclination to properly regulate or control these drugs. So big changes need to be made here too.
-
-
-
-
-
-
To fight the war on drugs President George Bush Jr. promised Mexico substantial numbers of helicopters and other instruments of war, but America has actually come through on less than 10% of what Bush II pledged. Even if we had lived up to our word, it unlikely to have made much difference in the outcome.
The major problem that Mexico faces is corruption. Especially in the military, the police, the government(s), and worst of all in the Mexican judicial system. Very few law breakers ever get arrested. Of them very few ever go to trial, and of those that do very few are convicted and punished. Mexico is a country where you can commit serious crimes like murder and kidnapping with a high level of confidence that you will never be held accountable for your actions.
The Republican presidents Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, and the Bush dynasty have all enthusiasticly supported the militarization of the war on drugs. Apparently these right wing American Presidents and their advisers didn't see any solution to the endemic corruption throughout Mexican society, so they just ignored the problem.
Almost a carbon copy of this is taking place in Afghanistan. The government and the society as a whole are rife with corruption. The idea of a country-of-laws where the rich and the poor have to obey the exact same laws has never taken hold in either Mexico or Afghanistan. If you have money you are exempt from most laws in both countries.
Everyone knows that military leaders always want more troops and more weapons. This is just the mentality of military people worldwide. Why the American civilian leadership is so easily led around by the nose by these uniformed lifers is a bit harder to figure out.
It is time to totally pull out of Iraq and Afghanistan. All troops, all mercenaries, trainers, and all contractors. We may want to give one side or the other some financial support, but in retrospect looking back over the last 50 years, we need to recognize that America has supported the wrong side more often than not.
The war on drugs will never succeed. It has no chance, any more than the prohibition of alcohol consumption was successful.
The American government needs to get organized and tightly regulate both the growing/manufacturing and sales of all the various recreational drugs. And they need to tax these various horrible substances, just like they do with tobacco and alcohol.
Prescription drug addiction has now become common. The various heroin like prescription pain killers have been dispensed and sold as if by drug dealers in the wild west. Doctors have not shown any inclination to properly regulate or control these drugs. So big changes need to be made here too.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Obama Exceeds Bush in Immigration Enforcement
I know someone who refuses to hear anything negative about President Barack Obama. I have been an Obama supporter since before the primary, and I worked in his campaign. But I have now come to the conclusion that he is far from progressive or liberal on a great many issues. Often his backbone or strength of character is sadly lacking too.
If I dare mention anything of the sort around her she gets highly disagreeable. The attack dog turns on full force, and she gets so mean and hateful that her behavior is in danger of destroying our friendship.
The Rachel Maddow show had a piece about how the Obama team has been more effective in rounding up and deporting Mexican illegal aliens than even the Bush Jr. administration was. LINK: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#38459197
Obama's words are good, but his behavior has been more of a warmonger than Bush/Cheney. He has greatly increased spending on warfare, and the troop levels for the various futile and unwinnable wars we are involved in has gone way up. By his actions Barack has proven that he is more pro-nuclear than his Republican predecessor. Before the BP disaster in the Gulf President Obama approved off shore oil drilling in environmentally sensitive areas that even Bush II didn't dare. His reform of the unregulated crooks on Wall Street ended up being so weak that it is barely better than nothing at all.
Obama openly lied about his support for “single payer” health care, then he didn't even put his support behind the much weaker “vigorous government option.” On a great many issues he kowtows and panders to the racists and the right wing Republicans, but he gets zero credit or votes from them. He keeps getting sand kicked in his face, but doesn't seem capable of learning from his past mistakes. At the same time he allows his chief of staff to call the liberals and progressives of the Democratic party “retards.” These liberals-progressives form the brain trust and the focal point of energy for the Democrats. And Obama doesn't just take the progressives for granted...he continues to slap them in the face. Immigration reform, conservation, gay rights, ending the wars. Its all just talk from another sleazy Chicago politician. This man is not a statesman.
Over the course of her life my friend has not learned that it is entirely possible to be mature and be able to disagree on important issues and discuss controversial subjects without becoming disagreeable. I have valued her friendship for many years, but now she is doing everything she can to destroy whatever friendship was left. What a pity.
-
-
-
-
-
If I dare mention anything of the sort around her she gets highly disagreeable. The attack dog turns on full force, and she gets so mean and hateful that her behavior is in danger of destroying our friendship.
The Rachel Maddow show had a piece about how the Obama team has been more effective in rounding up and deporting Mexican illegal aliens than even the Bush Jr. administration was. LINK: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#38459197
Obama's words are good, but his behavior has been more of a warmonger than Bush/Cheney. He has greatly increased spending on warfare, and the troop levels for the various futile and unwinnable wars we are involved in has gone way up. By his actions Barack has proven that he is more pro-nuclear than his Republican predecessor. Before the BP disaster in the Gulf President Obama approved off shore oil drilling in environmentally sensitive areas that even Bush II didn't dare. His reform of the unregulated crooks on Wall Street ended up being so weak that it is barely better than nothing at all.
Obama openly lied about his support for “single payer” health care, then he didn't even put his support behind the much weaker “vigorous government option.” On a great many issues he kowtows and panders to the racists and the right wing Republicans, but he gets zero credit or votes from them. He keeps getting sand kicked in his face, but doesn't seem capable of learning from his past mistakes. At the same time he allows his chief of staff to call the liberals and progressives of the Democratic party “retards.” These liberals-progressives form the brain trust and the focal point of energy for the Democrats. And Obama doesn't just take the progressives for granted...he continues to slap them in the face. Immigration reform, conservation, gay rights, ending the wars. Its all just talk from another sleazy Chicago politician. This man is not a statesman.
Over the course of her life my friend has not learned that it is entirely possible to be mature and be able to disagree on important issues and discuss controversial subjects without becoming disagreeable. I have valued her friendship for many years, but now she is doing everything she can to destroy whatever friendship was left. What a pity.
-
-
-
-
-
Bear Attack
Several people were injured and one was killed in a recent attack by a bear(s) in a Wyoming campground. These were not backpackers, where the total weight of one's backpack is a very serious matter and you are happy when you can lower the weight of something by a few ounces (grams). These were car campers driving great big honker, poor fuel-economy SUVs and pickup trucks. A few pounds give or take is irrelevant in this kind of luxury camping.
To me it seems crystal clear that if several of these campers had been armed with loaded .44 magnum revolvers kept next to them in their sleeping bags, the dead man might still be alive.
I do not advocate killing wild animals. I think predators like wolves, bears, and even snakes are essential to the health of their ecosystems. And us humans are the ones who are intruding upon their space after all. When the Republican Texas Governor Perry was out getting some morning exercise and was stalked by one lone coyote, he sadisticly enjoyed killing the animal with his laser sighted .380 Ruger LCP semi-automatic pistol. He derived great pleasure from bragging about it later too.
When a pack of three coyotes stalked me and my dog one morning not long ago, I was able to intimidate them enough to allow us to safely return to our car. I was also armed with a loaded, laser sighted handgun. I do not deny that I was openly carrying it in my right hand, and I was fully prepared to shoot as we retreated. The key is, I did not. It was not necessary to kill these wonderful, amazing wild animals.
But beyond a certain somewhat fuzzy and gray tipping point, I eventually would have felt threatened enough to shoot to kill. Certainly if I was sleeping in a tent, a bear broke in, and I awoke to him (her??) biting me, I would not have delayed one heartbeat. I would have felt no qualms about killing this magnificent wild animal. In a kill or be killed situation, telling the campers that they may not legally be armed is more than a little unwise. This is one of those situations where the second amendment can save lives.
When the rangers go searching for the bear offender the next day, they will kill it if they can manage to find and identify it. But this doesn't bring back to life that poor camper who died.
Ban alcoholic beverages, not loaded firearms.
-
-
-
-
-
-
To me it seems crystal clear that if several of these campers had been armed with loaded .44 magnum revolvers kept next to them in their sleeping bags, the dead man might still be alive.
I do not advocate killing wild animals. I think predators like wolves, bears, and even snakes are essential to the health of their ecosystems. And us humans are the ones who are intruding upon their space after all. When the Republican Texas Governor Perry was out getting some morning exercise and was stalked by one lone coyote, he sadisticly enjoyed killing the animal with his laser sighted .380 Ruger LCP semi-automatic pistol. He derived great pleasure from bragging about it later too.
When a pack of three coyotes stalked me and my dog one morning not long ago, I was able to intimidate them enough to allow us to safely return to our car. I was also armed with a loaded, laser sighted handgun. I do not deny that I was openly carrying it in my right hand, and I was fully prepared to shoot as we retreated. The key is, I did not. It was not necessary to kill these wonderful, amazing wild animals.
But beyond a certain somewhat fuzzy and gray tipping point, I eventually would have felt threatened enough to shoot to kill. Certainly if I was sleeping in a tent, a bear broke in, and I awoke to him (her??) biting me, I would not have delayed one heartbeat. I would have felt no qualms about killing this magnificent wild animal. In a kill or be killed situation, telling the campers that they may not legally be armed is more than a little unwise. This is one of those situations where the second amendment can save lives.
When the rangers go searching for the bear offender the next day, they will kill it if they can manage to find and identify it. But this doesn't bring back to life that poor camper who died.
Ban alcoholic beverages, not loaded firearms.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Illegal Immigration
At the last minute a Federal Judge has blocked virtually all parts of the new Arizona immigration legislation which was controversial.
I find it a bit odd. For years Federal Law has required that temporary visitors to America, or legal resident aliens, must carry their papers authorizing them to be in the country. Citizens of other countries who are visiting America likewise by Federal law have been required for years to carry proper identification. For some reason the Federal Government has chosen not to enforce these laws which were enacted by our democratic representatives. Is it their intentional choice to not obey Federal Law, or are they under staffed, or are they just incompetent? Intentionally not enforcing the laws of the land undermines the idea of rule-of-law. This is a serious matter.
Now that Arizona has tried to help the Federal Government enforce these existing Federal laws by passing virtually identical State laws, the legislators in Arizona have been painted as racist nazis.
I can see that racial profiling might be a problem, but I lived abroad for almost 20 years. I got used to always carrying my American passport, my alien ID card (green card), my foreign driver's license, and foreign automobile insurance. Sure, I was often treated less well than the natives and citizens. At times the discrimination because I was from America, and even worse from Texas, was absolutely crystal clear. Its all just part of living abroad. If you don't like it, go home.
Of course if you choose to live as an outlaw, sneaking illegally into a country without following their rules and regulations, I can see why you might not want to have any encounters with law enforcement. There are some real problems living underground like this though. If you are young, attractive, and female your legal protections against rape and forced prostitution are greatly reduced. If you work in manual labor such as construction or agricultural harvesting, when you are living in the country illegally, you most certainly will be taken advantage of by racist, greedy employers. You will be underpaid, and you will be asked to perform hazardous or dangerous work that legal workers wouldn't even consider doing.
It is probably good that this entire movement has been slowed down a little. But it certainly is not over. There is overwhelming support among a large majority of Americans for similar legislation in their states. The chance that we will see another mass amnesty of illegal aliens any time in the near future is virtually zero.
The Chamber of Commerce and other business groups are equally determined not to end this equivalent of modern day slavery. It has been real good to them. If these illegal alien construction workers, Wal-Mart employees, and agricultural workers can be kept undocumented then they are afraid of having any contact with the authorities, including whistle blowing. So businesses can get away with paying these people far less, and avoiding silly little annoyances like overtime pay, non-discrimination rules, or OSHA workplace safety rules.
-
-
-
-
-
I find it a bit odd. For years Federal Law has required that temporary visitors to America, or legal resident aliens, must carry their papers authorizing them to be in the country. Citizens of other countries who are visiting America likewise by Federal law have been required for years to carry proper identification. For some reason the Federal Government has chosen not to enforce these laws which were enacted by our democratic representatives. Is it their intentional choice to not obey Federal Law, or are they under staffed, or are they just incompetent? Intentionally not enforcing the laws of the land undermines the idea of rule-of-law. This is a serious matter.
Now that Arizona has tried to help the Federal Government enforce these existing Federal laws by passing virtually identical State laws, the legislators in Arizona have been painted as racist nazis.
I can see that racial profiling might be a problem, but I lived abroad for almost 20 years. I got used to always carrying my American passport, my alien ID card (green card), my foreign driver's license, and foreign automobile insurance. Sure, I was often treated less well than the natives and citizens. At times the discrimination because I was from America, and even worse from Texas, was absolutely crystal clear. Its all just part of living abroad. If you don't like it, go home.
Of course if you choose to live as an outlaw, sneaking illegally into a country without following their rules and regulations, I can see why you might not want to have any encounters with law enforcement. There are some real problems living underground like this though. If you are young, attractive, and female your legal protections against rape and forced prostitution are greatly reduced. If you work in manual labor such as construction or agricultural harvesting, when you are living in the country illegally, you most certainly will be taken advantage of by racist, greedy employers. You will be underpaid, and you will be asked to perform hazardous or dangerous work that legal workers wouldn't even consider doing.
It is probably good that this entire movement has been slowed down a little. But it certainly is not over. There is overwhelming support among a large majority of Americans for similar legislation in their states. The chance that we will see another mass amnesty of illegal aliens any time in the near future is virtually zero.
The Chamber of Commerce and other business groups are equally determined not to end this equivalent of modern day slavery. It has been real good to them. If these illegal alien construction workers, Wal-Mart employees, and agricultural workers can be kept undocumented then they are afraid of having any contact with the authorities, including whistle blowing. So businesses can get away with paying these people far less, and avoiding silly little annoyances like overtime pay, non-discrimination rules, or OSHA workplace safety rules.
-
-
-
-
-
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Drain The Bottom of Your Water Heater
On the far east side of El Paso, Texas the tap water supplied by El Paso Water Utilities comes from fairly deep wells. They pump up the very top layer of an ice age aquifer with good 
drinkable water. This can be thought of as floating on top of over a thousand feet of salty water. Since the salty water is heavier it tends to sink over the aeons, and the good drinkable water slowly rises to the top of the aquifer.
This drinking water has a fairly high total dissolved solids (TDS), which normally would mean that it is high in dissolved calcium and magnesium. When this water is heated, as in your coffee maker or water heater, some of these dissolved solids tend to precipitate out. When dealing with elevated-TDS-tap-water like this, it is important that one drains out the bottom of your water heater twice per year. Doing so will reduce the amount of natural gas that it takes to heat your water; also if you don't ever drain this stuff out, the tank of the hot water heater will fail many years sooner than it would have if you had done the regular, required maintenance.
This is a picture I took today of some of the gunk which comes out when I drain the hot water heater out the hose bib at the bottom.
-
-
-
-
-
drinkable water. This can be thought of as floating on top of over a thousand feet of salty water. Since the salty water is heavier it tends to sink over the aeons, and the good drinkable water slowly rises to the top of the aquifer.This drinking water has a fairly high total dissolved solids (TDS), which normally would mean that it is high in dissolved calcium and magnesium. When this water is heated, as in your coffee maker or water heater, some of these dissolved solids tend to precipitate out. When dealing with elevated-TDS-tap-water like this, it is important that one drains out the bottom of your water heater twice per year. Doing so will reduce the amount of natural gas that it takes to heat your water; also if you don't ever drain this stuff out, the tank of the hot water heater will fail many years sooner than it would have if you had done the regular, required maintenance.
This is a picture I took today of some of the gunk which comes out when I drain the hot water heater out the hose bib at the bottom.
-
-
-
-
-
Religious Freedom
One of the foundations of America is that congress shall make no law which infringes upon religious freedom. So the freedom to choose to believe, or not believe in any religious faith is one of our most sacred ideas. So is the concept of the separation of church and state. In many countries religious con-men still dominate and have ultimate authority over the secular government, even in the twenty first century.
If a group rapists, pedophiles, and child molesters tried to form a religion centered on their sacred ideas, society wouldn't accept that this qualified as a constitutionally protected religion for a minute. If some camouflage-wearing, assault rifle toting, racist, tattooed neo-nazis tried to form a religion based upon their sick ideals of lynching and racial purity, society just wouldn't buy it.
So it is clear that the idea of constitutionally protected freedom of religion has limitations. The question is where do we draw the line? I read in today's news that some red neck Republican who is running for the job of governor in a southern state has suggested that the world's second largest religion, Muslim, should not qualify as a religion. That idea would no doubt be attractive to some of the less well educated. Probably the inflammatory pundits on Fox News would like it too.
Not believing in any of these crack pot religions like Christianity, Hindu, Judaism, Buddhism, Shintoism, or Muslim gives me a slightly different perspective than the typical deluded, true believer who continues to have “faith” even when faced with “reason” showing that his particular religious cult is just a bunch of hog wash.
I cannot see any justification for excluding religions from the same taxation as other members of society. Why can a church earn money and not have to pay taxes on the income, yet I do have to pay taxes? I am in essence subsidizing religion.
True separation of church and state means that religions should be treated like anyone else. You have the right to maintain your weirdo ideas about talking snakes, burning bushes, coming back to life after death and then asking people to drink your blood, or flying off to heaven on your horse from a big rock launching pad. But just because you say you are religious, this does not give you the right to violate society's laws. So you cannot engage in female genital mutilation, and you do not have the right to kill one of your family's young women just because she really likes sex and wants to experience it with as many different partners as possible.
It is time we got over all the smoke and mirrors and mumbo jumbo when dealing with religions. They should be treated the same as any other person or group in society.
-
-
-
-
-
If a group rapists, pedophiles, and child molesters tried to form a religion centered on their sacred ideas, society wouldn't accept that this qualified as a constitutionally protected religion for a minute. If some camouflage-wearing, assault rifle toting, racist, tattooed neo-nazis tried to form a religion based upon their sick ideals of lynching and racial purity, society just wouldn't buy it.
So it is clear that the idea of constitutionally protected freedom of religion has limitations. The question is where do we draw the line? I read in today's news that some red neck Republican who is running for the job of governor in a southern state has suggested that the world's second largest religion, Muslim, should not qualify as a religion. That idea would no doubt be attractive to some of the less well educated. Probably the inflammatory pundits on Fox News would like it too.
Not believing in any of these crack pot religions like Christianity, Hindu, Judaism, Buddhism, Shintoism, or Muslim gives me a slightly different perspective than the typical deluded, true believer who continues to have “faith” even when faced with “reason” showing that his particular religious cult is just a bunch of hog wash.
I cannot see any justification for excluding religions from the same taxation as other members of society. Why can a church earn money and not have to pay taxes on the income, yet I do have to pay taxes? I am in essence subsidizing religion.
True separation of church and state means that religions should be treated like anyone else. You have the right to maintain your weirdo ideas about talking snakes, burning bushes, coming back to life after death and then asking people to drink your blood, or flying off to heaven on your horse from a big rock launching pad. But just because you say you are religious, this does not give you the right to violate society's laws. So you cannot engage in female genital mutilation, and you do not have the right to kill one of your family's young women just because she really likes sex and wants to experience it with as many different partners as possible.
It is time we got over all the smoke and mirrors and mumbo jumbo when dealing with religions. They should be treated the same as any other person or group in society.
-
-
-
-
-
Monday, July 26, 2010
Military Strike Against Iran Inexorable Says ex-CIA Chief
Yesterday Michael Hayden, the top CIA man under Bush Jr. told CNN's State of the Union that a military strike against Iran now “seems inexorable.”
I believe in nuclear non-proliferation much more than most of these red neck Bush Republicans do. But openly saying on national TV that it has now become inevitable that the United States will go to war with Iran is total and complete lunacy. This guy Hayden needs to be involuntarily committed to a mental health institution, or maybe in one of those many secret CIA torture-prisons that Obama promised to close.
It is a real shame that North Korea, Pakistan, India, Israel, Russia, England, the U.S., and France all have nuclear bombs. The more spread of these weapons that we see, the more likely it becomes that sooner or later some weirdo, suicidal, religious-terrorist group which has little to lose will get their hands on one. Or that they will finally manage to make and then detonate a dirty conventional bomb.
This continued spread of nuclear weapons is a major problem. Right up there with the byproducts from our modern, improved lifestyle (air and water pollution) simultaneously destroying the planet's atmosphere and ruining our modern, improved lifestyle. But anyone who advocates going to war with Iran as a solution for nuclear proliferation is seriously mentally ill.
Before even considering taking on another war, we need to get totally out of Iraq. Not just combat troops. All troops, personnel, contractors and mercenaries, as well as all financial support. The same goes for Pakistan-Afghanistan. We just need to go home. All troops, all personnel, all mercenaries and contractors, all foreign aid, military aid, and any other financial support.
Then give the country at least 15 to 20 years without any wars to pay back some of the debt we incurred to fight these useless and unwinnable wars. By taking a wait-and-see attitude, maybe someone else will stand up and take some action. Or maybe internal opposition in Iran will solve the problem.
It is long past the time when America could afford to be the policeman for the entire world. Not to mention that over the last 40 years or so America has managed to support the wrong side of many (most?) conflicts. We really seem to be getting quite good at losing wars. This insanity has got to stop.
-
-
-
-
-
-
I believe in nuclear non-proliferation much more than most of these red neck Bush Republicans do. But openly saying on national TV that it has now become inevitable that the United States will go to war with Iran is total and complete lunacy. This guy Hayden needs to be involuntarily committed to a mental health institution, or maybe in one of those many secret CIA torture-prisons that Obama promised to close.
It is a real shame that North Korea, Pakistan, India, Israel, Russia, England, the U.S., and France all have nuclear bombs. The more spread of these weapons that we see, the more likely it becomes that sooner or later some weirdo, suicidal, religious-terrorist group which has little to lose will get their hands on one. Or that they will finally manage to make and then detonate a dirty conventional bomb.
This continued spread of nuclear weapons is a major problem. Right up there with the byproducts from our modern, improved lifestyle (air and water pollution) simultaneously destroying the planet's atmosphere and ruining our modern, improved lifestyle. But anyone who advocates going to war with Iran as a solution for nuclear proliferation is seriously mentally ill.
Before even considering taking on another war, we need to get totally out of Iraq. Not just combat troops. All troops, personnel, contractors and mercenaries, as well as all financial support. The same goes for Pakistan-Afghanistan. We just need to go home. All troops, all personnel, all mercenaries and contractors, all foreign aid, military aid, and any other financial support.
Then give the country at least 15 to 20 years without any wars to pay back some of the debt we incurred to fight these useless and unwinnable wars. By taking a wait-and-see attitude, maybe someone else will stand up and take some action. Or maybe internal opposition in Iran will solve the problem.
It is long past the time when America could afford to be the policeman for the entire world. Not to mention that over the last 40 years or so America has managed to support the wrong side of many (most?) conflicts. We really seem to be getting quite good at losing wars. This insanity has got to stop.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Sunday, July 25, 2010
UV Lighting In The Theater
Secret hidden writing, uranium glass, elegant and beautiful fluorescent minerals, color TV, scientific use in the laboratory. There are many ways that the concept of fluorescence and ultraviolet lights have been used to expand our horizons.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Democrats, Please Stay Involved DESPITE President Obama
The Republicans really are much, much worse than the Democrats. And if we allow Obama's glaring defects to demoralize us so badly that we stay home and don't vote, we will get what we deserve.
Obama is afraid to even mention poverty or race. He is pro-nuclear, and before the BP oil spill disaster he authorized offshore drilling that even Bush Jr. didn't allow. He lied during the campaign about his support for single-payer health care, and then he wouldn't even support the far weaker vigorous-government-option. He kept too many of Bush's people on, including the Treasury Secretary (an ex-Wall Street crook) and the defense secretary. He greatly increased the number of troops stationed overseas who are dying in wars that we will most certainly lose. Not to mention that the cost of this bloated military continues to grow rapidly.
His reform of Wall Street ended up being very moderate and tepid at best. Health care reform for Mr. Obama was not anything like universal health care to help out uninsured or poor people; it was all about cost containment.
In actual action Mr. Obama has no backbone or balls. His words are better than Mr. Bush's, but his actions tell a different story. Most of Obama's actions are those of a Republican wannabe.
He had his chief of staff call the progressives and the liberals “retarded.” They have not rescinded this vile statement or apologized in any way. Yes, it turns out that in action Mr. Obama seems to be just another dishonest Chicago politician.
But having the Democrats in charge is still much better than having the ignorant, racist Republicans in charge. These right wingers with the GOP are about 1000 times worse than the Democrats and Mr. Obama.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Obama is afraid to even mention poverty or race. He is pro-nuclear, and before the BP oil spill disaster he authorized offshore drilling that even Bush Jr. didn't allow. He lied during the campaign about his support for single-payer health care, and then he wouldn't even support the far weaker vigorous-government-option. He kept too many of Bush's people on, including the Treasury Secretary (an ex-Wall Street crook) and the defense secretary. He greatly increased the number of troops stationed overseas who are dying in wars that we will most certainly lose. Not to mention that the cost of this bloated military continues to grow rapidly.
His reform of Wall Street ended up being very moderate and tepid at best. Health care reform for Mr. Obama was not anything like universal health care to help out uninsured or poor people; it was all about cost containment.
In actual action Mr. Obama has no backbone or balls. His words are better than Mr. Bush's, but his actions tell a different story. Most of Obama's actions are those of a Republican wannabe.
He had his chief of staff call the progressives and the liberals “retarded.” They have not rescinded this vile statement or apologized in any way. Yes, it turns out that in action Mr. Obama seems to be just another dishonest Chicago politician.
But having the Democrats in charge is still much better than having the ignorant, racist Republicans in charge. These right wingers with the GOP are about 1000 times worse than the Democrats and Mr. Obama.
-
-
-
-
-
-
How Important Is A College Degree Nowadays?
Reading an article by the BBC on how many find college degrees irrelevant got me started thinking. I know young people who have four year university degrees who can't spell or punctuate properly. On paper they look like someone who dropped out after the sixth grade.
Most degrees do not lead to a vocation. The degree may just as well be in basket weaving or English literature. A few degrees do lead to a job. Accounting, Engineering, Law. These degrees which will get you a good job are normally much more demanding.
Most of the kids I know who are either about to get their degree or who have recently earned it are horribly in debt due to their student loans. I seriously doubt whether having a degree will get them the good job they want. Paying back these student loans is going to be a horrible burden. Some of these kids are almost 30 years old and still have not yet gotten that first job of their career. Some even still live at home with their Mommie.
Quotes from the BBC article:
“I think a lot of people do think having a degree is a guarantee for success and I don't think so.”
“You have to have some ambition, some drive to go forward and really do something with that degree. Just having a a degree doesn't guarantee a job.”
“Perhaps there has just been too much emphasis on going to university."
-
-
-
-
-
Most degrees do not lead to a vocation. The degree may just as well be in basket weaving or English literature. A few degrees do lead to a job. Accounting, Engineering, Law. These degrees which will get you a good job are normally much more demanding.
Most of the kids I know who are either about to get their degree or who have recently earned it are horribly in debt due to their student loans. I seriously doubt whether having a degree will get them the good job they want. Paying back these student loans is going to be a horrible burden. Some of these kids are almost 30 years old and still have not yet gotten that first job of their career. Some even still live at home with their Mommie.
Quotes from the BBC article:
“I think a lot of people do think having a degree is a guarantee for success and I don't think so.”
“You have to have some ambition, some drive to go forward and really do something with that degree. Just having a a degree doesn't guarantee a job.”
“Perhaps there has just been too much emphasis on going to university."
-
-
-
-
-
The Dumbing Down of America
Last night on the PBS News Hour during the discussion with Mark Shields, the conservative New York Times columnist David Brooks stated that in America 40% of people were conservative, 20% were liberal, and the remaining 40% were swing voters. He said this twice, but he didn't cite sources where those numbers came from.
On the surface this seems to indicate a severe dumbing down is taking place in America. But when looked at a little closer, I am not so sure. Most people simply cannot be adequately described by one word. This approach is far too simplistic to have any validity in the real world.
For example I would describe myself as liberal-progressive on most issues, but conservative on a few, including economic issues. This means that I cannot possibly support most Republican positions on economics issues because they have a proven track record of almost bankrupting the American economy. The Republicans keep cutting taxes on rich people thinking that this will energize the economy. It doesn't, and yet they don't cut spending, in fact they radically increase spending on the military, so their demonstrated history of running up huge deficits is well documented.
On the issues of civil rights, basic human rights like universal health care, and continuous aggression, militarism, and warfare I fall out on the liberal side of the equation. I support equal pay for equal work for females which is a progressive-liberal position, and although I do not like the idea of abortions, I find back alley illegal abortions to be far worse. So on this issue too I side with other liberals. I adamantly believe in separation of church and state, and the rights of freedom to worship, and especially the right to not worship or believe in any of that God or religion malarkey.
Global warming caused by human pollution is most certainly real, and I consider myself to be an environmentalist. I drive a Toyota Prius, I support wilderness, and I am opposed to both nuclear energy and off shore oil drilling. I support conservation, and renewable energy.
On at least 85% of the hot button issues I am solidly progressive-liberal. On comprehensive immigration reform (amnesty for illegals) I am more in the middle, but I'm not at all supportive of the hard core racist and ethnocentric right wingers who hate foreigners and dark skinned people.
Gays, lesbians, and cross dressers are not at all important to me. The idea of legalized same-sex marriage seems quite absurd to me. I believe in each individual person's right to have a loaded firearm(s) in your home for self protection, and also the right to carry a concealed weapon or even open carry a firearm for self protection when you are outside your home.
It is clear that David Brooks' point about Liberals and Conservatives was absurd and simplistic. This is a typical “dumbed-down” concept. Brooks is usually bright and fairly honest, so this surprises me a bit.
If one looks at what percentage of people consistently vote Democratic vs. those who vote Republican, you probably have a number that holds some weight. In general I find most Republican politicians to be corrupt, ignorant, and racist. In almost all cases, I will choose a Democrat above a Republican when I am standing there in the voting booth.
Does this mean that I really like or admire the Democrats? No, not at all. In general they are almost as power hungry and corrupt as the Republicans, and most of these Democratic politicians don't impress me much either. It is only when they are directly compared with the Republican candidate that the Democratic ideas and campaign rhetoric seem so vastly superior.
-
-
-
-
On the surface this seems to indicate a severe dumbing down is taking place in America. But when looked at a little closer, I am not so sure. Most people simply cannot be adequately described by one word. This approach is far too simplistic to have any validity in the real world.
For example I would describe myself as liberal-progressive on most issues, but conservative on a few, including economic issues. This means that I cannot possibly support most Republican positions on economics issues because they have a proven track record of almost bankrupting the American economy. The Republicans keep cutting taxes on rich people thinking that this will energize the economy. It doesn't, and yet they don't cut spending, in fact they radically increase spending on the military, so their demonstrated history of running up huge deficits is well documented.
On the issues of civil rights, basic human rights like universal health care, and continuous aggression, militarism, and warfare I fall out on the liberal side of the equation. I support equal pay for equal work for females which is a progressive-liberal position, and although I do not like the idea of abortions, I find back alley illegal abortions to be far worse. So on this issue too I side with other liberals. I adamantly believe in separation of church and state, and the rights of freedom to worship, and especially the right to not worship or believe in any of that God or religion malarkey.
Global warming caused by human pollution is most certainly real, and I consider myself to be an environmentalist. I drive a Toyota Prius, I support wilderness, and I am opposed to both nuclear energy and off shore oil drilling. I support conservation, and renewable energy.
On at least 85% of the hot button issues I am solidly progressive-liberal. On comprehensive immigration reform (amnesty for illegals) I am more in the middle, but I'm not at all supportive of the hard core racist and ethnocentric right wingers who hate foreigners and dark skinned people.
Gays, lesbians, and cross dressers are not at all important to me. The idea of legalized same-sex marriage seems quite absurd to me. I believe in each individual person's right to have a loaded firearm(s) in your home for self protection, and also the right to carry a concealed weapon or even open carry a firearm for self protection when you are outside your home.
It is clear that David Brooks' point about Liberals and Conservatives was absurd and simplistic. This is a typical “dumbed-down” concept. Brooks is usually bright and fairly honest, so this surprises me a bit.
If one looks at what percentage of people consistently vote Democratic vs. those who vote Republican, you probably have a number that holds some weight. In general I find most Republican politicians to be corrupt, ignorant, and racist. In almost all cases, I will choose a Democrat above a Republican when I am standing there in the voting booth.
Does this mean that I really like or admire the Democrats? No, not at all. In general they are almost as power hungry and corrupt as the Republicans, and most of these Democratic politicians don't impress me much either. It is only when they are directly compared with the Republican candidate that the Democratic ideas and campaign rhetoric seem so vastly superior.
-
-
-
-
Friday, July 23, 2010
Tropical Storm Bonnie
Bonnie isn't especially strong, but it is technically a tropical storm. It seems to be aiming directly for the lying BP bastards. Couldn't happen to nicer people.
Since it is spinning counter clockwise, it will tend to drive the waves, the oil, and the tide into the Louisiana coast raising water levels significantly. Especially to the east of the storm.
I don't have a lot of compassion for BP, but I do for the people of New Orleans. I hope they and the other coastal residents are spared.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Since it is spinning counter clockwise, it will tend to drive the waves, the oil, and the tide into the Louisiana coast raising water levels significantly. Especially to the east of the storm.
I don't have a lot of compassion for BP, but I do for the people of New Orleans. I hope they and the other coastal residents are spared.
-
-
-
-
-
-
General Motors Is Lost In Space
Ford is continuing to report good profits, and it appears that the vehicles they are making are now almost approaching Japanese levels of quality.
Over at General Motors rather than focusing on manufacturing good vehicles which are high quality, get good fuel economy, and are priced right they are in the process of buying a finance company which specializes in sub prime loans. They want to be able sell more cars to people who can't really afford them by offering no down payment and 6 years of payments to folks with bad credit histories. Unhealthy and dishonest con-games like this are what got the American economy is so much trouble in the first place. And the really sad part is that us taxpayers currently own GM. Yet our government regulators are permitting this to take place.
Much of the problem is that Obama let a big part of the Bush team stay on. Our treasury secretary was a Bush man. He is an ex-Wall Street bozo who fit right in with the Bushes.
-
-
Over at General Motors rather than focusing on manufacturing good vehicles which are high quality, get good fuel economy, and are priced right they are in the process of buying a finance company which specializes in sub prime loans. They want to be able sell more cars to people who can't really afford them by offering no down payment and 6 years of payments to folks with bad credit histories. Unhealthy and dishonest con-games like this are what got the American economy is so much trouble in the first place. And the really sad part is that us taxpayers currently own GM. Yet our government regulators are permitting this to take place.
Much of the problem is that Obama let a big part of the Bush team stay on. Our treasury secretary was a Bush man. He is an ex-Wall Street bozo who fit right in with the Bushes.
-
-
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Is Al Gore Innocent Until Proven Guilty?
In America we seem to often ignore that until someone is actually convicted by a court of law, they are supposed to be treated and thought of as innocent. This is difficult and is sometimes an ideal. But we should at least try. Next time it might be you or one of your family members who is falsely accused.
Is Al Gore some horrible perverted sex criminal? I think he has now been accused by three different massage parlor ladies of wanting to french kiss and receive a hand job. But he hasn't been indicted or charged of anything, much less been found guilty of some crime.
If your physician sends you to get genuine physical therapy, he sure doesn't send you to a seedy massage parlor in some strip mall. These are often thinly veiled disguises for a rather low class and sleazy form of prostitution.
Second, take a close look at Tipper Gore. I can imagine that someone married to a woman like her might wish to look elsewhere for sexual gratification.
Based upon the information I have at the moment, Al Gore is no more of a sex criminal than David Beckham or Tiger Woods. And Gore is sure more socially responsible than the other two rich, spoiled athletes.
-
-
-
-
-
Is Al Gore some horrible perverted sex criminal? I think he has now been accused by three different massage parlor ladies of wanting to french kiss and receive a hand job. But he hasn't been indicted or charged of anything, much less been found guilty of some crime.
If your physician sends you to get genuine physical therapy, he sure doesn't send you to a seedy massage parlor in some strip mall. These are often thinly veiled disguises for a rather low class and sleazy form of prostitution.
Second, take a close look at Tipper Gore. I can imagine that someone married to a woman like her might wish to look elsewhere for sexual gratification.
Based upon the information I have at the moment, Al Gore is no more of a sex criminal than David Beckham or Tiger Woods. And Gore is sure more socially responsible than the other two rich, spoiled athletes.
-
-
-
-
-
Race and Barack Obama
Shirley Sherrod is the black lady who was fired from the U.S.D.A. after they and the White House both failed to properly investigate or get the facts before jumping to a conclusion. I read in today's news that Mrs. Sherrod says that she would love to discuss race with Barack Obama.
As liberals have discovered, Mr. Obama certainly is not a liberal or progressive. His words are pretty good, but his actions are often those of a wanna-be Republican. Environmentalists have found that Obama is not at all an environmentalist. In some ways the wildly ignorant Bush II was a better environmentalist. Obama has openly supported nuclear energy and drill baby drill.
On health care normal middle class Americans have discovered that Obama is not at all what he pretended to be. His immediate disavowal of “single payer” and even the much weaker “vigorous government option” made sure that the results of health care reform would be a gold mine for the health insurance companies, physicians, hospitals, and drug companies. This was not universal health care, it was cost containment which allowed the industry to continue making obscene profits.
Black leaders have been reluctant to criticize Obama in public, but in private they sure do. His track record on civil rights so far has been far less than optimal. Certainly less than white presidents like Lyndon Johnson.
When Americans talk about a black person or an African American, they are generally referring to someone whose direct ancestors suffered through the horrible indignities of racism, the lynchings, the civil war, and U.S. Government sanctioned segregation. People who grew up hearing the stories from their parents and grandparents. Mr. Obama's family didn't go through any of this. His genetic father was from an upper class family in Africa, not the ignorant and intolerant American south. Obama was raised by a white family in Hawaii. He has a law degree. Racial prejudice is just not something that Mr. Obama has much experience or expertise in. So his level of empathy is really quite low.
-
-
-
-
As liberals have discovered, Mr. Obama certainly is not a liberal or progressive. His words are pretty good, but his actions are often those of a wanna-be Republican. Environmentalists have found that Obama is not at all an environmentalist. In some ways the wildly ignorant Bush II was a better environmentalist. Obama has openly supported nuclear energy and drill baby drill.
On health care normal middle class Americans have discovered that Obama is not at all what he pretended to be. His immediate disavowal of “single payer” and even the much weaker “vigorous government option” made sure that the results of health care reform would be a gold mine for the health insurance companies, physicians, hospitals, and drug companies. This was not universal health care, it was cost containment which allowed the industry to continue making obscene profits.
Black leaders have been reluctant to criticize Obama in public, but in private they sure do. His track record on civil rights so far has been far less than optimal. Certainly less than white presidents like Lyndon Johnson.
When Americans talk about a black person or an African American, they are generally referring to someone whose direct ancestors suffered through the horrible indignities of racism, the lynchings, the civil war, and U.S. Government sanctioned segregation. People who grew up hearing the stories from their parents and grandparents. Mr. Obama's family didn't go through any of this. His genetic father was from an upper class family in Africa, not the ignorant and intolerant American south. Obama was raised by a white family in Hawaii. He has a law degree. Racial prejudice is just not something that Mr. Obama has much experience or expertise in. So his level of empathy is really quite low.
-
-
-
-
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Warehouse 13
In the newest season of Warehouse 13 the actors are being made to behave 
like fools and buffoons. This sort of denigration is unappealing. In a way it is related to put down humor and getting punked.
It is sad when one sees someone or something one really likes going downhill; especially when one is powerless to help.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
like fools and buffoons. This sort of denigration is unappealing. In a way it is related to put down humor and getting punked.It is sad when one sees someone or something one really likes going downhill; especially when one is powerless to help.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Everybody Hit The Floor!
At an international (Panamerican) Boy Scout Jamboree in Tepoztlan, a group of Boy Scouts from Juarez and Chihuahua greeted the Mexican First Lady Margarita Zavala with a slogan, "What do we yell in Juarez? Everybody hit the floor! What do we yell in Chihuahua? Everybody hit the floor! What do we yell all over the north of Mexico? Everybody hit the floor!"
-
More than 1000 scouts performed the chant as they were having their photographs taken with the first lady who minutes earlier had refused to speak about the violence and loss of nearly 25,000 lives in the war against narcotrafficking since 2006.
At least two Boy Scouts from Juarez have been killed in the violence this year in Juarez.
-
-
http://www.diario.com.mx/nota.php?notaid=0ddadc7536cff5a59e26ba127cf27c13
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
More than 1000 scouts performed the chant as they were having their photographs taken with the first lady who minutes earlier had refused to speak about the violence and loss of nearly 25,000 lives in the war against narcotrafficking since 2006.
At least two Boy Scouts from Juarez have been killed in the violence this year in Juarez.
-
-
http://www.diario.com.mx/nota.php?notaid=0ddadc7536cff5a59e26ba127cf27c13
-
-
-
-
-
-
Military Adventurism
In Europe short work weeks, long paid vacations, generous health care for all, full retirement at very young ages, thirteenth and fourteenth months pay, generous severance benefits, and all the other humane social legislation has now begun to choke off the economies which pay for all these delightful social benefits.
America spends very little on social benefits or safety nets for its less fortunate citizens. People get laid off from their job but do not receive unemployment benefits. Growing millions do not have any health insurance and cannot afford to go see a medical professional even if seriously ill. The American tax laws continue to encourage companies to relocate their manufacturing operations overseas, and cities like Flint and Detroit are moving towards ghost town status. America is well known around the world as being the most parsimonious, stingy, and brutal of the affluent democracies. Financially successful Americans are being asked to pay a shrinking part of the cost, due to the continuation of the Bush tax cuts on the wealthy.
Military adventurism has continued to grow, even as the American economy remains weak. The cost of supporting this enormous American military and the continual state of warfare is now choking off the economy which pays for it.
In Europe one now sees considerable discussion about raising the retirement age and other painful reforms. There is even a bit of genuine action taking place.
America has not yet even begun discussing reigning in what President Eisenhower called the military-industrial-complex. Politicians do not have the strength of character to dare to suggest significant cuts to military spending. No one can seriously discuss reducing the federal budget deficit if they refuse to also include the bloated military budget in the conversation. If the cost of the military is kept out of the discussion, then it is just political talk. One political party gaining power over the other party. Or it is just an effort on the part of the right wing to kill social security, medicare, and medicaid. When greatly reducing military expenditures eventually begins to be openly discussed, and finally becomes a reality, then some progress can be made in getting the federal budget in order.
Until then it is just so much more blah blah blah by all these big mouth politicians.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
America spends very little on social benefits or safety nets for its less fortunate citizens. People get laid off from their job but do not receive unemployment benefits. Growing millions do not have any health insurance and cannot afford to go see a medical professional even if seriously ill. The American tax laws continue to encourage companies to relocate their manufacturing operations overseas, and cities like Flint and Detroit are moving towards ghost town status. America is well known around the world as being the most parsimonious, stingy, and brutal of the affluent democracies. Financially successful Americans are being asked to pay a shrinking part of the cost, due to the continuation of the Bush tax cuts on the wealthy.
Military adventurism has continued to grow, even as the American economy remains weak. The cost of supporting this enormous American military and the continual state of warfare is now choking off the economy which pays for it.
In Europe one now sees considerable discussion about raising the retirement age and other painful reforms. There is even a bit of genuine action taking place.
America has not yet even begun discussing reigning in what President Eisenhower called the military-industrial-complex. Politicians do not have the strength of character to dare to suggest significant cuts to military spending. No one can seriously discuss reducing the federal budget deficit if they refuse to also include the bloated military budget in the conversation. If the cost of the military is kept out of the discussion, then it is just political talk. One political party gaining power over the other party. Or it is just an effort on the part of the right wing to kill social security, medicare, and medicaid. When greatly reducing military expenditures eventually begins to be openly discussed, and finally becomes a reality, then some progress can be made in getting the federal budget in order.
Until then it is just so much more blah blah blah by all these big mouth politicians.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Ricoh 35 Flex
At the flea market this morning I bought a neat early model 35mm SLR camera for $5-.
This camera is a Ricoh 35 Flex. It was also sold as the Sears SL-9. No batteries are required; all needed power is made from the ambient light.
It has a non-changeable, fixed lens. If you wanted to shoot either telephoto or wide angle Ricoh sold screw on lens adapters which were attached to the front of the existing lens.
This is the only SLR camera lens I have ever seen which instead of listing the focal length in millimeters shows it in centimeters. So it says it has a 5cm lens (which is the same as saying that it has a 50mm lens).
This camera is really old, having been made in 1963. At the time I was a mere 14 year old boy. A 14 year old boy who had his driver's license, owned a red English Ford car (the same model as J.K. Rowlings' friend), and was regularly getting laid in El Paso and drunk in Juarez.
-
-
-
-
This camera is a Ricoh 35 Flex. It was also sold as the Sears SL-9. No batteries are required; all needed power is made from the ambient light.
It has a non-changeable, fixed lens. If you wanted to shoot either telephoto or wide angle Ricoh sold screw on lens adapters which were attached to the front of the existing lens.
This is the only SLR camera lens I have ever seen which instead of listing the focal length in millimeters shows it in centimeters. So it says it has a 5cm lens (which is the same as saying that it has a 50mm lens).
This camera is really old, having been made in 1963. At the time I was a mere 14 year old boy. A 14 year old boy who had his driver's license, owned a red English Ford car (the same model as J.K. Rowlings' friend), and was regularly getting laid in El Paso and drunk in Juarez.
-
-
-
-
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Republicans
Barack Obama is finally coming out of the closet. He recently lambasted the Republicans for being the political party of the rich.
I think it is appropriate that we be a little more specific. The Republicans are racists, they hate poor people, and mostly they only care about greed and getting richer.
What I find strange is all the desperate poor and working class folks who completely fall for the Republican propaganda.
-
-
-
–
-
-
I think it is appropriate that we be a little more specific. The Republicans are racists, they hate poor people, and mostly they only care about greed and getting richer.
What I find strange is all the desperate poor and working class folks who completely fall for the Republican propaganda.
-
-
-
–
-
-
Apple Religious Fervor
I have never understood why intelligent, rational people embrace Apple products with virtual religious fervor. Well educated people who long ago decided that true believers and organized religions were absurd, apparently would follow Steve Jobs right off a cliff.
Apple products have always been terribly overpriced. I liken it to Lexus owners. Built by Toyota, the Lexus is priced far higher. The buyer does not receive a vehicle which lasts longer or is built to higher quality standards. In most cases Lexus cars are heavy, with big engines, so the fuel economy is lower than with Toyotas. So the buyer pays more, but only for some perception of being wealthier than the Joneses.
Apple is monopolistic and dictatorial. Much of their software is proprietary, so it won't work on standard computers or phones. This allows them to increase their prices and their greed. Examples are Apple's attempts to avoid USB, mp3s, and Adobe video software.
The iPhone has had serious problems since its original introduction. The phone could not be purchased unlocked, so you were forced to use the one carrier where they had cut their deal. The user could not replace the SIM card, and the user could not even change the frigging battery! What a total dog.
Both Lexus and Apple purchasers are more than welcome to waste their money. It is fine with me. I have been really stupid about some things in my life too. But please don't try to convince the rest of us that this overpriced product you have purchased is a good value. That is certainly untrue. You are under the influence of the Mad Men and the marketing and advertising people, not the geeks or consumer reports.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Apple products have always been terribly overpriced. I liken it to Lexus owners. Built by Toyota, the Lexus is priced far higher. The buyer does not receive a vehicle which lasts longer or is built to higher quality standards. In most cases Lexus cars are heavy, with big engines, so the fuel economy is lower than with Toyotas. So the buyer pays more, but only for some perception of being wealthier than the Joneses.
Apple is monopolistic and dictatorial. Much of their software is proprietary, so it won't work on standard computers or phones. This allows them to increase their prices and their greed. Examples are Apple's attempts to avoid USB, mp3s, and Adobe video software.
The iPhone has had serious problems since its original introduction. The phone could not be purchased unlocked, so you were forced to use the one carrier where they had cut their deal. The user could not replace the SIM card, and the user could not even change the frigging battery! What a total dog.
Both Lexus and Apple purchasers are more than welcome to waste their money. It is fine with me. I have been really stupid about some things in my life too. But please don't try to convince the rest of us that this overpriced product you have purchased is a good value. That is certainly untrue. You are under the influence of the Mad Men and the marketing and advertising people, not the geeks or consumer reports.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Friday, July 16, 2010
Thunderstorm
We are in the middle of one of those hot summer desert thunderstorms. The high winds make the rain blow sideways, there is some hail, and an absolute cloudburst of water.
Before the rain began the temperature was about 100F (38C), but within just a few minutes it went down to 68F (20C) .
How exciting!
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
How exciting!
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Priestly Pedophilia
The Vatican has issued clarification and guidance. They now say that sexual abuse and pedophilia are bad and are crimes against morality; but that the ordination of women into priests is a crime against an ordination. So from their perspective, turning a mere woman into a priest is seen as being FAR worse than the sexual abuse of children or the retarded by priests and nuns.
I am not a Catholic, but I have had a certain amount of respect for the Catholic church and especially for Cardinal Ratzinger, who is now their Pope.
If a woman is ordained as a Catholic priest, justice and punishment will be swift...often within months. Whereas many priests accused of sexual abuse are normally not judged for years or decades, if ever.
The truth has now come out, and it just has to be dealt with. What a weird, screwed up religion.
-
-
-
-
-
I am not a Catholic, but I have had a certain amount of respect for the Catholic church and especially for Cardinal Ratzinger, who is now their Pope.
If a woman is ordained as a Catholic priest, justice and punishment will be swift...often within months. Whereas many priests accused of sexual abuse are normally not judged for years or decades, if ever.
The truth has now come out, and it just has to be dealt with. What a weird, screwed up religion.
-
-
-
-
-
Life Is Neither Easy or Fair
Take a look around the world. Whether you look at Mexico, Haiti, Africa, Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan, the former USSR, China, or India you see that the vast majority of people are just barely making it. They don't have much of a cushion to fall back on in case of really bad times. The odd part is that right now is probably the very best that mankind has ever had it. At the moment there is less plague and mass starvation than at any time in our history. Literacy among ordinary people is higher now than at any time since we were apes hanging around in Africa.
Water is still a problem, and it is getting to be more so. Fresh, clean, healthy drinking water, water for irrigating crops, and adequate treatment-disposal of contaminated waste water. Carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gasses are continuing to increase in the planet's thin atmosphere.
In the middle of the twentieth century people around the globe tried to improve communication and reduce the chances of nuclear war. The United Nations was founded, and at first actually did some good. The USSR and the USA were dragged screaming and kicking into agreeing to reduce their insane quantities of long range missiles, bombers, and multiple warhead nuclear missiles. Genuine efforts were put into trying to stop nuclear proliferation, and the results were often positive.
Now early in the twenty first century things don't look so rosy. More and more unstable little religious dictatorships have developed or purchased nuclear bombs. Israel, Pakistan, India, and North Korea. Iran is working real hard on getting its own bomb. Other countries in the Persian Gulf region are trying to do so. The rich, arrogant, and many times racist countries like the USA, Russia, England, and France still have thousands of nuclear warheads. There is no real sign that any of these countries intend to actually go fully 100% non-nuclear.
Around the planet the trend is towards more people owning and driving automobiles, and in those countries which have had cars for years, the trend is clearly towards more powerful or larger cars which consume more energy and pollute the air more.
The tropical rain forests in the Amazon continue to be cut down, the oceans are warming, and coral reefs are dying. Extinction of plants, insects and other life forms is taking place at approximately the same rate as the last time the Earth was hit by a major asteroid.
The supply of food and water for human consumption increasingly contains trace amounts of pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, hormones, and other chemicals of dubious value to human health. Antibiotics are routinely fed to animals solely to increase profits by helping them fatten up, and people all over the plant are eating far more meat and fat. Obesity and cardiovascular disease are now major problems in a growing number of places, and the problem is spreading rapidly as people eat more processed foods high in sugar, fat, and salt; all while they are getting far less exercise in their daily lives.
Economic systems worldwide are making the rich and powerful even more so, and the middle and working classes are losing out. Communism and Marxism are dead. China, India, Russia, and America are all competing to see who can become the richest and most wild-west, get rich quick, virtually unregulated capitalist economies. Thinking is increasingly short term, even among those government planners we thought were intelligent and well educated. Worrying much about the long term consequences of any policy or behavior is no longer considered the “in” thing to do.
At the micro level healthy, beautiful, wanted babies are still being born, and flowers are still blooming. Each day there are still beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
But at the macro level things do not look so good. A great many different factors have been trending in a negative direction for at least the last fifty years. Not only does mankind seem incapable of reversing this growing pattern of self destructiveness, the general trend among humans is growing increasingly self-centered. In developed parts of the world empathy for people who are less fortunate is continuing its rapid decline.
I don't really know how to end this little document. In the past this might have been thought of as a wake-up call. In 2010 most people won't even try to read it, and among those few who do, it will cause many to simply yawn with boredom. Maybe it would be best to look at things from the perspective of how the planet will gradually recover once humans have fully self destructed. What a total fucking waste. And mostly because of greed. Oh well, so long humans. Good try.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Water is still a problem, and it is getting to be more so. Fresh, clean, healthy drinking water, water for irrigating crops, and adequate treatment-disposal of contaminated waste water. Carbon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse gasses are continuing to increase in the planet's thin atmosphere.
In the middle of the twentieth century people around the globe tried to improve communication and reduce the chances of nuclear war. The United Nations was founded, and at first actually did some good. The USSR and the USA were dragged screaming and kicking into agreeing to reduce their insane quantities of long range missiles, bombers, and multiple warhead nuclear missiles. Genuine efforts were put into trying to stop nuclear proliferation, and the results were often positive.
Now early in the twenty first century things don't look so rosy. More and more unstable little religious dictatorships have developed or purchased nuclear bombs. Israel, Pakistan, India, and North Korea. Iran is working real hard on getting its own bomb. Other countries in the Persian Gulf region are trying to do so. The rich, arrogant, and many times racist countries like the USA, Russia, England, and France still have thousands of nuclear warheads. There is no real sign that any of these countries intend to actually go fully 100% non-nuclear.
Around the planet the trend is towards more people owning and driving automobiles, and in those countries which have had cars for years, the trend is clearly towards more powerful or larger cars which consume more energy and pollute the air more.
The tropical rain forests in the Amazon continue to be cut down, the oceans are warming, and coral reefs are dying. Extinction of plants, insects and other life forms is taking place at approximately the same rate as the last time the Earth was hit by a major asteroid.
The supply of food and water for human consumption increasingly contains trace amounts of pesticides, herbicides, heavy metals, hormones, and other chemicals of dubious value to human health. Antibiotics are routinely fed to animals solely to increase profits by helping them fatten up, and people all over the plant are eating far more meat and fat. Obesity and cardiovascular disease are now major problems in a growing number of places, and the problem is spreading rapidly as people eat more processed foods high in sugar, fat, and salt; all while they are getting far less exercise in their daily lives.
Economic systems worldwide are making the rich and powerful even more so, and the middle and working classes are losing out. Communism and Marxism are dead. China, India, Russia, and America are all competing to see who can become the richest and most wild-west, get rich quick, virtually unregulated capitalist economies. Thinking is increasingly short term, even among those government planners we thought were intelligent and well educated. Worrying much about the long term consequences of any policy or behavior is no longer considered the “in” thing to do.
At the micro level healthy, beautiful, wanted babies are still being born, and flowers are still blooming. Each day there are still beautiful sunrises and sunsets.
But at the macro level things do not look so good. A great many different factors have been trending in a negative direction for at least the last fifty years. Not only does mankind seem incapable of reversing this growing pattern of self destructiveness, the general trend among humans is growing increasingly self-centered. In developed parts of the world empathy for people who are less fortunate is continuing its rapid decline.
I don't really know how to end this little document. In the past this might have been thought of as a wake-up call. In 2010 most people won't even try to read it, and among those few who do, it will cause many to simply yawn with boredom. Maybe it would be best to look at things from the perspective of how the planet will gradually recover once humans have fully self destructed. What a total fucking waste. And mostly because of greed. Oh well, so long humans. Good try.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Thursday, July 15, 2010
The Green Zone
I've got several DVD players, but the one I normally use is a DVD changer. I holds five DVDs, and it remembers where you were if you pause and change to another DVD. 
I have been trying to watch Matt Damon in The Green Zone for several days now. I watch a little, then the excitement, drama, and negative energy reach such an intense level that I just can't take any more. So I then change to another DVD like Bones, James Bond, True Blood, or Boston Legal.
The Green Zone is a very realistic portrayal of what Iraq was like right after the fall of Sadam Hussein. Matt Damon is one of my absolute favorite actors. He does a superb job in this movie.
The problem is that the movie is too doggone realistic. I just can't bear to watch all the evil. So I'm removing this DVD from my DVD changer, even though I have not yet finished the movie.
-
Knowing when and having the strength of character to walk away from a movie, a book, or a situation is one of the skills that you perfect over time.
-
-
-
-
-
I have been trying to watch Matt Damon in The Green Zone for several days now. I watch a little, then the excitement, drama, and negative energy reach such an intense level that I just can't take any more. So I then change to another DVD like Bones, James Bond, True Blood, or Boston Legal.
The Green Zone is a very realistic portrayal of what Iraq was like right after the fall of Sadam Hussein. Matt Damon is one of my absolute favorite actors. He does a superb job in this movie.
The problem is that the movie is too doggone realistic. I just can't bear to watch all the evil. So I'm removing this DVD from my DVD changer, even though I have not yet finished the movie.
-
Knowing when and having the strength of character to walk away from a movie, a book, or a situation is one of the skills that you perfect over time.
-
-
-
-
-
Pay To Pray Mexican Style
I was raised as a Christian, baptized and confirmed in the Anglican Church (also know as the Episcopal Church). Over the last 60+ years I have traveled all over the world and have attended church services in Palestine, England, and Germany. I got a fairly good academic education in my youth, then by reading, and staying curious and open minded gradually received an even better practical education.
I now am convinced that all organized religions are horribly evil. Most are nothing more than glorified con-man side shows, where your eternal soul gets “saved” if you contribute enough money. Organized religions like Christianity, Judaism, Mormon (LDS), and Muslim are probably responsible for more suffering and killing than Adolph Hitler and his Nazi buddies. Organized religions are inherently evil.
Even though I detest and scorn these organized religions, I still support the rights of individual religious fanatics to establish religions. They should be allowed to worship and perform their weird and sometimes sick rituals as long as doing so does not infringe on anyone's liberty or rights. So obviously your religion cannot go around running airliners into tall buildings, suicide bombings, cutting off young girl's clitorises, or enslaving women.
So I support the concept of freedom of religion, foremost the freedom to not believe. Thus it is with some dismay that I read in today's news that the churches in Mexico have now become subject to the same intimidation as other businesses in Mexico. Organized crime is forcing the churches in Juarez and other locations to pay weekly protection fees based upon their attendance; otherwise there will be kidnappings and killings of church employees and their families.
It seems very important to some people to show that Mexico is not a “failed state” and is not even headed in that direction. I say to these people, "You are blind." Whatever words one uses to describe it, the Mexican government is dysfunctional and is totally outclassed by organized crime syndicates and the general breakdown of respect for the idea of rule-of-law. The country does not have a functional judiciary or clean and competent law enforcement.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FORMER BORDER PATROL OFFICERS
website: http://www.nafbpo.org/ Foreign News Report
Churches (must) pay cartels to operate Cambio de Michoacán (Morelia, Michoacán) 7-13-10
Morelia – The President of the National Fraternity of Evangelical and Christian Churches, Arturo Farela, revealed that various community churches in the State of Michoacán have been threatened by criminal organizations and must pay for the right to operate.
He said says that this is a delicate situation they must get through, not only in Chihuahua, Tamaulipas and Michoacán but in other states as well. There have been threats from different people claiming to be members of organized crime. The churches are told they must pay weekly fees according to the number of members, or the number of seats available or else there will be kidnappings or assassinations of the member or of the member’s family.
The most recent incidents occurred in Michoacán, Cuidad Juarez, Chihuahua City and some in the northern regions of Tamaulipas. On several occasions, Pastors have told these unidentified persons Evangelical Churches don’t have the money the persons believe the churches to have but they (the unidentified people) may come and take the tithes and offerings that they do get. The ones threatening the churches must understand that the churches don’t charge for baptisms nor for any church functions or celebrations, and that these denominations administer to the members free of charge.
-
-
-
-
-
-
I now am convinced that all organized religions are horribly evil. Most are nothing more than glorified con-man side shows, where your eternal soul gets “saved” if you contribute enough money. Organized religions like Christianity, Judaism, Mormon (LDS), and Muslim are probably responsible for more suffering and killing than Adolph Hitler and his Nazi buddies. Organized religions are inherently evil.
Even though I detest and scorn these organized religions, I still support the rights of individual religious fanatics to establish religions. They should be allowed to worship and perform their weird and sometimes sick rituals as long as doing so does not infringe on anyone's liberty or rights. So obviously your religion cannot go around running airliners into tall buildings, suicide bombings, cutting off young girl's clitorises, or enslaving women.
So I support the concept of freedom of religion, foremost the freedom to not believe. Thus it is with some dismay that I read in today's news that the churches in Mexico have now become subject to the same intimidation as other businesses in Mexico. Organized crime is forcing the churches in Juarez and other locations to pay weekly protection fees based upon their attendance; otherwise there will be kidnappings and killings of church employees and their families.
It seems very important to some people to show that Mexico is not a “failed state” and is not even headed in that direction. I say to these people, "You are blind." Whatever words one uses to describe it, the Mexican government is dysfunctional and is totally outclassed by organized crime syndicates and the general breakdown of respect for the idea of rule-of-law. The country does not have a functional judiciary or clean and competent law enforcement.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FORMER BORDER PATROL OFFICERS
website: http://www.nafbpo.org/ Foreign News Report
Churches (must) pay cartels to operate Cambio de Michoacán (Morelia, Michoacán) 7-13-10
Morelia – The President of the National Fraternity of Evangelical and Christian Churches, Arturo Farela, revealed that various community churches in the State of Michoacán have been threatened by criminal organizations and must pay for the right to operate.
He said says that this is a delicate situation they must get through, not only in Chihuahua, Tamaulipas and Michoacán but in other states as well. There have been threats from different people claiming to be members of organized crime. The churches are told they must pay weekly fees according to the number of members, or the number of seats available or else there will be kidnappings or assassinations of the member or of the member’s family.
The most recent incidents occurred in Michoacán, Cuidad Juarez, Chihuahua City and some in the northern regions of Tamaulipas. On several occasions, Pastors have told these unidentified persons Evangelical Churches don’t have the money the persons believe the churches to have but they (the unidentified people) may come and take the tithes and offerings that they do get. The ones threatening the churches must understand that the churches don’t charge for baptisms nor for any church functions or celebrations, and that these denominations administer to the members free of charge.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Get Over It Mexican Americans
I lived in The Netherlands for 15 years while I was employed as the General Manager of the European Division of the company I worked for. I was not a Dutch citizen. But I was a legal resident alien, I carried a green card, and every year or so I would have to meet with the arrogant jerks from the alien police so that they were certain of where I lived, that I still had a job, and that I still had private health insurance.
For 15 years I carried my green card (it really was green, had my picture, my approval to work, and a hologram), my American passport, my Dutch driver's license, and proof of car insurance with me whenever I went out. Providing identification is just a part of normal life. Anybody who is afraid to carry ID is probably a criminal or is hiding something.
Get over it Mexican Americans, other immigrants, and all you red neck government haters. This is not racial profiling. It is wanton disrespect for the rule-of-law by all the people who sneak into America undocumented/illegally. The citizens who try to verify that laws are properly obeyed have a tough time of it; we should try to respect them.
-
-
-
-
-
-
For 15 years I carried my green card (it really was green, had my picture, my approval to work, and a hologram), my American passport, my Dutch driver's license, and proof of car insurance with me whenever I went out. Providing identification is just a part of normal life. Anybody who is afraid to carry ID is probably a criminal or is hiding something.
Get over it Mexican Americans, other immigrants, and all you red neck government haters. This is not racial profiling. It is wanton disrespect for the rule-of-law by all the people who sneak into America undocumented/illegally. The citizens who try to verify that laws are properly obeyed have a tough time of it; we should try to respect them.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Gays and Homosexuals
Over the last 50+ years I have know a number of gays and bisexuals. I have liked every one that I met. Not one of them; let me repeat, not even a single one of them was engaged in a happy and fulfilling same sex relationship. They were all horny and unhappy at their lack of success in the relationship area.
A lady Captain in the U.S. Air Force, a male architect who was my roommate, a woman I loved and was involved with for many years, one of my wives, and others who I best not publicly allude to. Barney Frank seems well adjusted and happy, but I don't actually know him. Stephen Fry seems less well adjusted about it, but then he is bipolar.
On the other hand, I'm not queer, but being involved with many women over the course of my life has not been terribly successful for me either, so I guess happy and fulfilling relationships are just hard to come by whether you are straight or gay.
After having been involved with raising a child I can state that it is difficult and expensive. I can see some rational for society to subsidize marriage between a man and a woman if the purpose is to have and raise kids. But I can see absolutely no rationale for society to economically subsidize same-sex marriages.
Anal sex is extremely dangerous and expensive to society. The rectum was not made for intercourse, it was designed for excretion of solid waste. The Good Lord designed the pussy for having sex. So if two gay guys have unprotected anal sex and they end up with HIV-AIDS, they knew the risks. Society should have no obligation to financially support their treatment. Poor cancer patients should receive this financial subsidy from society, not the male homosexuals engaged in butt fucking or needle drug addicts who share needles.
-
-
-
-
-
-
A lady Captain in the U.S. Air Force, a male architect who was my roommate, a woman I loved and was involved with for many years, one of my wives, and others who I best not publicly allude to. Barney Frank seems well adjusted and happy, but I don't actually know him. Stephen Fry seems less well adjusted about it, but then he is bipolar.
On the other hand, I'm not queer, but being involved with many women over the course of my life has not been terribly successful for me either, so I guess happy and fulfilling relationships are just hard to come by whether you are straight or gay.
After having been involved with raising a child I can state that it is difficult and expensive. I can see some rational for society to subsidize marriage between a man and a woman if the purpose is to have and raise kids. But I can see absolutely no rationale for society to economically subsidize same-sex marriages.
Anal sex is extremely dangerous and expensive to society. The rectum was not made for intercourse, it was designed for excretion of solid waste. The Good Lord designed the pussy for having sex. So if two gay guys have unprotected anal sex and they end up with HIV-AIDS, they knew the risks. Society should have no obligation to financially support their treatment. Poor cancer patients should receive this financial subsidy from society, not the male homosexuals engaged in butt fucking or needle drug addicts who share needles.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Monday, July 12, 2010
Roman Polanski
The Swiss have decided not to extradite film producer and child molester Roman Polanski back to America for his 1977 crime of having had sex with a 13 year old girl. This 13 year old girl is now an old woman, and she has clearly stated that she doesn't want this matter opened and rehashed again. She has moved on, and she feels that it would negatively affect her current life.
Switzerland is one of the best educated and most civilized societies on the face of the earth. I've visited there many times. Visited the big cities, and backpacked and climbed peaks in the Swiss Alps several times.
-
I don't think this is an example of power and big money overruling justice.
At least the world has learned once again that Mr. Polanski has an evil, destructive side to his personality. I wouldn't want to invite him over to my house for dinner. He's not the kind of person I would want in my life. If you lie with dogs, you end up getting fleas.
-
-
ASIDE: By law all adult Swiss males are members of the “Swiss National Guard.” They keep their military weapons and ammunition stored in each of their houses. It sort of confirms what Robert A. Heinlein says, “An armed society is a polite society.”
-
-
-
-
-
-
Switzerland is one of the best educated and most civilized societies on the face of the earth. I've visited there many times. Visited the big cities, and backpacked and climbed peaks in the Swiss Alps several times.
-
I don't think this is an example of power and big money overruling justice.
At least the world has learned once again that Mr. Polanski has an evil, destructive side to his personality. I wouldn't want to invite him over to my house for dinner. He's not the kind of person I would want in my life. If you lie with dogs, you end up getting fleas.
-
-
ASIDE: By law all adult Swiss males are members of the “Swiss National Guard.” They keep their military weapons and ammunition stored in each of their houses. It sort of confirms what Robert A. Heinlein says, “An armed society is a polite society.”
-
-
-
-
-
-
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Good Manners
I just finished the book Beyond this Horizon which Robert A. Heinlein wrote in 1942. It wasn't bad, but its not his best. I would rate it at about a 7 on a scale of 1 to 10. I bought and then read this book just to find this specific quote. I wanted to see the context that he wrote it in. I came across it right near the end of chapter 15, almost at the end of the book.
“Well, in the first place an armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life. For me, politeness is a sine qua non of civilization.”
I couldn't possibly agree more. Especially the part about being polite. The older I get, the less tolerance I have for bad manners, disrespect, or rudeness.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
“Well, in the first place an armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life. For me, politeness is a sine qua non of civilization.”
I couldn't possibly agree more. Especially the part about being polite. The older I get, the less tolerance I have for bad manners, disrespect, or rudeness.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
World Cup Result
I am certain that my Dutch colleagues will be disappointed at the result. To get so close, and then to have Spain beat them by one goal in overtime. I'm sure it is heartbreaking.
I enjoy football, or as we call it here in America “soccer” far more than I do American football, or baseball, golf, tennis, or basketball. These “Ball Sports” have always seemed kind of silly to me. The fans sit there in the stands drinking beer while watching these wonderful athletes do amazing things. In the American version of football it is all very cruel and brutal.
I am much more in favor of participatory sports like snow skiing, scuba diving, horseback riding, bicycling (without the doping), mountain climbing, and backpacking. Snow camping is some of the best, if one if properly prepared.
I lived in the Netherlands for 15 years, and I have many Dutch friends. But Spain is a nice country too. And Spain has been really down lately...they needed the emotional boost.
-
-
-
-
–
-
-
I enjoy football, or as we call it here in America “soccer” far more than I do American football, or baseball, golf, tennis, or basketball. These “Ball Sports” have always seemed kind of silly to me. The fans sit there in the stands drinking beer while watching these wonderful athletes do amazing things. In the American version of football it is all very cruel and brutal.
I am much more in favor of participatory sports like snow skiing, scuba diving, horseback riding, bicycling (without the doping), mountain climbing, and backpacking. Snow camping is some of the best, if one if properly prepared.
I lived in the Netherlands for 15 years, and I have many Dutch friends. But Spain is a nice country too. And Spain has been really down lately...they needed the emotional boost.
-
-
-
-
–
-
-
Ignoring The Law
When the government tries to enact and enforce laws which do not have the general support of the citizens in the American democracy, it breeds disrespect for the government and also disrespect for the concept of rule-of-law. The “prohibition” laws of the early twentieth century which made possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages illegal is an example. When people start making the conscious decision to intentionally disregard a particular law, it easily spreads in their own minds to other laws. A civilized society simply cannot function properly when everyone is free to decide on their own whether they will obey speed limit laws, stop signs and red lights, taxation laws, marijuana and other drug laws, etc.
Equally, when a law is enacted by the people's representatives, and then the government decides to just disregard the wishes of the citizens of this democracy, it breeds contempt among the people for the entire concept of representative democracy. One example of this is the immigration law. The people's legislators have enacted various legislation which is intended to stop immigrants from coming into the country illegally, or entering on a tourist visa then choosing to overstay, get a job, have children, and put down roots. Existing legislation should prevent this, but the federal government chooses to not enforce much of the immigration legislation; even though they appear incapable of enforcing these laws, the federal government won't let the individual states help enforce this legislation either.
When you get both the citizens of a so called democracy and the government both ignoring laws, one soon sees a growing contempt for the entire concept of rule-of-law. The results of this are disastrous. Just look at what is happening in Mexico.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Equally, when a law is enacted by the people's representatives, and then the government decides to just disregard the wishes of the citizens of this democracy, it breeds contempt among the people for the entire concept of representative democracy. One example of this is the immigration law. The people's legislators have enacted various legislation which is intended to stop immigrants from coming into the country illegally, or entering on a tourist visa then choosing to overstay, get a job, have children, and put down roots. Existing legislation should prevent this, but the federal government chooses to not enforce much of the immigration legislation; even though they appear incapable of enforcing these laws, the federal government won't let the individual states help enforce this legislation either.
When you get both the citizens of a so called democracy and the government both ignoring laws, one soon sees a growing contempt for the entire concept of rule-of-law. The results of this are disastrous. Just look at what is happening in Mexico.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Cutting The Military Budget
Anyone who is serious and honest about reducing the United States Government's spending has to look hard at the grossly bloated military budget. Those who refuse to examine greatly reducing our warfare budget are just using all this talk and negativism as a way to hurt the Democrats and Obama, and then to reduce those programs which help normal middle class Americans, such as social security and medicare.
Now Barney Frank and Ron Paul have teamed up to encourage a big reduction in military spending. Why do we still need thousands of troops in Japan, Italy, or Germany? The military lifers in command are living in the past – the cold war era. Once we remove ALL combat troops from Iraq in the very near future, why on earth do we still need to keep 50,000 non-combat troops there?
No one with half a brain believes that we will “win” the war (quagmire) in Afghanistan. In private everyone knows we are going to lose yet another war. But no one in Washington D.C. has the balls to even talk about pulling the plug on Afghanistan-Pakistan. Most of all our weak and detached President. The era when America's defense budget could protect Japan, Western Europe, and all our other foreign allies is long gone. Yet the dinosaurs in Washington, D.C. simply cannot bring themselves to recognize this.
During the late 1960's I hated Lyndon Johnston because of his refusal to pull the plug on the Vietnam quagmire. Now I see him much differently. Ten years into the twenty-first century we are at the point of continuous warfare. We go from one war right to the next. And we used to win wars; now we seem to always lose them.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Now Barney Frank and Ron Paul have teamed up to encourage a big reduction in military spending. Why do we still need thousands of troops in Japan, Italy, or Germany? The military lifers in command are living in the past – the cold war era. Once we remove ALL combat troops from Iraq in the very near future, why on earth do we still need to keep 50,000 non-combat troops there?
No one with half a brain believes that we will “win” the war (quagmire) in Afghanistan. In private everyone knows we are going to lose yet another war. But no one in Washington D.C. has the balls to even talk about pulling the plug on Afghanistan-Pakistan. Most of all our weak and detached President. The era when America's defense budget could protect Japan, Western Europe, and all our other foreign allies is long gone. Yet the dinosaurs in Washington, D.C. simply cannot bring themselves to recognize this.
During the late 1960's I hated Lyndon Johnston because of his refusal to pull the plug on the Vietnam quagmire. Now I see him much differently. Ten years into the twenty-first century we are at the point of continuous warfare. We go from one war right to the next. And we used to win wars; now we seem to always lose them.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Eureka
The science fiction television series Eureka on SyFy has now entered its fourth season.
-
It is intellectually stimulating and at times almost a comedy, with some heavy affection-love thrown in. Is is a lot of fun and has a group of fanatically loyal followers; of which I consider myself one.
-
-
-
Mark Twain's Autobiography
Finally one hundred years after his death, the uncensored version of Mark Twain's autobiography is being published. In it he was brutally open and honest.
AMERICAN MILITARY: He described America's soldiers as assassins in uniform. His description of our military shelling the poverty stricken, uneducated native peasants from a distance where they could keep their uniforms clean and dream of all the glory they were going to receive could just as easily be used to describe the pilots of bombers and the long-distance remote pilots of our drones which kill so many people in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Some of the dead probably were bad people, but many have been completely innocent civilians. Women and children. The key is that none have been tried in a court of law, and none have been found to be guilty of a crime so bad that they should receive the death penalty. “Assassins In Uniform” has a modern ring to it even though it is now more than 100 years old.
CHRISTIANITY: In a PBS interview of the editor of this latest uncensored version, Harriet Elinor Smith, Mark Twain is quoted as talking about Christianity. “There is one notable thing about our Christianity: bad, bloody, merciless, money-grabbing, and predatory. The invention of hell measured by our Christianity of today, bad as it is, hypocritical as it is, empty and hollow as it is, neither the deity nor his son is a Christian, nor qualified for that moderately high place. Ours is a terrible religion. The fleets of the world could swim in spacious comfort in the innocent blood it has spilled." An excellent description which would apply 100 years later just as accurately, except now we can add a bit about all the pedophilia committed by predatory priests.
Mark Twain has the same accurate and up-to-date descriptions of Wall Street tycoons. Their greed, tax evasion, and how their attitude was transforming America into an avaricious culture.
What an amazing and remarkable man!
-
-
-
-
-
AMERICAN MILITARY: He described America's soldiers as assassins in uniform. His description of our military shelling the poverty stricken, uneducated native peasants from a distance where they could keep their uniforms clean and dream of all the glory they were going to receive could just as easily be used to describe the pilots of bombers and the long-distance remote pilots of our drones which kill so many people in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Some of the dead probably were bad people, but many have been completely innocent civilians. Women and children. The key is that none have been tried in a court of law, and none have been found to be guilty of a crime so bad that they should receive the death penalty. “Assassins In Uniform” has a modern ring to it even though it is now more than 100 years old.
CHRISTIANITY: In a PBS interview of the editor of this latest uncensored version, Harriet Elinor Smith, Mark Twain is quoted as talking about Christianity. “There is one notable thing about our Christianity: bad, bloody, merciless, money-grabbing, and predatory. The invention of hell measured by our Christianity of today, bad as it is, hypocritical as it is, empty and hollow as it is, neither the deity nor his son is a Christian, nor qualified for that moderately high place. Ours is a terrible religion. The fleets of the world could swim in spacious comfort in the innocent blood it has spilled." An excellent description which would apply 100 years later just as accurately, except now we can add a bit about all the pedophilia committed by predatory priests.
Mark Twain has the same accurate and up-to-date descriptions of Wall Street tycoons. Their greed, tax evasion, and how their attitude was transforming America into an avaricious culture.
What an amazing and remarkable man!
-
-
-
-
-
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Rahm Emmanuel
I just watched Rahm Emmanuel on the PBS News Hour. Gosh he is clueless, and he is rude.
He needs to get gone.
-
-
-
–
-
-
He needs to get gone.
-
-
-
–
-
-
Wednesday, July 07, 2010
Addicts
In talking about Lindsay Lohan one report I read this was on the Daily Beast. The report said, "Lindsay got the typical sentence for anyone who has a serious problem with drugs and alcohol," a veteran criminal-defense attorney, who is not involved with the case, told People magazine. "Lohan repeatedly tested the patience of the judge, who saw through all her excuses. That's what addicts do: Tell lies."
-
Having known a few more drug addicts and alcoholics in my life than I would have preferred, I think that says it quite well.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Having known a few more drug addicts and alcoholics in my life than I would have preferred, I think that says it quite well.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spain Beats Germany 1-0 In World Cup Semi Final
I like Germany. I lived in Frankfurt on the Main for 3 years; then for 15 years I lived in Holland only a few hundred meters from the border with Germany. I've spent many good times in Germany.
I like Spain too. It has the advantage that I happen to be mostly fluent in Spanish. So it is kind of special to me. I have only visited Spain three times but I sure liked what I saw. Madrid, Extremadura, and my absolute favorite Barcelona.
So I don't have any problem with Spain winning. Holland is doing well too, and I lived there for 15 years. Its just too bad about the refs being blind and on the take, and about FIFA refusing to use modern technology like video replays. I guess that would make it harder for them to fix games.
-
-
-
-
-
I like Spain too. It has the advantage that I happen to be mostly fluent in Spanish. So it is kind of special to me. I have only visited Spain three times but I sure liked what I saw. Madrid, Extremadura, and my absolute favorite Barcelona.
So I don't have any problem with Spain winning. Holland is doing well too, and I lived there for 15 years. Its just too bad about the refs being blind and on the take, and about FIFA refusing to use modern technology like video replays. I guess that would make it harder for them to fix games.
-
-
-
-
-
The Pleasure of Beauty and Order
It has now been 3-1/2 years since I moved back to America. Prior to that I had lived in the Netherlands for 15 years.
I guess the first year or two I spent getting my house here in Texas fixed up and organized the way I wanted it. The house was only about 3 years old when I bought it, so I didn't have to repair a lot of things; and it was originally built with double pane windows and good insulation. But I chose to take the house to a higher level: I installed extra insulation on the water heater, coated the roof white to reflect the sun's rays, and had roll down shutters installed on the outside of the windows.
I added a third ¼ inch layer to inside of the windows so that they were now triple pane. My house in Europe had double pane windows and was relatively new and modern; but once in Scandinavia, once in the prior East Germany, and once in Scotland I had realized how nice it was in hotels where they had double pane windows, and then after a 3 or 4 inch air separation another single transparent layer. That third pane kept the noise and the elements outside, where they belong.
Inside the house I did a lot both to surround myself with beauty, and also things to make my life easier. I spent some time viewing my fluorescent mineral collection yesterday. It is like renewing a friendship when you haven't seen someone recently. Sometimes I will spend a couple of hours researching and getting to be a bit of an expert on something absolutely trivial, and something which no one else could give a hoot about. That's OK. It makes me happy to know that I am continuing to expand my mind.
I just realized today that it is such a nice pleasure to have the house well organized. Everything really does have its place, and nearly all the time things are put back in place after use. It is such a pleasure to know right where to find whatever you are looking for. Whether it is a tool in the garage, or something to do with one of my cameras, a gun, some fluorescent mineral, painting, old piece of pottery, or a particular piece of clothing or pair of shoes.
Here in the neighborhood I know right where to go to find a particular shop or place to eat.
I'm at that point in life where I have the time and energy to enjoy new ideas, new things, and change; but mostly I enjoy the simple pleasures of having everything the same. The old comfortable stuff well organized and easy to find. Sometimes when I get up in the middle of the night I even pretend that I have gone almost totally blind. I don't turn on any lights, and it is such a pleasure to generally be able to go right to what I want, even in the total darkness.
My body is gradually giving out, but Life Is Good. I am very fortunate to find myself in this level of luxury as I approach the end of the road.
-
-
-
-
-
-
I guess the first year or two I spent getting my house here in Texas fixed up and organized the way I wanted it. The house was only about 3 years old when I bought it, so I didn't have to repair a lot of things; and it was originally built with double pane windows and good insulation. But I chose to take the house to a higher level: I installed extra insulation on the water heater, coated the roof white to reflect the sun's rays, and had roll down shutters installed on the outside of the windows.
I added a third ¼ inch layer to inside of the windows so that they were now triple pane. My house in Europe had double pane windows and was relatively new and modern; but once in Scandinavia, once in the prior East Germany, and once in Scotland I had realized how nice it was in hotels where they had double pane windows, and then after a 3 or 4 inch air separation another single transparent layer. That third pane kept the noise and the elements outside, where they belong.
Inside the house I did a lot both to surround myself with beauty, and also things to make my life easier. I spent some time viewing my fluorescent mineral collection yesterday. It is like renewing a friendship when you haven't seen someone recently. Sometimes I will spend a couple of hours researching and getting to be a bit of an expert on something absolutely trivial, and something which no one else could give a hoot about. That's OK. It makes me happy to know that I am continuing to expand my mind.
I just realized today that it is such a nice pleasure to have the house well organized. Everything really does have its place, and nearly all the time things are put back in place after use. It is such a pleasure to know right where to find whatever you are looking for. Whether it is a tool in the garage, or something to do with one of my cameras, a gun, some fluorescent mineral, painting, old piece of pottery, or a particular piece of clothing or pair of shoes.
Here in the neighborhood I know right where to go to find a particular shop or place to eat.
I'm at that point in life where I have the time and energy to enjoy new ideas, new things, and change; but mostly I enjoy the simple pleasures of having everything the same. The old comfortable stuff well organized and easy to find. Sometimes when I get up in the middle of the night I even pretend that I have gone almost totally blind. I don't turn on any lights, and it is such a pleasure to generally be able to go right to what I want, even in the total darkness.
My body is gradually giving out, but Life Is Good. I am very fortunate to find myself in this level of luxury as I approach the end of the road.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Spoiled Brats
When I was a child growing up in the 1950's it was considered a tragedy if a family only had one child. Obviously one of the parents must have some kind of a medical problem which polite people simply did not discuss. Single child families weren't viewed quite as bad single parent households, or having an illegitimate kid out of wedlock, but these one-child families were certainly frowned upon.
By the time we got into the 1970's many of us felt that if we were going to be able to afford a college education for our kid, and if we were going to be able to devote sufficient time and energy to raise the kid properly, having only one child was a wise decision. It was even encouraged by groups like zero population growth (ZPG). I personally had a vasectomy after only having one kid for these very reasons...it was the socially acceptable thing to do. Proper behavior.
Now that this generation of kids have grown up, a few things glare out at us. They are the generation where no one ever failed; everyone got an award no matter how bad or incompetent they were. Never criticize, always praise. Certainly, absolutely NEVER ever spank your kid. Don't use emotions to punish him either. You don't want to permanently damage the child for goodness sake.
So we have ended up with a generation containing many lazy, self centered, horribly deluded people. Some of these people still live at home well into their late twenties, and even early thirties, still having their Mommie do their laundry, pick up the mess in their rooms, and cook for them. Unbelievable!
Now China is witnessing the same problem. Remember that for years they had the one-child policy. So each little Chinese kid had two parents and four grandparents showering it with gifts and affection. These kids are turning out to be remarkably like their American counterparts – obese, lazy, and spoiled rotten. No compassion for others, and completely self centered.
-
-
-
-
-
-
By the time we got into the 1970's many of us felt that if we were going to be able to afford a college education for our kid, and if we were going to be able to devote sufficient time and energy to raise the kid properly, having only one child was a wise decision. It was even encouraged by groups like zero population growth (ZPG). I personally had a vasectomy after only having one kid for these very reasons...it was the socially acceptable thing to do. Proper behavior.
Now that this generation of kids have grown up, a few things glare out at us. They are the generation where no one ever failed; everyone got an award no matter how bad or incompetent they were. Never criticize, always praise. Certainly, absolutely NEVER ever spank your kid. Don't use emotions to punish him either. You don't want to permanently damage the child for goodness sake.
So we have ended up with a generation containing many lazy, self centered, horribly deluded people. Some of these people still live at home well into their late twenties, and even early thirties, still having their Mommie do their laundry, pick up the mess in their rooms, and cook for them. Unbelievable!
Now China is witnessing the same problem. Remember that for years they had the one-child policy. So each little Chinese kid had two parents and four grandparents showering it with gifts and affection. These kids are turning out to be remarkably like their American counterparts – obese, lazy, and spoiled rotten. No compassion for others, and completely self centered.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Tuesday, July 06, 2010
The Tiger Next Door
This is a good documentary about all the large cats which are kept in private captivity in America. Experts think that there are more large cats in “private captivity” in the USA than there are in the wild in the entire world.
If you get the chance watch this. I recommend it.
LINK TO TRAILER: http://thetigernextdoor.com/trailer/
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
If you get the chance watch this. I recommend it.
LINK TO TRAILER: http://thetigernextdoor.com/trailer/
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Monday, July 05, 2010
Handguns in Chicago
NPR did a good analysis of the handgun debate today. The supreme court recently stuck down Chicago's ban on handguns as a violation of the constitutionally guaranteed right to bear arms.
Several things in their article struck me. They said, “Something that's clear in Chicago, where even with a handgun ban, guns poured in and gun violence soared.” Yes, it is irrefutable that thieves, robbers, drug dealers, and other criminals will have handguns – regardless of whether they are allowed or not. So the question to me is whether the government allows the citizens of this democracy to defend themselves, or is the government going to leave them naked and vulnerable?
The NPR article also said, “it's going to be very difficult for cities and states to regulate their own way out of the gun violence problem in the context of a country where we have 250 million-plus guns already in circulation, and in which it's very easy to move across city and state lines.” Yes, it does seem logical that America has now crossed the tipping point...or maybe we did that back on 15 December 1791 when the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution was adopted. It guarantees individuals the right to possess firearms. This right of the individual to have a loaded firearm (the question has been the individual versus a well regulated militia) was reaffirmed by the 2010 supreme court case McDonald vs. Chicago.
In their analysis NPR states that “statistics show firearms are the most common method of committing suicide, and, in terms of all gun deaths, suicides far outnumber homicides.” An interesting statistic. I had not seen this before.
Some suicides are impulsive acts performed by people who are drunk or stoned. That is just plain stupid. A permanent solution to a temporary problem. But for some older people, or the folks with terminal cancer, I think of suicide as both a logical option and a basic civil right. I am in the late stages of incurable leukemia, and I see my .44 magnum handguns as a viable option. I have no intention of taking this route unless the pain becomes intolerable and shows no possibility of improvement. Having loaded handguns readily available to me at all times, and consciously making the choice not to use them is empowering.
When one is old, just extending one's lifespan for a few more months by allowing yourself to suffer horribly or perhaps even allowing yourself to grow so weak or senile that you no longer can even exercise the option of euthanasia/suicide makes no sense to me.
My mother and my grandmother each were hospitalized and eventually had their arms and legs strapped down in the days before they died. They both just wanted to end the pain and to be allowed die. They kept trying to remove the various tubes hooked up to them. Tying them down and forcing them to suffer was nothing less than torture from my perspective. When my paternal grandfather's terminal lung cancer reached a certain phase, he used his WWII Army-issue .32 semi-automatic handgun to shoot himself in the head. I remember the day in 1953 well - even though I was only about 5 years old at the time. I have always admired my grandfather for his strength of character in waiting until it was appropriate, and then having the balls to take this option.
LINK TO ARTICLE: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128313243&f=1001&sc=tw&utm
-
-
-
-
-
-
--
Several things in their article struck me. They said, “Something that's clear in Chicago, where even with a handgun ban, guns poured in and gun violence soared.” Yes, it is irrefutable that thieves, robbers, drug dealers, and other criminals will have handguns – regardless of whether they are allowed or not. So the question to me is whether the government allows the citizens of this democracy to defend themselves, or is the government going to leave them naked and vulnerable?
The NPR article also said, “it's going to be very difficult for cities and states to regulate their own way out of the gun violence problem in the context of a country where we have 250 million-plus guns already in circulation, and in which it's very easy to move across city and state lines.” Yes, it does seem logical that America has now crossed the tipping point...or maybe we did that back on 15 December 1791 when the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution was adopted. It guarantees individuals the right to possess firearms. This right of the individual to have a loaded firearm (the question has been the individual versus a well regulated militia) was reaffirmed by the 2010 supreme court case McDonald vs. Chicago.
In their analysis NPR states that “statistics show firearms are the most common method of committing suicide, and, in terms of all gun deaths, suicides far outnumber homicides.” An interesting statistic. I had not seen this before.
Some suicides are impulsive acts performed by people who are drunk or stoned. That is just plain stupid. A permanent solution to a temporary problem. But for some older people, or the folks with terminal cancer, I think of suicide as both a logical option and a basic civil right. I am in the late stages of incurable leukemia, and I see my .44 magnum handguns as a viable option. I have no intention of taking this route unless the pain becomes intolerable and shows no possibility of improvement. Having loaded handguns readily available to me at all times, and consciously making the choice not to use them is empowering.
When one is old, just extending one's lifespan for a few more months by allowing yourself to suffer horribly or perhaps even allowing yourself to grow so weak or senile that you no longer can even exercise the option of euthanasia/suicide makes no sense to me.
My mother and my grandmother each were hospitalized and eventually had their arms and legs strapped down in the days before they died. They both just wanted to end the pain and to be allowed die. They kept trying to remove the various tubes hooked up to them. Tying them down and forcing them to suffer was nothing less than torture from my perspective. When my paternal grandfather's terminal lung cancer reached a certain phase, he used his WWII Army-issue .32 semi-automatic handgun to shoot himself in the head. I remember the day in 1953 well - even though I was only about 5 years old at the time. I have always admired my grandfather for his strength of character in waiting until it was appropriate, and then having the balls to take this option.
LINK TO ARTICLE: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128313243&f=1001&sc=tw&utm
-
-
-
-
-
-
--
Sunday, July 04, 2010
The 4th of July
I heard yesterday that when asked, 40% of Americans don't know what country we are celebrating our independence from. Among the younger age group, those under 40, the percentage of ignorant bozos is even higher. They never learned that we had been subjects and were a colony of England, or that we held a revolution and won.
July 4 is the Official Warmongers Holiday. The fireworks (the bombs bursting in air), the air shows, the Star Spangled Banner, all the elected officials giving their jingoistic and patriotic speeches, and Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. They are all celebrations of War.
There are lots of wartime veterans who never actually saw combat. They repaired things or did the cooking. But if you meet a REAL veteran some time, one who actually was a combat ground troop carrying a gun and shooting at the enemy, try asking him about the wonderful glories of warfare. The IED roadside bombs, your best friend getting his brains blown out (and deposited all over you), the sound of that gaping chest wound sucking, or the high school athlete who no longer has legs.
-
Years ago I visited Israel. Our group went up to the Golan Heights. The tour guide said that they had heard some fireworks the night before. It took me a while to figure out what he was saying. A few days later in Beirut, laying in my hotel bed, I heard some firecrackers go off during the middle of the night. Then I realized: Nope, dude, automatic weapons fire.
War is fucked. And it is bankrupting America too.
In my mind Obama is now just as culpable as that arrogant guy who didn't read books, George Bush Jr.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
July 4 is the Official Warmongers Holiday. The fireworks (the bombs bursting in air), the air shows, the Star Spangled Banner, all the elected officials giving their jingoistic and patriotic speeches, and Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture. They are all celebrations of War.
There are lots of wartime veterans who never actually saw combat. They repaired things or did the cooking. But if you meet a REAL veteran some time, one who actually was a combat ground troop carrying a gun and shooting at the enemy, try asking him about the wonderful glories of warfare. The IED roadside bombs, your best friend getting his brains blown out (and deposited all over you), the sound of that gaping chest wound sucking, or the high school athlete who no longer has legs.
-
Years ago I visited Israel. Our group went up to the Golan Heights. The tour guide said that they had heard some fireworks the night before. It took me a while to figure out what he was saying. A few days later in Beirut, laying in my hotel bed, I heard some firecrackers go off during the middle of the night. Then I realized: Nope, dude, automatic weapons fire.
War is fucked. And it is bankrupting America too.
In my mind Obama is now just as culpable as that arrogant guy who didn't read books, George Bush Jr.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Gun Control
This is an interesting picture from the Charleston Daily Mail. The article which goes along with it is short and to the point.
Robert A. Heinlein is one of my favorite authors. He was not some kind of a “gun phreak” but he said many times that, “An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.”
Just take a look at the places where it is virtually impossible for a normal citizen to own or carry a firearm...Chicago, Washington D.C., or Cd. Juarez Mexico. It is clear that criminals and people with evil intent are not deterred from gun ownership. But the normal law abiding citizens are prohibited from exercising their rights of self protection.
The ignorant lunatics who belong to fringe organizations which dress up in camouflage and run around the forest with assault rifles training for the day that they are going to take over the government do not represent the mass of normal citizens. In fact these right-wing racists and political fanatics are part of the problem. They are direct descendants from the John Birch Society and the Ku Klux Clan.
Plain old hard working middle of the road American citizens need to be able to protect themselves from these weirdos. Professional hit men paid by the drug traffickers, crystal meth addicts, young drugged out punks, and the insane people with severe mental problems who return from multiple tours of Iraq and Afghanistan. There are lots of weird and dangerous folks running around. I'm not looking for trouble. Honest. I've always believed that it is better to make love than make war. But if someone threatens me with deadly force, I consider it to be a basic civil right that I can use whatever amount of force is necessary to protect myself, my property, or my loved ones from these maniacs.
The Supreme Court has made it clear that that they think the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution assures the individual the right of self protection which comes from carrying a loaded gun. Not just that organized state “militias” have the right to carry guns (they may be part of the problem). The 2nd Amendment guarantees the individual American citizen the right to own and possess loaded guns for his/her own self protection.
ARTICLE LINK: http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber/archives/17119
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Robert A. Heinlein is one of my favorite authors. He was not some kind of a “gun phreak” but he said many times that, “An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.”
Just take a look at the places where it is virtually impossible for a normal citizen to own or carry a firearm...Chicago, Washington D.C., or Cd. Juarez Mexico. It is clear that criminals and people with evil intent are not deterred from gun ownership. But the normal law abiding citizens are prohibited from exercising their rights of self protection.
The ignorant lunatics who belong to fringe organizations which dress up in camouflage and run around the forest with assault rifles training for the day that they are going to take over the government do not represent the mass of normal citizens. In fact these right-wing racists and political fanatics are part of the problem. They are direct descendants from the John Birch Society and the Ku Klux Clan.
Plain old hard working middle of the road American citizens need to be able to protect themselves from these weirdos. Professional hit men paid by the drug traffickers, crystal meth addicts, young drugged out punks, and the insane people with severe mental problems who return from multiple tours of Iraq and Afghanistan. There are lots of weird and dangerous folks running around. I'm not looking for trouble. Honest. I've always believed that it is better to make love than make war. But if someone threatens me with deadly force, I consider it to be a basic civil right that I can use whatever amount of force is necessary to protect myself, my property, or my loved ones from these maniacs.
The Supreme Court has made it clear that that they think the second amendment to the U.S. Constitution assures the individual the right of self protection which comes from carrying a loaded gun. Not just that organized state “militias” have the right to carry guns (they may be part of the problem). The 2nd Amendment guarantees the individual American citizen the right to own and possess loaded guns for his/her own self protection.
ARTICLE LINK: http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber/archives/17119
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Saturday, July 03, 2010
Behaving Like A Dog
Last night I was watching a re-run of Boston Legal from DVD.
The lady accuses her boyfriend (who has terminal cancer and is near the end of the road) of behaving like a dog.
-
She explains, “When a dog knows he is dying, he slinks off to somewhere private where he can die alone.”
Sounds logical to me.
-
-
-
-
-
-
The lady accuses her boyfriend (who has terminal cancer and is near the end of the road) of behaving like a dog.
-
She explains, “When a dog knows he is dying, he slinks off to somewhere private where he can die alone.”
Sounds logical to me.
-
-
-
-
-
-
Thursday, July 01, 2010
America's First Female President
Just like Bill Clinton was called somewhat unkindly “America's First Black President” an article came out today in the Washington Post written by Kathleen Parker suggesting that Barack Obama has far too many female characteristics in his personality for him to be a strong and effective leader, and that he is “America's First Female President.”
His compulsion to build coalitions and talk it out, rather than stick to his guns and his campaign promises and engage in battle is claimed to be a typically female trait. It makes sense...he was raised by his mother, and he didn't have a good male role model on the scene when he was growing up.
His lack of leadership skills and his passivity fit right into this picture.
I worked in his campaign, but I have since gradually grown less enamored with him. He buckled on single payer health care, then on the even far weaker vigorous government option. The number of people in America who are denied access to health care are now larger than when he got elected. Obama supports the mythical concept “clean coal.” He thinks nuclear energy and off shore oil drilling are far more important than conservation and reducing our energy wastefulness. He supports drilling in sensitive areas environmentally of Alaska which have been closed off in the past.
Barack Obama promised to close down Guantanamo and all the secret prisons, as well as stopping rendition and all torture; he has not done it. He ran as an anti-war candidate, but upon winning he almost immediately increased troop levels in Afghanistan enormously.
His efforts at re-instituting responsible regulation in the banking and financial arenas have been almost a total failure. Former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volker is very unhappy that part of the proposed Obama reform still uses his name, because it has been so vastly watered down as to make it ineffective. Since Obama is in no way an environmentalist, he did not press his people in the executive branch to resume effective regulation of the oil patch or the nuclear industries, any better than he did with the sleeping Wall Street regulators. Cash for clunkers was supposed to get people to move to cars which got significantly better fuel economy, but Obama backed off and compromised and shuffled his feet until in the end it was all almost meaningless.
Mr. Obama claims to be an ex-community organizer, and during the campaign he was portrayed as having the very most liberal voting record of any United States Senator. But his behavior as President is like a wannabe Republican. Of course the Republicans are racists and hate black folks. Especially uppity black folks.
Obama is turning out to be a terrible waste of time for the country. The Republicans are certainly far far worse, and I am not aware of any particularly good Democrats who have the leadership skills and background to be President. I'm sorry to have to say it, but I think Barack Obama will go down in history as a bad leader and a highly ineffective President. He is smarter and more articulate than George Bush Jr., but in the end he will be shown to be much weaker and more ineffective than Jimmy Carter.
-
Maybe President Obama should check into starting Testosterone supplements.
LINK: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/29/AR2010062903997.html?sid=ST2010062904419
–
-
-
-
-
-
-
His compulsion to build coalitions and talk it out, rather than stick to his guns and his campaign promises and engage in battle is claimed to be a typically female trait. It makes sense...he was raised by his mother, and he didn't have a good male role model on the scene when he was growing up.
His lack of leadership skills and his passivity fit right into this picture.
I worked in his campaign, but I have since gradually grown less enamored with him. He buckled on single payer health care, then on the even far weaker vigorous government option. The number of people in America who are denied access to health care are now larger than when he got elected. Obama supports the mythical concept “clean coal.” He thinks nuclear energy and off shore oil drilling are far more important than conservation and reducing our energy wastefulness. He supports drilling in sensitive areas environmentally of Alaska which have been closed off in the past.
Barack Obama promised to close down Guantanamo and all the secret prisons, as well as stopping rendition and all torture; he has not done it. He ran as an anti-war candidate, but upon winning he almost immediately increased troop levels in Afghanistan enormously.
His efforts at re-instituting responsible regulation in the banking and financial arenas have been almost a total failure. Former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volker is very unhappy that part of the proposed Obama reform still uses his name, because it has been so vastly watered down as to make it ineffective. Since Obama is in no way an environmentalist, he did not press his people in the executive branch to resume effective regulation of the oil patch or the nuclear industries, any better than he did with the sleeping Wall Street regulators. Cash for clunkers was supposed to get people to move to cars which got significantly better fuel economy, but Obama backed off and compromised and shuffled his feet until in the end it was all almost meaningless.
Mr. Obama claims to be an ex-community organizer, and during the campaign he was portrayed as having the very most liberal voting record of any United States Senator. But his behavior as President is like a wannabe Republican. Of course the Republicans are racists and hate black folks. Especially uppity black folks.
Obama is turning out to be a terrible waste of time for the country. The Republicans are certainly far far worse, and I am not aware of any particularly good Democrats who have the leadership skills and background to be President. I'm sorry to have to say it, but I think Barack Obama will go down in history as a bad leader and a highly ineffective President. He is smarter and more articulate than George Bush Jr., but in the end he will be shown to be much weaker and more ineffective than Jimmy Carter.
-
Maybe President Obama should check into starting Testosterone supplements.
LINK: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/29/AR2010062903997.html?sid=ST2010062904419
–
-
-
-
-
-
-