Oh, misery! I'm going to take another alka seltzer plus and go to bed. I don't know how viruses developed, but if there is anything remotely like a god that created the horrible things, he can go do something horrible and impossible with himself.
Seriously, I see no logical reason behind viruses, mosquitos, pin worms, tape worms, trichinosis, schistosomiasis or any of the other horrors that fill our world. You have to be a totally blind and unobservant dumb ass to believe any supreme being could be malevolent enough to afflict its creation in such manners. I remember as a small kid right after World War II actually crying over the fear of coming down with polio which was epidemic at the time. It hit several kids in our community and I can still see in my mind's eye pictures of those "iron lungs."
We got delivered from that scourge, not through any divine intervention but through the dedication of a great physician and scientist by the name of Jonas Salk. "God our healer," indeed. Herbert Armstrong didn't want people spending their money on doctors instead of giving it to him, so he condemned all medicine -- until he himself got old and decrepit. Then, doctors started looking pretty damn good to him.
So far, no need to go to the doctor. Over the counter stuff works enough magic at this point. But, when I had strep throat a couple years ago, those antibiotics did the trick. That was bacterial though.
So, like everybody else, I just have to suffer it through. It's part of the natural scheme of things and a part of evolution. Probably no real reason behind it. Viruses just happen and we either win over them or we suffer and die. I really don't think I have to worry about fatality. Misery? Ah, yes, plenty of that.
Pardon me while I blow that faucet in the middle of my face.
Monday, December 30, 2013
Sunday, December 29, 2013
SCOFFING IS SMART
"The last days!" I'm sure the first ancestor I know about, Thomas Dexter of Lynn, Massachusetts (c. 1630), was constantly bombarded with assurances that he was living in those last days.
I don't know who "Peter" was, but he pompously and know-it-all-like arrogantly wrote in II Peter 3:3-4: "...there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking in their own lusts ... saying Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation."
Then, he goes on to label them ignorant! You can read the rest of the nonsense if you wish. I had enough of it thundered in my ears over twenty plus years by old Herb and his sychophant lackeys.
A lot of subsequent "fathers," including Thomas Dexter, have since fallen asleep, but that stupid put down is being parroted endlessly as if "Peter" wrote it yesterday. I'm soon going to "fall asleep" and that breathlessly awaited second coming is going to be no more real a possibility than it has been in the intervening two millenia!
It's never going to be real! It's never going to happen for Christians anymore than it happened for worshippers of Horus or Mithra who are two of the templates from which our Jesus the Christ was manufactured.
I don't know who "Peter" was, but he pompously and know-it-all-like arrogantly wrote in II Peter 3:3-4: "...there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking in their own lusts ... saying Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation."
Then, he goes on to label them ignorant! You can read the rest of the nonsense if you wish. I had enough of it thundered in my ears over twenty plus years by old Herb and his sychophant lackeys.
A lot of subsequent "fathers," including Thomas Dexter, have since fallen asleep, but that stupid put down is being parroted endlessly as if "Peter" wrote it yesterday. I'm soon going to "fall asleep" and that breathlessly awaited second coming is going to be no more real a possibility than it has been in the intervening two millenia!
It's never going to be real! It's never going to happen for Christians anymore than it happened for worshippers of Horus or Mithra who are two of the templates from which our Jesus the Christ was manufactured.
CONTROL FREAKS
Why do people want everyone to fit the same mold? There's a drive to make everyone conform to what someone with power and influence considers normal and moral.
It's the driving force behind religion and to a lesser extent, politics. Recognizing this, our forefathers had the good sense to keep those two forces separated.
The control freaks have never given up trying to subvert that wise principle. Their natural enemies are thinking people who insist on being unique inividuals who are willing to say "No."
Home schooling parents are often hell bent on making sure their children are unthinking clones of their own opinionated selves parroting the same ignorance and cliches they have fallen for and mindlessly champion.
The power elite try to gain control of every propaganda device available, which we call "the press," to accomplish the same goal. True intellectual freedom hardly exists in today's society. If you dare to state a contrary opinion, the forces arrayed against you seek to drown it out in an avalanche of propaganda.
It worked in nazi Germany, and it's also working in modern-day america.
That's my thought for the early morning.
It's the driving force behind religion and to a lesser extent, politics. Recognizing this, our forefathers had the good sense to keep those two forces separated.
The control freaks have never given up trying to subvert that wise principle. Their natural enemies are thinking people who insist on being unique inividuals who are willing to say "No."
Home schooling parents are often hell bent on making sure their children are unthinking clones of their own opinionated selves parroting the same ignorance and cliches they have fallen for and mindlessly champion.
The power elite try to gain control of every propaganda device available, which we call "the press," to accomplish the same goal. True intellectual freedom hardly exists in today's society. If you dare to state a contrary opinion, the forces arrayed against you seek to drown it out in an avalanche of propaganda.
It worked in nazi Germany, and it's also working in modern-day america.
That's my thought for the early morning.
Saturday, December 28, 2013
SCOFFER AND PROUD OF IT!
My second best time for thinking is near the end of each day when I mull over the happenstances of the day and reflect on their meaning and/or lessons.
Earlier, I listened to a new year's Lawrence Welk broadcast from back in 1971 on PBS. That was a long time ago. I wasn't yet 40 and was still embroiled in the cult. My youngest daughter would come along the next year and my compatriots thought we were crazy to have a baby then as everyone still thought we would soon have to flee as the "tribulation" began in preparation for "the end" in 1975. We shared that nonsensical bit of prophetic garbage with the JWs.
I'd already concluded that nothing remotely like that could happen. I still held to the conviction that we were "god's chosen," but we'd gotten something wrong. Coming to my senses totally took a long, long time.
Here we are, over forty years later and there still is no resurrected roman empire "beast," no false prophet condemning the true followers of Jesus to torture and death. There are still deluded "experts" trying to make sense out of that enigmatic Book of Revelation that is the ravings of some lunatic in need of some powerful modern meds.
A lot has happened in the forty-plus intervening years. Nearly all the elderly people in that audience are long gone from the world scene. Those entertainers are somewhwere near my age now and many are gone.
Meanwhile, the pompous put down, "Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation" from II Pet. 3:4 keeps getting sneeringly thrown in the faces of those who notice that is an accurate description of what are the actual facts.
Yeah, where is that carrot all those blowhards keep dangling in front of their unquestioning dupes as they plod along like dutiful dumb beasts of burden carrying those opulently taken care of "god's messengers."
If you doubt and demand proof, you're smart. Damn right! I'm a scoffer!
Earlier, I listened to a new year's Lawrence Welk broadcast from back in 1971 on PBS. That was a long time ago. I wasn't yet 40 and was still embroiled in the cult. My youngest daughter would come along the next year and my compatriots thought we were crazy to have a baby then as everyone still thought we would soon have to flee as the "tribulation" began in preparation for "the end" in 1975. We shared that nonsensical bit of prophetic garbage with the JWs.
I'd already concluded that nothing remotely like that could happen. I still held to the conviction that we were "god's chosen," but we'd gotten something wrong. Coming to my senses totally took a long, long time.
Here we are, over forty years later and there still is no resurrected roman empire "beast," no false prophet condemning the true followers of Jesus to torture and death. There are still deluded "experts" trying to make sense out of that enigmatic Book of Revelation that is the ravings of some lunatic in need of some powerful modern meds.
A lot has happened in the forty-plus intervening years. Nearly all the elderly people in that audience are long gone from the world scene. Those entertainers are somewhwere near my age now and many are gone.
Meanwhile, the pompous put down, "Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation" from II Pet. 3:4 keeps getting sneeringly thrown in the faces of those who notice that is an accurate description of what are the actual facts.
Yeah, where is that carrot all those blowhards keep dangling in front of their unquestioning dupes as they plod along like dutiful dumb beasts of burden carrying those opulently taken care of "god's messengers."
If you doubt and demand proof, you're smart. Damn right! I'm a scoffer!
JUST THE FACTS, PLEASE!
(From Facebook.)
Early morning again, and of course, I'm thinking. I was reflecting on how historically ignorant the average person is and how that sets them up for all kinds of delusion and deception.
Take the matter of a savior. People are absolutely convinced that the story began about 2000 years ago in Bethlehem. Sorry, nowhere near close to the facts. I recently shared a comparison between Jesus and Horus, the egyptian god and savior. Everything the same! Virgin birth at the winter solstice rebirth of the sun, martydom, etc.
The same was true for Mythra, Apollo, Krishna, a whole host of deities. What we hear preached today is just a variant of what was preached in ancient Egypt, Babylon, India, you name it. It all harks back to astrological nonsense and has the same purpose: keep people feeling condemned and guilty and in need of deliverance so you can provide that deliverance through a formula that keeps you in control of their lives and, most importantly, their purses.
Roman emperors saw the necessity of amalgamating all those competing and confusion-generating systems into one imperial mythology they could enforce upon the masses. Through brute force, they prevailed and even though the system subsequently fragmented, it permeates the western world. To cast it off is practically unthinkable to the average person. Their whole identity is caught up in it. It is enforced through overwhelming societal pressure. Most don't even want to think about it.
It's time to go ahead and enjoy the seasonal partying while we openly acknowledge the ancient mythologies involved, sort of like our acknowleging Zeus and Thor. We need to cast aside those demeaning elements of guilt and need for salvation through a human sacrifice. It's time to openly teach the facts and get rid of all this subservience based on fictional guilt. Let's quit this toadlike prayerful posture of our faces down, our eyes closed, with our asses in the air while we talk to ourselves about our sinfulness and beg for forgiveness from a figment of our imagination.
We all make mistakes. We all hurt others some way, some time. No need for some fictional perfect godman sacrifice. We just need to acknowledge our failing, apologize and make whatever amends are possible and move on. It's called maturity and character. If we're decent individuals, there's no need for horrific threats of eternal punishment to keep us in line. Proper example and teaching when we're young will do the trick. I fall back on the character examples of my parents and other respected individuals every day.
Let's view mythology as historical fact, not some sacrosanct revelation of unchangeable truth!
Early morning again, and of course, I'm thinking. I was reflecting on how historically ignorant the average person is and how that sets them up for all kinds of delusion and deception.
Take the matter of a savior. People are absolutely convinced that the story began about 2000 years ago in Bethlehem. Sorry, nowhere near close to the facts. I recently shared a comparison between Jesus and Horus, the egyptian god and savior. Everything the same! Virgin birth at the winter solstice rebirth of the sun, martydom, etc.
The same was true for Mythra, Apollo, Krishna, a whole host of deities. What we hear preached today is just a variant of what was preached in ancient Egypt, Babylon, India, you name it. It all harks back to astrological nonsense and has the same purpose: keep people feeling condemned and guilty and in need of deliverance so you can provide that deliverance through a formula that keeps you in control of their lives and, most importantly, their purses.
Roman emperors saw the necessity of amalgamating all those competing and confusion-generating systems into one imperial mythology they could enforce upon the masses. Through brute force, they prevailed and even though the system subsequently fragmented, it permeates the western world. To cast it off is practically unthinkable to the average person. Their whole identity is caught up in it. It is enforced through overwhelming societal pressure. Most don't even want to think about it.
It's time to go ahead and enjoy the seasonal partying while we openly acknowledge the ancient mythologies involved, sort of like our acknowleging Zeus and Thor. We need to cast aside those demeaning elements of guilt and need for salvation through a human sacrifice. It's time to openly teach the facts and get rid of all this subservience based on fictional guilt. Let's quit this toadlike prayerful posture of our faces down, our eyes closed, with our asses in the air while we talk to ourselves about our sinfulness and beg for forgiveness from a figment of our imagination.
We all make mistakes. We all hurt others some way, some time. No need for some fictional perfect godman sacrifice. We just need to acknowledge our failing, apologize and make whatever amends are possible and move on. It's called maturity and character. If we're decent individuals, there's no need for horrific threats of eternal punishment to keep us in line. Proper example and teaching when we're young will do the trick. I fall back on the character examples of my parents and other respected individuals every day.
Let's view mythology as historical fact, not some sacrosanct revelation of unchangeable truth!
Friday, December 27, 2013
INFINITE VARIETY
Our guests are back home safely and we're back to a semblance of normal around here. Six dogs are a bit much, even though they're all lovable. Not a one of them has the same kind of personality, even though four of them are closely related poms. The mini pinscher is in a class all by himself and is fascinating.
I just love observing the variety in nature and ruminating about it. I could have been very happy as a scientific researcher of some sort. It would have kept my analytically-based mind very energized. Can't help but muse about what could have been under different circumstances.
Just heard through my sister of the demise of someone else I knew from the old cult. He died at age 84 from complications of melanoma which he battled for years. Like me, he rejected the old cult and religion itself, but his brother under whom I worked for many years fancies himself a representative of the god we both rejected and is the driving force behind another splinter group.
The diversity of personality, etc. applies to all species. It's fascinating when you just back off and observe as best you can. One of these days, people will be reflecting on how different (odd?) and unique I was. Out of the billions of homo sapiens that have lived on this planet, no two of us are carbon copies of anyone else. I see bits of my dad and my mother, as well as other relatives in myself, but I'm still just me. If you have illusions of changing me through any effort of yours, fugeddaboutit!
I just love observing the variety in nature and ruminating about it. I could have been very happy as a scientific researcher of some sort. It would have kept my analytically-based mind very energized. Can't help but muse about what could have been under different circumstances.
Just heard through my sister of the demise of someone else I knew from the old cult. He died at age 84 from complications of melanoma which he battled for years. Like me, he rejected the old cult and religion itself, but his brother under whom I worked for many years fancies himself a representative of the god we both rejected and is the driving force behind another splinter group.
The diversity of personality, etc. applies to all species. It's fascinating when you just back off and observe as best you can. One of these days, people will be reflecting on how different (odd?) and unique I was. Out of the billions of homo sapiens that have lived on this planet, no two of us are carbon copies of anyone else. I see bits of my dad and my mother, as well as other relatives in myself, but I'm still just me. If you have illusions of changing me through any effort of yours, fugeddaboutit!
Thursday, December 26, 2013
I DENOUNCE THE HYPOCRISY!
(From Facebook.)
I had the opportunity to sit a while and talk with my son-in-law, Gary Jannusch, this morning. We talked alot about the situation with his wife and Phyllis' Daughter, Lisa.
They're In a terrible situation where Lisa's condition is concerned. She's been handicapped since birth due to a stroke that occurred during a long and painful birth to a teen age mother who had only inept care in a substandard medical facility on an indian reservation.
She compenstated as best she could and worked for many years as a valuable employee of the State Water Department, but as her condition deteriorated, she encountered great oppostition in finally winning the fight for state and finally federal disability compensation. She also brought two children to successful adulthood and both are prosperous, productive memebers of society today.
Gary works for the USPS, so they do have health insurance, but it is far from really adequate for what they are facing. Lisa has a non-malignant skull tumor that has to removed soon and be replaced with a plate. But, it's locomotion that is the real problem. I was astonished to see how hard it was for her to negotiate the two small steps off our patio. She has one nearly useless leg and knee and her "good" knee is now so deteriorated that she needs an operation badly, but the doctors refuse because she can't manage the rehabilitation that would be required afterward.
She's trapped!
If she lived in one of the "socialist" nations many of our ancestors fled when they were still oppressive and largely religious and class controled monacrchies, she'd have had totally free medical intervention years ago along with all the free rehab needed.
The nations our ancestors left have progressed while we have stagnated and actually retrogressed. The Christian right puffs out its hypocritical chest and proclaims its superiority and righteousness while they denigrate and deny every principle that mostly if not totally fictional Galilean carpenter supposedly advocated.
Whatever you may want to think about me regarding my humanist and atheistic stance, at least, I don't think I qualify as a hypocrite. The Romneys, Kochs and their ilk certainly do!
I had the opportunity to sit a while and talk with my son-in-law, Gary Jannusch, this morning. We talked alot about the situation with his wife and Phyllis' Daughter, Lisa.
They're In a terrible situation where Lisa's condition is concerned. She's been handicapped since birth due to a stroke that occurred during a long and painful birth to a teen age mother who had only inept care in a substandard medical facility on an indian reservation.
She compenstated as best she could and worked for many years as a valuable employee of the State Water Department, but as her condition deteriorated, she encountered great oppostition in finally winning the fight for state and finally federal disability compensation. She also brought two children to successful adulthood and both are prosperous, productive memebers of society today.
Gary works for the USPS, so they do have health insurance, but it is far from really adequate for what they are facing. Lisa has a non-malignant skull tumor that has to removed soon and be replaced with a plate. But, it's locomotion that is the real problem. I was astonished to see how hard it was for her to negotiate the two small steps off our patio. She has one nearly useless leg and knee and her "good" knee is now so deteriorated that she needs an operation badly, but the doctors refuse because she can't manage the rehabilitation that would be required afterward.
She's trapped!
If she lived in one of the "socialist" nations many of our ancestors fled when they were still oppressive and largely religious and class controled monacrchies, she'd have had totally free medical intervention years ago along with all the free rehab needed.
The nations our ancestors left have progressed while we have stagnated and actually retrogressed. The Christian right puffs out its hypocritical chest and proclaims its superiority and righteousness while they denigrate and deny every principle that mostly if not totally fictional Galilean carpenter supposedly advocated.
Whatever you may want to think about me regarding my humanist and atheistic stance, at least, I don't think I qualify as a hypocrite. The Romneys, Kochs and their ilk certainly do!
FORGET STAR TREK
It's quiet. The sun is shining. Phyllis is still asleep while my daughter-in-law and I are at computers, and Gary is probably reading. I love the early morning. It's when I do some of my best thinking.
Thinking and being able to communicate what we're thinking is what sets us humans apart. Those six dogs running around here are certainly intelligent and they have the ability to play us like violins, but they can never approach our level of awareness and intellectual ability.
I really don't think we're going to find many comparable creatures in the vastness of outer space. Evolution is slow and haphazard and a great many things have to line up just right to eventually create a highly capable brain coupled with things like binocular vision, hands with opposable thumbs and a host of other things that make up a civilized human being.
Just the right things have to come along at just the right time and survive to produce what we call a human being. It's a crap shoot!
I personally expect to find all kinds of life in outer space. Where on an evolutionary scale we intersect with that life at any given time is another crap shoot. We humans were nowhere on the projected scale even ten million years ago. I know those scales of time and development are hard to wrap one's mind around, but they exist -- everywhere.
The universe is also an evolving factor. We're used to viewing everything from a homo centric point of view. That just doesn't apply to other stars and planetary systems that are on vastly different scales of time and develoment.
Klingons, Romulans and Kardassians, etc. are interesting fictional creations, but they're still rather unlikely as interstellor actualities.
Thinking and being able to communicate what we're thinking is what sets us humans apart. Those six dogs running around here are certainly intelligent and they have the ability to play us like violins, but they can never approach our level of awareness and intellectual ability.
I really don't think we're going to find many comparable creatures in the vastness of outer space. Evolution is slow and haphazard and a great many things have to line up just right to eventually create a highly capable brain coupled with things like binocular vision, hands with opposable thumbs and a host of other things that make up a civilized human being.
Just the right things have to come along at just the right time and survive to produce what we call a human being. It's a crap shoot!
I personally expect to find all kinds of life in outer space. Where on an evolutionary scale we intersect with that life at any given time is another crap shoot. We humans were nowhere on the projected scale even ten million years ago. I know those scales of time and development are hard to wrap one's mind around, but they exist -- everywhere.
The universe is also an evolving factor. We're used to viewing everything from a homo centric point of view. That just doesn't apply to other stars and planetary systems that are on vastly different scales of time and develoment.
Klingons, Romulans and Kardassians, etc. are interesting fictional creations, but they're still rather unlikely as interstellor actualities.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
THE ETERNAL STRUGGLE
Another annual milestone is just about history and it will soon be 2014. I remember when just getting into this century seemed so far away and all the angst and paranoia about that arbitrary time. People are always attaching some horrible significance to calendar dates. I'm sure the same thing will happen in 2100, but I won't be around to witness it.
And, yes, I'm sure there will still be fanatics claiming Jesus is about to return. Hopefully, they'll be a much smaller minority by that time. I'd like to think superstition is going to decrease and mythology is going to be replaced by reason, true history and science.
I wonder how long we're going to have to deal with "talibans" -- muslim, christian or whatever. The tea party is nothing other than a christian taliban every bit as deluded, ruthless and potentially violent as their middle eastern counterparts. The spirit of the inquisition has never disappeared anymore than the taliban-like southern spirit and goals of the civil war.
I sympathize with the people of Syria, but they were much better off with Assad than they will be if Al Queda manages to take control. They would make Assad look benign by comparison. We're fools to think we can impose western-style democracy in any of those nations.
We can't even shake the stupidities of religion in our own nation. How can we even dream of reforming even more regimented and controled societies? They see through the stupidities and nonsense of christianity just as easily as we see through the same situation in islam. Nobody is willing to admit that their holy book and the faith and power system that is built around it is a mythological sham.
Oh, the imams and ayatollahs can wax just as eloquent as the pope and the mormon bishops, etc. about benign sounding platitudes, but the fact of the matter is that they all sit as potentates of a power structure that keeps millions of people mentally, emotionally, financially and physically enslaved.
I escaped from such a system. I know how thoroughly it warps the minds of its adherents. I was literally insane for a number of years while being convinced that I was one of the chosen elect of god. The whole thing is evil. We have to keep chipping away at it. Maybe we can make the turn of the next century something far different from 2000.
And, yes, I'm sure there will still be fanatics claiming Jesus is about to return. Hopefully, they'll be a much smaller minority by that time. I'd like to think superstition is going to decrease and mythology is going to be replaced by reason, true history and science.
I wonder how long we're going to have to deal with "talibans" -- muslim, christian or whatever. The tea party is nothing other than a christian taliban every bit as deluded, ruthless and potentially violent as their middle eastern counterparts. The spirit of the inquisition has never disappeared anymore than the taliban-like southern spirit and goals of the civil war.
I sympathize with the people of Syria, but they were much better off with Assad than they will be if Al Queda manages to take control. They would make Assad look benign by comparison. We're fools to think we can impose western-style democracy in any of those nations.
We can't even shake the stupidities of religion in our own nation. How can we even dream of reforming even more regimented and controled societies? They see through the stupidities and nonsense of christianity just as easily as we see through the same situation in islam. Nobody is willing to admit that their holy book and the faith and power system that is built around it is a mythological sham.
Oh, the imams and ayatollahs can wax just as eloquent as the pope and the mormon bishops, etc. about benign sounding platitudes, but the fact of the matter is that they all sit as potentates of a power structure that keeps millions of people mentally, emotionally, financially and physically enslaved.
I escaped from such a system. I know how thoroughly it warps the minds of its adherents. I was literally insane for a number of years while being convinced that I was one of the chosen elect of god. The whole thing is evil. We have to keep chipping away at it. Maybe we can make the turn of the next century something far different from 2000.
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
THE ACTIVIST PERSONA
(From Facebook.)
I'm up and at it and feel pretty good. I've updated my Craig's List ads and cruised though Facebook, sharing those things that particularly struck me as shareable.
I can't live without a cause. I'm just that kind of guy. Just living day to day aimlessly bores and frustrates me to death. It would be worse than death to me. The last couple of years that I have been into blogging and Facebooking are the most fulfilling years of my life. Writing my autobiography helped, but once it was finished, it was back to observing and inwardly grumbling.
I've always cared, but until recently, there was no outlet for my caring. Now, I can say what I'm thinking and feel that it is helping in the overall scheme of things just a little bit. If I can make just one other person care or feel a bit better, that's rewarding. Just a thoughtful comment could help someone over a rough spot and help them not to give up.
I'm still breathing. I'm still observing and thinking. Though diminished in overall strength and energy, I can still do something, and for that, I am grateful.
I'm up and at it and feel pretty good. I've updated my Craig's List ads and cruised though Facebook, sharing those things that particularly struck me as shareable.
I can't live without a cause. I'm just that kind of guy. Just living day to day aimlessly bores and frustrates me to death. It would be worse than death to me. The last couple of years that I have been into blogging and Facebooking are the most fulfilling years of my life. Writing my autobiography helped, but once it was finished, it was back to observing and inwardly grumbling.
I've always cared, but until recently, there was no outlet for my caring. Now, I can say what I'm thinking and feel that it is helping in the overall scheme of things just a little bit. If I can make just one other person care or feel a bit better, that's rewarding. Just a thoughtful comment could help someone over a rough spot and help them not to give up.
I'm still breathing. I'm still observing and thinking. Though diminished in overall strength and energy, I can still do something, and for that, I am grateful.
Monday, December 23, 2013
HAPPY AND MERRY WHATEVER!
I wish all my friends and relatives a joyous holiday time, however they choose to view it. I'm elated that my step-granddaughter, Holly, has her daughter with her. I don't know the details behind the separation, but I'm happy that she's in a happier situation now. I know everyone is struggling against something. That's just the reality of life from the lowliest amoeba right up the chain of life to us.
We're the only creatures with the capacity to change our circumstances meaningfully and not just accept and deal with the best we can whatever we may find in the environment. I just wish more care and concern were directed toward our responsibilities to that environment and less to the profit at any cost motive.
I could get very discouraged at what I see in the world, but I choose instead to view it as just another cycle that will pass, hopefully without our blowing ourselves out of existence.
This rock we live on will go on for millions of years regardless of how we humans sort things out. I just hope we don't so ruin it that our own existence becomes impossible.
We've all found ourselves in another day to use as best we can and hopefully many more days to come. Enjoy it one and all. Make the most of it.
We're the only creatures with the capacity to change our circumstances meaningfully and not just accept and deal with the best we can whatever we may find in the environment. I just wish more care and concern were directed toward our responsibilities to that environment and less to the profit at any cost motive.
I could get very discouraged at what I see in the world, but I choose instead to view it as just another cycle that will pass, hopefully without our blowing ourselves out of existence.
This rock we live on will go on for millions of years regardless of how we humans sort things out. I just hope we don't so ruin it that our own existence becomes impossible.
We've all found ourselves in another day to use as best we can and hopefully many more days to come. Enjoy it one and all. Make the most of it.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
ENOUGH WITH THE SURVEILLANCE, ALREADY!
What's with all this desire to monitor everything people do? I'm not too concerned about the NSA. If they want to be bored out of their skulls, they can achieve it just by monitoring me.
There's a letter on my desk from State Farm offering the carrot of rate reduction if I just put a spy device in my car so they can sit in judgment of my driving habits. I'm not going to bite that hook! Go chuck that pretty looking worm where the sun doesn't shine!
For example, when I'm driving long distance and the road is not congested, I usually go five to ten mles over the speed limit because I know the Highway Patrol usually allows that under safe conditions. For awhile, the GPS we have in Phyllis' car would chime in wth an annoying "warning" reminder everytime I did that. I think it drove people nuts and it seems to have stopped doing that. Made me want to shout, "Shut up, already!"
We've become such a crime riddled society, that some camera is recording your every move just about everywhere you go. It solves alot of criminal cases, but I just don't like the feeling of being watched. Since nearly everything I do is benign, I don't worry too much about it. But, living in a surveillance world just doesn't appeal to me.
After all, I did read Orwell's 1984!
There's a letter on my desk from State Farm offering the carrot of rate reduction if I just put a spy device in my car so they can sit in judgment of my driving habits. I'm not going to bite that hook! Go chuck that pretty looking worm where the sun doesn't shine!
For example, when I'm driving long distance and the road is not congested, I usually go five to ten mles over the speed limit because I know the Highway Patrol usually allows that under safe conditions. For awhile, the GPS we have in Phyllis' car would chime in wth an annoying "warning" reminder everytime I did that. I think it drove people nuts and it seems to have stopped doing that. Made me want to shout, "Shut up, already!"
We've become such a crime riddled society, that some camera is recording your every move just about everywhere you go. It solves alot of criminal cases, but I just don't like the feeling of being watched. Since nearly everything I do is benign, I don't worry too much about it. But, living in a surveillance world just doesn't appeal to me.
After all, I did read Orwell's 1984!
SACRED TERRITORY
(From Facebook.)
It's the wee hours of the morning and I find I have to again resort to this keyboard over a realization brought forcefully to mind by something I saw on TV just after going to bed. It triggered a realization that happening upon Facebook allowed me to resume something that really began early in my life but was interupted.
I really began what I'm now doing early in my life, in my early teens. I started writing down in a small notebook every day my thoughts and experiences. It was a journal or diary and something I almost instinctively began doing. That didn't last long for a very good reason.
My dad started reading and enjoying what I was writing!
I did not intend or want my private thoughts broadcast to all and sundry, so I immediately quit writing in that little book and never resumed until I wrote my abreviated autobiography in the mid-nineties. How much more extensive that work could have been had I had all those years of private thoughts and experiences to resort to.
Dad had no malicious intent. Nevertheless, when he took the liberty to peruse my most intimate thoughts and feelings, he ventured into sacred territory he would have done much better to stay away from. He stopped my instinctual need to write down and analyze what I was thinking and experiencing for decades!
Now, I feel safe to put on here whatever comes to my mind. It really matters not a bit to me what anyone might think. Really, there isn't much that goes on in my mind or life that I'd have to hesitate to share with anyone these days.
Not so to a sensitive teenager who's going through one of the most turbulent stages of life where they're struggling to find their way in a confusing world of new feelings, experiences and a great deal of emotional turmoil. So, if you have the temptation to invade some young person's privacy for your own curiosity or entertainment, don't do it! That's sacred territory you're invading!
Concentrate instead on being the kind of non-judgmental and totally accessible mentor that person will have no fear of confiding in. I know that's a tall order, but try anyway.
And, MIND YOUR OWN DAMN BUSINESS!
It's the wee hours of the morning and I find I have to again resort to this keyboard over a realization brought forcefully to mind by something I saw on TV just after going to bed. It triggered a realization that happening upon Facebook allowed me to resume something that really began early in my life but was interupted.
I really began what I'm now doing early in my life, in my early teens. I started writing down in a small notebook every day my thoughts and experiences. It was a journal or diary and something I almost instinctively began doing. That didn't last long for a very good reason.
My dad started reading and enjoying what I was writing!
I did not intend or want my private thoughts broadcast to all and sundry, so I immediately quit writing in that little book and never resumed until I wrote my abreviated autobiography in the mid-nineties. How much more extensive that work could have been had I had all those years of private thoughts and experiences to resort to.
Dad had no malicious intent. Nevertheless, when he took the liberty to peruse my most intimate thoughts and feelings, he ventured into sacred territory he would have done much better to stay away from. He stopped my instinctual need to write down and analyze what I was thinking and experiencing for decades!
Now, I feel safe to put on here whatever comes to my mind. It really matters not a bit to me what anyone might think. Really, there isn't much that goes on in my mind or life that I'd have to hesitate to share with anyone these days.
Not so to a sensitive teenager who's going through one of the most turbulent stages of life where they're struggling to find their way in a confusing world of new feelings, experiences and a great deal of emotional turmoil. So, if you have the temptation to invade some young person's privacy for your own curiosity or entertainment, don't do it! That's sacred territory you're invading!
Concentrate instead on being the kind of non-judgmental and totally accessible mentor that person will have no fear of confiding in. I know that's a tall order, but try anyway.
And, MIND YOUR OWN DAMN BUSINESS!
Monday, December 16, 2013
WHAT IF YOU'RE WRONG?
"What if you're wrong?" That's the query believers like to fling at unbelievers like me. It's calculated to engender fear and a feeling of not belonging.
It's a really good question to contemplate -- by the questioner him or herself.
I like to respond with a counter question, like, "do you believe in Allah?" "No," they say indignantly. To which I reply, "Millions do. What if you're wrong?"
Same approach to taoism, hinduism, scientology, mormonism, you name it. It doesn't take any genius to conclude all those fanatically defended faiths and gods can't be real, anymore than Zeus and Thor were real. The names, the mythologies, the trappings differ in details, but the basic mental approach is pretty much the same -- belief in an all-powerful entity with astounding power and transcendence.
So, don't bother trying to scare me with that question. I know too much history and too many facts to fall for it. The days when I could be put on the defensive by such tactics are long gone. I'm no longer a quivering, tongue-tied denizen of fear and insecurity.
It's a really good question to contemplate -- by the questioner him or herself.
I like to respond with a counter question, like, "do you believe in Allah?" "No," they say indignantly. To which I reply, "Millions do. What if you're wrong?"
Same approach to taoism, hinduism, scientology, mormonism, you name it. It doesn't take any genius to conclude all those fanatically defended faiths and gods can't be real, anymore than Zeus and Thor were real. The names, the mythologies, the trappings differ in details, but the basic mental approach is pretty much the same -- belief in an all-powerful entity with astounding power and transcendence.
So, don't bother trying to scare me with that question. I know too much history and too many facts to fall for it. The days when I could be put on the defensive by such tactics are long gone. I'm no longer a quivering, tongue-tied denizen of fear and insecurity.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
RIPP[ED OFF AGAIN!
Marketing! What a deceitful crock of you know what!
I decided to clean up Phyllis's car this afternoon, so I went down to the do-it-yourself carwash at the corner and thoroughly vacuumed it, then gave it a wash. Near the end of the wash, I switced it to "wax" and got a film of clear coat. Looked great!
Months ago, Phyllis got hooked by a product that was supposed to magically restore your car's finish, so she ordered it. I'd been waiting for the temps to get just right and the "spirit" to move me to apply it.
Today was the day. Temps about 60 and me energetic. I started applying to that sparkling clean finish. It took me about 2 seconds to realize that all I was doing was applying a thick coat of clear coat that we could have gotten for a fraction of the cost at any parts store or in the auto section of WalMart.
It's so easy to fall victim to these "carnival barker" salesmen and women. They have this excited tone that gets you going like a holy roller preacher at a camp meeting. It's really the same kind of emotional game, and I have to really watch it even as knowledgeable as I am.
Oh well. There's enough in those two bottles for about three more applications, and you can rest assured that I'm going to use up that liquid gold product.
I decided to clean up Phyllis's car this afternoon, so I went down to the do-it-yourself carwash at the corner and thoroughly vacuumed it, then gave it a wash. Near the end of the wash, I switced it to "wax" and got a film of clear coat. Looked great!
Months ago, Phyllis got hooked by a product that was supposed to magically restore your car's finish, so she ordered it. I'd been waiting for the temps to get just right and the "spirit" to move me to apply it.
Today was the day. Temps about 60 and me energetic. I started applying to that sparkling clean finish. It took me about 2 seconds to realize that all I was doing was applying a thick coat of clear coat that we could have gotten for a fraction of the cost at any parts store or in the auto section of WalMart.
It's so easy to fall victim to these "carnival barker" salesmen and women. They have this excited tone that gets you going like a holy roller preacher at a camp meeting. It's really the same kind of emotional game, and I have to really watch it even as knowledgeable as I am.
Oh well. There's enough in those two bottles for about three more applications, and you can rest assured that I'm going to use up that liquid gold product.
THE CIVIL WAR STILL RAGES
(From Facebook.)
I'm going to get away from this computer and out in the fresh air, but before I do, I want to develop a thought I tossed out earlier.
That thought is that we are afflicted in this nation with a Civil War that has never really ceased. The same attitude that kept slavery entrenched in the old south even after the war was over now permeates the tea party. Those people hate our Union. They hate the fact that they are being slightly thwarted in their attitude of white supremacy and the class rights of the wealthy over the peons.
The real burr under their saddles is the fact that a "nigger" now sits in the White House. They hate the fact that the constitution forbids their imposition of their ignorance-based religion on all and sundry. They yearn for a return to the "stability" of a property owners dictatorship over the entire population of ordinary and inferior people.
They want unlimited ownership of any type of firearm for the same reason slave owners insisted on the second amendment, so they can threaten and keep in line anyone who objects to their plutocracy. It keeps them in a position of intimidation.
I guess that's enough said. I think you get my point.
I'm going to get away from this computer and out in the fresh air, but before I do, I want to develop a thought I tossed out earlier.
That thought is that we are afflicted in this nation with a Civil War that has never really ceased. The same attitude that kept slavery entrenched in the old south even after the war was over now permeates the tea party. Those people hate our Union. They hate the fact that they are being slightly thwarted in their attitude of white supremacy and the class rights of the wealthy over the peons.
The real burr under their saddles is the fact that a "nigger" now sits in the White House. They hate the fact that the constitution forbids their imposition of their ignorance-based religion on all and sundry. They yearn for a return to the "stability" of a property owners dictatorship over the entire population of ordinary and inferior people.
They want unlimited ownership of any type of firearm for the same reason slave owners insisted on the second amendment, so they can threaten and keep in line anyone who objects to their plutocracy. It keeps them in a position of intimidation.
I guess that's enough said. I think you get my point.
Friday, December 13, 2013
GOOD AND BAD NEWS
(From Facebook.)
Up early again to get the poms to the groomers. They came out looking so gloriously beautiful!
Then, off to Sedona where our free thought group was holding a Christless solstice-season party at a members home along beautiful Oak Creek. The usual steady attendees who are either retired or self-employed. It had to be on a Friday as that was our acting president's free day and that did decrease the attendance a bit. Even so, there were a couple new faces.
Our next major community event will be on February 15 when we are sponsoring Seth Andrews, host of "The Thinking Atheist," at Agave of Sedona. The advertised title will be, "Confessions of a Bible Belt Atheist."
Seth was a 30-year Christian and professional religious broadcaster who walked away and founded one of the most popular online atheist communities extant. We're inviting everybody we can, including church pastors and their congregations. It should be interesting. His book, Deconverted, will be on sale after the event.
It's slow go, but we're making progress, and I find that very exciting.
On a personal note, a second blood pressure check this week showed my pressure down a bit after cutting salt drastically but still too high, so on the way home from Sedona, I stopped to pick up prescriptions for lisinopril and amlodipine that had been phoned into our local pharmacy. I hate it, but if my doctor tells me I need it, I'd be a fool not to bow to his expertise.
It's been a long run of near perfect health, and I'm thankful for that. Thanks to those horrible scientists that get denounced by so many religious nuts as satan-deceived fools, I don't have to just wait for the inevitable stroke that would either kill or incapacitate me in unpleasant ways. I'm stuborn, but a fool I am not!
Up early again to get the poms to the groomers. They came out looking so gloriously beautiful!
Then, off to Sedona where our free thought group was holding a Christless solstice-season party at a members home along beautiful Oak Creek. The usual steady attendees who are either retired or self-employed. It had to be on a Friday as that was our acting president's free day and that did decrease the attendance a bit. Even so, there were a couple new faces.
Our next major community event will be on February 15 when we are sponsoring Seth Andrews, host of "The Thinking Atheist," at Agave of Sedona. The advertised title will be, "Confessions of a Bible Belt Atheist."
Seth was a 30-year Christian and professional religious broadcaster who walked away and founded one of the most popular online atheist communities extant. We're inviting everybody we can, including church pastors and their congregations. It should be interesting. His book, Deconverted, will be on sale after the event.
It's slow go, but we're making progress, and I find that very exciting.
On a personal note, a second blood pressure check this week showed my pressure down a bit after cutting salt drastically but still too high, so on the way home from Sedona, I stopped to pick up prescriptions for lisinopril and amlodipine that had been phoned into our local pharmacy. I hate it, but if my doctor tells me I need it, I'd be a fool not to bow to his expertise.
It's been a long run of near perfect health, and I'm thankful for that. Thanks to those horrible scientists that get denounced by so many religious nuts as satan-deceived fools, I don't have to just wait for the inevitable stroke that would either kill or incapacitate me in unpleasant ways. I'm stuborn, but a fool I am not!
Thursday, December 12, 2013
NOT WASHED UP YET!
(From Facebook.)
I'm glad Time Magazine chose the Pope as its man of the year. He reminds me of Nelson Mandela in many ways by not being afraid to speak out on things he knows will enrage a lot of people, even some powerful entities in his own organization.
Forget the theology for a moment. Truth is truth, and I rejoice when I hear it or see it in print. So, he is still hung up on much that I now regard as superstitious nonsense. It wasn't that long ago that I was also. My path to humanist atheism was a long and meandering trek though idealogical swamps and deserts. I didn't wake up some morning with some great revelation that magically came to me during the night.
Enough on that subject. I'm also glad I woke up to the fact that I was giving in too easily to the "old wornout man syndrome." That job I did woke me up. Then, I called my son today to see how he was doing. He was in the middle of a carpet job and has the rest of the week booked up. I mentioned to him that I was going to keep on taking on jobs I can handle. He told me that he recently bumped into someone at the supply store who advertises for carpet jobs around Prescott. The guy is not very big and is 83 years old! Like me, he takes his time and does what he can each day.
Makes me feel kinda wimpy for contemplating quitting all together. I'm not fuel for the crematorium yet!
I'm glad Time Magazine chose the Pope as its man of the year. He reminds me of Nelson Mandela in many ways by not being afraid to speak out on things he knows will enrage a lot of people, even some powerful entities in his own organization.
Forget the theology for a moment. Truth is truth, and I rejoice when I hear it or see it in print. So, he is still hung up on much that I now regard as superstitious nonsense. It wasn't that long ago that I was also. My path to humanist atheism was a long and meandering trek though idealogical swamps and deserts. I didn't wake up some morning with some great revelation that magically came to me during the night.
Enough on that subject. I'm also glad I woke up to the fact that I was giving in too easily to the "old wornout man syndrome." That job I did woke me up. Then, I called my son today to see how he was doing. He was in the middle of a carpet job and has the rest of the week booked up. I mentioned to him that I was going to keep on taking on jobs I can handle. He told me that he recently bumped into someone at the supply store who advertises for carpet jobs around Prescott. The guy is not very big and is 83 years old! Like me, he takes his time and does what he can each day.
Makes me feel kinda wimpy for contemplating quitting all together. I'm not fuel for the crematorium yet!
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
STILL LEARNING
Thanks to an email offering to get me set up for Adsense, I came across a plethora of past comments that were never posted. I went through and posted all but one of them which was in foreign gibberish I couldn't begin to fathom.
One of these days, I'm going to find out how to get comments posted without moderation. I know a bad one will come through once in awhile, but I can always delete it when I notice it. I don't want to have to Ok every comment.
Still learning how to navigate this blogging world. I don't think I'm dumb, but there are some aspects which boggle my mind once in awhile.
Still have to look into that Adsense stuff. It isn't as simple as it's cracked up to be.
One of these days, I'm going to find out how to get comments posted without moderation. I know a bad one will come through once in awhile, but I can always delete it when I notice it. I don't want to have to Ok every comment.
Still learning how to navigate this blogging world. I don't think I'm dumb, but there are some aspects which boggle my mind once in awhile.
Still have to look into that Adsense stuff. It isn't as simple as it's cracked up to be.
A GREAT EIGHTEEN YEARS!
Eighteen years ago tonight, I did one of the smartest things I have done in my entire life by wedding my sweet, intelligent, brattty little soul mate, Phyllis. It was an inexpensive event at a square dance and officiated by a retired minister who was a member of the club.
Phyllis looked great in her pink dress, and I guess I looked OK in my matching pink western shirt made pink through the magic of Rit Dye. Square dancers are famous for flamboyant outfits, but we could not find a pink man's shirt in any shop.
When I say that the past eighteen years of my life have been the best, I'm not exagerating. I love my little "brat" and wouldn't change her a bit. She has a red T-shirt with a picture of Rudolph on it and the caption, "naughty but cute enough to get away with it." That's her! She offered to get one like it for her daughter, but she demured, saying, "Mom, that's you, not me." She's right!
I feel pretty good tonight and consider myself one of the luckiest men I know. I finished a job today many men much younger than I wouldn't have looked at even once. Made me feel very good, and I went down to the Ad King office and arranged for my services ad to resume next week. Gene said years ago that I was going to keep working until I dropped. Maybe he was right. But, what a way to go!
Phyllis looked great in her pink dress, and I guess I looked OK in my matching pink western shirt made pink through the magic of Rit Dye. Square dancers are famous for flamboyant outfits, but we could not find a pink man's shirt in any shop.
When I say that the past eighteen years of my life have been the best, I'm not exagerating. I love my little "brat" and wouldn't change her a bit. She has a red T-shirt with a picture of Rudolph on it and the caption, "naughty but cute enough to get away with it." That's her! She offered to get one like it for her daughter, but she demured, saying, "Mom, that's you, not me." She's right!
I feel pretty good tonight and consider myself one of the luckiest men I know. I finished a job today many men much younger than I wouldn't have looked at even once. Made me feel very good, and I went down to the Ad King office and arranged for my services ad to resume next week. Gene said years ago that I was going to keep working until I dropped. Maybe he was right. But, what a way to go!
Monday, December 2, 2013
THE VIRTUAL COMMUNITY
(From Facebook.)
It's bedtime, but I have that urge to write. Funny how that urge seems so powerful. I think it's basically the same thing that drives people to text so much. Phyllis doesn't text, but her day wouldn't be complete if she didn't talk to her daughter by phone at least once. I call others less frequently. but this keyboard beckons me at all hours of the day and night.
We've gathered in villages and settlements throughout human history largely because there's a drive in us to be around and communicate with friends and family. It also provides allies and helpers in a dangerous world.
We're not the only creatures with that pack mentality. Our dogs revel in being with us and communicating by being petted, etc. Sit down near Jubilation and he's beside you immediately, gently but insistently reaching out a tiny paw to request attention. It's not easy to resist that.
We're all different in the ways we feed that need to communicate and socialize, but it's there in all normal, healthy individuals. It's easy to get short tempered and judgmental about how others fulfill that urge. It can also lead to danger if we do things like texting and phoning while driving. I try to avoid calling while driving and often let an incoming call go to message so I can pull over where it's safe to do so, retrieve the message and proceed however I choose from there. Many of them are commercial and unwanted calls anyway.
I appreciate all the communication tools available now, and I'm especially appreciative of the internet and social media. The past year that I've gotten more thoroughly involved in it has been perhaps the most fulfilling year of my life so far.
Ok, now off to bed. Love you all. Glad you're part of my virtual community.
It's bedtime, but I have that urge to write. Funny how that urge seems so powerful. I think it's basically the same thing that drives people to text so much. Phyllis doesn't text, but her day wouldn't be complete if she didn't talk to her daughter by phone at least once. I call others less frequently. but this keyboard beckons me at all hours of the day and night.
We've gathered in villages and settlements throughout human history largely because there's a drive in us to be around and communicate with friends and family. It also provides allies and helpers in a dangerous world.
We're not the only creatures with that pack mentality. Our dogs revel in being with us and communicating by being petted, etc. Sit down near Jubilation and he's beside you immediately, gently but insistently reaching out a tiny paw to request attention. It's not easy to resist that.
We're all different in the ways we feed that need to communicate and socialize, but it's there in all normal, healthy individuals. It's easy to get short tempered and judgmental about how others fulfill that urge. It can also lead to danger if we do things like texting and phoning while driving. I try to avoid calling while driving and often let an incoming call go to message so I can pull over where it's safe to do so, retrieve the message and proceed however I choose from there. Many of them are commercial and unwanted calls anyway.
I appreciate all the communication tools available now, and I'm especially appreciative of the internet and social media. The past year that I've gotten more thoroughly involved in it has been perhaps the most fulfilling year of my life so far.
Ok, now off to bed. Love you all. Glad you're part of my virtual community.
Friday, November 29, 2013
I LOVE GARDENIAS
(From Facebook.)
The winter solstice is upon us. The days are getting shorter. The nights are getting progressively longer and colder. We need solstice celebrations to brighten up this dismal period of time. I wonder what they do to celebrate the same phenomenon "down under" six months later. All this stuff developed in the religions of the northern hemisphere so the denizens of the southern hemisphere are stuck doing it backwards.
I'll have to bring some frost sensitive plants in before the end of the coming week. I guess I'll try to protect the gardenia I planted three years ago by trying to remember to cover it and turn a warming light on every frosty night. I inadvisedly bought it because I love the great perfume of gardenia flowers. They do great in Pasadena. Not so much here. If I get three or four flowers each spring, I'm lucky. Hardly worth the extra water and care. But, I hate to let a beautiful plant just die. I'm sentimental that way.
I guess it goes back to my college days when I discovered gardenia corsages to give my dates on the one or two dance nights we had each year. The girls went wild about them, especially the year when paychecks were delayed and we guys raided the gardenia and other flowering plants on campus to make our own corsages and place them in the plastic fronted sacks in which our laundered, starched and pressed shirts were returned to us by the laundry service. I think those corsages were appreciated much more than the ones we spent good money to buy. Anybody can buy a corsage if they have money, but it takes real caring to figure out how to provide one when you're just plain broke.
My sister had a gardenia bush outside her back door when they lived in Pasadena and when I went to conduct my mother's memorial, it was in bloom. I picked one of those blossoms and pinned it to her lapel as she laid in state in her casket. It was the least I could do as a tribute to one of the most important girls in my life. It would be nice to think that she was somehow aware, but I have no reason to believe that is possible.
Again, I had no idea what I was going to write when I clicked on this box. Now, I know how syndicated writers do it so regularly. You just start out and it flows from deep inside -- if you're a writer at heart.
The winter solstice is upon us. The days are getting shorter. The nights are getting progressively longer and colder. We need solstice celebrations to brighten up this dismal period of time. I wonder what they do to celebrate the same phenomenon "down under" six months later. All this stuff developed in the religions of the northern hemisphere so the denizens of the southern hemisphere are stuck doing it backwards.
I'll have to bring some frost sensitive plants in before the end of the coming week. I guess I'll try to protect the gardenia I planted three years ago by trying to remember to cover it and turn a warming light on every frosty night. I inadvisedly bought it because I love the great perfume of gardenia flowers. They do great in Pasadena. Not so much here. If I get three or four flowers each spring, I'm lucky. Hardly worth the extra water and care. But, I hate to let a beautiful plant just die. I'm sentimental that way.
I guess it goes back to my college days when I discovered gardenia corsages to give my dates on the one or two dance nights we had each year. The girls went wild about them, especially the year when paychecks were delayed and we guys raided the gardenia and other flowering plants on campus to make our own corsages and place them in the plastic fronted sacks in which our laundered, starched and pressed shirts were returned to us by the laundry service. I think those corsages were appreciated much more than the ones we spent good money to buy. Anybody can buy a corsage if they have money, but it takes real caring to figure out how to provide one when you're just plain broke.
My sister had a gardenia bush outside her back door when they lived in Pasadena and when I went to conduct my mother's memorial, it was in bloom. I picked one of those blossoms and pinned it to her lapel as she laid in state in her casket. It was the least I could do as a tribute to one of the most important girls in my life. It would be nice to think that she was somehow aware, but I have no reason to believe that is possible.
Again, I had no idea what I was going to write when I clicked on this box. Now, I know how syndicated writers do it so regularly. You just start out and it flows from deep inside -- if you're a writer at heart.
Thursday, November 28, 2013
I'M VERY THANKFUL
The turkey was stuffed, and now I am. So are the dogs. We're all very content.
This is supposed to be a day to count one's blessings. I hardly know where to begin about what I am thankful for. There are so many things.
I'm thankful for my inherited health and family heritage. I went astray into cultism in early adulthood but am thankful I saw the light instead of wasting the rest of my life in a cult splinter. Those have been happening with predictable regularity every since William Miller and Ellen G. White set the original madness in motion. Every generation or so, other fanatics grabbed the ball and ran with it into even worse delusions. They run into the multiple hundreds now.
I'm thankful for having a wonderful soul mate wife to share what to me is an idylic life here in Cottonwood. I'm thankful for the children and grandchildren I've been blessed with. For good and thoughtful neighbors I don't have to be fearful of. For competent medical professionals who keep me and Phyllis in the best shape possible.
Even though we're not "rolling in dough," we have enough to squeak through every month. Many don't. I'm glad I inherited a bit of my dad's ability to squeeze a dollar until it screamed when necessary.
Most of all, I'm thankful I no longer cower in superstitious fear before an imaginary deity that keeps you in bondage to fear and guilt so the preisthood that champions him can ride around in hedonistic luxury.
Life is good. It won't last forever, but while it does, I intend to make the most of it. Thankfully and appreciatively.
This is supposed to be a day to count one's blessings. I hardly know where to begin about what I am thankful for. There are so many things.
I'm thankful for my inherited health and family heritage. I went astray into cultism in early adulthood but am thankful I saw the light instead of wasting the rest of my life in a cult splinter. Those have been happening with predictable regularity every since William Miller and Ellen G. White set the original madness in motion. Every generation or so, other fanatics grabbed the ball and ran with it into even worse delusions. They run into the multiple hundreds now.
I'm thankful for having a wonderful soul mate wife to share what to me is an idylic life here in Cottonwood. I'm thankful for the children and grandchildren I've been blessed with. For good and thoughtful neighbors I don't have to be fearful of. For competent medical professionals who keep me and Phyllis in the best shape possible.
Even though we're not "rolling in dough," we have enough to squeak through every month. Many don't. I'm glad I inherited a bit of my dad's ability to squeeze a dollar until it screamed when necessary.
Most of all, I'm thankful I no longer cower in superstitious fear before an imaginary deity that keeps you in bondage to fear and guilt so the preisthood that champions him can ride around in hedonistic luxury.
Life is good. It won't last forever, but while it does, I intend to make the most of it. Thankfully and appreciatively.
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
NOTE TO OBAMA
My thanksgiving note to President Barack H. Obama:
Mr. President:
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I wish you and your family a very happy and meaningful holiday.
I’m a staunch atheist who happens to hold a degree in theology, so I won’t be thanking any gods for anything. Yet, this is my favorite holiday of the whole year. It’s not necessary to believe in fictional gods to be thankful and at a healthy 79, I am very thankful for a great deal.
One of the things I am thankful for is that we have a sincere and caring man like you as president of our country. I know you’ve been able to accomplish only a small fraction of what you wished to accomplish due to the insane opposition you’ve encountered. If you’d had a democratic congress, much more would have been done and we’d long ago have left this “recession” in the dust.
I want you to know that your efforts are understood and appreciated by people like me and my wife, Phyllis. Thank you for everything you have tried to do and have done to bring sanity back into government, not the least of which being the avoidance of more ill-conceived and unnecessary wars.
In deep appreciation
Allen C. Dexter
Mr. President:
Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I wish you and your family a very happy and meaningful holiday.
I’m a staunch atheist who happens to hold a degree in theology, so I won’t be thanking any gods for anything. Yet, this is my favorite holiday of the whole year. It’s not necessary to believe in fictional gods to be thankful and at a healthy 79, I am very thankful for a great deal.
One of the things I am thankful for is that we have a sincere and caring man like you as president of our country. I know you’ve been able to accomplish only a small fraction of what you wished to accomplish due to the insane opposition you’ve encountered. If you’d had a democratic congress, much more would have been done and we’d long ago have left this “recession” in the dust.
I want you to know that your efforts are understood and appreciated by people like me and my wife, Phyllis. Thank you for everything you have tried to do and have done to bring sanity back into government, not the least of which being the avoidance of more ill-conceived and unnecessary wars.
In deep appreciation
Allen C. Dexter
Sunday, November 24, 2013
LOOKS PROMISING
(From Facebook.)
The storm seems to be over for us. I pity those people on the east coast if it doesn't go off into the Atlantic when it gets there. By one of my gauges, we got just over two and a half inches. By the other, 2.15. All I'm sure of is that it was over two inches. I finished up pretty well with the porch and pantry area today and scrubbed all the muddy foot and paw prints off the vinyl floors.
I'm encouraged that we have what looks like a promising deal with Iran. If the rethugs had been in total power, more of our young men would be giving their lives in a fruitless and ill-conceived new war in both places. Netanyahoo can go do somthing unspeakable to himself.
I'm sick of seeing our treasure and our young men squandered to back up an ancient claim to a piece of land by an invented race. Reminds me again that I'd like to burn that stupid piece of fiction if I didn't need to refer to it once in awhile. I sure don't waste anymore of my precious life sitting around reading it. Never was too keen on novels anyway. I can manufacture my own daydreams.
I guess I'll go see what's on TV.
The storm seems to be over for us. I pity those people on the east coast if it doesn't go off into the Atlantic when it gets there. By one of my gauges, we got just over two and a half inches. By the other, 2.15. All I'm sure of is that it was over two inches. I finished up pretty well with the porch and pantry area today and scrubbed all the muddy foot and paw prints off the vinyl floors.
I'm encouraged that we have what looks like a promising deal with Iran. If the rethugs had been in total power, more of our young men would be giving their lives in a fruitless and ill-conceived new war in both places. Netanyahoo can go do somthing unspeakable to himself.
I'm sick of seeing our treasure and our young men squandered to back up an ancient claim to a piece of land by an invented race. Reminds me again that I'd like to burn that stupid piece of fiction if I didn't need to refer to it once in awhile. I sure don't waste anymore of my precious life sitting around reading it. Never was too keen on novels anyway. I can manufacture my own daydreams.
I guess I'll go see what's on TV.
Friday, November 22, 2013
THE MINIMUM WAGE CASE
(From Facebook.)
I couldn't say it any better, so I won't try. I spent 22 years of my life stuck, by my own stupidity, in an organization with this basic approach. Now, it's the system and lifestyle of my whole nation, and based on the same damn thing -- religion. It's nothing but serfdom and slavery! The rich and the priests, often the same people, like it that way. Everybody else can just go to hell as far as they are concerned.
This is America's sad truth these days. We can start to rebuild the "dream" by saying it's time to Raise The Minimum Wage. This quote is an excerpt from an EXCELLENT comment that was posted on our last meme about Walmart. Here is the full comment:
"To those of you who read this I ask that you share this if possible: I’ve mostly wanted to get this off of my chest in regards to how the minimum wage is a serious issue here in America. To those of you who bitch, whine, and complain that people should go to college, learn a trade/skill, or even get your certification/license, how are people able to do that if they are unable to even take care of themselves with what they are paid? Yeah, having all of that helps, but it doesn’t guarantee that a person will be able to get a better job at all. It could be years that a person is able to get a better job than what they currently have, and that’s IF they get a better job. Having that education, skill, knowledge, certification, etc., isn’t a promissory note that a person will get such a thing when they are done. Even with college grads in today’s world, not everybody is able to go into the field that they studied for and end up working for a low end job. Going to college is ultimately nothing more than a gamble.
You say that raising the minimum wage will increase prices to various products and services, then let me ask you this since you are ignorant to how things currently are: Why is it that things are going up in price, such as rent, gas, utilities, groceries, etc. and the paycheck is remaining low? Untouched for years at a time, while everything else that people need to survive goes up anywhere from a couple days to within a year? Sure, there are programs, and assistance, but that doesn’t last forever since people need a roof over their head, food, medication, and so forth for years to come.
Those of you who complain that the minimum wage should remain the way it is, I give you a challenge. Give up your current job for a job at McDonald’s, Burger King, Wal-mart, somewhere that gives you minimum wage starting out and I would like to see you do this and tell me how easy it is to do things such as pay your bills, take care of your family, and afford to go to college WITHOUT your parents, any other outside help, or even using your current degree, experience and certifications. To those that complain, yeah, you may have worked to get where you are, with connections, parents, etc., but try doing that all on your own from square one, because not everybody in the world is fortunate enough to have someone there to hold their hand, let alone help them.
And we’re supposed to be living the American dream? What dream? Yeah, we have more freedom to do what we want, when we want, how we want, for better or worse, form our own beliefs, and create our own life, right or wrong. But, what country should force its people to struggle, suffer, starve and live in poverty, then turn around and call that a dream?
To those of you that have a problem about what I am saying, issues about the minimum wage, how there are programs that don’t always treat people equally, or anything regarding issues about the minimum wage on this page, there is a back button on the top left corner of your browser, an un-friend option that you can choose, and move on with your life. While you have nothing better to do with your worthless lives than to look down on those who are working like crazy just to survive, and make your hypocritical comments, there are people out there who are doing everything they can to survive for themselves, and possibly their family, while they may never see nowhere near what you may have: a nice car, a nice home, and easier access to a stable lifestyle."
-Zhane Washington
I couldn't say it any better, so I won't try. I spent 22 years of my life stuck, by my own stupidity, in an organization with this basic approach. Now, it's the system and lifestyle of my whole nation, and based on the same damn thing -- religion. It's nothing but serfdom and slavery! The rich and the priests, often the same people, like it that way. Everybody else can just go to hell as far as they are concerned.
This is America's sad truth these days. We can start to rebuild the "dream" by saying it's time to Raise The Minimum Wage. This quote is an excerpt from an EXCELLENT comment that was posted on our last meme about Walmart. Here is the full comment:
"To those of you who read this I ask that you share this if possible: I’ve mostly wanted to get this off of my chest in regards to how the minimum wage is a serious issue here in America. To those of you who bitch, whine, and complain that people should go to college, learn a trade/skill, or even get your certification/license, how are people able to do that if they are unable to even take care of themselves with what they are paid? Yeah, having all of that helps, but it doesn’t guarantee that a person will be able to get a better job at all. It could be years that a person is able to get a better job than what they currently have, and that’s IF they get a better job. Having that education, skill, knowledge, certification, etc., isn’t a promissory note that a person will get such a thing when they are done. Even with college grads in today’s world, not everybody is able to go into the field that they studied for and end up working for a low end job. Going to college is ultimately nothing more than a gamble.
You say that raising the minimum wage will increase prices to various products and services, then let me ask you this since you are ignorant to how things currently are: Why is it that things are going up in price, such as rent, gas, utilities, groceries, etc. and the paycheck is remaining low? Untouched for years at a time, while everything else that people need to survive goes up anywhere from a couple days to within a year? Sure, there are programs, and assistance, but that doesn’t last forever since people need a roof over their head, food, medication, and so forth for years to come.
Those of you who complain that the minimum wage should remain the way it is, I give you a challenge. Give up your current job for a job at McDonald’s, Burger King, Wal-mart, somewhere that gives you minimum wage starting out and I would like to see you do this and tell me how easy it is to do things such as pay your bills, take care of your family, and afford to go to college WITHOUT your parents, any other outside help, or even using your current degree, experience and certifications. To those that complain, yeah, you may have worked to get where you are, with connections, parents, etc., but try doing that all on your own from square one, because not everybody in the world is fortunate enough to have someone there to hold their hand, let alone help them.
And we’re supposed to be living the American dream? What dream? Yeah, we have more freedom to do what we want, when we want, how we want, for better or worse, form our own beliefs, and create our own life, right or wrong. But, what country should force its people to struggle, suffer, starve and live in poverty, then turn around and call that a dream?
To those of you that have a problem about what I am saying, issues about the minimum wage, how there are programs that don’t always treat people equally, or anything regarding issues about the minimum wage on this page, there is a back button on the top left corner of your browser, an un-friend option that you can choose, and move on with your life. While you have nothing better to do with your worthless lives than to look down on those who are working like crazy just to survive, and make your hypocritical comments, there are people out there who are doing everything they can to survive for themselves, and possibly their family, while they may never see nowhere near what you may have: a nice car, a nice home, and easier access to a stable lifestyle."
-Zhane Washington
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
SUCKERED AGAIN!
To say I'm PO'd would be a gross understatement right now.
Last fall, I sucked an aflac duck our dogs had been playing with into my Toro leaf vacuum/blower and burned it up. I'd used it several seasons and the only problem was with the elastic on the leaf bag giving out. An old ranch kid like me knows how to deal with that with the equivalent of baling wire. Problem solved!
I needed a new leaf vacuum and soon found a brand new Weedeater E-Max at a sale, still in the box, for $25. I bought.
Today, I decided to vacuum up the leaves in our back yard so it wouldn't be so messy and went merrrily after them. In about half an hour, ground up leaves started hitting my leg. What the _____?
Inspection revealed that the small twigs that are inevitably a part of such a job had knocked a hole in the housing surrounding the impeler. Off to the shop to contrive a fix.
I discovered that the housing was very brittle and very thin -- less than an eighth of an inch. Also, it's a plastic impeler instead of the metal one in my old vacuum. It already has chips in it.
I'm like the guy with the Tee Shirt that says, "I can fix anything! Where's the duct tape?" It soon became apparent to me that duct tape would be the best repair. After several layers of that, the hole was sealed and I was back on the job -- for about a minute -- at which time leaves started pouring out the other side.
Another hole!
After four stops for repairs which left my tool basically a duct tape wonder. I finished up and all the leaves had been ground up and deposited in my compost bin where they're soaked down and soon will be great composted mulch that's set aside for my patch of egyptian walking onions.
What companies stick people with really frosts me. I'm sure Weed Eater makes a deluxe model, but this certainly isn't it. This is made to trick people who want a leaf vacuum but can't afford a good one to buy this cheaper model and then be stuck with a broken down piece of junk and their money already gone into the ravenous pockets of some millionaire or billionaire.
They'd never stand behind such a piece of junk and just say something was sucked in that never should have been. If I have to sort my leaves to find anything a little bit hard, what's the point in having the tool anyway. My original Toro took care of any small stick without even a grunt, but that stuffed duck was a little too much for it.
Will I ever get to the point where I don't get suckered like this? Doubtful. There isn't time to think every little thing through to the nth degree. I know I'll spend my money for a piece of junk again sometime somewhere. Just gotta live with it -- but, I can at least bitch about it!
Last fall, I sucked an aflac duck our dogs had been playing with into my Toro leaf vacuum/blower and burned it up. I'd used it several seasons and the only problem was with the elastic on the leaf bag giving out. An old ranch kid like me knows how to deal with that with the equivalent of baling wire. Problem solved!
I needed a new leaf vacuum and soon found a brand new Weedeater E-Max at a sale, still in the box, for $25. I bought.
Today, I decided to vacuum up the leaves in our back yard so it wouldn't be so messy and went merrrily after them. In about half an hour, ground up leaves started hitting my leg. What the _____?
Inspection revealed that the small twigs that are inevitably a part of such a job had knocked a hole in the housing surrounding the impeler. Off to the shop to contrive a fix.
I discovered that the housing was very brittle and very thin -- less than an eighth of an inch. Also, it's a plastic impeler instead of the metal one in my old vacuum. It already has chips in it.
I'm like the guy with the Tee Shirt that says, "I can fix anything! Where's the duct tape?" It soon became apparent to me that duct tape would be the best repair. After several layers of that, the hole was sealed and I was back on the job -- for about a minute -- at which time leaves started pouring out the other side.
Another hole!
After four stops for repairs which left my tool basically a duct tape wonder. I finished up and all the leaves had been ground up and deposited in my compost bin where they're soaked down and soon will be great composted mulch that's set aside for my patch of egyptian walking onions.
What companies stick people with really frosts me. I'm sure Weed Eater makes a deluxe model, but this certainly isn't it. This is made to trick people who want a leaf vacuum but can't afford a good one to buy this cheaper model and then be stuck with a broken down piece of junk and their money already gone into the ravenous pockets of some millionaire or billionaire.
They'd never stand behind such a piece of junk and just say something was sucked in that never should have been. If I have to sort my leaves to find anything a little bit hard, what's the point in having the tool anyway. My original Toro took care of any small stick without even a grunt, but that stuffed duck was a little too much for it.
Will I ever get to the point where I don't get suckered like this? Doubtful. There isn't time to think every little thing through to the nth degree. I know I'll spend my money for a piece of junk again sometime somewhere. Just gotta live with it -- but, I can at least bitch about it!
Monday, November 18, 2013
INTERESTING DREAM
(From Facebook.)
I had an interesting dream that could never be a reality. For some reason the dream didn't include, I was asked to give a sermon in a Lutheran Church. Being an atheist, I had to preach on the Sermon on the Mount, and I was dwelling on the very things I dwell on here on Facebook and on my blog. The audience reaction was not included. There I was standing and waxing eloquent in the traditional attire of a man's dress.
Dreams are strange things. I guess it just resulted from my being so passionate about some of the things I dwell on here. I always was a fair-minded person, and when I see the blatant unfairness and mindless sloganeering rampant today, it drives me nuts.
Anyway, I've again shared some very pointed observations on the world situation. It's the only preaching I have access to right now.
I had an interesting dream that could never be a reality. For some reason the dream didn't include, I was asked to give a sermon in a Lutheran Church. Being an atheist, I had to preach on the Sermon on the Mount, and I was dwelling on the very things I dwell on here on Facebook and on my blog. The audience reaction was not included. There I was standing and waxing eloquent in the traditional attire of a man's dress.
Dreams are strange things. I guess it just resulted from my being so passionate about some of the things I dwell on here. I always was a fair-minded person, and when I see the blatant unfairness and mindless sloganeering rampant today, it drives me nuts.
Anyway, I've again shared some very pointed observations on the world situation. It's the only preaching I have access to right now.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
JESUS IS A ROMAN INVENTION!
I just sat through this video movie the second time. It is astonishing, but it makes perfect sense. It really is the ROMAN Catholic Church!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KM2KONcLKQU
Cesar's Messiah Jesus A Roman Invention
www.youtube.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aSKN0xnfsA This is for educational purposes. Source; Cesar's Messiah . Proving that religions have been reworked to control n...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KM2KONcLKQU
Cesar's Messiah Jesus A Roman Invention
www.youtube.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aSKN0xnfsA This is for educational purposes. Source; Cesar's Messiah . Proving that religions have been reworked to control n...
Friday, November 15, 2013
COMMUNICATION IS GOOD
(From Facebook.)
It again hit me how valuable modern social media is to us humans. I remember when communication with others was a haphazard thing governed by the need to write and mail time consuming letters or make expensive phone calls, and we just didn't have the wherewithal to get deeply involved with those we should have been closest to. We were often deeply separated from those with whom we should have been the closest and pretty much an unknown nebulosity to them.
It doesn't have to be that way anymore. We can email, we can tweet, we can blog, we can dial the cell phone at odd times when we just have time on our hands and feel the urge to talk. We don't have to feel alone and isolated anymore.
I spend an awful lot of time on Facebook. It keeps me in contact with a whole bunch of friends and relatives and they are aware of what I'm thinking and doing, and vice versa. I'm often sitting just waiting on Phyllis to finish something like shopping and just pick up my cell phone to call someone, often my sister who neither Facebooks or blogs.
I'm well aware that all these things can be over used, and maybe I sometimes am guilty, but I feel my children, grandchildren and friends know me a whole lot more than they did before, and the reverse is also true. I think anything that increases personal contact and understanding is basically good.
It again hit me how valuable modern social media is to us humans. I remember when communication with others was a haphazard thing governed by the need to write and mail time consuming letters or make expensive phone calls, and we just didn't have the wherewithal to get deeply involved with those we should have been closest to. We were often deeply separated from those with whom we should have been the closest and pretty much an unknown nebulosity to them.
It doesn't have to be that way anymore. We can email, we can tweet, we can blog, we can dial the cell phone at odd times when we just have time on our hands and feel the urge to talk. We don't have to feel alone and isolated anymore.
I spend an awful lot of time on Facebook. It keeps me in contact with a whole bunch of friends and relatives and they are aware of what I'm thinking and doing, and vice versa. I'm often sitting just waiting on Phyllis to finish something like shopping and just pick up my cell phone to call someone, often my sister who neither Facebooks or blogs.
I'm well aware that all these things can be over used, and maybe I sometimes am guilty, but I feel my children, grandchildren and friends know me a whole lot more than they did before, and the reverse is also true. I think anything that increases personal contact and understanding is basically good.
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
DISASTER IS INEVITABLE
It gets a little overwhelming sometimes.
I can't dwell on what happened in the Philipines or I'd not sleep well. There's never been a storm like that recorded, and I for one, am not going to give countenance to the nonsense that human-caused global warming isn't at fault.
Yes, we have to move about, but we don't have to do it in fossil fuel powered vehicles. We could have been moving on hydrogen and only exhausting water from our tailpipes decades ago. It was deliberately suppressed and the lie that it was too dangerous was just that -- a damn lie! Nothing would be too dangerous if it enriched the powers that are in control!
Here in Arizona, there's a big battle going on before the Corporation Commission trying to sabotage the development of solar energy by saying that people who get paid for the energy they contribute to the grid and thus often pay no electricity bill aren't doing their fair share to maintain the power grid. Any excuse to slow down and/or sabotage progress just out of jealousy and greed. Some millionaires and billionaires are behind it I'm sure.
Just like in ancient Rome, we have a government owned and dictated to by big money. We don't have official slavery, but our minimum wage baloney and steadily eroded social justice system makes de facto slavery an everyday reality. If you can't earn a living wage, you are a slave, pure and simple!
I'm very discouraged. I also know we are very vulnerable to comparable disasters right here. When is the San Andreas going to let go? When is a giant fault slippage going to wipe out much of the northern pacific coast and send massive tidal waves all the way to Asia? When is that madrid fault going to go in the midwest? Such things are inevitable and are now being augmented by our own stupid ravages against the entire eco system. A deeper sea means bigger waves that reach even farther inland!
Frankly, I'm mighty scared when I contemplate what is likely to happen any day! Our luck can't hold forever.
If you think otherwise, just ask a Philipino.
I can't dwell on what happened in the Philipines or I'd not sleep well. There's never been a storm like that recorded, and I for one, am not going to give countenance to the nonsense that human-caused global warming isn't at fault.
Yes, we have to move about, but we don't have to do it in fossil fuel powered vehicles. We could have been moving on hydrogen and only exhausting water from our tailpipes decades ago. It was deliberately suppressed and the lie that it was too dangerous was just that -- a damn lie! Nothing would be too dangerous if it enriched the powers that are in control!
Here in Arizona, there's a big battle going on before the Corporation Commission trying to sabotage the development of solar energy by saying that people who get paid for the energy they contribute to the grid and thus often pay no electricity bill aren't doing their fair share to maintain the power grid. Any excuse to slow down and/or sabotage progress just out of jealousy and greed. Some millionaires and billionaires are behind it I'm sure.
Just like in ancient Rome, we have a government owned and dictated to by big money. We don't have official slavery, but our minimum wage baloney and steadily eroded social justice system makes de facto slavery an everyday reality. If you can't earn a living wage, you are a slave, pure and simple!
I'm very discouraged. I also know we are very vulnerable to comparable disasters right here. When is the San Andreas going to let go? When is a giant fault slippage going to wipe out much of the northern pacific coast and send massive tidal waves all the way to Asia? When is that madrid fault going to go in the midwest? Such things are inevitable and are now being augmented by our own stupid ravages against the entire eco system. A deeper sea means bigger waves that reach even farther inland!
Frankly, I'm mighty scared when I contemplate what is likely to happen any day! Our luck can't hold forever.
If you think otherwise, just ask a Philipino.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
CHANGE IS NOT AN ENEMY
Getting back in the swing of things.
I did a few more improvements this afternoon. For one, there was a ceiling fan hanging in the shop I didn't use because a floor fan worked better. I found today that it wasn't working, so down it came and got broken up into various types of recycling. That opens a rafter for some hooks to hang tools I'll soon be taking out of my van. I just don't need to carry all that weight around when I'm dropping the floor work. Still planning to hang onto the van though.
It really bothers me psycologically to give up the business. It was so much a part of my identity for so long. I miss going out, doing a small job and coming home with extra money in my wallet. I also miss the interaction with interesting people and feeling like I was a help to them. I know now how my dad must have felt when he had to move off the ranch. He had to do it seven years sooner than I did because that ranch work was a whole lot more demanding in a climate like that of North Dakota. Being stuck out there just wasn't feasible anymore.
It's all about facing and accepting realities. Life is full of those situations and I've had my share, just like everyone else. Those who refuse to change when change is called for are in for trouble of all kinds and sometimes it leads to disaster when there is total refusal to accept reality.
I had to accept the reality that what I thought was a lifetime career was over and had to find my way into a new one. I had to accept that a forever marriage was very temporal more than once and make the most of the situation. I had to carefully think through the whole direction of my life and slowly evolve from religious fanaticism to secular reason. Those are just the most major of the changes I've been through. There are too many to enumerate. Just sitting here writing this entry is a major change in my lifestyle that would have seemed an impossibility not too many years ago.
Change is not an enemy unless we stubbornly make it so. Glad I wrote this. It helps me sort things out and view them rationally.
I did a few more improvements this afternoon. For one, there was a ceiling fan hanging in the shop I didn't use because a floor fan worked better. I found today that it wasn't working, so down it came and got broken up into various types of recycling. That opens a rafter for some hooks to hang tools I'll soon be taking out of my van. I just don't need to carry all that weight around when I'm dropping the floor work. Still planning to hang onto the van though.
It really bothers me psycologically to give up the business. It was so much a part of my identity for so long. I miss going out, doing a small job and coming home with extra money in my wallet. I also miss the interaction with interesting people and feeling like I was a help to them. I know now how my dad must have felt when he had to move off the ranch. He had to do it seven years sooner than I did because that ranch work was a whole lot more demanding in a climate like that of North Dakota. Being stuck out there just wasn't feasible anymore.
It's all about facing and accepting realities. Life is full of those situations and I've had my share, just like everyone else. Those who refuse to change when change is called for are in for trouble of all kinds and sometimes it leads to disaster when there is total refusal to accept reality.
I had to accept the reality that what I thought was a lifetime career was over and had to find my way into a new one. I had to accept that a forever marriage was very temporal more than once and make the most of the situation. I had to carefully think through the whole direction of my life and slowly evolve from religious fanaticism to secular reason. Those are just the most major of the changes I've been through. There are too many to enumerate. Just sitting here writing this entry is a major change in my lifestyle that would have seemed an impossibility not too many years ago.
Change is not an enemy unless we stubbornly make it so. Glad I wrote this. It helps me sort things out and view them rationally.
THE DIVINE MAFIA
(From Facebook.)
I was going about the weekly floor cleanup, and as usual, my mind was also busy. I get alot of thinking done when I'm busy at something. I came with with thoughts I'll outline here and call "The Divine Mafia" when I post them to my blog.
Most people condemn and abhor organizations like the mafia, but they absolutely worship the same system when it comes to their personal beliefs.
Cosa Nostra (our thing) has fascinated me all my life. I think many people share that fascination, hence the success of movies like The Godfather.
Have you ever noticed how religions tend to mirror the organizational setup of the mafia? That's no accident. The parent basis of them all, the Catholic Church, was set up on the imperial roman political system which was fascist and authoritarian just like the mafia. It was one man rule from the top down that brooked no naysayers. Some of those rulers were benevolent and others were downright evil and sociopathic. All demanded unquestioning obedience to arbitrary rules that became traditional.
I know some churches are somewhat democratic in their setup, but you still will not be very welcome in their midst unless you subscribe to a basic set of beliefs and dogma. I guess that is unavoidable in any group. Nobody is going to fit into our freethought group if they come to a meeting and start praising Jesus or suggest an opening prayer.
Anyway, think about it. While you're at it, think about why that approach doesn't fit in a secular republic when people try to apply it to politics.
There's no room in a democratic republic for godfathers.
I was going about the weekly floor cleanup, and as usual, my mind was also busy. I get alot of thinking done when I'm busy at something. I came with with thoughts I'll outline here and call "The Divine Mafia" when I post them to my blog.
Most people condemn and abhor organizations like the mafia, but they absolutely worship the same system when it comes to their personal beliefs.
Cosa Nostra (our thing) has fascinated me all my life. I think many people share that fascination, hence the success of movies like The Godfather.
Have you ever noticed how religions tend to mirror the organizational setup of the mafia? That's no accident. The parent basis of them all, the Catholic Church, was set up on the imperial roman political system which was fascist and authoritarian just like the mafia. It was one man rule from the top down that brooked no naysayers. Some of those rulers were benevolent and others were downright evil and sociopathic. All demanded unquestioning obedience to arbitrary rules that became traditional.
I know some churches are somewhat democratic in their setup, but you still will not be very welcome in their midst unless you subscribe to a basic set of beliefs and dogma. I guess that is unavoidable in any group. Nobody is going to fit into our freethought group if they come to a meeting and start praising Jesus or suggest an opening prayer.
Anyway, think about it. While you're at it, think about why that approach doesn't fit in a secular republic when people try to apply it to politics.
There's no room in a democratic republic for godfathers.
Friday, November 8, 2013
APOLOGY
I have to apologize to my readers for my blogging ineptness. For some reason I still don't understand, comments seem to have been blocked on my entries. I found lots of those comments and thought I was okaying them, but they disappeared instead.
Sorry, folks. It's my ineptness not my attitude toward comments. I think I now have comments turned on, but I'm not sure. I really do care about what you think, unless you're an apologist for Armstrongism and religion. In which case, you're wasting your time arguing with me and I won't waste mine by participating.
Sorry, folks. It's my ineptness not my attitude toward comments. I think I now have comments turned on, but I'm not sure. I really do care about what you think, unless you're an apologist for Armstrongism and religion. In which case, you're wasting your time arguing with me and I won't waste mine by participating.
THE ETERNAL PRESENT
The weekend is upon us again. We spent the morning taking in a few sales but found very little. After brunch I've been on the computer checking the sites I check every day.
There was a dog atlas in a free box so I picked it up and it looks like some interesting reading. I'm fascinated by dogs -- all animals for that matter, but dogs are special because they are so much like humans. You can't help but feel close to them in their friendly neediness and their child-like trust. They're all napping with Phyllis right now. All she has to say is, "Want to take a nap with mama?" and they head for the bedroom. When we're going out, I say, "Little boys want to go bye bye?" and they start yelping and herding me out the door.
I doubt I'll accomplish much today. Just have no fire for it, and that's OK. At this stage in life, I really don't feel compelled to do much of anything. Tomorrow will be fine if I don't get to it today. If I never get to it, who cares? It isn't going to warp the fabric of the universe. I see those abandoned old tumble down shacks out on the desert and reflect that someone labored long and hard to make some dream come true there and soon even those scant remains of their labors will disappear. A lot of human history, dreams and struggles lie hidden in thousands of abandoned "tells" throughout the world and archaeologists labor to reveal a scant fraction of it through their excavations. Real lives were involved there and a whole lot of meaningful living.
I have the eternal present and that's what I try to concentrate on. I think I'll just sign off and mosey outside for whatever strikes my fancy.
There was a dog atlas in a free box so I picked it up and it looks like some interesting reading. I'm fascinated by dogs -- all animals for that matter, but dogs are special because they are so much like humans. You can't help but feel close to them in their friendly neediness and their child-like trust. They're all napping with Phyllis right now. All she has to say is, "Want to take a nap with mama?" and they head for the bedroom. When we're going out, I say, "Little boys want to go bye bye?" and they start yelping and herding me out the door.
I doubt I'll accomplish much today. Just have no fire for it, and that's OK. At this stage in life, I really don't feel compelled to do much of anything. Tomorrow will be fine if I don't get to it today. If I never get to it, who cares? It isn't going to warp the fabric of the universe. I see those abandoned old tumble down shacks out on the desert and reflect that someone labored long and hard to make some dream come true there and soon even those scant remains of their labors will disappear. A lot of human history, dreams and struggles lie hidden in thousands of abandoned "tells" throughout the world and archaeologists labor to reveal a scant fraction of it through their excavations. Real lives were involved there and a whole lot of meaningful living.
I have the eternal present and that's what I try to concentrate on. I think I'll just sign off and mosey outside for whatever strikes my fancy.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
REMINISCING
(From Facebook.)
Stairs are done -- even the casters. I took a look at what I had collected and I had three casters I could just mount. A little reflection and I decided that would do in a tripod arrangement -- one on the low front and two on the high back. It'll be propped against a bed anyway, so it will be quite stable. So, that project can be dispensed with.
I'll still buy casters if I come upon them just to have them handy when I might need them. When you buy cheap at sales, that system pays off more times than not. Saves a bundle when the need arises and I don't have to shell out retail prices. My collection of bolts, screws, etc. is almost endless and I make use of it frequently. Seldom do I have to go to the hardware store.
The weather is absolutely ideal right now. I had to take off my flannel shirt for a while as I was working, but it feels good most of the time. I pity those poor people up north and back east. Seems like something unseasonal keeps coming along and it horrified me to learn of all those ranchers losing so many cattle trapped on summer range in South Dakota when that surprise storm came along last month. I know from my Dad's experiences how that hurts. He lost much of his herd in 1952. Took a long time to recover. Weather is one of the most devastating variables farmers and ranchers have to deal with.
One of the things I'm thankful for is having gotten away from the agricultural life. It's not what it used to be. Not many truly small family farms exist anymore. Only the large holdings, mainly corporate entities now, have survived. I wouldn't like it. Running everything by computer calculation doesn't appeal to me.
Remembering the old days of gardens, milk cows, a diversity of production and using your own seed saved year to year gives me a nostalgic feeling. I fondly remember churning butter, cultivating the garden after a rain, etc. I'd love to see a mother hen come wandering in with her brood from a hidden nest again or watching the young lambs prancing around in their joyful play. It was a different world back then. Now, a lot of tumbledown farmsteads are nostalgic reminders of those times.
Just reminiscing. Old men and women have been doing it for millenia. It's what we have left.
Stairs are done -- even the casters. I took a look at what I had collected and I had three casters I could just mount. A little reflection and I decided that would do in a tripod arrangement -- one on the low front and two on the high back. It'll be propped against a bed anyway, so it will be quite stable. So, that project can be dispensed with.
I'll still buy casters if I come upon them just to have them handy when I might need them. When you buy cheap at sales, that system pays off more times than not. Saves a bundle when the need arises and I don't have to shell out retail prices. My collection of bolts, screws, etc. is almost endless and I make use of it frequently. Seldom do I have to go to the hardware store.
The weather is absolutely ideal right now. I had to take off my flannel shirt for a while as I was working, but it feels good most of the time. I pity those poor people up north and back east. Seems like something unseasonal keeps coming along and it horrified me to learn of all those ranchers losing so many cattle trapped on summer range in South Dakota when that surprise storm came along last month. I know from my Dad's experiences how that hurts. He lost much of his herd in 1952. Took a long time to recover. Weather is one of the most devastating variables farmers and ranchers have to deal with.
One of the things I'm thankful for is having gotten away from the agricultural life. It's not what it used to be. Not many truly small family farms exist anymore. Only the large holdings, mainly corporate entities now, have survived. I wouldn't like it. Running everything by computer calculation doesn't appeal to me.
Remembering the old days of gardens, milk cows, a diversity of production and using your own seed saved year to year gives me a nostalgic feeling. I fondly remember churning butter, cultivating the garden after a rain, etc. I'd love to see a mother hen come wandering in with her brood from a hidden nest again or watching the young lambs prancing around in their joyful play. It was a different world back then. Now, a lot of tumbledown farmsteads are nostalgic reminders of those times.
Just reminiscing. Old men and women have been doing it for millenia. It's what we have left.
ORNERY OLD NORMAN
(From Facebook.)
Well, I did it. I got the whole framework for those doggie stairs I'm making for my stepdaughter constructed out of junk wood I had on hand. Tomorrow, I'll carpet them and put on a handle. Next, I have to locate casters or slides to make it easier to move around. Plenty of time. They'll pick them up when they visit at Christmas (solstice) time. My eyes will be searching all those sales we're attending this weekend.
Got good news from my friend, Mark (Salyer) Manning. Tests indicate no cancer cells present in his lymphatic system from that non-malignant tumor removed from his right shoulder a few months back. Some light radiation treatment and rehab of his shoulder is all that remains. He's itching to get back to golfing.
Near as I know, everything is still A Ok with me. I've switched to the same doctor Phyllis has and will see him later this month. I didn't like my former provider sticking me with a PA after my former doctor retired and she having to send me to a specialist for things he did as a matter of course on my regular visits, like freezing off pre-cancerous lesions.
Come on, I can freeze them off myself with wart remover. I don't need to fork over $45 bucks to have a specialist do it! If I still lived in North Dakota, I could get the same thing absolutely free by standing out in a subzero wind and exposing the area for a few minutes! Think I'm kidding? Think again! Ornery should be my middle name!
Bedtime for this old ornery Norman.
Well, I did it. I got the whole framework for those doggie stairs I'm making for my stepdaughter constructed out of junk wood I had on hand. Tomorrow, I'll carpet them and put on a handle. Next, I have to locate casters or slides to make it easier to move around. Plenty of time. They'll pick them up when they visit at Christmas (solstice) time. My eyes will be searching all those sales we're attending this weekend.
Got good news from my friend, Mark (Salyer) Manning. Tests indicate no cancer cells present in his lymphatic system from that non-malignant tumor removed from his right shoulder a few months back. Some light radiation treatment and rehab of his shoulder is all that remains. He's itching to get back to golfing.
Near as I know, everything is still A Ok with me. I've switched to the same doctor Phyllis has and will see him later this month. I didn't like my former provider sticking me with a PA after my former doctor retired and she having to send me to a specialist for things he did as a matter of course on my regular visits, like freezing off pre-cancerous lesions.
Come on, I can freeze them off myself with wart remover. I don't need to fork over $45 bucks to have a specialist do it! If I still lived in North Dakota, I could get the same thing absolutely free by standing out in a subzero wind and exposing the area for a few minutes! Think I'm kidding? Think again! Ornery should be my middle name!
Bedtime for this old ornery Norman.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
THE BATTLE CONTINUES
Morning again. I feel pretty good. Overall, I'm pleased with yesterday's elections and determined to keep slugging away every way I can. I know it's a minuscule effort on my part, but every little bit helps. Not too happy about Christie's win, but he is one of the least toxic rethugs. Still toxic though.
I guess we have to have this dualism of good versus evil. We're still alpha-aspiring primates with ruthless elements seeking to to oppress the majority and keep them down while they ride high.
Gets tiring though. We should be so much better off as a nation and not in danger of becoming the failed wreckage of our founders dreams. By now, we should have become the most possperous and advanced nation that would dwarf the actual accomplishments we've had in spite of all the "conservative" push to tamp everything down.
We should already have a colony on the moon and be reaching for Mars. We could have conquered even more diseases than we have if the funding hadn't been wasted on destructive wars and perks for the rich and powerful. We should be traveling nationwide on bullet trains and hydrogen should be powering our everyday transportation.
So much more could have been accomplished if those preening alpha males hadn't wormed their way into control. It would be staggering! As always, the saddest words are "could have been."
But, here we are, and we can only push for a sane future.
I'm on board.
I hope you are too.
I guess we have to have this dualism of good versus evil. We're still alpha-aspiring primates with ruthless elements seeking to to oppress the majority and keep them down while they ride high.
Gets tiring though. We should be so much better off as a nation and not in danger of becoming the failed wreckage of our founders dreams. By now, we should have become the most possperous and advanced nation that would dwarf the actual accomplishments we've had in spite of all the "conservative" push to tamp everything down.
We should already have a colony on the moon and be reaching for Mars. We could have conquered even more diseases than we have if the funding hadn't been wasted on destructive wars and perks for the rich and powerful. We should be traveling nationwide on bullet trains and hydrogen should be powering our everyday transportation.
So much more could have been accomplished if those preening alpha males hadn't wormed their way into control. It would be staggering! As always, the saddest words are "could have been."
But, here we are, and we can only push for a sane future.
I'm on board.
I hope you are too.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
ADVICE FROM A "HOARY HEAD"
(From Facebook.)
The week is off to a good start. I got a few things accomplished today but mostly took it easy.
Taking it easy is pretty much my motto anymore, even when I'm busy at something. I used to be so full of nervous energy that I literally found it hard to sit still for very long. I miss it, but there's no remedy.
Kids, use that hormone generated energy. You can't save it up, and if you don't utilize it, it will be gone forever. Now, I know what they really meant about the "juices" drying up. At the same time, try to be wise in how you use it. I'd still square dance up a storm if I could, work night and day when I needed to and reach for every goal I could reasonably reach for if I had it to do over.
I think of my grandchildren often and wonder what their dreams are, what they yearn to do in life, etc. I remember well my own dreams and aspirations, some of them based on delusion and false premises. I'd like to save them some of the disillusionment and disappointments I've gone through, and I hope my being honest about my own life will help them in that department. Don't discount the lessons this old hoary head passes on to you.
If I had been more aware of and listened to the great thinkers of the past, like Ingersoll, Mencken, Mark Twain, Thomas Paine, and a host of others, I could have saved myself a lot of false forks in the road. As an aside, I knew Thomas Paine was a great thinker and founding father, but I never read his book until I was past seventy and didn't really know he was an atheist. For some reason I'll let you speculate on, that fact about him isn't emphasized by very many people.
Read, dammit! Think -- don't assume or take some blowhards word for it! Wear out those search engines! Knowledge has never been this accessible before. I had none of those modern (and often free) tools at your ages -- not even in middle age!
Assume nothing to be true until you exhaustively investigate it and consider contrary opinions in their entirety. That's science. That's true reasoning. Anything else courts disaster, and I've suffered through a great deal of that. It's no fun and it's better to avoid it.
I had no idea I was going to say all this a few minutes ago. Just flows sometimes.
The week is off to a good start. I got a few things accomplished today but mostly took it easy.
Taking it easy is pretty much my motto anymore, even when I'm busy at something. I used to be so full of nervous energy that I literally found it hard to sit still for very long. I miss it, but there's no remedy.
Kids, use that hormone generated energy. You can't save it up, and if you don't utilize it, it will be gone forever. Now, I know what they really meant about the "juices" drying up. At the same time, try to be wise in how you use it. I'd still square dance up a storm if I could, work night and day when I needed to and reach for every goal I could reasonably reach for if I had it to do over.
I think of my grandchildren often and wonder what their dreams are, what they yearn to do in life, etc. I remember well my own dreams and aspirations, some of them based on delusion and false premises. I'd like to save them some of the disillusionment and disappointments I've gone through, and I hope my being honest about my own life will help them in that department. Don't discount the lessons this old hoary head passes on to you.
If I had been more aware of and listened to the great thinkers of the past, like Ingersoll, Mencken, Mark Twain, Thomas Paine, and a host of others, I could have saved myself a lot of false forks in the road. As an aside, I knew Thomas Paine was a great thinker and founding father, but I never read his book until I was past seventy and didn't really know he was an atheist. For some reason I'll let you speculate on, that fact about him isn't emphasized by very many people.
Read, dammit! Think -- don't assume or take some blowhards word for it! Wear out those search engines! Knowledge has never been this accessible before. I had none of those modern (and often free) tools at your ages -- not even in middle age!
Assume nothing to be true until you exhaustively investigate it and consider contrary opinions in their entirety. That's science. That's true reasoning. Anything else courts disaster, and I've suffered through a great deal of that. It's no fun and it's better to avoid it.
I had no idea I was going to say all this a few minutes ago. Just flows sometimes.
Friday, November 1, 2013
LET'S TRY THE GIRLS FOR A CHANGE
An interesting fact came out on Bill Maher's Real Time tonight. That point was that women have an easier time of cooperating and compromising than men do. I think the observation that testosterone is at the basis is likely true. We men tend to be very competitive and "alpha man" oriented. It was also pointed out that women outnumber men and could easily take over the whole country politically. I, like Nielle Degrasse Tyson, who was on the show, would frankly like to see that happen.
We've had millennia of male domination that orginated in the fertile crescent and Asia and spread pretty much worldwide from there. I believe the old saying that the proof of the pudding is in the tasting and eating. What I see in the world and have experienced all of my life leaves a very bitter taste in my mouth.
I'm not a macho dictator in my own home and really never wanted to be even when I was a slave to armstrongism. I respect women and regard them as equals. I deliberately went looking for someone on my intellectual level and knew I'd hit "pay dirt" when Phyllis came along. The retired baptist minister and fellow square dancer who officiated our wedding didn't like it one bit when we asked him to leave "obey" out of the ceremony. He just shook his head when he asked me one time how many heads there were in my home and I held up two fingers and said "two."
I'm not saying we should live in another unbalanced world where women ride roughshod over men, but history proves the opposite situation has produced a world where brute strength and macho posturing threatens to destroy us all. We should have progressed from that chimp rampaging thru the forest, banging on an oil drum to imtimidate his compatriots. Ted Cruz and his idiot minister father remind of that chimp who is, after all, their distant cousin, whether or not they like it or would admit it.
We've had millennia of male domination that orginated in the fertile crescent and Asia and spread pretty much worldwide from there. I believe the old saying that the proof of the pudding is in the tasting and eating. What I see in the world and have experienced all of my life leaves a very bitter taste in my mouth.
I'm not a macho dictator in my own home and really never wanted to be even when I was a slave to armstrongism. I respect women and regard them as equals. I deliberately went looking for someone on my intellectual level and knew I'd hit "pay dirt" when Phyllis came along. The retired baptist minister and fellow square dancer who officiated our wedding didn't like it one bit when we asked him to leave "obey" out of the ceremony. He just shook his head when he asked me one time how many heads there were in my home and I held up two fingers and said "two."
I'm not saying we should live in another unbalanced world where women ride roughshod over men, but history proves the opposite situation has produced a world where brute strength and macho posturing threatens to destroy us all. We should have progressed from that chimp rampaging thru the forest, banging on an oil drum to imtimidate his compatriots. Ted Cruz and his idiot minister father remind of that chimp who is, after all, their distant cousin, whether or not they like it or would admit it.
Saturday, October 26, 2013
FEELS GOOD TO PARTICIPATE
I just took what will be the last load to Habitat for Humanity for a while. I've been on a cleanup and pare down campaign for two weeks now. Today, I learned something about my contributions which made me very happy.
Years ago now, I put together a luggage carrier and a five gallon bucket to enable me to wheel my heavy tools around rather than suspending them from an aching arm. I had dreams of making it a money maker but that never panned out. But, I did manufacture several of them from luggage carriers I bought at sales.
Except for the one I carry in my van with my flooring tools and a delux unit I'm hanging onto, I donated them all to Habitat the last two days. Today I was told they are going to bundle those all up and send them off to their construction crew so their workmen will have an easier way to tote their tools around! That made me very happy as I've always wished I could join in with Jimmy Carter and help build a few houses.
In a way, I'm now doing so.
Years ago now, I put together a luggage carrier and a five gallon bucket to enable me to wheel my heavy tools around rather than suspending them from an aching arm. I had dreams of making it a money maker but that never panned out. But, I did manufacture several of them from luggage carriers I bought at sales.
Except for the one I carry in my van with my flooring tools and a delux unit I'm hanging onto, I donated them all to Habitat the last two days. Today I was told they are going to bundle those all up and send them off to their construction crew so their workmen will have an easier way to tote their tools around! That made me very happy as I've always wished I could join in with Jimmy Carter and help build a few houses.
In a way, I'm now doing so.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
COMPUTERS JOIN THE GENERATIONS
(From Facebook.)
My daughter, Jaime, keeps mentioning how much she enjoys hearing about my days. That's something I fully understand and appreciate. It also causes me to appreciate modern communications even more. I think Facebook and blogs are great!
I learned a lot from being around my own mother and father all those years on that Dakota ranch. I fall back on those experiences and the wisdom they imparted constantly. Sadly, I had little opportunity to continue the process after leaving home at age 21. I still profited from the times we were together but those were very limited. They'd still be limited where my own children and grandchildren's contact with me is concerned, without the miracle of modern technological communication.
Through the magic of computing, I've been able to put an autobiography out there for whoever wants to read it, and those thoughts that come to me, usually on a daily basis, can be magically put up here on my Facebook page and maybe on my blog. Miles separate us, but I can be right with them every day if it works out that way, and it usually does.
Li'l sweetie just brought me a fresh piece of whipped cream topped german chocolate cake we whipped up earlier. I'm signing off to pig out!
My daughter, Jaime, keeps mentioning how much she enjoys hearing about my days. That's something I fully understand and appreciate. It also causes me to appreciate modern communications even more. I think Facebook and blogs are great!
I learned a lot from being around my own mother and father all those years on that Dakota ranch. I fall back on those experiences and the wisdom they imparted constantly. Sadly, I had little opportunity to continue the process after leaving home at age 21. I still profited from the times we were together but those were very limited. They'd still be limited where my own children and grandchildren's contact with me is concerned, without the miracle of modern technological communication.
Through the magic of computing, I've been able to put an autobiography out there for whoever wants to read it, and those thoughts that come to me, usually on a daily basis, can be magically put up here on my Facebook page and maybe on my blog. Miles separate us, but I can be right with them every day if it works out that way, and it usually does.
Li'l sweetie just brought me a fresh piece of whipped cream topped german chocolate cake we whipped up earlier. I'm signing off to pig out!
Friday, October 18, 2013
JUST A DAY IN MY LIFE
(From Facebook.)
We're all set up with our medicare plus policy for next year. We had been with United Health Care through AARP but they're going crazy with new costs. A couple years ago, we saw an advertisement from an expert in Camp Verde who got us into AARP, which was the best at that time. However, that has all changed and he came by today and got us signed up with Phoenix Health Care for next year. Will save us a bundle. Coverage is just as good and we keep our primary doctor, a very important factor to us. Co-pay goes down to $5 from $10. Specialist stayed the same at $40. Plus, we were going to be charged nearly $30 a month just to have the plan. Not a cent with this one.
Shop is still coming along. I'm very pleased but amazed at how time consuming it all is. It's sort of like trying to staighten out the obamacare website. I feel for those IT geeks. They must be pulling their hair out.
Tomorrow, one of our favorite community sales is on, so we'll be out early to cover Pine Shadows from one end to the other. We usually find something there. I'm especially looking for scrap lumber to build doggie stairs for my step-daughter. New lumber is prohibitive. The last set came from tearing down an old cabinet we no longer needed. I built them as a gift to Phyllis' hair dresser so her dog could get up on the bed alone. I carpet them, and they're quite nice.
Time for bed. I've already pontificated enough on my shares. Good night, all.
We're all set up with our medicare plus policy for next year. We had been with United Health Care through AARP but they're going crazy with new costs. A couple years ago, we saw an advertisement from an expert in Camp Verde who got us into AARP, which was the best at that time. However, that has all changed and he came by today and got us signed up with Phoenix Health Care for next year. Will save us a bundle. Coverage is just as good and we keep our primary doctor, a very important factor to us. Co-pay goes down to $5 from $10. Specialist stayed the same at $40. Plus, we were going to be charged nearly $30 a month just to have the plan. Not a cent with this one.
Shop is still coming along. I'm very pleased but amazed at how time consuming it all is. It's sort of like trying to staighten out the obamacare website. I feel for those IT geeks. They must be pulling their hair out.
Tomorrow, one of our favorite community sales is on, so we'll be out early to cover Pine Shadows from one end to the other. We usually find something there. I'm especially looking for scrap lumber to build doggie stairs for my step-daughter. New lumber is prohibitive. The last set came from tearing down an old cabinet we no longer needed. I built them as a gift to Phyllis' hair dresser so her dog could get up on the bed alone. I carpet them, and they're quite nice.
Time for bed. I've already pontificated enough on my shares. Good night, all.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
THE AMERICAN TALIBAN
“Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they’re sure trying to do so, it’s going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can’t and won’t compromise. I know, I’ve tried to deal with them.”
~Barry Goldwater
Barry Goldwater was a true prophet, but he never aspired to any such position. He just thought clearly and honestly and expressed his thoughts the same way.
Religion is about to destroy the USA and threatens to destroy the whole world. Religion messed up my life for decades. It messes up the lives of billions of desperately confused people the world over, turning them from friends and neighbors into hateful enemies and monsters. It's been messing up my nation for decades now and even has its insidious hooks into the Supreme Court!
What's happening in Washington, D.C is the direct result of Americans being caught up in fanatical religion. The bible belt has no superiority over any taliban area of Afghanistan! The tea party is a christian-american taliban! Give them the opportunity, and some of them would be rabid enough to shoot a little girl in the head if she dared speak out against their insanities.
When a human being is convinced he or she is god's emissary, frightening things happen. Hate becomes love. Circular thinking becomes reason. Everything is reversed.
It's always been so. Find out what religion teaches and conclude the opposite and you will be right on most of the time. Gods don't create humans. Humans create gods -- untold thousands of them throughout history. Knowledge brings progress, the solving of problems. Religion teaches knowledge led to that fictitious fall and damnation. Religions try to keep true knowledge out of the schools so as to warp young minds into compliance with their lies!
~Barry Goldwater
Barry Goldwater was a true prophet, but he never aspired to any such position. He just thought clearly and honestly and expressed his thoughts the same way.
Religion is about to destroy the USA and threatens to destroy the whole world. Religion messed up my life for decades. It messes up the lives of billions of desperately confused people the world over, turning them from friends and neighbors into hateful enemies and monsters. It's been messing up my nation for decades now and even has its insidious hooks into the Supreme Court!
What's happening in Washington, D.C is the direct result of Americans being caught up in fanatical religion. The bible belt has no superiority over any taliban area of Afghanistan! The tea party is a christian-american taliban! Give them the opportunity, and some of them would be rabid enough to shoot a little girl in the head if she dared speak out against their insanities.
When a human being is convinced he or she is god's emissary, frightening things happen. Hate becomes love. Circular thinking becomes reason. Everything is reversed.
It's always been so. Find out what religion teaches and conclude the opposite and you will be right on most of the time. Gods don't create humans. Humans create gods -- untold thousands of them throughout history. Knowledge brings progress, the solving of problems. Religion teaches knowledge led to that fictitious fall and damnation. Religions try to keep true knowledge out of the schools so as to warp young minds into compliance with their lies!
Thursday, October 10, 2013
SEVEN DECADES OF LIFE
It's finally here!
In the wee hours of the night, I turned 79 and entered into my eigthieth year. It's been a great day so far. We went to estate sales this morning and it was quite a jackpot -- the best in several weeks now. Then, off to our doctor for flu shots and a birthday grand slam from Denny's and a brief shopping stop. It's now almost news time and I'm tired from all that running around.
I have mixed emotions about where I am right now. I despise that cane I carry around, but I need it for stability. I dropped my ads for carpet work from Craig's List and the Ad King. That chapter of my life is now pretty well closed. It comes to everybody, but I still don't like being a shadow of my former self, working long, hard days and then square dancing into the night and so full of dynamic energy that I chewed my fingernails to a nub.
I like being free to do pretty much as I please, but hate getting so tired out before I'm anywhere near done with it. I cope with not knowing when or how my end will come by not thinking about it as much as possible. Based on family history, I should have over ten years left, but what will those years be like? Based on how I'm moving around, more like shuffling than moving, it's kind of disquieting. At least, I can write just as well as ever.
They say that time stands still for no one. I think it speeds up instead! Seems to, anyway. It seems such a short time ago that I sat at that same table in Denny's and took advantage of my last free birthday meal.
In the wee hours of the night, I turned 79 and entered into my eigthieth year. It's been a great day so far. We went to estate sales this morning and it was quite a jackpot -- the best in several weeks now. Then, off to our doctor for flu shots and a birthday grand slam from Denny's and a brief shopping stop. It's now almost news time and I'm tired from all that running around.
I have mixed emotions about where I am right now. I despise that cane I carry around, but I need it for stability. I dropped my ads for carpet work from Craig's List and the Ad King. That chapter of my life is now pretty well closed. It comes to everybody, but I still don't like being a shadow of my former self, working long, hard days and then square dancing into the night and so full of dynamic energy that I chewed my fingernails to a nub.
I like being free to do pretty much as I please, but hate getting so tired out before I'm anywhere near done with it. I cope with not knowing when or how my end will come by not thinking about it as much as possible. Based on family history, I should have over ten years left, but what will those years be like? Based on how I'm moving around, more like shuffling than moving, it's kind of disquieting. At least, I can write just as well as ever.
They say that time stands still for no one. I think it speeds up instead! Seems to, anyway. It seems such a short time ago that I sat at that same table in Denny's and took advantage of my last free birthday meal.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
IT'S A NAZI-FASCIST COUP!
Two competing forms of nazism have been at each others throats for decades now. Hitler's form was much too draconian and it was wiped out. But, nazism never died.
That system was fostered by the wealthy of Rome when they created christianity. That system has been, in varying degrees, in control ever since. (http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/10/prweb11201273.htm)
The Catholic church championed it for centuries. The protestants managed to weaken its power and the enlightenment brought about american representative democracy. That democracy has to be destroyed for the original fascist system to seize ultimate contol.
What we're experiencing right now is a fascist-nazi coup designed to finally wipe out the America we once knew. We're headed into a new dark age if they succeed, and I personally see no way they can lose. They have the wealth and power. They will suvive no matter how many sink into gross poverty and starvation. The squalor, ignorance and oppression of the Middle Ages is returning, and the catholic church is right in there as one of the prime movers.
Frankly, I'm glad my life will soon be over, but I ache for my progeny. I'm finally thankful I have no more grandchildren than I do.
That system was fostered by the wealthy of Rome when they created christianity. That system has been, in varying degrees, in control ever since. (http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/10/prweb11201273.htm)
The Catholic church championed it for centuries. The protestants managed to weaken its power and the enlightenment brought about american representative democracy. That democracy has to be destroyed for the original fascist system to seize ultimate contol.
What we're experiencing right now is a fascist-nazi coup designed to finally wipe out the America we once knew. We're headed into a new dark age if they succeed, and I personally see no way they can lose. They have the wealth and power. They will suvive no matter how many sink into gross poverty and starvation. The squalor, ignorance and oppression of the Middle Ages is returning, and the catholic church is right in there as one of the prime movers.
Frankly, I'm glad my life will soon be over, but I ache for my progeny. I'm finally thankful I have no more grandchildren than I do.
Monday, October 7, 2013
DEJA VU!
Deja Vu!
The past warns us about the future.
I like history. Always have. My wife likes to chide me about spending so much time watching stuff about the nazis and world war II. There's a reason why I do.
I learn from the parallels and examples. That's why I can clearly see the similarities between what happened in Germany in the 1930s and what's going on in the USA right now.
We have a religio-fascist group called the "tea party" that is determined to flaunt every vestige of democratic government to impose it's will on the populace. In effect, they are symbolically "burning the Reichstag" right now in an attempt to seize absolute dictatorial power. They are criminals and traitors and they should be arrested and imprisoned.
I Know that isn't going to happen, but if we can somehow avoid complete disaster, maybe the american citizenry will awaken and make sure they no longer are in a position to carry on their terrorism. In the final analysis, maybe what's happening will finally awaken people to the monster that resides in their midst.
I certainly hope so, but I no longer have great faith in the intelligence of the average american. Pardon me for not being sure this is going to turn out well.
The past warns us about the future.
I like history. Always have. My wife likes to chide me about spending so much time watching stuff about the nazis and world war II. There's a reason why I do.
I learn from the parallels and examples. That's why I can clearly see the similarities between what happened in Germany in the 1930s and what's going on in the USA right now.
We have a religio-fascist group called the "tea party" that is determined to flaunt every vestige of democratic government to impose it's will on the populace. In effect, they are symbolically "burning the Reichstag" right now in an attempt to seize absolute dictatorial power. They are criminals and traitors and they should be arrested and imprisoned.
I Know that isn't going to happen, but if we can somehow avoid complete disaster, maybe the american citizenry will awaken and make sure they no longer are in a position to carry on their terrorism. In the final analysis, maybe what's happening will finally awaken people to the monster that resides in their midst.
I certainly hope so, but I no longer have great faith in the intelligence of the average american. Pardon me for not being sure this is going to turn out well.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
IT'S SO TIRING!
The week has just begun and I'm already weary. Not physically. Mentally and emotionally.
I'm tired of hearing lies from adults throwing tantrums like spoiled brats. I'm exhausted from the impossible task being laid on me to accept the need to "compromise" on established law and the blatant attempt to nullify an election!
Traitors are traitors. Sedition is sedition. Liars are liars. Self-serving criminals are criminals. I refuse to let someone tell me black is really white or the reverse.
I recognize fully that my country is in deep trouble and I know who is precipitating that trouble in spite of their self-righteous look of incredulousness and their protestation, "Who, me? No, he's the problem. He won't lie down and let us fuck him!"
I know. I'm being coarse and plain spoken. I'm an old farm boy and a long time blue collar workman. We aren't long on the niceties.
Deal with it!
I'm tired of hearing lies from adults throwing tantrums like spoiled brats. I'm exhausted from the impossible task being laid on me to accept the need to "compromise" on established law and the blatant attempt to nullify an election!
Traitors are traitors. Sedition is sedition. Liars are liars. Self-serving criminals are criminals. I refuse to let someone tell me black is really white or the reverse.
I recognize fully that my country is in deep trouble and I know who is precipitating that trouble in spite of their self-righteous look of incredulousness and their protestation, "Who, me? No, he's the problem. He won't lie down and let us fuck him!"
I know. I'm being coarse and plain spoken. I'm an old farm boy and a long time blue collar workman. We aren't long on the niceties.
Deal with it!
Saturday, October 5, 2013
THE DEAD ARE DEAD!
This whole idea that the dead live on and are aware of what's going on here and now, strikes me as a horrible fate. Can you imagine George Wahington, Thomas Jeffereson or any other founding father being sentenced to observing the present madness going on in the nation they worked so hard to found. That would be a fate close to being cast into mythological hell!
Can you imagine the anguish of watching loved ones being killed, raped, tortured, etc. while you were powerless to intervene because you were in another dimension with no body to use in coming to their aid?
I know, people like to believe that they will be all-powerful, all-knowing, etc. once they reach the after-death state and that they will be akin to guardian angels, but I didn't see legions of dead Jews marching into Buchenwald and whipping nazi ass. No departed loved ones show up to shield grandchildren in scholl shootings or other outrages. I could go on, but I think you get the point.
Yes, it's comforting to believe that kind of garbage, but let's get real here! We all know it doesn't happen. History would read a whole lot differently if it did!
Can you imagine the anguish of watching loved ones being killed, raped, tortured, etc. while you were powerless to intervene because you were in another dimension with no body to use in coming to their aid?
I know, people like to believe that they will be all-powerful, all-knowing, etc. once they reach the after-death state and that they will be akin to guardian angels, but I didn't see legions of dead Jews marching into Buchenwald and whipping nazi ass. No departed loved ones show up to shield grandchildren in scholl shootings or other outrages. I could go on, but I think you get the point.
Yes, it's comforting to believe that kind of garbage, but let's get real here! We all know it doesn't happen. History would read a whole lot differently if it did!
Friday, October 4, 2013
(From Facebook.)
It was a beautiful wedding in the pines north of Flagstaff. A young canadian couple were vacationing and decided they wanted to get married while here. It was just them, me and two witnesses, which means we weren't delayed by guests who got lost or had car trouble, etc. Wedding at noon and we were eating lunch in Flagstaff by 1 pm. They had plenty of time to get the license back to the court and certified yet this afternoon.
Phyllis is napping. I'm doing what I enjoy most and in about three hours we get to listen to Bill Maher, one of our favorite news analysts. I can only imagine what he'll have to say tonight.
In the meantime, I'll fill in -- not with the same humor, however. Some of us have that talent, and I don't. I don't have the humorous ability of a Bill Maher or the patience of a Barack Obama. I admire others for the qualities they exemplify and don't mind admitting when I couldn't begin to measure up.
The longer I live, the more I realize that mankind's problems and the evils that beset society are grounded in fanaticism of both the political and the religious variety. Our nation's founders realized that and took great pains to try to keep the two evils separated. Through the tea party, we see the results of attempts to unite the two. What's going on in Washington right now is nothing more that a religio-fascist attempt to circumvent constitutional democracy and impose the edictis of a fanatic minority on the nation as a whole. Only the ilk of a Pat Robertson would cheer such a thing!
We're wasting time and treasure trying to fight al queda and the taliban on foreign ground while a christian fascist political organization tries to take over our own country from the inside and impose their will by decree!
Call me whatever you like, but I lived under a dictatorial religious system for over twenty years. I know it when I see it. The tea party hates american constitutional government and are doing their utmost to subvert it! They are convinced they are right and that they have a duty to make you and me -- and the president -- submit!
It was a beautiful wedding in the pines north of Flagstaff. A young canadian couple were vacationing and decided they wanted to get married while here. It was just them, me and two witnesses, which means we weren't delayed by guests who got lost or had car trouble, etc. Wedding at noon and we were eating lunch in Flagstaff by 1 pm. They had plenty of time to get the license back to the court and certified yet this afternoon.
Phyllis is napping. I'm doing what I enjoy most and in about three hours we get to listen to Bill Maher, one of our favorite news analysts. I can only imagine what he'll have to say tonight.
In the meantime, I'll fill in -- not with the same humor, however. Some of us have that talent, and I don't. I don't have the humorous ability of a Bill Maher or the patience of a Barack Obama. I admire others for the qualities they exemplify and don't mind admitting when I couldn't begin to measure up.
The longer I live, the more I realize that mankind's problems and the evils that beset society are grounded in fanaticism of both the political and the religious variety. Our nation's founders realized that and took great pains to try to keep the two evils separated. Through the tea party, we see the results of attempts to unite the two. What's going on in Washington right now is nothing more that a religio-fascist attempt to circumvent constitutional democracy and impose the edictis of a fanatic minority on the nation as a whole. Only the ilk of a Pat Robertson would cheer such a thing!
We're wasting time and treasure trying to fight al queda and the taliban on foreign ground while a christian fascist political organization tries to take over our own country from the inside and impose their will by decree!
Call me whatever you like, but I lived under a dictatorial religious system for over twenty years. I know it when I see it. The tea party hates american constitutional government and are doing their utmost to subvert it! They are convinced they are right and that they have a duty to make you and me -- and the president -- submit!
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
HOW FAR WILL THIS COUP GO?
I don't feel sorry for the rethugs. They, especially that intellectual abortion called the tea party, have boxed themselves into a corner where they have to stay half drunk in congress all the time to deal with the doom they have brought upon themselves. They seem willing to take their country into the depths of depression, maybe even civil war, in their vain attempt to thwart the march of history.
They know the affordable care act is going to be a tremendous success just like the social security and medicare they also fought tooth and nail. Once people see how wonderful life becomes when they no longer have to fear the "grim reaper" every time they get sick, the rethug lies will be all too apparent.
That's why they are so insanely desperate! They know their power is just about to come to a screaching halt. They will be out for at least a generation -- unless they do the unthinkable and precipitate a coup! If you think that's impossible, you're delusional beyond all comprehension!
They know the affordable care act is going to be a tremendous success just like the social security and medicare they also fought tooth and nail. Once people see how wonderful life becomes when they no longer have to fear the "grim reaper" every time they get sick, the rethug lies will be all too apparent.
That's why they are so insanely desperate! They know their power is just about to come to a screaching halt. They will be out for at least a generation -- unless they do the unthinkable and precipitate a coup! If you think that's impossible, you're delusional beyond all comprehension!
Monday, September 30, 2013
I HATE THE TEA PARTY
(From Facebook.)
What's on my mind tonight is outrage disgust and a profound sadness! Those lying, traitorous, dumbass tea party idiots have succeeded in shutting down the most powerful nation on earth!
I was able to forget it for a while during Dancing With The Stars. Now, it's back, front and center in my mind. Ignorant religious fanatics are doing to my country what no foreign enemy could ever do.
I'm just tired right now. Totally disgusted. Totally consumed with anger and outrage, and yes, outright hate. Can't help it, and I'm not going to lie about it or apologize for it. I hate the tea party, all it is, all it stands for and the disgusting denizens of ignorance that comprise it. And, don't give me any stupid religious platitudes.
I need a good night of sleep, but I'm not sure it's in the cards.
What's on my mind tonight is outrage disgust and a profound sadness! Those lying, traitorous, dumbass tea party idiots have succeeded in shutting down the most powerful nation on earth!
I was able to forget it for a while during Dancing With The Stars. Now, it's back, front and center in my mind. Ignorant religious fanatics are doing to my country what no foreign enemy could ever do.
I'm just tired right now. Totally disgusted. Totally consumed with anger and outrage, and yes, outright hate. Can't help it, and I'm not going to lie about it or apologize for it. I hate the tea party, all it is, all it stands for and the disgusting denizens of ignorance that comprise it. And, don't give me any stupid religious platitudes.
I need a good night of sleep, but I'm not sure it's in the cards.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
IT'S A CRAZY WORLD!
We watched 60 Minutes a while ago and I found Kerry's statements encouraging about the situation in Syria and Iran. I have hopes that some international sanity is in the offing. Bomb this, rocket that sure as hell isn't working!
Then, there was the section on mental illness and its connection with all the mass shootings and mayhem. We basically have no sane way of dealing with the problem. We've substituted prisons for mental care facilities, which means no one gets put away for real treatment, just warehousing in a very negative situation after some crime has already been committed.
I'm convinced that my son, Michael, is one of those needing help. Neither we nor anyone else in the family have heard from him in seven years and I'm sure that is due to an underlying condition that needs attention and treatment. I can only hope that he is not so deranged that he will do something horrendous.
Then, there's that Bible which assures us that all of that fictional creation was oh so "good." Only to tell us that the creator who created such perfection was so pissed off at that perfect creation that he drowned 99.999999 (out to infinity) of it. Of course, it's all bullshit. There was no worldwide flood! I'm just making a point.
If we were created so perfect and that creator can't abide confusion, what's with all this mental aberration crap? Whence comes schitzophrenia? And, don't blame me for the posible problems in my offsping because I unknowingly married into a family where mental problems were common through my former mother-in-law. They weren't apparent or diagnosed anywhere at the time, or at the time my former father-in-law married her.
If that creator is so damn omniscient and concerned with us all, why do these things exist? That fact and the glaring proof of divine unconcern like the holocaust proves to me that there is no omnipotent, omni-loving or omni anything else power behind anything.
We're all in a great big crapshoot down here. One of the biggest crapshoots of all being the gene lottery. I lucked out on that lottery, but I wonder how much my children did, all because of my innocent, howbeit limited by theological limitations, choice of a mate. No wonder all those selfish, lying right-wing fuckwits are so religious. They think and act just like the imaginary god they erroneously believe in.
I suspect a good portion of them could use a little mental health help!
They're certainly acting like it!
Then, there was the section on mental illness and its connection with all the mass shootings and mayhem. We basically have no sane way of dealing with the problem. We've substituted prisons for mental care facilities, which means no one gets put away for real treatment, just warehousing in a very negative situation after some crime has already been committed.
I'm convinced that my son, Michael, is one of those needing help. Neither we nor anyone else in the family have heard from him in seven years and I'm sure that is due to an underlying condition that needs attention and treatment. I can only hope that he is not so deranged that he will do something horrendous.
Then, there's that Bible which assures us that all of that fictional creation was oh so "good." Only to tell us that the creator who created such perfection was so pissed off at that perfect creation that he drowned 99.999999 (out to infinity) of it. Of course, it's all bullshit. There was no worldwide flood! I'm just making a point.
If we were created so perfect and that creator can't abide confusion, what's with all this mental aberration crap? Whence comes schitzophrenia? And, don't blame me for the posible problems in my offsping because I unknowingly married into a family where mental problems were common through my former mother-in-law. They weren't apparent or diagnosed anywhere at the time, or at the time my former father-in-law married her.
If that creator is so damn omniscient and concerned with us all, why do these things exist? That fact and the glaring proof of divine unconcern like the holocaust proves to me that there is no omnipotent, omni-loving or omni anything else power behind anything.
We're all in a great big crapshoot down here. One of the biggest crapshoots of all being the gene lottery. I lucked out on that lottery, but I wonder how much my children did, all because of my innocent, howbeit limited by theological limitations, choice of a mate. No wonder all those selfish, lying right-wing fuckwits are so religious. They think and act just like the imaginary god they erroneously believe in.
I suspect a good portion of them could use a little mental health help!
They're certainly acting like it!
Friday, September 27, 2013
INSURANCE -- IT'S GREAT!
What the hell is wrong or bad about insurance?
I understand that we'd rather hoorah around on those bucks we spend for car insurance, home insurance and all the other types of insurance we have to pay for. I used to gripe about all those payments too -- until I got hit in the rear by a distracted driver, needed desperately to have something done about my sudden attack of strep throat, suddenly realized I was too damn old to keep on working like I had been, etc.
Without medicare, our social security checks and my wife's state retirement, we would be up that famous creek without even the hint of a paddle! Most of the time, it costs us $10 co-pay to go see the doctor.
I know. It's not pleasant to contemplate all that money going out every month for required insurance. I didn't like it when I had to adjust to paying for auto insurance. I was a careful driver. Still had accidents happen though and was mighty thankful to have it then.
Forward thinking people saw the need for social security, medicare, the need for universal auto insurance, etc. The regressive rethugs screamed about all of it.
Guess what? Everything adjusted and we're now thankful (if we have brains in our heads) to have those wise provisions.
So, it's time the idiots on the right shut the hell up with their lies and their doom and gloom pronouncements. The happiest nations on earth have already implemented something similar, and once we work the bugs out -- and there are bugs, mostly put there by that same ignorant crowd to try to sabotage the whole thing -- we'll all be ecstatically happy with the end result -- just as I'm ecstatically happy to get those checks every month that keep us housed and fed and leading an acceptable quality of life.
I understand that we'd rather hoorah around on those bucks we spend for car insurance, home insurance and all the other types of insurance we have to pay for. I used to gripe about all those payments too -- until I got hit in the rear by a distracted driver, needed desperately to have something done about my sudden attack of strep throat, suddenly realized I was too damn old to keep on working like I had been, etc.
Without medicare, our social security checks and my wife's state retirement, we would be up that famous creek without even the hint of a paddle! Most of the time, it costs us $10 co-pay to go see the doctor.
I know. It's not pleasant to contemplate all that money going out every month for required insurance. I didn't like it when I had to adjust to paying for auto insurance. I was a careful driver. Still had accidents happen though and was mighty thankful to have it then.
Forward thinking people saw the need for social security, medicare, the need for universal auto insurance, etc. The regressive rethugs screamed about all of it.
Guess what? Everything adjusted and we're now thankful (if we have brains in our heads) to have those wise provisions.
So, it's time the idiots on the right shut the hell up with their lies and their doom and gloom pronouncements. The happiest nations on earth have already implemented something similar, and once we work the bugs out -- and there are bugs, mostly put there by that same ignorant crowd to try to sabotage the whole thing -- we'll all be ecstatically happy with the end result -- just as I'm ecstatically happy to get those checks every month that keep us housed and fed and leading an acceptable quality of life.
Thursday, September 26, 2013
CLEAN UP TIME
I just cleaned a lot of stuff out of my favorites list on Internet Explorer. I had added so many things that struck me at the time but that I never visited again that the list was getting very unwieldly. So, off to the recycle bin and then delete for good. If I ever need those things again, a google search will probably bring them up again anyway.
Such house cleaning is needed once in awhile, in every aspect of life. I really need a wholesale house cleaning and reorganizing in my shop. Getting to it and staying on it is the problem. The storage room needs it. The office needs it. The patio needs it. Just thinking about it makes me tired. Sitting here doing this is a lot more fun.
Maybe writing about it will inspire me to actually do some of it. We'll just have to see.
In any case, I'm not going to worry about it. I'm at that stage of life where there isn't the same urgency that existed a few years back. We were commenting earlier that it's good to be retired and not have the daily rat race to contend with. We pretty much do just as we please every day, and I think we've earned that right. We had enough years of nose to the grindstone responsibilities to occupations and family. It's time we were cut a little slack. I know. Boehner and the tea party crowd begrudge us, but I don't think I have to state what they can go do to themselves.
That's my rumination for this evening. G'Night all.
Such house cleaning is needed once in awhile, in every aspect of life. I really need a wholesale house cleaning and reorganizing in my shop. Getting to it and staying on it is the problem. The storage room needs it. The office needs it. The patio needs it. Just thinking about it makes me tired. Sitting here doing this is a lot more fun.
Maybe writing about it will inspire me to actually do some of it. We'll just have to see.
In any case, I'm not going to worry about it. I'm at that stage of life where there isn't the same urgency that existed a few years back. We were commenting earlier that it's good to be retired and not have the daily rat race to contend with. We pretty much do just as we please every day, and I think we've earned that right. We had enough years of nose to the grindstone responsibilities to occupations and family. It's time we were cut a little slack. I know. Boehner and the tea party crowd begrudge us, but I don't think I have to state what they can go do to themselves.
That's my rumination for this evening. G'Night all.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
IS THERE HOPE?
(From Facebook.)
Like Dawkins (http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/09/25/dawkins-humanity-has-a-50-percent-chance-of-surviving-until-the-next-century/), I'm not at all sure the human race, or at most, our advanced technological civilization, will survive past this century. There is some evidence, in Hindu writings and in scattered ancient ruins, that we may have approached these technological heights in the distant past, only to destroy it all and almost wipe ourselves out through nuclear war that it took millenia to recover from.
I know, those are mythological accounts no more reliable in many respects than the Bible is. But, sometimes there is a germ of truth behind the mythology, just as the destruction of Sodom and Gormorrah likely did occur from an asteroid impact. Then, the myth builders took over and distorted it beyond all recognition. I suspect the story of Lot is just like the story of the exodus -- a total concoction.
I know, I drive some of you biblical believers insane with statements like that. I'm a literalist, not a faithest these days. Been there, done that. It was a crock!
He made an interesting point I've also considered. That point being that we may not find any advanced civilizations in the rest of the universe due to the fact that they may destroy themselves about the time they reach a level comparable to ours. It only takes one among many fanatic minorities in a society to bring about civilization-destroying cataclysm. We have a multitude of those in both the political and the religious spheres. One of those fanatics just spent 21 hours shooting off his stupid mouth in our nation's capitol! His ignorant, hate-filled compatriots are holding the entire government hostage to their insane demands!
I'll still hope, but I seriously doubt, when I look at things coldly, that our chances are really 50-50. I think they're much more pessimistic than that.
Like Dawkins (http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/09/25/dawkins-humanity-has-a-50-percent-chance-of-surviving-until-the-next-century/), I'm not at all sure the human race, or at most, our advanced technological civilization, will survive past this century. There is some evidence, in Hindu writings and in scattered ancient ruins, that we may have approached these technological heights in the distant past, only to destroy it all and almost wipe ourselves out through nuclear war that it took millenia to recover from.
I know, those are mythological accounts no more reliable in many respects than the Bible is. But, sometimes there is a germ of truth behind the mythology, just as the destruction of Sodom and Gormorrah likely did occur from an asteroid impact. Then, the myth builders took over and distorted it beyond all recognition. I suspect the story of Lot is just like the story of the exodus -- a total concoction.
I know, I drive some of you biblical believers insane with statements like that. I'm a literalist, not a faithest these days. Been there, done that. It was a crock!
He made an interesting point I've also considered. That point being that we may not find any advanced civilizations in the rest of the universe due to the fact that they may destroy themselves about the time they reach a level comparable to ours. It only takes one among many fanatic minorities in a society to bring about civilization-destroying cataclysm. We have a multitude of those in both the political and the religious spheres. One of those fanatics just spent 21 hours shooting off his stupid mouth in our nation's capitol! His ignorant, hate-filled compatriots are holding the entire government hostage to their insane demands!
I'll still hope, but I seriously doubt, when I look at things coldly, that our chances are really 50-50. I think they're much more pessimistic than that.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
THE SPURIOUS CONCEPT OF SIN
(From Facebook.)
The concept of sin just came up in a comment I just made on Dennis Deahl's page.
I seldom use the word "sin." I don't like it because it's a religious concoction intended to keep people feeling guilty, worthless and a whole lot of other psyche destroying things.
Have I made mistakes I regret? A whole bunch! So has every other normal member of the genus homo sapiens. It's part of the process of being alive and interacting with the world. If we're not self-righteous, we learn to take the mistakes of others in stride and apologize for our own when we realize we should. Then, we move on.
There is no need, and never has been a need, for some god-man to be sacrificed for anyone's being human. We didn't come from a specially created Adam to begin with, so the whole damn story is bogus from Genesis 1 on.
We recoil in horror at the Aztec's sacrificing helpless victims to their god's, yet thank the canaanite god, Yahweh (or however you want to spell the name) for sacrificing his mythical son for our sins by some formula that makes absolutely no sense when one gets into the details.
Our abrahamic religions all trace back to a mythological character we are told was ready to slit his own son's throat over some kind of illusion of being told to do so by a god who hasn't communicated that way since, except to individuals who often get sent to mental institutions -- BECAUSE THEY'RE CRAZY!
So, don't try to belittle me by calling me a sinner. I'm a fallible, growing human being who makes mistakes and doesn't always control his temper and act in the totally loving manner he wishes he could.
I'm part of the human club.
I assume you are too.
The concept of sin just came up in a comment I just made on Dennis Deahl's page.
I seldom use the word "sin." I don't like it because it's a religious concoction intended to keep people feeling guilty, worthless and a whole lot of other psyche destroying things.
Have I made mistakes I regret? A whole bunch! So has every other normal member of the genus homo sapiens. It's part of the process of being alive and interacting with the world. If we're not self-righteous, we learn to take the mistakes of others in stride and apologize for our own when we realize we should. Then, we move on.
There is no need, and never has been a need, for some god-man to be sacrificed for anyone's being human. We didn't come from a specially created Adam to begin with, so the whole damn story is bogus from Genesis 1 on.
We recoil in horror at the Aztec's sacrificing helpless victims to their god's, yet thank the canaanite god, Yahweh (or however you want to spell the name) for sacrificing his mythical son for our sins by some formula that makes absolutely no sense when one gets into the details.
Our abrahamic religions all trace back to a mythological character we are told was ready to slit his own son's throat over some kind of illusion of being told to do so by a god who hasn't communicated that way since, except to individuals who often get sent to mental institutions -- BECAUSE THEY'RE CRAZY!
So, don't try to belittle me by calling me a sinner. I'm a fallible, growing human being who makes mistakes and doesn't always control his temper and act in the totally loving manner he wishes he could.
I'm part of the human club.
I assume you are too.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
MEMORIES
(From Facebook.)
Another week starting. To all you who have to rush out to work in the morning for the miserable pittance you're being paid and the oppressive taxes and skyrocketing cost of living the rich power mongers have shoved off on you, my heartfelt condolences. Looking back, things were much fairer 40 and 50 years ago, but I'm not going to get into that. I've made where I stand abundantly clear already.
I'm just a bit tired this evening, but I didn't do an awful lot today. It's just that I don't have the energy I used to have. When I get up to go somewhere and it takes half the length of the house for my legs to start working halfway right and my back to straighten out, it really bothers me. I seriously wonder if I'll reach the 95 my dad reached. Sometimes, I wonder if I really want to when I remember his condition for several years toward the end.
I've tried lots of things, including testosterone shots, which my body now likes to convert to a female hormone. I see a gorgeous female these days and vaguely remember that there was something exciting about that once upon a time. Yep, the old age theme song really is "Memories." And do those snake oil pedaling conmen ever have the expensive concoctions to send you! It's online. It's in the mailbox -- everywhere! And, if you try to unsubscribe your email, they just sell it to dozens of other sleazy predators! I'm about to wear out the delete button!
I'm really not all that down. I'm actually chuckling over what I just wrote. It's fun to write. One of my greatest joys, and, like Mark Twain liked to say, you all just have to suffer -- or tune me out!
Another week starting. To all you who have to rush out to work in the morning for the miserable pittance you're being paid and the oppressive taxes and skyrocketing cost of living the rich power mongers have shoved off on you, my heartfelt condolences. Looking back, things were much fairer 40 and 50 years ago, but I'm not going to get into that. I've made where I stand abundantly clear already.
I'm just a bit tired this evening, but I didn't do an awful lot today. It's just that I don't have the energy I used to have. When I get up to go somewhere and it takes half the length of the house for my legs to start working halfway right and my back to straighten out, it really bothers me. I seriously wonder if I'll reach the 95 my dad reached. Sometimes, I wonder if I really want to when I remember his condition for several years toward the end.
I've tried lots of things, including testosterone shots, which my body now likes to convert to a female hormone. I see a gorgeous female these days and vaguely remember that there was something exciting about that once upon a time. Yep, the old age theme song really is "Memories." And do those snake oil pedaling conmen ever have the expensive concoctions to send you! It's online. It's in the mailbox -- everywhere! And, if you try to unsubscribe your email, they just sell it to dozens of other sleazy predators! I'm about to wear out the delete button!
I'm really not all that down. I'm actually chuckling over what I just wrote. It's fun to write. One of my greatest joys, and, like Mark Twain liked to say, you all just have to suffer -- or tune me out!
Friday, September 20, 2013
NOT A GOOD DAY
Not a good day for me. Oh, it's not that my personal life is all that bad. Physically, I'm in pretty good shape and we had a good sale morning. What's got me down and boiling mad is constantly seeing that revolting face of son-of-a-bitch Boehner on television and hearing his stinking rotten lies.
I so despise that rotten bastard and that fucking bunch of tea party retards. They absolutely refuse to do anything to return my country to the great place it used to be where people could lead decent lives that didn't end in squalor and everything we built wasn't rapidly tumbling down so assholes like Romney can steal millions and hide it overseas while the disgusting pirate claims to be a "businessman."
Oh, and fork tongued Pope Francis showed his true colors today by kissing up to Caholic bullshiters on the subject of abortion. A crock of shit always will be a crock of shit and catholicism has never been anything else but. Just like the Worldwide splinters, protestantism has coninued the tradition of the original crock. Seeds of evil trees are still evil!
I hope I won't have another insomnia night.
I so despise that rotten bastard and that fucking bunch of tea party retards. They absolutely refuse to do anything to return my country to the great place it used to be where people could lead decent lives that didn't end in squalor and everything we built wasn't rapidly tumbling down so assholes like Romney can steal millions and hide it overseas while the disgusting pirate claims to be a "businessman."
Oh, and fork tongued Pope Francis showed his true colors today by kissing up to Caholic bullshiters on the subject of abortion. A crock of shit always will be a crock of shit and catholicism has never been anything else but. Just like the Worldwide splinters, protestantism has coninued the tradition of the original crock. Seeds of evil trees are still evil!
I hope I won't have another insomnia night.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
PROFICIENCY IS A PROCESS
(From Facebook.)
I was just reading Neile DeGrasse Tyson's statement about how you will be surprised at how good you become at something if you keep working on it. Of course, it helps if you have a basic talent in that particular thing.
I've always had a basic talent and urge toward writing, even as a kid, mocking up newspapers on scrap paper. When I started wrting in letter answering, I was extremely wordy and Dr. Zimmermann kept sending my drafts back loaded with red ink deletions and simplifications. Over time, I learned to get to the meat of things and now, other members of our free thought group turn to me when they want something boiled down and simplified. It's developed into a knack.
Life is like that. We improve as we do, if we pay attention and try. I learned techniques of cutting up vegetables by watching a chicano chef making salsa at a wedding. It's how children absorb things so fast. They observe. Then, they try to do it and observe some more. Soon, they're proficient. I still have some things in my handwriting that came from my first grade teacher.
Writing has now become a compulsion with me. I don't feel the day is complete if I haven't written something connected with the analytical thoughts that spring spontaneously from my mind. My poor audience is left with either hating or enjoying it. (I appreciate those "likes." That's applause to a writer.)
I was just reading Neile DeGrasse Tyson's statement about how you will be surprised at how good you become at something if you keep working on it. Of course, it helps if you have a basic talent in that particular thing.
I've always had a basic talent and urge toward writing, even as a kid, mocking up newspapers on scrap paper. When I started wrting in letter answering, I was extremely wordy and Dr. Zimmermann kept sending my drafts back loaded with red ink deletions and simplifications. Over time, I learned to get to the meat of things and now, other members of our free thought group turn to me when they want something boiled down and simplified. It's developed into a knack.
Life is like that. We improve as we do, if we pay attention and try. I learned techniques of cutting up vegetables by watching a chicano chef making salsa at a wedding. It's how children absorb things so fast. They observe. Then, they try to do it and observe some more. Soon, they're proficient. I still have some things in my handwriting that came from my first grade teacher.
Writing has now become a compulsion with me. I don't feel the day is complete if I haven't written something connected with the analytical thoughts that spring spontaneously from my mind. My poor audience is left with either hating or enjoying it. (I appreciate those "likes." That's applause to a writer.)
REMINISCENSES
Once in a while we like to treat ourselves to a bucket of original recipe KFC chicken. Phyllis asked me to go get our dinner this evening, and as I was driving back, there was that beautiful harvest moon rising.
It hit me.
This must be the first evening of the Feast of Tabernacles!
Sure enough, the calendar tells me tomorrow is Sukhot and it began this evening at sunset. It's a high holy day for Jews. Used to be for me when I, along with thousands of others, tried to out-jew the Jews and give the day a spurious christian meaning.
Full moons, especially harvest moons are exceptionally beautiful things here in the northern hemisphere. I wonder if there is a comparable thing six months later in the southern hemisphere.
I remember how glorious it was in those east Texas woods back there in the late fifties as I camped out with the Trull family and their friends. All nations noticed that inescapable time of the year, and like the Canaanites, set their harvest festivities for that particular time. It was no special revelation from any god, but I'm sure the priests of all religions managed to make it so.
After our chicken dinner, Phyllis and I went outside and admired the beautiful evening. It's an idylic time of the year. Temperatures and weather are often the best they've been for a while and it's a great time to enjoy the largess of earth's bounty. We enjoyed, but there was no religious significance to it. And, we didn't have to listen to bombast from any pompous idiot shouting, "Why are we here?".
It hit me.
This must be the first evening of the Feast of Tabernacles!
Sure enough, the calendar tells me tomorrow is Sukhot and it began this evening at sunset. It's a high holy day for Jews. Used to be for me when I, along with thousands of others, tried to out-jew the Jews and give the day a spurious christian meaning.
Full moons, especially harvest moons are exceptionally beautiful things here in the northern hemisphere. I wonder if there is a comparable thing six months later in the southern hemisphere.
I remember how glorious it was in those east Texas woods back there in the late fifties as I camped out with the Trull family and their friends. All nations noticed that inescapable time of the year, and like the Canaanites, set their harvest festivities for that particular time. It was no special revelation from any god, but I'm sure the priests of all religions managed to make it so.
After our chicken dinner, Phyllis and I went outside and admired the beautiful evening. It's an idylic time of the year. Temperatures and weather are often the best they've been for a while and it's a great time to enjoy the largess of earth's bounty. We enjoyed, but there was no religious significance to it. And, we didn't have to listen to bombast from any pompous idiot shouting, "Why are we here?".
Monday, September 16, 2013
CULTLIKE ECONOMIC OPPRESSION
(From Facebook.)
I referred to this yesterday, but it's been on my mind constantly. I wanted to take you to it now, but then, I can't write anymore, so I'll wait to do the link at the end.
What I experienced as a cultic slave of the WCG was a hell of oppression and soul destroying tyranny by one man and his army of goose-stepping and equally evil and hypocritical sycophants. It took me a long time to fully recognize the true nature of what I was a part of. Getting out when I did allowed me to salvage the latter half of my life.
Herbert Armstrong was an evil despot. He set up a religious empire that totally took over the lives of those who succumbed to his deceptive message. He was an elitist, a totally ruthless religious mafia don. There are many following in the same mold today. They found mega churches!
Armstrong looked down on the average person and viewed them only as sheep for the shearing and chickens for the plucking. He bound heavy burdens on everyone, but as a scripture he and his ilk scoff at, he wouldn't lift a finger to ease the burden. Everything devolved upon him and only incidentally on those who kept his empire going. He would turn on them in a moment if he thought it was to his advantage to do so with absolutely no qualms, and often did. It has been truthfully stated that the path of his life was strewn with the wreckage of men who had served him well.
He hated labor unions. He lusted to be in the company of the wealthy and powerful and spent millions of his dupe's hard earned tithes and offerings to court them.
I endured over twenty years of this religious madness and got free of it. Now, I realize that I'm still in that system of slavery and deception.
Only, now it's not a religious organization that is oppressing me and my fellow humans. (That religious system still exists in hundreds of just as oppressive offshoots and splinters.)
Now, it's a political system with the same hateful and oppressive attitude and the same kind of reprehensible narcissists in control. Reagan, the elitist, started it with his "voodoo economics" and it has snowballed ever since into the madness of republican so-called conservatism and that hateful, ignorant tea party.
The average american is being enslaved and impoverished step by step while the rich and powerful disdainfully relegate them to serf status. I lived it before. That's why I see it so clearly now.
I could say much more, but this account will serve quite nicely:
http://hwarmstrong.com/wordpress/2013/09/12/blast-from-the-past-an-inside-report-on-gods-work/
I referred to this yesterday, but it's been on my mind constantly. I wanted to take you to it now, but then, I can't write anymore, so I'll wait to do the link at the end.
What I experienced as a cultic slave of the WCG was a hell of oppression and soul destroying tyranny by one man and his army of goose-stepping and equally evil and hypocritical sycophants. It took me a long time to fully recognize the true nature of what I was a part of. Getting out when I did allowed me to salvage the latter half of my life.
Herbert Armstrong was an evil despot. He set up a religious empire that totally took over the lives of those who succumbed to his deceptive message. He was an elitist, a totally ruthless religious mafia don. There are many following in the same mold today. They found mega churches!
Armstrong looked down on the average person and viewed them only as sheep for the shearing and chickens for the plucking. He bound heavy burdens on everyone, but as a scripture he and his ilk scoff at, he wouldn't lift a finger to ease the burden. Everything devolved upon him and only incidentally on those who kept his empire going. He would turn on them in a moment if he thought it was to his advantage to do so with absolutely no qualms, and often did. It has been truthfully stated that the path of his life was strewn with the wreckage of men who had served him well.
He hated labor unions. He lusted to be in the company of the wealthy and powerful and spent millions of his dupe's hard earned tithes and offerings to court them.
I endured over twenty years of this religious madness and got free of it. Now, I realize that I'm still in that system of slavery and deception.
Only, now it's not a religious organization that is oppressing me and my fellow humans. (That religious system still exists in hundreds of just as oppressive offshoots and splinters.)
Now, it's a political system with the same hateful and oppressive attitude and the same kind of reprehensible narcissists in control. Reagan, the elitist, started it with his "voodoo economics" and it has snowballed ever since into the madness of republican so-called conservatism and that hateful, ignorant tea party.
The average american is being enslaved and impoverished step by step while the rich and powerful disdainfully relegate them to serf status. I lived it before. That's why I see it so clearly now.
I could say much more, but this account will serve quite nicely:
http://hwarmstrong.com/wordpress/2013/09/12/blast-from-the-past-an-inside-report-on-gods-work/
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