deal with it

  Spotify announced they will now post a "warning" on pod casts in response to Neil Young and others withdrawing their music from the platform. Personally, I found it amusing that artists were canceling themselves over what Joe Rogan says. I have to admit to having never listened to a thing he has said. I had to Google him to know who he is. Apparently, these singers think that he is spreading covid misinformation. I wonder how removing their music from Spotify is going to change a thing. I listen to Spotify for my workout music and that's all I use it for. I wasn't aware they did podcasting too. But I guess I'm just old and out of the loop. Whenever someone started talking about stuff I don't like or agree with, I usually turn them off. I don't stop talking myself though, I just keep on talking. Guess I've been doing that wrong all these years. Well, life didn't come with a disclaimer when I was born! Nope, my life came with instructions; deal with it! 

 I will say I have the same attitude as when Facebook chooses to censor my posts. I've been in FB jail a couple times. I do think they have eased up a bit on that though, now I see where you get restricted, moved down in the feed or whatever. It's their party, their platform and free to use. They could tell me to shut up or block me if they want too, their prerogative. I can choose to not use their platform as well. So, if Spotify wants to add a disclaimer, a warning or notice on their podcasting it's their business. I'm only using the free part anyway and as a result I have to listen to the advertisers, that's the price I pay. I don't really listen to them though. 

 When I heard about the action Spotify is taking in response, I thought about warning labels. Are they concerned about being sued? That's the usual reason for any disclaimers or warning labels. We have reached the point where we need warnings that say things like, HOT, it may burn you. That comes in response to someone being burned and suing because they didn't know that! And now we need to be warned that someone might say something you don't agree with or may not be the absolute truth! OMG, others may have a different opinion! We need to post a warning about that. The intent is to so insulate people that they cannot be offended by anything! What if Joe Rogan challenges the main stream media? What if he questions? Mustn't question anything anymore. We have got it all figured out! That's what CRT is all about, got that figured out. And this Covid stuff, we got that all figured out too! Mustn't question the science behind that! Hey, you know how much money was spent in developing that? The "cure" I mean. Vaccines and boosters all around people, trust the science. 

 Yeah the old hippies that I grew up with, and listened to, have changed. Well to be honest I was never a big fan of Neil Young, he had a few good songs but that's my opinion. Does he now believe he is so important, so revered, that his songs shouldn't be on the same station as Joe Rogan? He can cancel Joe? I don't think so. Take your songs, your music, and just go home Neil if that is what you want to do. That's how I feel about that. As far as Spotify bowing down and caving into that, it's their business. Personally, I wouldn't have done that, plenty of other music to stream. I certainly wouldn't have validated Neil Youngs ticket! Nor would I do that for any other musician as far as that goes. Yeah my only disclaimer should I control a format, a station, channel or whatever you want to call it would be, " this is a free speech platform: DEAL WITH IT"  

it seems so

  It's a topic I hear about all the time. The modern-day term being affordable housing. What I hear is the word reservation. A place to put those folks that you  need but don't want living in your neighborhood. Yeah, sometimes they are called tenements, a place for tenants to live, or just the slums. All of those places started out with nice names and promises. The earliest examples being the share cropper shacks. The promise there was what? A house of your own, almost, and a piece of the pie. Now you weren't allowed at the table, your slice would be given to you after the dinner was over. It's true, you didn't have to get up and go to work, no one could force you, but they could throw you off the land. That system began shortly after the civil war. Well, at least it became more prevalent. Contrary to Hollywood and popular belief it wasn't restricted to freed slaves, there were plenty of white folks too. Poor people with nowhere to go and no means to support themselves. 

 Following close on that was the jobs offered in the factories. Those jobs paid more and weren't quite as labor intensive. At a minimum they were indoors. For some an upgrade from the fields and mother nature. Of course, these folks needed a place to live. The tenement was born! Not all that different from the company towns associated with mining. The objective was to provide a place, at the lowest possible cost, for the workers to live. Certainly not next door but close enough to get to the factory in the morning. The tenement quickly turned into a reservation, in my opinion. Same concept anyway. Keep those folks where you can keep an eye on them, control them, and restrict their movements. That is accomplished by dependence. The plan is still in use to this very day.

 Today I hear about affordable housing for the working man. Hasn't that always been the case? The only difference being what that housing looks like. Affordable housing today is often called a "development." I'm old enough to recall when that first came into popular use. Ever hear of Levittown? Yes, that was affordable housing for veterans. Well, not all veterans if you read about the reality of it, but I'm only talking about the concept. A ranch home in the country, within commuting distance, affordable to the returning veterans of WW2. That was the promise, the sales pitch, and the investors made a fortune. It was touted as the real American dream. The construction was an early form of pre-fab and were quickly built. The idea was to build the quintessential American neighborhood. Swimming pools and seven shopping centers were included. White picket fences everywhere. A total of four Levittown's were built. 

 Today tenement buildings are called condo's or townhouses. They can be found in developments, sometimes gated to give it that sense of class. It's a sales tactic. selling exclusivity. Only the finest working-class folks allowed. The real wealthy and successful people live on their estates. They certainly don't live in a "development." The issue today is in making that affordable without cutting into corporate profits too deeply. 

 Individual homes are still the primary objective for many. That is, after all the great American dream. It is what brought people to America from all over the world. The promise of freedom, of wide open spaces, and the ability to advance on your own merits. As the years went by the question of affordability became the primary factor. Once the land had been claimed, bought up, and developed. First we put those pesky natives on reservations, provided them with affordable housing. We gave them food and blankets, they were dependent, under control. Next was the working class folks, have to control them. The surest way to control is by dependence. An increase in wages, some guarantees of fair labor practices, some benefits and entitlements have generally been sufficient to keep things under control. Combined with the dependence upon modern day conveniences like electricity that only a giant corporation can provide and a dependence is created. You can't just go and live off the land, you don't own that land! And even if you do you can't just do whatever you want with it! No harming the rare rock frog or disturbing any other ecological processes. You can't just go fishing! Need a license for that, a permit, and permission to fish in that area. You can't simply build a house without having all the proper permits, surveys and authorization! You think you can just cut those trees down? The individual home? Well, that has to be affordable housing, doesn't it? Affordable housing for the dependent. What is affordable housing? It's the illusion of independence. Providing you with what you can't afford, at an affordable price. It's the greatest scam of all time and still works to this day. Dependent on independence? It seems so. 

       

It matters

  I am still surprised at the prevalence of vulgar and crude language in everyday conversation. I was at an event the other day where I had the opportunity to talk with a young man. My wife is with me, sitting beside me, and the choice of adjectives this young man used reminded me of my Navy days. Yes, the language was very similar. What startled me about that was this young man is a college student, comes from a good family, and certainly isn't any troublemaker or thug. Yet, his choice of vocabulary was horrendous. Then I realized he wasn't even aware of the language he was using at all. Not a hint of realization. Using such language in the presence of a lady never entered his mind at all. It wasn't a slip, it was very normal to him. No discomfort on his part. My wife was certainly uncomfortable, as was I for her, but none, on his part. We choose not to say anything, not wishing to cause any problems. We see this young man seldom and it is best left alone. I guess you could say we retreated into the "old peoples" world. 

 I have written about this before, at this point it is hard not to repeat myself, but it is still worth writing. For me it is a sign of aggression, and the world has become more aggressive. Society in general has become more aggressive. The use of obscenities, of crude and vulgar words is a verbal assault. That is the sole purpose of using those words, to impress, to intimidate, or to cajole the listener. The intent is to inflame the passion of the listener! Whether that is to gain support or to get your way isn't important, the use of the language is. What was once the hallmark of the Alpha Male now used by all! Tough guys use tough language! 

 It has become the dominant choice. Listen to our public officials if you don't think so. How often are they using, less than polite, language. I hear it a lot! The Mayor of Baltimore just yesterday saying, "get your ass out there in the streets and do something." That was in response to a reporter asking about his failing crime plan. The Governor of Maryland has a whole campaign going saying, "wear the damn mask!" Yes, that is what it says. That is only two examples, there are many more if you really listen. Is that how our elected officials should address the public? And the perception they hope to project is? Toughness, being adamant, forceful, in charge and dominate! Yes, that is exactly what they are hoping for. Compliance through fear and intimidation. 

 Yes, I know many people think it is just a little thing, but it is not. I read it in Facebook posts all the time. I see it in memes and jokes posted by everyone. I see it most shockingly from "mature" women. I know they were not raised that way but have somehow adopted that as acceptable. They have grown numb to it. And therein lies the danger. The ones killing babies have grown numb to that reality. They don't see a problem with that action, it's a choice. So many things are being dismissed these days and justified by using the catch phrase, don't judge! Just become numb to everything around you. 

 Law and order. You need to understand that law does not give order. That's why they are always written as separate things. Laws are intended to define what is and is not acceptable in society. Order results from following the law. It isn't possible to delineate every action that is acceptable in a society. The Constitution speaks in rather broad terms. That is what has kept lawyers in business since it was written. Words do matter, and it matters how they are chosen, how they are written and how they are spoken. Remember the days when our politicians spoke eloquently, explaining their reasoning and thoughts? Washington, Lincoln, Kennedy, Reagen, and others, all great speakers. Did any of them say, damn, ass, or any other words like that? Nope, Reagen said, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall1" He didn't say Mikhail, tear down the damn wall! Kennedy said, "ask not what your country can do for you but ask what you can do for your country" That certainly isn't anywhere near close to what they are saying today! Just this week, on Tuesday, the President of the United States said this, " opponents to my voting rights bill are segregationists, racists, and confederates." Basically, he is calling all Republicans those names, along with anyone else that disagrees with him. A leader? Yes, words matter, the choice of words matter, and the manner in which you say them matter. Something, in my opinion, that should be taught in every school in the country starting in kindergarten.   

Truth and Promises

  Is anyone listening? I seriously have to wonder about that given what is going on. The President is on television making blatantly racist remarks and the media is supporting him on that. He has said, "they" need to be represented by someone "like" them. Who is he talking about? Black women. Yes, that's who he is talking about. Are black women different from every other woman? Isn't that a segregationist attitude? I mean, if they are something different, something separate from all other woman, wouldn't that be the case? They? Those people? What happened to equality? What happened to being blind to race? Guess that does matter doesn't it? Yeah, matters a lot when you want to get the vote. Especially true when you want the group you also insist can't do anything on their own to vote for your leadership. And there is no doubt the Democrats hold that attitude. The poor black folks, just can't do anything on their own because the white Republicans be holding them down. But now Pappy Joe will seat a black woman on the highest court in the land because, well, we all know "they" couldn't ascend to those heights without his help. Never get there on their merits, well unless those merits are being black and being a woman. 

 Do I sound upset? I am. I'm upset when the President and the media can just drop all pretense of fairness and outright say, we will base the decision on race! Look, I'm no idiot, I know this stuff has been going on forever. It's human nature to exclude, judge, do favors for others, promote your own agenda and all of that. But, I thought we had at least reached a level were a pretense of fairness, of being unbiased, of not discriminating, was the accepted practice. No more! Just say it out loud. The qualification for this appointment is being a black woman. No other need apply. Biden has even admitted to "promising" that before he became president. It was a campaign promise. I'll be prejudiced against all other women except black women. The truth is, it is prejudicial and blatantly illegal! Se the the 13th, 14th and 24th amendment for clarification! This statement just shows the attitude it is US against Them. Them being, black women in this case. That's why he will nominate one of "them." Are you listening?

 Now the Justice that is retiring, Justice Breyers, agreed to do so under certain conditions. I don't know what all those conditions are but I do know one, only if Bidens nominee for the court is confirmed. Yes, that's a condition. I know little to nothing about this Justice, as I'm certain few of you reading this would either, but what the heck is that? Biden said he will nominate a black woman, that's absolutely clear. So, by extension, this justice is saying, I'll only retire if a black woman takes my place. How is that right? Are we now to make deals with the justices to retire conditionally? You know when some political advantage is to be gained. I do have to wonder why a justice of the supreme court would jeopardize his legacy with such a murky, shady deal. What's in it for him? Call me skeptical but why would someone risk their name, their reputation for this? As I said, I know little about him but I sure lost a lot of respect for him when I read that statement from him. He wrote, and I quote, "he will step down at the end of the court's current term, assuming his successor has been nominated and confirmed." 

 The next term begins October the third. Justice Breyer made it clear. Unless a black woman is on the bench, he isn't leaving. Unless a black woman is confirmed, he will not retire. How is that statement acceptable to anyone? Isn't that an equally prejudicial statement? If he had said, assuming a white man gets nominated and confirmed, that certainly would be a problem. This Justice, along with his colleagues has issued an opinion on racial qualifications in the past. They ruled that one cannot be discriminated against based on race. Race cannot be a condition of qualification for any job, position, or appointment. Guess he has changed his opinion when it comes to someone taking his seat on the bus! Only a black woman can do that! 

 Well, that's my rant for this morning. I feel better for having expressed my opinion on all of this. I'm just telling my truth as I see it. And the truth is, this whole deal is prejudicial and illegal. In my opinion an impeachable offense! The justice should also be removed from the bench for his remarks. If the American people can't get so much as a pretense of law and order, of following the constitution, we are truly in a downhill slide. The statements made are statements of a true dictator! Can't say we weren't warned though, Biden made this promise on the campaign trail. He promised to be prejudiced and continues to make that promise! That's the truth of it. And some mainstream media outlets are actually applauding him for it.  

Wake Up

  The President has gone on national television and made a blatantly racist statement. He stated, I will nominate a black woman for the supreme court. Now this it isn't the first time he has done this. In fact, it was a campaign promise. Amazingly no one has said a thing about that. Leads me to wonder why? Why is that alright? Would a statement like I'm going to nominate a white male be met with the same reaction? If you answer that question honestly you know it would not. If Trump had said that would he have received the same response? I highly doubt that. The reason he said that? I can only see that as pandering. It apparently got him some votes, and he is now hoping it will bolster his polls. Well he did say his administration was going to be transparent! It is, I can see right through him! The pandering is very obvious!

 Instead of saying the usual and expected line, I will select the highest qualified person I can find for the job, he simply says, I will nominate a black woman. Guess that rules out any Asian women. No Latinas' either. A man, out of the question. He further stated that black women need to be represented. What does that mean? Sounds racist to me, aren't we all Americans? Does not each member of the supreme court interpret the Constitution on the merits of what the documents says? Or are the justices supposed to interpret the Constitution based on ethnic, cultural, and racial lines? Do black women see the law differently? Are the judges supposed to represent demographics? Not in my lesson book they don't. The court is blind, justice is blind, and the interpretation of the Constitution is strictly an empirical exercise. That's how it is supposed to work.

 My issue is not with having a black woman on the court. It's true we have never had a black woman on the court, but that isn't a reason to nominate anyone. That's my issue. It's simply a racist remark to say, I will nominate a black woman for the court. The qualifier being "black" and "female". Can a white woman identify as a black woman, and would that count? We haven't had one of those on the court. We haven't had any gay, bi-sexual, trans, or "other" on the court either. Does that mean we should have one of those as well? There are no illegal aliens, no migrants, no single mothers, no single fathers, no teenagers, and no celebrities! Guess we need to nominate one of each, you know, to balance the court. 

 What with all this "woke" stuff today how is this remark getting a pass? Has the main stream media said a thing about it? Not that I've heard. Just reporting that Biden promised to nominate a black woman to the court. Some outlets have mentioned a few names. Haven't heard one of them say, that is a racist statement! Are we really going to just ignore that? Why isn't the black community upset by that? They should be. The nominee, whoever that turns out to be, will always have that stigma attached to her. She received the nomination because she was black! The proof? The President said so himself, in campaign promises and while in office. 

 Looks to me like the "woke" crowd needs to wake up! Hopefully that has begun with the inflation, the shortages, and the current trend of this administration. Over two trillion dollars of debt added, and the gravy train is getting empty! Some have grown fat and lazy, eating from the "free" buffet. It is becoming time to pay for that "free" stuff! That should wake you up! 

as usual

 Well, the economy is a mess. Inflation taking a toll. What's the surest way to improve the economy? War, get involved in a war. That's how it works. Looks like Russia is doing what it can to draw us into a conflict. It will be great for their economy as well. You could say it's a quid pro quo situation. What with Bidens' son not getting a salary from the Ukraine anymore, an interruption in energy revenues and all that. Putin is playing old Joe like a fiddle and Joe; Joe will dance to his tune.

 Yes you hear about how the United States will join its' allies in support of Ukraine. Oh, it is to preserve freedom for all mankind, the noble thing to do. But take a good look at how much support the allies are providing compared to our contribution. I admit I haven't really taken a look, but I will guarantee we are providing the bulk of it! Tell me a time when we haven't. It's the same with NATO and any other "help" we provide. Heck, we practically support NATO by ourselves. Remember when Trump wanted the other nations to pay their fair shares? The Democrats were sure upset about that. Imagine that, the United States not paying the lions share! The truth is, allies may or may not join us. 

 The thing is we are talking about world politics. We are also talking about a world economy. War is a profitable business. It can make the general population forget about or excuse a whole lot of things! Human rights are not the least among these rights to be set aside for the noble causes. What is the importance of Ukraine? It's geographic location is of primary importance. Ukraine provides Russia a gateway to commerce. Add in the fact that Ukraine was really a part of Russia for a few hundred years or more and you have the reason. The latter reason may not mean much to us, as Americans, but it is important to Russians. Remember when those pesky Confederates seceded from the union? Man, that created a big issue awful fast, didn't it? Ukraine, back in 1991 basically did the same thing. Yeah its' been thirty years but mother Russia hasn't forgotten. Putin feels like Ukraine is a part of Russia. I'm no world historian but I get it. Britian thought they owned America, in fact tried to take it back in 1812 because they felt it was their territory. Hitler invaded Austria because Austria was a part of Germany. Yeah, leaders can sometimes feel like that. Especially if there are profits to be had. 

 Personally, I'm not worried. No one wants to blow up anything of financial value. Nuclear weapons aren't going to start flying. I expect there will be a skirmish or two, lives will be lost. It's unfortunate but many will suffer. Putin will attempt to flex his muscle, attempt to dominate by sheer will of personality. 

 Will Ukraine fall and be absorbed by the Russians? No, I don't think that will happen. The goal is financial gain, not necessarily territory. It is complicated by some religious roots, however. Ukraine is considered the birthplace of Christianity in that area of the world. So, you do have the crusade element. People, indeed, nations, can get pretty vehement when it comes to that. Yes, religion and money are usually the driving forces behind any war. Everything else is just a smoke screen, a distraction. 

 I'm no fan of Joe Biden or this administration. Still, I can't place the blame on that. I do think it sped up the timeline a bit. With Trump I do believe Putin would have been a bit more cautious. The action would have been the same, just the timeline would have been different. Russia is having some financial woes, and this is a path to remedy that situation. We will respond accordingly. It won't be with any big offensive, no strike. We haven't done that since WW2. Sadly, it's just business as usual. 

in the singular

  In continuing to think about my stuff, the stuff I will leave behind, I'm trying to grasp the truth. The truth is the best thing I can leave behind are memories. That is pretty much what I inherited from my parents and grandparents. I have lots of fine memories. Yes, I have some reminders around, some things that were theirs, but the truth is the value of them lies in the memory of them. The objects themselves hold no intrinsic value. The memories however, they are priceless, but solely to me. That's also true when we share a memory with another, each placing a separate value upon that. We can share a memory but never give one away. Memories are always in the first person. 

 When someone passes away shared memories are lost. That's true when we lose the only one that shared a particular memory. I have memories of being with my parents, my siblings, good friends and co-workers. Memories shared in the first person, now lost. To others they are just stories. That's not to say others don't enjoy those stories but that they are just stories. Fact or fiction? Many times we remember what we wished had been, rather than what actually was. We relate fiction as fact. 

 But all of this is just a desire to be remembered. I'm aware of that, I feel it. I don't want to be forgotten. I also don't want anyone fixated on my passing. Move on, continue living your life but think about me every now and again. That's what I mean. It's a strange thing. I mean, I won't be here to know so why should I be concerned with that? I have no doubt that life after death is a thing. As to what exactly life in heaven or hell is really, I'd have to say, I'm not certain. I don't think I will know that I'm dead. I don't think I will know of anything I have done in the past. I'm not expecting to go to a party where I can be reunited with everyone that was "good." I do believe my energy will continue. And energy can be positive or negative. In fact it is my belief that both must exist, like dark and light, hot and cold. It's a natural state. 

 I'm thinking that I can influence that energy. I can leave behind a positive force. I can do that with memories. No matter how much wealth or material objects I should leave it is the memories held by others that will determine that. Our memories of others hold lessons. I think that is why we remember them in the first place, we did learn something from them. We have said at one time or another, so and so said this or that, or did this or that. We are relating the lesson to others. Wisdom is usually associated with age, although the two are not dependent upon one another, but it is something acquired. Well, some acquire it, others don't seem to remember. And that is what wisdom really is, lessons remembered. Perhaps that explains why some have "old" souls. We have all known someone like that. An infusion of positive energy perhaps? 

 We will find comfort a moment at a time. Memories provide those moments. Those memories will provide moments of comfort to those that remember you. It has been said never speak ill of the dead. The reason for that? Remember the good, remember the moments. Even when the person makes mistakes, even when they may injure you in some fashion, they have provided moments. No one is all bad. Remember that, speak of the good. And so, seek to leave good memories behind.  That is a legacy worth leaving. When the money is spent, the material items old, worn and discarded, the memories will remain. Something your loved ones can carry with them forever, and in that, find comfort. That is something worth leaving. A single memory. A single moment in time. Comfort in the singular, priceless.   

noted

 I literally have volumes of notes. I keep a legal pad by the computer and write things down as I research them. It has become somewhat of a habit. That developed as a result of social media. As we all know, there are experts in every field just sitting at their keyboard ready to point out any "misinformation" or fact that may be in error. Yes, you had better have references these days! I don't usually provide that reference however, if I did, every post would have more footnotes that a PhD dissertation. And even then, it would be met with dispute.

 You would think that is a good thing. I can't see that. All I see are people finding a reference to agree with their opinion. And yes, you can generally find a quote, some paper or article, to support whatever it is you wish to support. It is as I have pointed out on many occasions: "there is little that can be said that hasn't been said before." I know that to be true because I too have found many things to agree with whatever I am writing about. I can find very famous people that agree or very obscure people that agree. “Everything that needs to be said has already been said. But since no one was listening, everything must be said again.” ― André Gide  See, I just goggled that. I admit to never having heard of the man that said it. I'd say we were like minded though. I'll have to read about him.

 As to all my notes I can't say why I'm saving them. I just stick them away somewhere like I'm going to use them again. I suppose you could say it is a sort of library to my questions and thoughts. Those notes certainly aren't in any order nor make much sense as a whole work. They are just fragments. I will say I intend to save them, pack them away eventually, left to be discovered. What the eventual fate of them will be I don't know. My first thought is, in the trash can. That's simply because someone will have to sort through the stuff I litter my world with. One man's treasure and all of that. Those thoughts heightened recently hearing about the passing of old friends, classmates and acquaintances. 

 I wish I could remember all of that stuff, I'd be a Jeopardy contestant. A good bit of it is forgotten almost as soon as I write it. There are certain things each of us have the ability to retain easily, and things we struggle to remember. The things we remember are those things of importance to us. I think it is a bit deeper than that however, it is why we choose to remember that stuff as well. Are we remembering to impress others with our ability to remember and repeat? I believe that is true for some. And we all know some folks like that. The character Cliff on the old sitcom Cheers was a characterization of that. Of course, his facts were always wrong, but the importance was in knowing something that others didn't. And that, that is something that we all can relate too. Secret knowledge is the best! 

 I like to think of those notes as a window to my mind. If you take a look in there you might be surprised at what you see. It's a justification for saving those note pads full of scribbles, facts, quotes and thoughts. What will be left behind. You know it isn't so much what we have when we are here, as what we leave behind. What we leave behind is used to shape the future. It's my thinking we should provide quality materials. I just pulled down an old notepad. There on the top of the page I had written. Be careful who you pretend to be, you might forget who you are. I just googled that and discovered the author is unknown, although the thought has been around a long time. It was expressed differently but the meaning was the same. So now I'm quoting the unknown. I'll make a note of that.        

Scheduled?

 Rescheduled celebration. It's something I have thought about over the years. Perhaps that seed of thought was planted in 1971 when I was just 17. That was when congress enacted the Uniform Monday Holiday act. It was that legislation that established the three day weekend. Basically, it combined Washington and Lincolns birthdays to create Presidents' Day and also recognize Columbus Day as an official holiday. This change was driven mostly by the tourist industry, three-day weekends are good for business. Profits trump tradition. No need to celebrate the event on the actual anniversary of that event, reschedule it. It has only increased in popularity as the years have gone by.

 Originally Veterans Day was included in this reorganized calendar. It was moved back to the actual date of the anniversary after much push back from Veterans groups. Martin Luther Kings' birthday wasn't celebrated until 1986 but was included on a Monday. No matter, just schedule a three-day federal holiday. It is worth noting that these federal holidays only apply and are enforceable for federal employees. Just another example of the government making "rules" that only apply to themselves. Federal employees do enjoy quite a range of benefits and entitlements not necessarily available to the general public. Well, it does hinge upon who our representatives are representing. In this case they are representing the tourist/vacation industry. The travel industry, in all its' facets, certainly didn't object. Fill up those gas tanks and hit the highway! 

 I just wonder if by rescheduling our celebrations if we aren't diminishing their importance as well. What I mean is this. We choose to celebrate an event that holds significance or importance to us. So much so we choose to celebrate that event every year. The intent is to highlight the day. Now, when those days are just rolled into a three-day vacation is the significance being displaced? We did celebrate Washington and Lincolns' birthdays. Now they are combined. Although not officially changed many states now call it Presidents' Day. The holiday is to celebrate Washingtons' birthday but includes all the Presidents. It is still officially Washingtons' birthday. But we couldn't just celebrate Washington and Lincoln could we? No, we needed to include all the Presidents. 

 I guess it doesn't really make much difference. Perhaps it is just my sensibilities. I do feel like the event should be celebrated on the anniversary of that event. If we choose to commemorate a person or event it should be on that date. Like a birthday is your "special" day and that is the day to celebrate that. Today is my grandsons' birthday. He is twenty-one years old today. He celebrated his birthday yesterday. It was a more convenient time. I baked him a cake which he doesn't get until today, on his birthday! Really, he saw it yesterday but I'm holding that cake hostage to ensure I will see him today, on his birthday. That is important to me. It's a sad truth that some of the other holidays I forget. Just when is Lincolns' birthday? When is George Washingtons? What is the actual date of their birth? What's Labor Day? The end of summer? Memorial Day and Veterans Day are often confused in the publics' eyes. Significance lost? Yes, I think to a degree it is.

 I guess we are just trying to create a more convenient world. A world more profitable, more predictable, planned in advance. Maybe there will come a time when we just clump all our holidays, celebrations and remembrances into a single time frame. Take a month off from work and get all that done at once. It would be more efficient. Or maybe we could just schedule all that stuff for the first week of every month. All birthdays, all holidays, are celebrated the first week of every month. Everyone gets paid for that first week of work too! That way everyone gets the same paid holidays as everyone else. Seems fair and really shouldn't your birthday be a paid holiday for you? I know mine should.     

   

conditional truth

 I have said it before, "everyone wants to be equal, until they are" and that has proven to be true. This morning I'm thinking everyone wants you to be honest with them, until you are. I'm growing more convinced of that every day. The thing is, that remains true even when they agree with the truth in question. That is to say, they agree with the fact, they just don't want to hear that fact. It's a condition I call conditional truth, it depends. I get it, I understand, there are days when we just don't want to hear it. There are days when the truth is uncomfortable. Doesn't change the facts, but you don't want to hear it. 

 It is similar to the equality thing. Everyone says they want equality; say they want everyone treated equally. But, the moment that happens the exceptions and exemptions enter the picture. Really, I should be just a little more equal than you because well, refer to the list of exemptions, exceptions and exclusions. It's a list that grows almost daily in todays' world. The latest example being men competing in Womens' sports. That's equality, right? Many say so. 

 The truth is not everyone is equal in every area of human development. Yup, some people are stupid! Harsh statement, right? It's the truth just like not all babies are super cute. You're not supposed to say that stuff. Honesty is the same way, sometimes you are not supposed to just tell the truth. Folks can, and will, get upset with you about that.

 So we are faced with conditional truth. The times when we shouldn't tell the truth because it isn't what others want to hear. The truth hasn't changed, it's just that others are tuned to a different channel so to speak. The truth comes as static. It's an annoyance, an unwelcomed interference. The real issue becomes the ability to just tune it out altogether. And that, in my opinion, is what is happening today. It is the, yes that is what it says but that isn't what it means mindset.  

 The Baltimore City States Attorney is a prime example of that. She has chosen to not prosecute certain "low level" crimes. She doesn't deny that they are crimes, she doesn't deny that those actions are against the law, she just chooses to ignore them. A conditional truth! It's illegal but we won't treat it as illegal. The reason? It takes too much time to enforce everything, to treat each crime as "criminal" so the condition of enforcement is altered. We can enforce that if we want to, ignore it if we choose to. Like the truth, spoken only when it suits!

 Thomas Sowell wrote this: "when you want to help others you tell them the truth. When you want to help yourself, you tell them what they want to hear." There is much wisdom in those words. It boils the whole thing down nicely. The help to yourself may be maintaining a friendship, gaining a friend, or, as many like to say, compassion, empathy and understanding. But even those actions are often self-serving in the long run. The reason is easy enough to understand. Survival. Survival is programmed into our DNA. The desire to live, to be a part of society, to be popular, accepted, to be validated is strong indeed. 

 A society cannot exist in conditional truth. The founding fathers wrote: "we hold these truths to be self-evident" meaning they are not conditional; they are the simple truth. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. These rights are endowed by "their" creator. Note it doesn't say any particular creator, just "their" creator and that life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are "among" these self-evident truths. That certainly implies there are other "inalienable" rights. What are those rights? Self defense, owning personal property, being able to move freely about the nation, worship a god or not, to be secure in your home and to think freely. Those inalienable truths are under attack. They are under attack by the very government that delineated those rights in the first place. Those truths are self-evident! Let's not make them conditional.  

Progress

  5G is going to crash all the airplanes! That's what I heard on the news. Verizon has agreed to not turn on the towers within two miles on the airport. I just got new phones a part of a promotion from Xfinity and they are 5G. I don't live anywhere near an airport, well technically there is an airport in Ridgely about five miles from here, it doesn't have a tower or an air traffic controller. You just have to take a good look yourself before taking off or landing. There is one in Easton, twenty miles away, not certain if 5G will affect that or not. The reporter says the technicians are working out a solution. He did briefly go into what the issue was regarding frequencies or bandwidths, something like that.

 I take some pride in knowing how most things work. It is something I was told as a child, before you try to fix something, know how it works! If you don't know how it works, leave it alone. As a result, I do try to gain at least a rudimentary understanding of how things work. Electronics are a subject that I have the least understanding of. Basic electricity I have a grasp on, I do know what components do what. The broadcasting of radio signals however, a bit of a mystery. I do wonder why all the signals flying through the air don't get all scrambled up! The concept of invisible lines that these signals travel on elude me. 

 I think I first began wondering about that stuff during the CB craze in the late sixties. 10-4 and dropping the requirement for a license to broadcast low powered signals across a number of channels. Became so popular the number of channels was increased. Not certain if anyone even uses CB's anymore. I remember you could purchase a linear amplifier to boost your signal and "step" on others with less power. My oldest brother having been a Radioman while in the Navy had some knowledge of this stuff. He had an antenna the size of a 5G tower and that amplifier. All illegal as I recall, but when he keyed his mike, he was heard! I don't remember his "handle" but my other brother was the Red Rooster. I never did come up with a good handle, never had a cool nickname either. I always wanted the last one but that's something you don't get to pick for yourself. I guess I can't blame anyone for that when I couldn't think of a name for myself! I'm just not nick-name material. But in my defense, I have been called a lot of names. Still am as a matter of fact. 

 Now I'm wondering if I use my phone to call in a pizza will I cause a disaster? Did you want pepperoni on that pie? Yes, and a crash crew sent to the airport! Just what is this 5G and why is it a problem? Well, the G just stands for generation. We have come a way since the phones in a briefcase. Fifth generation, about a hundred years in people generations. My grandchildren have never known a time when cell phones didn't exist. They have never known a time without an internet. But now, this fifth generation may cause interference in the flight gauges and systems of aircraft. I wonder if it would affect these self-driving, self-parking cars? That's a scary thought. Don't text and drive takes on a new level of importance in that scenario. Can it interfere with the electronics in the car next to you? 

 I'm certain they will get it all figured out soon enough. Some type of shielding no doubt, some new technology to purchase. You would think that the engineers would have thought about all of this before now. I wonder how that got overlooked. This 5G really isn't so different from the 4G. At least that is what I read about it. It is just faster, having a broader bandwidth. I hear about bandwidth a lot but confess to not really understanding it. But according to Google it is anticipated that 1.3 billion people will be connected to this 5G network. Seems to me the odds for something getting mixed up is high. Well, except for the planes that is, they are grounded. Orville and Wilbur wouldn't have a problem though, 1st generation being pretty basic and all. Progress does complicate things, doesn't it?   

in defense

  I wrote some time back this statement: peace can only be achieved when there is a commonality of culture. I was rebuked by some, and quotes thrown at me to support a different position. I was encouraged to read what another scholar had to say and reject my own thought or conclusion. I will use the archaic meaning of the word scholar in this instance, a scholar being a student. I am a student and make no such proclamation of being a scholar. I'll leave that label for others. The thoughts of everyone carry equal weight in my world. That doesn't mean I will agree with those thoughts, or adopt those thoughts as my own, just that they carry equal merit. And this is where culture enters the discussion. Yes, some will call it an argument. That's what attorneys do, argue. What is an argument? It is a line of reasoning in support of an idea. Ideas form the basis of culture. In truth, it is belief. When you believe your ideas are the correct ideas, the reasoned response to a situation, it becomes what you believe. 

 "a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation" Are those words familiar to you? They are the last sentence in the opening paragraph of the Declaration of Independence. The document goes on to explain, in detail, just what the beliefs of those "colonists" are. The commonalty of culture had been fractured by the crown. Abuses were everywhere. A significant portion of the colonists banded together, in a common bond, to oppose the repression of the government. Yes, independence was the prize! It's true that not everyone was on board, some unwilling to risk their lives, their fortunes or their sacred honor! That was their opinion. We have traditionally admired the ones that chose otherwise. Today however the narrative has changed. It is what we are calling cancel culture. 

 It has been the commonalty of culture that made this country great. A culture of independence. Contrary to what we are being told these days, this country has been the land of opportunity. My own third great grandfather emigrated to this country from Germany. He came for the opportunity to improve his condition. Eventually he gained citizenship, served in the civil war, and acquired property. He earned every bit of it. He came to America to become an American. And what is an American? A person that believes in the idea of freedom! A person that understands and accepts that independence, freedom, is not free. It isn't something granted, given or bought. It is something earned! And that, that is the commonalty of culture that I am talking about. 

 It's my thinking that many are confusing just what culture is. Arts, customs, lifestyle and habits form culture. In anthropology culture is knowledge passed from one generation to the next, what we may call traditions. In the United States, since the very beginning, anthropological culture has always been celebrated. It is cultural differences, differences in belief of a moral nature that has always caused friction. America was founded on a moral basis, on religious traditions and belief. It is the very reason there is no state sponsored religion! There is freedom of religion, freedom to believe whatever you want to believe. It is only when you attempt to impress your beliefs on others that the friction begins. That is where argument begins. 

 My argument is contained in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the bill of rights. I also draw upon the thoughts expressed in the Federalist papers. I am an American. I was fortunate to be born in this nation and am entitled to citizenship by that act of circumstance. I became an American! I believe in the America that was a melting pot. It is that "melting" that formed an alloy, the alloy called an American. It wasn't a rejection of other cultural ideas, other traditions, it was combining. We formed that common bond. 

 The statue of President Theodore Roosevelt has been removed from the museum of Natural history. Why is that? It is just another example of cancel culture. Roosevelt despite his efforts to preserve the nation lands, he did create Grand Canyon national park and others, is being vilified by those that would negate his accomplishments. What is his big sin? This statement is apparently what is so offensive:  “In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin.  Yes, that is the big issue. What is he saying? He is advocating for a commonalty of culture. He wants everyone to be an American. In other passages he addresses the whole hyphenated American thing. There can be no such thing! I agree with Teddy. The bottom line is easy to understand. If you want freedom you have to give up something, it isn't free. Many have given their life. I stand in defense of America. Sounds melodramatic, I know. But it is the reason I say the things I do, sometimes even when that is unpopular. I will argue in defense of America. Fight if I have to.  

a little thing

 I was listening to the news as usual and the weatherman, yes, he is a man, was talking about a storm front. At one point he says, that storm will "exit, stage right" by six o'clock. My immediate response was, hey that's what Snagglepuss always said! My wife laughed and said , you're right. Heavens to Murgatroyd. I wonder how many children would know who Snagglepuss is today? My guess is, not many. Truth be told I had almost forgotten about him myself. Funny how a phrase or a single word can trigger a memory. Snagglepuss had a habit of ending a sentence with the word, even. I can hear that voice to this day.

 Remember those Saturday morning cartoons? We sure had an entire cast of them. Yogi Bear, Wally Gator, Quick Draw McGraw, Bobba Loey, Peter Potamus and Huckleberry Hound to name a few. What about Minute Mouse, Underdog, and Fearless fly? All are familiar to me, and most are forgotten today. Mr. Magoo was a favorite. Magilla Gorilla. 

 I haven't gone looking for them, but I suspect they are all available on some streaming service. That is something I have begun to explore in the last few weeks. I had DISH and it was just becoming too expensive for what I was getting. I find there aren't many new programs that appeal to me. Out of the many channels I found I was really only watching about six or seven of them. So, what's the use of paying for 100 plus channels? Currently I'm trying out a free trial of Paramount Plus and Frndly TV. I'll keep one but haven't decided which one. 

 When I was a kid those cartoons were only on Saturday morning. As I remember they were over by ten or eleven. I'd definitely be outside by then anyway. I didn't binge watch that much is certain. I do remember getting yelled at. " Get back from that television, you want to go blind?" Sunday morning we got the funny papers. Sometimes played with them with silly putty. After that it was off to church. 

  It's funny how much we all learned from those cartoons though. We did get history lessons, moral lessons and lessons in just getting along with each other. Most of my knowledge of Opera comes from cartoons. Elmer Fudd singing, I'm hunting wabbits, hunting wabbits! And Bugs saying, what's up Doc? But today Elmer has been disarmed, Foghorn Leghorn has been declared a bully and the chickenhawk a predator. Bobba Loey is a stereotype even though s'right. Boris and Natasha no longer chase after Rocky and Bullwinkle. They taught us about those Russians, didn't they? Yes, and the Russinas are still spying and interfering in everything. 

 Exit, stage right! Hadn't heard that used in a long time. Took me back in time a ways. Brought a smile to my face. Sometimes it is the littlest things that start your day. Makes you feel good even. 

                                                            

  

distracted?

  Just heard were there are plans to combine the flu shot and the covid vaccine into a single dose. The line is that way you only have to get one shot, instead of two. What I hear is, that way you get that covid vaccine whether you like it or not. Won't work with me though, I don't get the seasonal flu shot either. But I am aware that many people get that shot every year even the ones that refuse this latest therapy, being called a vaccine. But I guess the plan is going to be, all or nothing! And this is going to be hailed as a breakthrough, an advance in medical history. 

 I keep seeing the meme's the articles about how we have eradicated so many diseases with other vaccines. That is not the case. All those diseases still exist in the world, are still viable, and can still be transmitted. Yes, they are under control by use of a vaccine. A vaccine that actually works! And that is the big difference. This vaccine doesn't really work. It may or may not lessen the severity of the disease, there is no way to actually measure that despite claims to the contrary. Is there a control group? How many have volunteered to be infected with the delta and omicron variants to establish a level? Yes, early on there were the supposed control groups getting the vaccine, some placebo, some real. Just how do we, the average Joe, know that actually happened. Could be the ones that got sick were just those "breakthrough" cases. Could be everyone received the "vaccine." Could be, it just doesn't work any better than the seasonal flu shot that we have been getting all these years. Seasonal Flu shot efficacy? 40-60%. That number from the CDC. I read that as a 50/50 chance. Might work, might not!

 The reality is, for whatever reason. the government has decided we will all get this vaccine. We will get it whether we want it or not. I'm not much of a conspiracy guy, especially any conspiracies that would require the cooperation of so many, but something just isn't right here. The lead Doctor has changed his statements more times than I change my socks! His latest statement saying that even herd immunity will not stop covid! Surprised Doc? I'm not, do we have herd immunity against the common cold? Nope, and that has been around as long as man has been around, as far as we know. I'm no doctor but I'd say there are certain things that we will never be immune too. Covid is a coronavirus. Remember that? Before all we heard is Covid-19 we were told it was a coronavirus. Then the people received a bit of education and came to understand that a common cold is also a coronavirus! 

 As I said, I'm not much of a conspiracy guy. I can offer no explanation for this response, on a world wide basis. I am aware this is happening in every other developed nation. I just don't understand why. This disease, this virus, has a survivability rate over 98%! World hunger is causing more death than this virus yet there has been no great outcry, no great response. There are drug cartels murdering people by the thousands, little to no response to that. 

 I just have to wonder? Could it be that a biological weapon was accidently released from a lab in China? The only way to cover that up is by mass denial. I'm certain that lab was being funded by multiple agencies, multiple countries. That the United States had a stake in it can't be denied, no matter how much they try. The only thing to do is create mass distraction from the cause and get the people focused on the cure, but not a cure, convince the people it is a matter of survival! It's the old adage, it's hard to remember the objective was to drain the swamp when you are up to your ass in alligators!       

here's a thought

 It's tax season. That's what I heard on the news this morning. The IRS will be accepting returns soon. Now, you won't be getting your refund anytime soon that was also reported. The IRS needs more money to process returns. That's right, the government needs more money so they can collect more money! The tax code has become more complex. Well, who would have believed that, more complex? It is currently only 70,000 pages. Any congressman or senator could read and understand that almost overnight. They do it with bills all the time. Well, sometimes they do have to pass the bill before they know what is in it, so they can know what is in it.

 I consider myself fortunate that I really don't have to worry about taxes. I can just file the simplest of forms. I even get mine prepared for free through my bank. That is simply because I have never been one that was overly concerned with making money. I have no investments, no portfolio, no large sums to protect from the government. It isn't that I wouldn't like to have all of that, it's just that I never "applied" myself to that task. I went to work, drew a paycheck, spent it and made another one. Now I just wait for my money to arrive in the bank. I use direct deposit! How modern and progressive is that? 

 I expect I will hear a great deal of complaining this year, not that I don't hear a lot every year, but many are unaware. Remember all that "free" money? It wasn't free, you have to pay that back. If you already received your child tax credits you don't get to claim them on your taxes. I'm no tax expert, know very little about any of it in fact, but know this, nothing is free! Any monies spent or given away for that matter comes out of your pocket! There is no such thing as government money, there is only taxpayers' money. And, as strange as it is, that includes those that don't pay any tax in the first place. Those folks will pay in some fashion. Mostly by the surrender of their rights and freedoms. Dependence upon government is the strongest prison of all. 

 Now the biggest expense for the government in the coming years will be placating their dependents. The official line is restoring Americas' infrastructure. The reality is providing free internet services to certain neighborhoods along with all the electronic devices required in conjunction with that. Hey, it's called social inequity when you can't afford the same products as your neighbor. I should get the Rolls Royce too! And new housing, I should get new housing. I shouldn't have to live in an apartment, I deserve so much more. I should get free health care, free educational opportunities, and money to spend every month on entertainment. I shouldn't have to travel more than a few blocks to have the finest in shopping, no food deserts! And all of that cost's money! 

 Yes here is the simple truth. The ones that aren't paying anything into the system are the ones costing the system the most money. Economics 101. Now isn't that an inconvenient truth? Also, the more dependents you have, the greater the cost to you. That way with people and government. Really it isn't hard to understand. There will never be enough money to fund dependence. That's sorta the reason we seek independence. What a revolutionary thought!   

understanding

  I made a little post about being at the store. I was checking out and the sales lady says, go ahead and swipe it. I looked at her and smiled saying, I'm old enough to remember when that was a bad thing. She didn't catch that double entendre right away so I added, you would be calling the police about now. She did get it then and chuckled. I then told my wife the joke and she didn't catch it right away either. I had to explain. Well, we all have those moments when something just sails over our heads, I know it happens to me more often than I would like. But that got me to thinking.

 Expressions, slang, even meanings of words change over time and usage. Swipe is one of those. Today we think of swiping a card through a slot to pay for something. I remember well when such a thing didn't exist. To swipe meant to steal something, or to take a swing (swipe) at someone. Neither action was a good thing. Scroll is another word. We scroll down the page of a computer screen. In the past a scroll was an ancient form of text. You know, like the dead sea scrolls. Remember when a nook was a corner or small hidden space? That isn't what a nook is today. You can read a book on a nook these days. ATM is understood by everyone. 

 That's just a couple I'm certain you can think of many more. I was thinking the other day about writing checks. I guess some folks still do that, I do have a check book but couldn't say the last time I wrote a check. Now I just swipe it! If you're not swiping you can simply enter the info into the block and hit pay now. That charge will be immediately deducted from your account. Yeah that's the thing about atm cards and swiping, you can't bounce them. Checks would bounce, at least back in the old days they would. Remember writing that check the day before payday? Maybe even two days before payday. That check wouldn't hit the bank for about three days, it's cool. 

 Streaming, application and mobile device. You know what all those things are don't you? There are streaming applications you can install on your mobile device. You can even snyc them across all your devices. All of that is something I am becoming more aware of every time I need to talk to tech support. Of course, I remember when there was no one to call except the repair man when something didn't work. I've even been asked, what browser are you using? Same as always, my own two eyes, what else would I use? Yeah, that is lost on many people too.  But I've been told to update my browser, in fact, my computer does that automatically. I'd say that was convenient. Across all devices and platforms. There are a lot of platforms out there. Haven't seen any trains though. 

 I do enjoy puns and word play. It keeps the mind sharp, I think. Forces the mind to go in a different direction sometimes. At other times we used to say you would get off track. That expression most likely started with trains and what a wreck that would cause when they went off the track. It can be a mess when you get off track. I like all the little expressions that you here in different areas of the country. Dialects developed over the years. Eventually they fade away. Each generation adds and subtracts from all of that. Don't want to be square man. Cool however has stuck around for quite a while and is still being used today. Nobody says you're square though. It's like being hip, no one says that either. Sometimes things just don't make sense. Like self-checkout. I'm supposed to just check myself out? Yes, but there is an employee that does nothing but make sure you pay for what you check while "secretly" making sure you check out everything you have checked out. It's like the honor system, except without honor. Or at least they don't trust your honorable intentions to check yourself out. But, it can be convenient. And that takes me back to another blog. If you want it done right, do it yourself. Do it yourself has become a marketing plan, we are being told we can do it ourselves, and it is a convenance to us, a service they provide. We can do their job for them, now how convenient is that? When I'm done checking myself out, I can just swipe it. Well except that is what the employee is there for, to make sure I don't swipe it.               

  

the beat goes on

 And the beat goes on. No not the hit song by Sonny and Cher (1967) but the politicians in the city of Baltimore. Yesterday it was reported that the city state attorney Marilyn Mosby has been indicted on four counts. Comes as no surprise to me, or anyone else I think. Fraud and perjury are the charges. This federal indictment, it was reported, will be easy to prove. There are signed documents to substantiate the claims. Marilyn Mosby held a press conference, where she wouldn't take questions, and professed her innocence. Yes, that is all she had to say, I didn't do anything wrong. I have to say that woman just makes me sick, always has. Her defense is that she has been scrutinized too closely because she is a progressive, black, woman! The fact that she, on more than one occasion, refused to invite Fox news to her press conferences, or answer any questions from fox, either in person or by e-mail is just proof that they have been out to get her. The fact that her husband is the president of the city council and had a tax lien of 40 thousand dollars on their property, which he denied several times, on camera, and she now says, I didn't know anything about that doesn't warrant any scrutiny. No, the feds are just picking on her. I would just like to point a simple fact out to Ms. Mosby, or any other person that says they are being too closely scrutinized. Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is looking! I don't care how close anyone is looking if I am not doing anything wrong!

 The experts on the news are saying it could be a year or more before a trial is held, unless she pleads it out. Yes, she can make a plea deal. Now as an attorney her license to practice law can be revoked, she can be disbarred. I'm hoping that happens. An attorney has to display integrity and she certainly hasn't done that. There are signed documents, signed by her, involving real estate transactions, and tax fraud. She can claim ignorance all she wants but the proof is right there. Not my opinion, the experts said that! For me it is further proof just how deep the corruption in Baltimore city politics goes. Her chief prosecutor recently resigned in disgrace. He abused the powers of his position to send illegal subpoenas to the phone company. He wanted to know the whereabouts of an ex-girlfriend. With another ex she owed him money. He sent threatening letters, on city letterhead, to her threatening her with arrest if she didn't pay. All illegal! He has been disbarred. 

 But I think what bothers me most about all of that is there are still those that support her. Now I don't live in Baltimore and I'm glad of that. I just don't get how anyone living in that city could support her after this. Yes, her progressive policies have kept some out of jail, the ones that are only committing a little harmless crime in her opinion, and that can be appealing, to criminals. I get that she is a black woman, and some will support her for that alone. Yeah, Black power and all that. Thing is the entire city government is controlled by black politicians and in the last twenty years there hasn't been much improvement. Three previous mayors, all black women left office in disgrace for a variety of reasons. The last one is still in prison. But, that's none of my business. A white female reporter was fired from her job for suggesting perhaps a change was in order. After a few months Fox news did hire her though. I just wonder why the people of Baltimore keep voting for the same thing expecting a different result. This is proof enough to me. And, the beat goes on. 

until it isn't

  I was listening to the news as they talked about Prince Andrew and the accusations against him. Now I'm not one to be a bit concerned with the royals. Apparently, he was friends with Epstein. The accusation is that he sexually abused/assaulted underage women, or at least one woman. Ghislane is supposed to be the one providing this young girl for his pleasure. A judge has now ruled that he can be charged and made to testify. What struck me about that was the defense team. They were saying it wouldn't be right to have a royal testifying, under oath! The implication being, we all should just take his word for it because, well, he is a royal. And if you swear to something, under oath, that means it is the absolute truth! The jury would have to believe that! If I were innocent that is certainly what I would want the jury to believe. I'd testify. But he shouldn't. I'm not certain I understand the reasoning here. 

 Moving on from the royal scandal to covid news. I heard where in certain venues or situations in New York City proof of vaccination is required. I need a vax card! Shouldn't a sworn statement be enough? I mean if I swear, I'm telling the truth, take an oath. A notary public stamp should be sufficient. Seems to me that I recall the government saying they were going to use the honor system. Now it would seem, honor isn't enough. And the booster shots must be recorded on that vax card too. Do I get a free booster after every seventh one? 

  There is just so much about all of this that I find confusing. Infection rates are down, hospitalizations are at record highs. The Omicron variant is 99% less lethal than the delta variant. The delta variant has a 99% survival rate so Omicron can't be much worse than getting the snuffles. If you think you have covid don't go to the hospital! Get an at home test that may or may not be accurate and reliable. Be careful though there is price gouging going on but the government is running out of tests. The president says he is buying a half a billion, er 500 million tests, that's a billion tests and they will all be free. And now we all need the N95 masks, again. Remember when this started that is what we needed and then when there weren't any, anything will do just fine. At one point we were told to wear two! 

 Well, I'll just go about my business. I haven't gotten the jab and have no plans to do so. The great Doctor has already said, everyone in America will get covid at some point. Yes, we all get a cold, a coronavirus infection. I have in the past and I'm certain I will in the future. I will not stand in line for hours to be tested for something I may or may not have. I will not buy a test to see if I need to be tested. 

I don't care what they do with Prince Andrew, in my opinion, charge him same as anybody else. I'm still not wearing any mask unless it is required. I do obey the law, whether that law is just, fair, or whatever isn't the point to me, if it is the law, it's the law, until it isn't.   

the price I pay

 The last couple days I have been talking about tech and doing it yourself. Today I hope to perform that self install of internet and television services. I could have scheduled a technician to do that, I guess, not sure with this covid stuff if that is still a thing, but I didn't even consider that. I just agreed to the disclaimer that if I couldn't do it and needed a tech later, it would cost one hundred dollars! Well, I see that as an opportunity to save a hundred. Hey, how hard can it be, the cable is already run from the pole to the house.

 I was asked why I don't just pay the tech and get it over and down with. Why don't I save myself the stress and aggravation? The answer isn't because I'm cheap! Yeah, I've been told that a few times but that comes from the incompetents! That's my judgement anyway and yes, I judge people based on the things they say and do. Don't judge me though. But the reason I don't just hire someone to do it is a simple one, if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. If that involves learning how to do it, that's what I will do. Been that way most of my life. You could say it's a family tradition, heritage even. I come from a long line of self sufficient, independent, hard working people. Also a long line of people that couldn't afford to just hire someone every time something broke or they wanted something. No, we learned to make do, repair it, build it, or just do without. That's the way it worked at my house, for the most part. As a result, I have acquired a range of skills, but wouldn't call myself a master at any one of them. Yup, a jack of all trades and master at none. I think it is a fair description. 

 Now as the tech increased the ability to do all of that gets reduced. Today, for instance, should the television quit working there isn't much I can do about that. Check for power is about it. Forty years ago I could have checked to be sure all the tubes were lit up and working. I have replaced a few over the years, no need to call the tv repair man. It's the same with a lot of other things today. On the old cars I could fix just about any part on there. Today you have to replace the broken component, if you can figure out exactly what that is. Takes a laptop computer sometimes to pinpoint that. Back in the day you could listen with a piece of pipe and diagnosis the issue. That's the problem with all this tech, the ability to repair it is limited, not by the person, but by the ability to repair it altogether. Generally, today, you can only replace the part, not repair the part.

 You know it is a funny thing though, I was told that if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. The truth of that is, if you want something done to your satisfaction, you have to do it yourself. It may or may not be right! Doesn't matter if you did it yourself though, you got it done to your satisfaction. That's what important in this scenario. Now that I have grown older, not old, just older, I have taken to paying others to do certain things. I take the car to get the oil changed for instance. Then I'm hoping the guy doesn't screw that up. That's the thing with other people, sometimes they just don't do things the right way. The only right way is the way I do it! In the Navy we used to say, there is the right way, the wrong way, and the Navy way. 

 I have wondered over the years if I came from a family that had simply hired people to do everything what that would be like. Is that the people that don't know how to so anything? We have all met those folks, helpless with the simplest of things. During my brief job at Lowes store, in the electrical department, I had a person ask me if I could rewire a lamp. Yes, a simple table lamp, one bulb. The person explained he didn't know what wire to put where. I figured there was no use trying to explain and simply said, we don't do that here. I referred him to the lighting center next door where they offer that service. I've heard of people hiring a plumber to install faucets or a sink or because they had a leaking pipe. I've heard of people hiring electricians because a breaker tripped or they needed an additional receptacle. I've even heard of people paying to have a tire changed. 

 I figure it must be hard to live that way, dependent on others all the time. I wonder what they do if they can't afford to hire someone or if someone isn't available to help. What a lonely feeling that must be. I have hired a technician to work on my computer and I didn't like that at all. It wasn't so much the cost, although that was crazy, but the fact that I had no idea what he was talking about. I could have been easily talked into anything and maybe I was. I don't like that feeling at all. No, I'll just do it myself. I have an entire internet to gather the information I need. If you really want to learn how to do something, you have to do it. Once you learn, no one else ever does it right. It's the curse of independence. It's the price I pay. 

rolodex and high tech

   In the continuing saga with tech I am left with many questions. On Monday I spoke with a representative online about internet/television packages. Yesterday the self install kit arrives. Amazing, almost overnight equipment is delivered. Getting an actual representative to appear at your home in another matter altogether, the very reason I decided to do it myself. How hard can it be to screw some wires together? They even sent a picture of what it should look like when I'm done. A diagram. 

  This isn't my first go around with this stuff and so I have reservations. I'm aware I'm going to have to create passwords, enter passwords, create a home network and name all of that in some order. The issue will be in establishing all of that to work together. Then I'll have to write all that in a book in an attempt to remember what it all is. What's the password for the router? What is the password for your Google acct, for your e-mail account, Roku account, Frndly account, and a host of others.  Yup, I have an old fashioned rolodex filled with those things, some are ten years old or older. Which is which? Well, first you have to remember if something is case sensitive. Some are, some aren't. You do have to include upper case, lower case, numbers and special characters. Or, so I've read in advertisement I could just put all of that into one place and only have to remember one password for everything. I don't know about that seems like I would be making it easier for those hackers to me. One and done, got everything. The computer is always asking me if I want it to save my passwords, autofill them. I always decline, for the obvious reason. You can't hack my rolodex! You couldn't figure that out if I handed to you, I can't most of the time. It's a political rolodex, it says this, but means that. 

 So I have a box of equipment, complete with cables, ready to be installed. I'm mentally preparing myself. Now we all know this install will involve the moving of furniture, finding places to plug everything in and routing the cables. All of that is a frustration in itself. I have learned from past experience that not all coax cable is the same. Better be using RG-6 or it might not work at all. How old is that cable in the wall? Could be an issue. Then there is the issue of "gateways" and what they will allow. That's where it really gets techy. I've been reading, studying up on all that. 

 But you can use wireless! That's what the tech guy will tell you. Sounds great to me until you try to establish your network and get all your "devices" connected. I have a dual band router, just to complicate things. My desktop is on one band, the chromebook is another, and there is the printer, the google home thing and two phones. And, of course, you need to secure your home network so the neighbors don't steal your internet. Hey, you're using up the internet and slowing my stuff down. I'm paying the bill and buffering. Yes, I know about buffering. don't buy the cheapest internet connection. Just have to remember the wi-fi password for when visitors come. That is getting to be less an issue, as most people have unlimited data plans on their phones these days. Grandkids used to ask all the time. In fact they explained the whole secure your network/internet thing to me. Well, sorta.

 Today however I'll be doing something more low tech, the laundry. It's laundry day. I have some more reading to do about all of this stuff, questions that need answers. I do need to get more organized before I begin. I need to just slow down, take notes, write everything down as I go. I'm learning to write things down PRECISELY so as to avoid frustration. You know when you get that message, the password is incorrect! No it isn't I just entered that! Then after some time realizing you didn't use the upper case letter in the right spot, oops, my bad. Anxiety attack! Don't have any problem doing the laundry though, just throw it in the washer and start it going. Everything is colorfast, no sorting for me. No passwords, no networks and no buffering. 

     

dealing with tech

  Yesterday I thought I would attempt to consolidate all my services. Internet, television and telephone. To say it was a smooth transition would be like saying the Titantic had a smooth voyage. Fortunately, however I haven't sunk, yet. Taking on water for sure but bailing it pretty fast too. So, I spent about an hour and a half with the Comcast/Xfinity representative. Taxing, you bet. It's like attempting to talk to someone in a foreign language when you only understand a few words. Frustrating to say the least. Gigabytes, megabytes, routers, modems, dual plan, single plan, what equipment do you need, and the conversation went on. How much data do you need? I don't know. Do you want the unlimited plan? I don't know. Are you bringing your own phone? It's cheaper if you bring your own number. They decided to give me two new phones if I kept my numbers. Well, okay. But then I needed my account number and transfer pins for both phones. Had to call Consumer Celluar for that. They were experiencing high call volume and I had to wait 45 minutes for them to answer the phone! Finally get that and the representative says, you only need one transfer pin number. Ok, thank you. Xfinity however has a different requirement, they want two pin numbers! So their representative calls and gets answered immediately! Could have saved me an hour had they done that first. But, ok we got the pin numbers. Now there is an issue with the "porting" whatever that is. Another call , to India judging by the accent of the person talking, and a mere fifteen minutes later, the port is cleared. So, what is the password for your Google account? I don't know. No problem, we can reset your password. Apparently they didn't need my password after all as they gained access in just a few clicks! I had to create a new password once I got home. And all of that is another issue for us tech challenged folks. Trying to keep all the passwords organized and what goes to what is a headache. And then we need to migrate the data. No problem, there is an app for that, or so I'm told. The young lady assisting me is browsing her pictures while talking to me and pushing buttons on my phone. I am remaining calm however. 

 Well, I have two new phones this morning and a new phone plan. It will save me about forty dollars a month over the old plan. Now all I have to do is figure out how to navigate the new phone. Oh, and reinstall apps, you have to have apps! But I've been told there is an app for that too. An app that installs apps from your old phone, What will they think of next? Later today I begin to deal with Dish network to get my service stopped and their equipment returned. And of course there is the internet service too. I'm told not to worry, the self install kit is on its' way. If I can't do it though a professional installer will come for a mere one hundred dollars and screw the wires together for me. Call me a glutton for punishment but I will do it myself. I'll write a blog about it afterward complaining. it's what I do. 

 The bottom line in all of this is simply in understanding the terms and terminology. It's a different language. The young people know this language but resist sharing that information with us older folks. I have asked for an explanation in plain English. Now that seemed to confuse that young person. I wonder if they can explain it? I have doubts. I'm still not sure what happened. 

  

funding

  Isn't it the strangest thing? I hear people complaining all the time about the cost of medical care, how they can't afford that. I hear the complaints about the cost of housing, an automobile, or designer clothing. I hear the cries of I can't afford that, I need a living wage! All of that yet cigarette sales are still doing fine, at over a hundred a carton. Beer, wine and liquor sales are strong. Gambling in all forms enjoys public support. Yes, it's almost as though vice isn't concerned with the economy at all. Seems as though people find a way to "get by" just fine when it comes to the things they want in that department. I've heard of people being evicted from their homes because they couldn't pay the rent, but I haven't heard of anyone paying the rent and complaining, I can't buy cigarettes, beer, or drugs! No food, but they have two hundred dollar sneakers. Isn't it the strangest thing?

 Okay, so that is only the low income people right? It is only a few people, those down on their luck, or born into a system of systemic poverty, trapped by circumstances. It's not their fault, it has nothing to do with the choices they make. They just don't have any choice, it's survival! If only those people that work for a living, are successful, making good financial choices would give more money to those poor people, we wouldn't have that problem in society at all. In fact the top 1% of wage earners in the country should have to pay a good deal more in taxes to support programs and give aways to those less fortunate. This paying of only 35% of all tax money collected just isn't enough! The lowest income people only have what they are given, and it isn't enough. 

 On average a welfare recipient gets a thousand dollars a month. I know, doesn't sound like much does it? That figure doesn't include any other entitlements however. Depending upon the state a single Mother can receive as much as 35,000 a year all told. But, that's not enough. That only equates to 16.83 cents an hour. Having more children can get you that raise. Well because they can't afford birth control. 

 Then I hear about all the crime in the cities. All the major cities are experiencing increased rates of homicide, drug dealing, drug usage, robberies and other violent crimes. The reason being, the poor people are just trying to survive. It's not their fault. If they were all given a good place to live, great schools, money to spend beyond the necessities, you know a decent "disposable" income, the crime would stop. But they are not, so it's not their fault. How else can they afford to buy the drugs, booze, and lottery tickets? How else can they afford to gamble at the Casinos in hopes of striking it rich? After all, they have no job skills. other than criminal activities. Not their fault. So, they commit crimes.

 Did you notice when the government closed businesses, they didn't close the liquor stores? Casinos remained opened. Those were considered, necessary. Why was that? The simple answer is, because the people would have revolted! The liquor stores would have all been broken into and robbed until the shelves were bare. The Casinos had enough influence with the politicians to get themselves exempted, for the most part. Hear of any cigarette shortages? Was there a beer shortage? No, didn't hear about that. No toilet paper though, hand sanitizer was a hot item. In fact, some companies that produced liquor began producing hand sanitizer as well. Kinda kill two birds with one stone. Only one thing stronger than Covid-19, vice! That's correct, vice will remain fully funded at all times. If anyone complains too loudly, we will simply legalize the vice! Problem solved.

 Now Covid-19 and all its' variants are proving to be the dominant factor. Government decisions on how to deal with Covid is that instrument. Lock downs, mask wearing, social distance, testing, not testing, how many tests and when, are all impacting the economy. Compliance is the goal, blind compliance with whatever the government mandates. Strangely we haven't heard of a lessening in crime or vice in any of its' forms. Guess Covid doesn't affect any of that, no impact. Haven't heard of less homeless people. You would think they would have all been infected and died after almost two years! Maybe living under an overpass or on a grate in the city streets gives you immunity. 

 Maybe we should be learning something from that. Ignoring all the advice from the government regarding covid protocols keeps you safe. Seems to be working in the homeless community. Yes, that's a community, it's what we call any group of people that display aberrant behaviors, but we don't want to offend them. They are a community. Also, we shouldn't be protesting or complaining about the minimum wage, we should be advocating for disposable income! A living wage isn't enough! We need a living wage plus, say 20% or so for vice, you know that stuff we like to do like smoke dope, drink, gamble, go shopping. The way the system is now, the cost of vice is cutting into our living wage. It was great when the government was giving us all some stimulus money, you know something a little extra. Maybe we should just have a "vice" tax, to fund the give aways. You file a V-1 form provided by your employer, and the government sends you an extra 20% for disposable needs, you know, vice. Then no one has to commit crimes to get the things they want. The rich people will pay for that. Hey if they pay 35% now, other 20% shouldn't be a problem.     

pretending

  I enjoy watching Jeopardy and even get some of the answers correct. Like millions of other people, I though Alex was the best. Ken Jennings, not so much. Mayim Bialick I find alright, her sense of humor is a bit dry but she is believable. The show is having problems finding a host. But that isn't what I am writing about this morning. No, I'm writing about the guy, dressed as a woman, proclaiming to be the women's champion. I think what really bothers me is Ken Jennings and others just going along with that as perfectly normal. Not even a hint of irregularity. That on a show that is supposed to be based in facts! The whole premise of the show is in having the correct answer, in the form of a question. The guy calling himself Amy isn't a woman, it is a guy, and that is a fact. What is a guy? A male of the species containing one X and one Y chromosome. You can't change that. So, we now have a guy as the women's champion? I'm supposed to accept that as a fact? No, I do not.

  I have quit watching the show until this farce ends. Makes me ill. Now, I'm not saying that guy isn't intelligent, but he isn't smart enough to know he's a guy, so there's that. I don't care what anyone else says he has a mental illness. You can call it by any name you want, you can say it's perfectly fine, you can say anything you want, it's a mental illness. It is listed in the official handbook that Physiatrists use in diagnosing such. The book is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. That's the actual title of the book. And yes, gender dysphoria is listed, along with treatment methods. So I have to ask why? Why are we trying to project this as a natural thing? Why are we not supposed to openly recognize this disorder? All this talk about coming out of the closet is fine, but let's tell the truth about it when we do! 

  I just don't get it. If I were a woman I would certainly be upset. Not enough that men, dressed up and pretending to be women, are shattering world records in all sorts of sports, but now the smartest women is a man! That's basically what Jeopardy is trying to say. Where will this nonsense end? I don't care what you identify as, you can identify as a chicken if you want. But I will never agree with you, I will never just say, oh, you're a chicken. Nope, you are what you were born regardless of what clothes you wear, regardless of any surgical procedures, despite any additions or subtractions from your physical features. If you have one x and one Y chromosomes you are a male. That's what you are. Trust the science! Anything else is misinformation. 

  All I'm saying is, tell the truth. If you are a transgender person, say you are a transgender person. Do not insist that I say anything else. I will not lie because the truth hurts your feelings. Just come right out and say my name is Thomas, but I want you to call me Amy because I feel like I should be a woman. I just don't get it at all. If you go look it up, all the Google articles, all the news people say, SHE is this or that. What they don't say is SHE is a HE. I'm tired of this pretending! It's not healthy. Even the pros say that, and have recommended treatments for this disorder. Intelligent? You bet he is, and I won't deny that. But did you know there is also a very high incidence of these transgender people being psychopaths. That's another inconvenient fact. Look it up, I did. The answer is, what is a psychopath?   

necessary?

  It has been said that necessity is the mother of invention. Hard to disagree with that observation. I would add to that by saying, necessity sometimes becomes a hobby. That is what I am seeing these days. I say these days meaning in my lifetime so far. That thought came to me after having a short discussion about having a pantry. I'm talking about an old fashioned pantry like the one in your grandmothers house. The pantry itself was a necessity. A place to store the necessities! 

 My grandmother did have a large walk in pantry. There were cabinets along the base with shelving along the tops. An entire row of cabinets and shelves. When I was small I would venture into that pantry. At that time it was being used more for the storage of "junk" than necessities, you know the common clutter that accumulates in every household. But, my mother told me of the days when those shelves were lined with home canned provisions, sacks of flour and corn meal. Coffee, tea, sugar and vegetables, dried and fresh would abound. The pantry held the necessities of living. As I said by the time I came around it had fallen into disuse. Grandma bought her vegetables in a can and stored those cans in the kitchen cabinet. 

 It is that that caused me to think that necessities become hobbies. Is that the sign of progress? When you no longer have to work for your necessities you have achieved success? Today we don't have to make anything for ourselves, we can just buy whatever it is we want. The only work we have to do is to make money. That is what we occupy ourselves with, the making of money. We buy the necessities. But sometimes we make them and call it crafting, or a hobby. The necessity has become a hobby.

 In the town where I was raised there was an old saying. If you weren't doing anything of value, just passing the time, the old folks would say, you are just muxing around. As a kid I never questioned that, it is just what you said. A common, everyday expression. Years later I was reading a book. In this book it was explained that a mux was a small metal drill bit. Turns out a mux was a valuable tool to the native Americans living on the seashore. They used it to drill a hole through a certain portion of a clam shell. Then they could string it and they called that wampum! Yes, it was a sort of money among them. When the white guys saw the Indians making this stuff they thought they were just "muxing" around. The reality was, they were making money. It was a necessity. Today there are some that make that as a hobby. A curiosity. Of course, a curiosity that could be sold, for money. Like a hobby today. 

 Have we made money a necessity? We did invent that as a means of acquiring the things we need. I suspect man has been trading valuables since the very beginning. Gold, silver and gemstones are the most common things of universal value. They can all be traded for whatever it is that you want or need. It has always intrigued me that the object themselves are not necessities. I mean you can't eat them, they don't provide any medicinal benefits or shelter from the elements. Sure, they are pretty but what good are they? They can be traded. Trading a necessity for a want. Or is it trading a want for a necessity? And after having made enough money to satisfy your every want or need, wouldn't it be come a hobby, the making of more money I mean? It wouldn't be a necessity anymore. 

 Is the ultimate goal of man to have no one working for the necessities? Is that the utopian society? One in which no one has an obligation to produce anything at all? Those that choose to produce will freely give to those that choose not to contribute. Is the ultimate goal to make life, and the living of that life, nothing more than a hobby? All the necessities provided, at no charge to you. But the problem there is what about the things you want? Isn't that why man invented money in the first place? To get the things you want simply by exchange; it turns out you have to work for that too. It's a catch 22 for sure. 

 "The secret of happiness, you see is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less." (Socrates)