at what age

  Age limits? That is becoming quite the topic of conversation for this election cycle. Are Trump and Biden just too old for the job? The real question is mental fitness. Now with Trump his mental fitness isn't a matter of concern regarding his cognitive abilities, rather that his ego is a hinderance to good governance. With Joe Biden it is his cognitive facilities that are lacking. Thing about all of that is that neither one of those states are age dependent. That is to say, both can happen to you at almost any age. Age is being called into question a lot these days. What is too young? There are those saying we should provide gender affirming care to five year old children! They aren't too young. The age to purchase alcohol, drive a car, join the service, and give consent varies from state to state and time to time. You are supposed to be eighteen to have a Facebook account. 

 So, are we saying we should impose an age limit on holding public office? That would certainly be age discrimination, wouldn't it? I know that has been talked about regarding your license to drive a car. As long as I can still see and get behind the wheel, I'm able to keep that license. All discrimination is bad isn't it. That's what I hear all the time. When I exercise good judgement or common sense I am accused of discriminating, and that's a very bad thing. That happens when others disagree with my opinion. My response is always the same, what is the standard. It is only with a standard that things can be compared and evaluated. What is the standard for mental fitness for each category of mental health? What I'm asking is who gets to decide upon the answers? Who decides upon that? 

  Personally, I don't believe Biden is up to the task. Let's just say his mental acuity isn't quite as sharp as it should be. Is it disease? I'd say it was more old age than disease unless you are going to call old age a disease. I won't be surprised one bit if the powers that be decide that it is. They have decided that addiction is a disease, and I don't agree with that. You started it, you can stop it. That's my feeling about that. The fact is Biden is just getting old, forgetful and lacking in focus and concentration. It happens. Should that disqualify him for running for office. I mean no one is forced to vote for him right. The choice of president is up to the people. The same goes for Trump. But the forgone conclusion is that one of them would win the election if they are on the ballot. So, what does that say about the electorate? Think about that for a few minutes.

  The requirements for running for public office are vastly different across the country. Age, education and experience are all different. Are all requirements discriminatory in some fashion? Depending upon your feelings they could be just that. I'm eighteen, old enough to join the service but I can't run for office. I didn't graduate high school so I can't hold office. I don't live inside the town limits so I can't vote in the elections although I own a business in that town. I'm paying taxes but have no say! Are we now going to say once you reach this age you are permanently disqualified? In that way the choice is removed from the electorate. You can't win if you're not in the race. 

  I believe we should have term limits. That was established with the presidency because it was determined that one person holding that much power for too long was a very bad thing. FDR died during his fourth term in office. No one wanted a repeat of that, especially the Republicans, and so term limits were set. The twenty second amendment was ratified in 1951. Some argued that two terms were a tradition established by Washington and Jefferson. Opponents argued no such tradition had ever been established. Age was never a factor in that decision. As I said I believe term limits need to be established for every public office. Yes, every public office as that is only fair. But establishing an age limit is another matter altogether. To be fair you have to ask yourself a question and be completely honest with the answer. If you are too old to run for office at what age are you too old to vote? It requires the same mental acuity to do either one, doesn't it? 

responsible

  It is being reported that school age children are being affected by social media in a negative fashion. I'm old enough to remember when the same thing was said about television, you know, the boob tube. Of course, back then a boob was someone that was dumb. It wasn't referring to a tube top. But the fear was that it was causing the kids to be lazy by lying in front of the television all day. They were probably going to go blind as well. Television broadcasting companies' self-imposed some form of censorship back in those days. Prime time television was certainly different than Saturday morning programming. Still on Saturday morning they did target children with the advertising of products. But they kept what was felt to be adult themes out of the shows. That stuff was reserved for prime-time television and caused quite a stir on occasion. Peyton place was simply scandalous! Today at any hour of the day there is programming that makes that show look like a Bible class. 

 Today the concern is the children are developing all sorts of mental issues from the use of social media. It is leading to depression, self-esteem issues, and in extreme cases suicide. That is all a result of the social media companies providing "likes" "shares" and emoji's to entice the children to interact. The problem is not everyone is being supportive of each other. Like the old-fashioned bully on the playground there are bullies on social media. The children are becoming addicted to social media! That was the problem with television too, getting addicted to it, but there was a cure. Mom or Dad simply turned it off! It wasn't interactive either, so the situation is a bit different. No one was blaming the company however. 

  I understand that it is quite a bit different today with social media. Unlike my television it is fully portable and available everywhere at any time. Parents can't simply turn it off. Parents can restrict what devices the children have access to however, at least when they are very young. Yes, children have to learn how to use those devices, learn to use the worldwide web and be proficient using technology. For that reason, they need to be exposed to that stuff. Really not that different from years past when children had to learn about using a gun. It was essential to their survival. That wasn't the case when I was little, we had the supermarket, but I was still exposed to all of that and taught to use it responsibly. No one blamed the Diasy BB gun company if I shot my eye out. No one blamed the liquor company if I drank alcohol either. No, I was responsible for those choices. Even though there were laws passed regulating all of that, age restrictions, children still used those products. Also, the parents were held responsible for whatever dumb stuff there kids did. It wasn't up to the maker of MD20/20 to clean up the mess I made when getting sick on that product. It wasn't the fault of Ford motor company if I dented the car. 

  I'm not familiar with all the terms of usage associated with each social media company. Last I knew Facebook said you had to be eighteen to have an account. No different than having to be whatever age it is to buy a cigarette these days. Can you really blame Facebook if people lie about that? Yes, people lie about that. With alcohol, cigarettes and guns you can hold the seller responsible. They have personal interaction with the purchaser and should be checking. That's fair enough in my estimation. But what about this online stuff. Is it reasonable to expect Facebook to check that each user is the appropriate age? How would they even do that? 

 Well, that is where some want the government to intervene. Government control of social media platforms. Sounds an awful lot like censorship to me. What of the first amendment. Are we going to make exceptions to that? You can't holler fire in a crowded movie theater but that isn't preventing you from doing that. You are free to do that as long as you realize you will be held personally accountable for that choice. The same concept has been extended in recent years and defined as hate speech. You will be held personally accountable for that choice of words. Are those exceptions to free speech? It's a bit of conundrum isn't it? You could argue the FCC restricts freedom of speech as well. On the other hand, it has been decided that you can burn the flag, stomp on it, throw it on the ground and that is protected speech. You can parade down main street dressed in leather being lead on a chain while being whipped by a dominatrix and that is protected. No government intervention in any of that. Drag queens can read sexually suggestive books to kindergartners and that is free speech. 

  In my way of thinking if the government can tell a social media platform what they can or cannot do that is control of the platform. The issues aren't the content but the potential influence that platform may have on those using it. Same as kids watching too much television. Is it wrong for social media companies to show likes? Is the objective then to make the platform totally innocuous. Good luck with that. I can post a picture of rainbows and unicorns and cause quite a stirring of emotions. I can post a picture of a young children holding an American flag and incite a great deal of hate speech towards that. Just how would you remove all influences? Yes, I believe the government can impose certain restrictions and guidelines on products and services. I don't believe those providing the product or services are responsible for what people using them do. It boils down to a simple question we were all asked as a child, "if little Billy jumped off the bridge would you do that too?" Yeah, you are responsible for your choices. If you are too young to understand that your parents or guardians are not! If I cut myself with a knife, it isn't because the knife is sharp! The fault lies with my own choices. I decided to use the knife. The knife did exactly what it was designed to do. No need to redesign the knife, just learn to use it responsibly. 

that's fair

  As I was browsing my FB timeline and reading the comments posted there, I saw one that mentioned being fair. My first thought, reaction to that was; the concept of what is fair assumes a certain degree of entitlement. The founding fathers called those inalienable rights, specifically life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is only fair that everyone should enjoy those. The question however remains, are you entitled to them? If so, that is only by the virtue of your birth. Today we are questioning that by saying being born isn't a right, guarantee, or entitlement. The child has zero input on that decision. Is that fair? Is there a right to life? Well, that is the big question, isn't it? I'll set that discussion aside for this morning.

  I was thinking about being fair. What is fair? How can we define that? Is that the purpose of the law? To ensure everyone is treated fairly. If that were the case, I'd have to say we certainly have missed the mark on that one. Everyone is not being charged equally nor receiving equal punishment for wrongdoing. All of that is being decided by entitlement. Is that fair? Fairness assumes a degree of entitlement. It is only the granting of those entitlements that gets called into question by those that have not been granted that entitlement. That's when we say, it isn't fair. Equal opportunity doesn't guarantee equal results. Is that fair? Doesn't seem like it is, if everything is equal shouldn't the results be equal as well? Aren't you entitled to that. 

  Being fair can mean everyone gets the same. It can also mean you get what you deserve. And isn't it only fair someone should get the things they need. We use those definitions according to circumstance. When someone gets more than you it isn't fair. The person receiving that sees it as what they deserve, while another person complains because they really need that. It isn't fair that you have more than enough. It all depends upon your circumstance at the moment. The opposite of unfair is just. What is just? Just is when you get what you deserve. Also called justice. If it is unjust, you didn't deserve that.      But who gets to decide on what you deserve? Is it the one with the most, or the one with the least? Who says what is enough? Enough defines the need, doesn't it? You don't need more than that, it's enough. Then we're back to, everyone gets the same is what is fair. And some of us just aren't happy with enough, we want more! We need more! It's the pursuit of happiness that we are guaranteed with those inalienable rights. It's only fair. That stems from the belief that liberty is also an inalienable right. Liberty means the individual is responsible for his or her own life, not upon government or any social programs sponsored by the state. And that is what is fair. The ability to assume responsibility for your choices, that is what fairness means. If life seems unfair to you, that is because of the choices you have made. You decide on what you want, what you need and what you feel you deserve. No one has to agree with you. That's a whole other thing entirely.  

convinced?

  Listening to the news accounts of Trumps legal problems and I keep hearing the same narrative. We can't have a president that is a convicted felon. Well, the truth is he hasn't been convicted of anything. Accused certainly, on at least four occasions, but not convicted of anything. A conviction means that a majority agrees on the wrongdoing, that they are convinced he is the responsible party. That's the way our legal system works. Guilt is established by a preponderance of the evidence. It does not include the number of witnesses or documents produced. It is based on the quality and persuasiveness of the evidence. It relies upon an unbiased jury of your peers. That is the most difficult thing to obtain. They have to be convinced. And people aren't always that easy to convince of anything. I'd say that is getting more difficult every day. Schools are teaching children that boys may not in fact be boys or girls, girls. They may be something else entirely! Terminating a pregnancy isn't ending a life, preventing a baby from being born, it's just a choice. Same as deciding if I want vanilla or chocolate ice cream. When it comes to Trump is their going to be an impartial jury of his peers? I don't believe you could find that in the world! Well maybe in some isolated tribes in Africa or South America or a desert island. I'm thinking most people are already convinced, one way or the other.

  Now if you're listening to that narrative, you should be noticing something. The assumption is that Trump will win reelection. "We can't have a president that is a convicted felon" assumes he will be found guilty and that he would win the election despite that conviction. That says a lot right there, doesn't it? It's obvious enough to me that the real concern here is that Trump will win reelection. Everything else is just a distraction. The objective is to not allow him to be on the ballot! Remember when you were a kid and picking teams? You always wanted to pick the best player first, he can't beat you if he is on your team! It's the same mentality. He can't win the election if he isn't allowed to play. Seems like the thinking is that is the only way to stop him from winning. He has to be disqualified somehow! The only problem is convincing the majority of that. 

  The thing about that is relying on the vote. Isn't that how a president is chosen? Now the Democrats have been filing charges, pointing fingers and insisting that trump and the republicans tried to overthrow an election. They insist there were no irregularities in any of that, that the vote was accurate and secure. We are all supposed to accept the results of those elections without question. I guess that is the reason they can't have Trump in the election. They believe he would win and then they couldn't question that. It sure would be awkward, to say the very least. If Trump were to win, as they obviously feel confident he would, what then? Well, it has been decided an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. It's best if we somehow disqualify him. They only need to convince a jury of twelve. The odds are better than convincing millions of people Trump violated the Rico act. Even the democrats know that is a bit of a stretch. But it is the bottom of the ninth and they need to swing for the fences. 

  That sadly sums up what this election is all about. It isn't about the issues, about the good of the country. It is about personalities, and convincing the general public that government is in charge. The democrats doing everything they possibly can to keep Trump off the ballot. The republicans are busy trying to get someone on the ballot. Abraham Lincoln was the last president to create such a huge divide in the nation. Remember he was the first republican president this nation had. The big fear was that he was going to abolish slavery. Lincoln never said that he was going to do that. Lincoln did want to prevent the spread of slavery into new states and territories. He believed that slavery as an institution would eventually go away on its' own. But the southern democrats were very concerned that Lincoln would abolish that, and it would cause a severe economic impact on them. Hey, that was their labor base! 

 What is the big fear with Trump? What economic impact could he possibly have on what group? That is the central core of all of this. The only difference between the democrats and the republicans is what it has always been. The republicans are concerned for Americans and the democrats are concerned for their own purses. The republican party was formed to oppose the expansion of slavery. They won the election of Lincoln over a divided democratic party. Their response was succession from the union! The first time they denied election results as the legitimate choice of the people. They decided to just leave. At the cost of over 600,000 American lives the union was saved. I'm not trying to say the republicans are all selfless patriots. They are as interested in making money as anyone else. It is only in the method of obtaining that wealth that the differences emerge. Wealth can be obtained through mutual agreement or through subjugation. The democrats prefer the latter. The only thing that has changed is their methods. Slavery, sharecropper, second class citizens dependent upon the government, it makes no difference. The importance lies in control. That's what the democrats want more than money, simple control. A straight up democracy fits the bill, only need 51 out of a hundred for that! A republic, with republicans! Can't have that because you have too many people to convince, or convict. 

offended

  I'll start by saying I have never been a fan of Alice Cooper. I have never been interested in his music or his antics. But I did just finish listening to a news broadcast explaining how he lost his cosmetics contract. Apparently, Alice offended the LGBTQIA+ community. I imagine that is a large portion of the cosmetic company's customers. Their marketing people must have said, whoa, we can't have that. But what Alice said was the plain truth of the matter. Now we all know you're not supposed to tell the truth anymore, you have to perpetuate the fantasy, much as they did in the old days of professional wrestling. Kayfabe, they call that. Now Alice said he understood that there are those that are transsexual, but his concern was children were choosing that simply because they want to be cool. Alright, not the way he said it exactly, but the meaning was clear enough. That is if anything Alice says is coherent. He is a bit more coherent than Ozzie though, so there's that. What he was talking about was the power of suggestion. You could also call it influence and peer pressure. It is the introduction of adult themes and ideas to the juvenile mind. Concepts that those minds are not ready to deal with. That is especially true with prepubescent youth. It's like expecting them to buy a car before they have ever driven one! You don't know what you want, like, or need. A gallop polls shows about 7.2% of the population identify themselves as LGBTQIA+. I expect that number will increase over the next decade or so. 

  In that same broadcast they showed a clip of Carlos Santana apologizing for saying the truth. Carlos said, women are women and men are men. But then as quick as Joe Biden he flipped a switch and explained how it was hurtful. He was sorry and didn't intend to offend anyone. Guess he was thinking about that black magic woman, her magic was stronger than he realized. That he chose to apologize for stating the truth makes me sick. Is he afraid of being canceled? Look it's not like he is the new kid on the block and has to be careful about any of that. I get it when you're trying to get established, trying to keep your job, or some other similar circumstance. That's just common sense. But you are Carlos Santana. Are you worried about selling your next record? When was the last time you sold a record? Makes me sick. There are men and women, that's a scientific fact. Why apologize for saying that. Jackson Pollack, Picasso, and others have made and sold paintings worth millions of dollars, but I don't like any of them! I think that stuff is crap. I don't care what you think about that, and I won't apologize for that. You can play dress up all you want, pretend to be whatever you like, but you ain't changing what you were born. That assignment is permanent. Doesn't matter if you like that or not. It is what it is. 

  I've said it before, and I'll keep on saying it. I don't care what you add to or subtract from your body. I don't care what clothes you choose to wear. I don't care what pronoun you prefer. None of that defines your gender. All of that defines your mental state. If you live a life in denial of reality that is a mental condition. It isn't a community, it's a list of aberrant behaviors. Seven plus aberrant behaviors that currently comprise about 7.2% of the population. That is what it is, that is the reality. It isn't a matter of opinion, it's a fact. If as a white man, I suddenly decided to tint my skin and identify as a black man, should I expect the world to accept that? What if I chose to be an Asian? Wait, that's cultural appropriation! Can't do that! I 'm a nudist, why can't I just walk around naked everywhere? The reason is that is aberrant behavior. How is that different than a six foot six 300 lb. man wearing a tutu and spike heels? An aberration? I'd say so. If the truth offends you that is a mental condition, a disorder of some type. It happens to all of us occasionally. The majority of us do not insist that everyone else change the facts to suit our feelings, however. We learn to live with the truth. The hardest person to convince about anything is yourself. Sure is easy to lie to yourself because you never get a different point of view, no one to spoil the illusion, well until they do. Then, you're offended. 

you buying

   It's a rather amazing thing when you give it some thought. A candidate running for the office of President, who also happens to be an ex-president, is selling tee shirts with his mug shot on them. These are being sold to raise campaign funds or is it defense funds. It isn't really very clear is it? Not much is clear these days. What is clear is that we the people are being played and the vast majority have no clue about that. I can't explain any of this any other way. It makes no difference which candidate or party you are backing. Both are screaming about transparency while maintaining translucency. You are only allowed to see what they want you to see. Whereas it is true there is no honor among thieves, there is an unwritten code. Never, ever allow the whole plan to be exposed. You have to realize that both parties/candidates have the same objective, to be in control. The manner in which that control is gained is the only difference between them. Trump is selling tee shirts. What is Biden selling? What is his message? Can anyone state that succinctly? If they can I sure haven't heard it. There is a difference. Trump says what he intends to do while Biden just promises to give you stuff. He doesn't know or care if you want that stuff, it is what you are going to get because he has decided that is what is best for you.

  The mug shot sales are just a sign of open defiance. They are a sort of Tik-Toc thing in a material form. Anyone wearing one of those is expecting, indeed inviting, a confrontation. No different than waving a Gay pride flag or flashing gang signs. It's a symbol to others about their allegiance. I'm certain they will become quite popular in certain areas of the country. Regardless of the way you personally feel about Trump, the indictments and arrest, those shirts are being used as a tool. You're being played. There is no way you should be proud of an ex-president selling his mug shot. Yes, yes, I know you feel he is completely innocent of all charges; I know you believe he has done nothing wrong; I understand all of that is just a political maneuver, a form of election interference. I'm not saying you're wrong, but I am saying you shouldn't be displaying that like some sort of badge of courage. That is a marketing tool! The idea is to get you vote for Trump, if for no other reason than spite. You don't really pay attention to the message, to what is actually taking place because that isn't important to you. What is important is appearance. If I wear my mug shot tee shirt, I am showing you how tough I am! I'm voting for Trump! And that is what those selling the merchandise are counting on. 

   All of this is just a high-stakes game to those politicians running the show. It's all about control and who will exercise that control. That's the end game, not what you and I really want. It is about what they are willing to give us in return for that control. All politicians are in the same business. They are all selling the same product. That product is themselves. They are not out to enrich you, to make your life better or save the planet. They are interested in selling the product. They feel free to make any and all promises. When that promise isn't kept it won't be their fault! No, that fault lies with someone else. They tried. The only people those politicians have to satisfy are the ones financing them. All they need is to get that foot in the door! The fact is 93% of incumbents will win reelection nationwide. A simple statistical fact. Is that because 93% of those politicians are doing a great job? If that were the case, we should be living in a eutopia. The challenger is at a great disadvantage. Folks usually don't like changes.

  That's the long and short of it. It is about sales. All about what you're willing to buy. The objective of a salesman is to convince you that you need that product. If you have this product, whatever it happens to be, your life will be so much better. You need this product! Then a good salesman will show you how you can obtain that product. All you have to do is trust the salesperson. He or she will "talk" to the manager to get you the best deal possible. A politician will promise that your need will be the first thing on the list. Doesn't matter what that is, it is top priority, always has been. That's because he is just like you. He/she only wants what you need. 

  Thing is, the good salesman has already decided that for you, all that remains is to convince you of that. Could be a Trump mug shot tee shirt or  "Dark Brandon" — an online meme that portrays the 80-year-old president as a two-steps-ahead Machiavelli — is driving the Biden campaign's merchandise sales. More than 54% of the store's total revenue is coming from Brandon-themed products, his re-election team told Axios." I borrowed that from an internet search on what Biden is selling. I admit I haven't heard of that, but then again, I'm not buying either one. I do remember the let's go Brandon chants. The marketing team is apparently using that in much the same way as Trumps mug shot. Turning that frown upside down. I won't start shopping until later on when the merchandise has thinned out somewhat. Thing is, neither one of leading candidates may make it to the election. That is also a possibility.  

    

What next

  It's a mixture of anger and jubilation. A former president has been arrested and his mug shot circulated like it's a baseball card. Are the wheels of justice simply turning or are we witnessing an obstruction of justice. In short, is this action justified? Was there any criminal activity? Well, that is going to be decided in a court of law. Will that decision be reached by a jury of his peers? That is going to be a very difficult thing to satisfy any way you want to look at it. I can guarantee you it will not reach a jury until well after the election. Millions of dollars are going to be made by all the attorney's involved. The truth is, they are the only ones that will profit from any of this. One can only imagine the number of books, memoirs and made for tv movies and docudramas can come from all of this. An entertaining chapter in the history books for certain. I hope reincarnation is true and get to come back in fifty years or so to see how history will view this. Will the Republic have survived? That is a portion of what is going on trial in this case, make no mistake about that. Do "we the people" have a right to question government? It's becoming increasingly apparent there are those that believe we do not. There is only compliance! 

  Does that sound harsh, a little extreme perhaps? You can face criminal charges for using the wrong pronoun. Now that sounds a bit extreme to me. A child in kindergarten points their finger and is removed from the classroom because he made a "gun" sign. The parents are notified, and counseling sessions recommended. Health care workers lost their jobs for failure to comply with a vaccine mandate! That sounds a bit extreme to me. A politically motivated arrest has taken place on a national level, reported, documented, and in some circles celebrated, now that's extreme. That these charges are political is beyond doubt, there is no question about that, none whatsoever. It's a shot across the bow, comply or you will be taken down. The criminal justice system has been weaponized and is being used against political opponents. Look at our major cities controlled by the Democrats as evidence of that. Crime is rampant, justice is almost non-existent, the criminals are running the show! All of that is happening because those in power want to stay in power. The best way to gain the vote is to simply allow and enable your voting block to act as they please. Like the most popular parent, just give them whatever they want, don't hold them accountable for anything, and tell them how much you love them. Yeah, they will keep you in office. 

  I could go down a list of offenses committed by past political figures. I haven't forgotten about Hillary and her crime spree. Nothing was done, not one charge filed. What about Hunter? The list is quite long. But this latest charge is the fourth time since March that charges have been made against Trump. And why? The answer is obvious to anyone paying attention. He is currently leading in the polls to replace Joe Biden in the next election. Last time around it took a "pandemic" to get him out of office, along with some creative ballot counting. There were irregularities associated with all of that. Massive data dumps in the middle of the night, windows covered in paper to prevent people looking in, lost and misplaced memory cards from voting machines. The direct recording electronic voting machines is far from secure! I don't care how many experts say otherwise. Kids are stealing KIAS off the streets and I'm certain there are those that could capture and alter that data without anyone knowing the difference. No, it isn't secure at all. Remember when a teenager hacked the computers at the pentagon. Yeah, real secure.

But questioning any of that is now a crime? 

 Setting aside the whole argument about whether a crime has been committed or not, that is yet to be determined by competent authority, what remains is this sense of anger and celebration. It defines the current state of the country. We have those that are simply angry and those that are celebrating. Just like any mob you may have seen. Emotions are in control not common sense. It is as I have said many times, emotions are great motivators, but seldom good guides. That's the purpose of advertisements, to arouse your emotions, get you to buy. It's the same in politics. I need to raise your emotional response. The media has been working overtime to portray Trump and his cronies as the evil crowd out to take away your free stuff. The media is being controlled by the left, it always has been and that isn't going to change anytime soon. Social media threw a new wrinkle into all that. The left is struggling to keep control of those platforms as well. But the thing is this, just keep stirring the pot and pointing fingers. People are hesitant to change their minds, to make the tough decisions. Easier to just go with the flow and join the celebration. I've heard this phrase at least twenty times this morning Trump "surrendered" to authorities. Surrendered, arrested and booked! If that doesn't raise emotions nothing will. The newscasters as now as excited as the meteorologist before a snow storm! In my opinion this whole deal will just fade away after the election takes place. The importance lies not in obtaining justice but in stirring the pot. Are you upset? Personally, I'm not mad or glad. It's just politics as usual. I'm not buying at this time. I'll just wait and see what happens next. A pandemic, a natural disaster, a recession or a cold war! You can bet it will be a big distraction no matter what it is. 

pay attention

  I'm hearing once again about a new Covid variant. Wondering if it is just preparing for the next election. That mail-in voting stuff is quite advantageous regardless of the party. With no real way to accurately monitor, record and verify those ballots it sure is handy. Perhaps we will do away with actual people voting and just let A.I. do the deciding, you know, like the lottery numbers. Whatever the case may be I can't help but wonder why that is. Now Covid, as we should all know by now, is just another variant of a coronavirus. The common cold is another, along with the seasonal flu. With the seasonal flu each year the scientists take their best guess on what strain/variant will appear and formulate the flu shot accordingly. On their best years it has been 50% effective. With this Covid vaccine and all the follow-on boosters I'd say the result was similar. Well, there is one major difference, I'm thinking about half the people getting the vaccine and boosters developed more complications from that than if they had simply gotten covid. We will not live long enough for the truth of all that to be published. That, I believe is simply because the long-term result isn't known yet. All I'm saying is, Covid appears to attach itself to elections. But that's just a conspiracy theory. It was first discovered in December of 2019 and the presidential election took place in November of 2020. Just a coincidence I suppose.

  I can't help but wonder what misdirection is in store for us all this time around. Last time it was that pesky Covid that was going to kill us all. For that reason, we had to wear masks, stay away from each other and shelter in place as much as possible. Businesses were shuttered, well except for liquor stores and the casinos, they stayed open for business, but we were told not to sing in church! We were instructed to listen to the government, trust the science, and get the jab! In fact, if you didn't comply you lost your job and was ostracized! You certainly didn't want to be labeled an anti-vaxer! Might as well be a communist, or a Republican. It seems this time around at least a portion of the plan is to simply arrest the other candidate! It is the old divide and conquer approach. It does put the Republican party hopefuls in a bit of a quandary. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Support Trump that is, or at a minimum his policies on certain topics. If you can fracture the voting base enough your party has the upper hand. Wouldn't hurt if that was combined with another Covid pandemic. A sort of two-pronged attack. 

  I am noticing a bit of a ground swell developing. Just a hint that the silent majority may not be so quiet this time around. I do believe many are getting fed up with all this mess. This isn't about party anymore; this is getting personal. Whether you want to view that as good or bad I believe that is what is beginning to take place. While many have been busy pointing fingers, placing blame and attempting to divide the people others have been quietly watching and listening. Those folks are starting to point fingers of their own directly at those that have been doing the finger pointing! The time is fast approaching when the people will put their foot down. Yes, there will be unrest, civil disobedience and all that. There are always those react in that way. But the real change will come when the people exercise their right with an article five convention of the states. At last count only fifteen more states need to sign on to that. Only those that are conservatives want this and are ready for it. It's my thinking it won't be much longer before those that have more liberal views begin to see the necessity for that action. As our major cities deteriorate before their eyes, they won't have any choice but to admit to that. You can only run and hide so long. 

 Elections aren't going to get the job done. It's as simple as that. That is the very reason the founding fathers wrote article five in the first place. They were well aware as they were all students of history and human nature. They were people just like you and me. They weren't perfect, they weren't geniuses and they had motives and ambitions of their own. They knew that you can't expect politicians to vote for anything that would go against their interests. Just a quick view of legislation that has been passed since 1789, the very first Congressional session of the United States of America is proof of that. That Congress has now voted themselves automatic pay raises. That alone should tell you about human nature. If you got a vote on your pay raises, would you vote yes, I should get a raise every year? I should also get a staff, an office in the capital and one in my state, free health care, free college tuition for my children at Ivy league universities, I should only be "in session" 147 days a year and get free haircuts! Do you believe any of them would vote for term limits? Would any of them vote in favor of tying their earnings to the balancing of the budget? Would any of them vote in a reduction of their benefits? Would you? 

  Yeah, you don't hear about a convention of the states much do you? The same people that are hollering for rewriting the constitution because it is old and outdated sure don't want the average person to know about that. That's why they want to rewrite it! Same thought process, allow me to write the terms of employment. Same thinking as a union, isn't it? I'll make demands, and if you don't meet my demands I won't work. A convention of the states can change all that. Those politicians work for us, we the people, and we the people will make the demands! It's time. In the meantime, don't get distracted. Pay close attention to what is happening and draw your own conclusions. 

"The only way you gain mental toughness is to do things you're not happy doing. If you continue doing things that you're satisfied and make you happy, you're not getting stronger. You're staying where you're at. Either you're getting better, or you're getting worse. You're not staying the same. "

David Goggins

my opinion

  History through my eyes. It's unfortunate that I wasn't paying more attention and so my history is quite incomplete. I recall being assigned to write reports on current events while in high school. We were encouraged to read the local newspaper as well as other major publications. You could go to the library and read those papers on big sticks. The upper-class men would do so, in the smoking room sitting in those big wing back chairs. Very sophisticated. I was impressed with that knowing those guys had money! The money people didn't have a lot of common sense, but they knew what was happening in the world. They had to, to protect their money. That's the problem with being rich, everyone is always trying to get your money. You have to stay on your toes. Mostly they read the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. I did read the East Hampton Star every week and sometimes Newsday. As I said, it was for understanding current events. It was only much later in life that I realized that current events meant different things to different people. Things like who got elected for instance. I wasn't really paying attention to that. I got the free stuff at campaign headquarters no matter which party it was. That was the only effect it had on me. Which one had the best stuff? Book covers, pens, pencils, calendars and some pot holders for Mom was always good. I wasn't much on bumper stickers or campaign buttons except for one, Billy Jack for president! Looking back, I sure did miss a lot of historic events. I mean I was around but not really paying attention. 

 The two biggest events would have been the assassination of Kennedy and landing on the moon. I recall quite clearly the moon landing on July 20th, 1969. More so because it happened on my birthday than anything else. I watched along with everyone else the grainy pictures broadcast on television. I don't recall anyone questioning that it was really happening at the time. Later some tried to say it was all fake, a trick to fool those commies! It worked too, as no one else has tried going there since. We are the only ones. We did it six times, last one in 1972. I wasn't paying attention then though, just another moon landing no big deal. It was cool, but I didn't see any reason to keep doing that. As for the Kennedy assassination I just remember the teacher telling us all the news, she cried a little bit and asked us all to pray. I was in fourth grade if memory serves. I remember hearing that it had something to do with the commies. The commies were always doing something bad when I was growing up. I knew about that from the Rocky and Bullwinkle cartoons with Boris and Natasha. 

 Today I look back on all the things that have happened with a different view. The view of history through my eyes. When you are young history is always something written in a book and told by others. As the years go by you begin to write some history of your own. You also begin to understand the history that you were taught in the past. It can get confusing as sensibilities change. That has become increasingly evident to me, especially in the last few years. Fact is that a lot of people have lost all common sense! I realize we are not privy to all the information. There is much hidden from the general public, and much hidden between individuals as well. Today we are more concerned with misinformation that we seem to be with actual information. There is a reason for that. Misdirection is the key ingredient to any magic show. 

 That is what social media has become, a tool for misdirection. In the old days, like when I was a kid reading those newspapers, that was accomplished by the editor of the papers. Depending upon the political bent of the editor, the news was "reported" accordingly. There was, in most cases, no alternative publication readily available. At least that was the case where I lived. The papers were sold according to the circulation numbers for that area. It didn't make financial sense to have papers available that people didn't buy. There was no going "online" to check. The only thing "online" then was the wash being dried. The result was you pretty much got the opinion of the editor. The news would be tempered accordingly. It was far more subtle back then. The news was reported, and any bias was cleverly disguised, mostly by pointing out this was an unbiased opinion. The editorial column was used to express bias!

 I've managed to reach seventy years old and witness a bit of history. I've read history and even made some history, albeit nothing memorable just a footnote or two. I have learned one important thing from living this long. All history is a matter of opinion. The facts may remain unchanged, but the history may still be modified just a bit. It's a very active process right now with the history of America. The 1619 project is perhaps the most glaring example of that. The facts are wrong but being taught as facts. America was not founded in 1619 with the arrival of the first slaves sold in North America. That was a British colony, duh. But that doesn't matter to many that believe this new American narrative. It's really just an opinion. Kennedy was killed by the CIA because he was having an affair with Marilyn Monroe, and Marilyn was killed because she knew too much, and Ruby shot Oswald under contract from the mob. We never landed on the moon it was done in the Arizona desert. You can get the wrong assignment at birth. Our election system is 100% secure! No fraud anywhere to be found. It's all a matter of opinion. History isn't fact, it is opinion. That's my opinion, and that is a fact. Your facts may be different than mine, but they mean the same thing, you just haven't learned that yet. Give it time, history repeats itself you know. 

all I need

  I've always heard about the importance of setting goals. That was usually from someone trying to sell me something. That's true even when the only thing they were trying to sell was their self-help book. I always figured that wasn't self help if I had to buy a book to do it, isn't the point of the book to help me. But that's just the way I see things. Now I've set goals most of my life, but I wouldn't say I pursued them. I just sort of let it be, as the Beatles said in their song. Not much of a Beatles fan so don't beat me up on the meaning of that song. My point is simply I'm not what you would call goal oriented. I've always done whatever needs to be done and perhaps a bit more. I'm not one to strive for a higher position at work or want anything long enough to work years to obtain it. I can see where that may motivate others, provide impetus to achieve, but it doesn't work that way for me personally. Maybe I've always gotten what I needed too easily. My needs have been fulfilled. I can't honestly say I have been deprived of anything I had a real need for. It is an understanding of need versus want.  

 I think a good number of my generation, the boomers, understand that as well. It is the way we were raised. Our parents may or may not have had actual memories of the great depression, but their parents sure did. Much like a good number of us boomers may speak of WW2, Korea and Vietnam. It is a bit of shared memories mixed in with actual memories. Those memories do tend to run together over time. For many of us boomers the goal was simple enough, to have the things you needed and some of the things you wanted. That seems to have shifted a bit in my eyes. It seems today many believe they are entitled to the things they want and that is the goal in life, to get those things. On the surface of things there is nothing wrong with wanting things, working toward getting those things and enjoying them when you have them. It can also lead to problems, however. Emotional issues being the most prominent thing I'm seeing. The incidence of anxiety, depression and emotional instability is definitely on the rise. Many are becoming emotional cripples! Their feelings are hurt, they're offended and afraid. 

  Equanimity. Now there's a ten-dollar word if I ever heard one. I ran across that word, looked up its' meaning and have been waiting for an opportunity to use it. So far it hasn't come up in conversation. Well often these blogs of mine are a conversation with myself so I'm counting it this time. I didn't set out to get the word in here it just crept in on its' own. It does fit in with setting goals. Equanimity basically means keeping your cool in all situations. That's a noble goal. For us boomers it simply means, straighten up and fly right! It was something we were taught to do, not a goal in life. The goal was not to be caught doing otherwise. It wasn't a goal, it was an expectation. You can't live on the emotional edge. Stay calm and don't worry about tomorrow. The Bible gives us that advice as well. The Bible is full of great advice probably the best self-help book ever. It's true whether you believe the story or not. You don't have to believe in Karma for tomorrow to happen. 

  As for goals, I would say I don't have any. Expect nothing and you won't be disappointed. Work hard, treat others fairly, and enjoy the things you have. You have only one person to satisfy in this world and that person is you. That is the goal, in my opinion. There are a lot of things I can say I want, but few that I would be willing to work a lifetime for. If I work a lifetime to achieve that goal, there's no time left to enjoy it. For that reason, I question this concept of life goals. The folks at AA got it right with the one day at a time concept, although you could say the idea came from the Bible and possibly other religious texts of the past. Its' not important where it came from, the advice holds true. 

  I read a story about a son that had embarked on a whaling voyage. His goal was to earn enough money to buy some property and start a farm of his own. In those days that was a real possibility, something attainable with a bit of hard work and luck. The journey lasted over two years and hadn't proven to be much of a success. Upon returning home and settling his debts with the company for clothing and a few supplies he was left with very little money. He returned home to his wife and children feeling pretty depressed and defeated. He went for a walk with his father and shared this disappointment with him. There was little the father could say to the son but what he did say, at least according to the story, has stuck with me. The father said, well, never mind that son, you had a damn fine sail. And that has become my goal if you want to call it that, a goal. In the end I'm hoping I can say, it was a damn fine sail. That will be enough. It's all I need, and a bit more. 

a habitual hobby

  I write and post these thoughts almost every day, it's sort of a habit or hobby you could say. A habitual hobby? Well, whatever you call it I sometimes get comments on whatever I have written. It has become apparent to me that people are much quicker to post negative comments than they are positive ones. I get it. Anger motivates us all to action, whereas if something is mildly pleasing or creates a neutral feeling, we are unlikely to react. Just human nature I suppose. I try not to take any of that personally. There is one person "anonymous" that often leaves negative comments. I appreciate that as at least "anonymous" is reading. Good to know I'm motivating someone anyway. According to Google analytics I have twenty-four followers. That makes me the leader of a cult! A very small cult, and one I have yet to profit from, but a cult, nonetheless. This is how the dictionary defines a cult: a relatively small group of people having beliefs or practices, especially relating to religion, that are regarded by others as strange or sinister or as imposing excessive control over members: Now my cult is a cult of one, I'm the one with the beliefs regarded by others as strange or sinister. Well, at least according to "anonymous" I am. Only thing lacking is control over my followers. They are all a bunch of rebels. 

  As a part of the analytics, I can check to see the number of page views each day. I admit to doing that as a matter of curiosity. I'm pleased when the number is larger rather than smaller. I figure it is related to the title I choose because I don't see a trend as far as content. What I mean is political statements, religious statements or just the memories and ramblings I sometimes post. I'm thinking it must be related to some algorithm in the system. It is a curious thing to me. My curiosity is peeked when the page view number soars to over a thousand in one day! I wonder how that could be so. This blog is only shared on my Facebook page among my friends and their friends of friends. I get that part of it, but I wonder why some postings would gain that many views while others are only twenty or below. But then I have to think I'm lucky to have any at all. I'm double lucky that I haven't gone viral! I don't want some viral infection, thanks anyway. But beyond that if I were to start making money off of this, I would then feel obligated in some fashion. If someone is paying, there is an expectation of goods and/or services. I don't need that pressure. I already feel a little sense of guilt if I don't post something. That is self-imposed. That's the habitual part of this hobby. 

 A hobby is anything you participate in just for the fun of it. Some people knit, crochet, build models, engage in all sorts of sports and activities and I write a blog. It's just for my own enjoyment so that qualifies it as a hobby. I have been encouraged in the past to take some classes in writing. I appreciate that, the boost in confidence that I may hold some small talent with the written word, but I'm not interested in becoming a professional hobbyist. That is how I view those folks that want to make money from their hobby. Nothing wrong with that, nothing at all if that is your goal, your hobby. It is certainly reaffirming when others are willing to purchase whatever it is you're selling. I can't see a market for mine though. If there were any if would be a very small market, perhaps a niche but a bit smaller than that, a crevice perhaps. 

  The hardest person to convince is yourself. That's the way I see things anyway. Some people would call it a lack of confidence or low self-esteem, but I don't. I see that as reality. It is just the way it is. A fair unbiased assessment. I'm no Hemmingway or Steinbeck. I don't think I have the next best seller just waiting to be discovered. The truth is it takes a lot of money to get discovered. Whenever we are talking about hundreds of dollars, that's a lot of money to me. It costs that much to self-publish just about anything. And then getting that manuscript out there, costs even more. If I felt it was worth the investment, I would be tempted, but I 'm aware. I don't lack self-confidence or have low self-esteem I just face the facts. I loved playing baseball too, but I knew I was no major leaguer. Just reality. 

 On the other end of that I see others that have managed to fool themselves. It is the only explanation I have for what they are doing. They certainly must believe in themselves. The only thing is, I'm not convinced at all. Yes, I can see you believe you are a talented singer, painter or mechanic but reality says otherwise. I try not to say anything in those situations deferring to what my mom always said, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. I practice that whenever I see street performers or whatever. I do not when I pay for the goods and/or services. If I'm paying you have to provide professional results, even if it is just your hobby. There is a fine line between confidence and proficiency. Some folks are a legend in their own mind. As for me, this writing thing is just a habitual hobby. I don't see it as a body of work, it isn't that grand. I see it more like the crafts left by my mom or others. Something that may be of interest to others in the future, an amusement. Just the thoughts of a man born in the twentieth century! It may provide some historical perspective. But the reality is quite different. Even if someone were to stumble into these writings in the future the question would be, Ben who? Who cares what he thought. That's the reality. I'm good with that. 

a better life

  It is said that what every parent wants for their children is a better life. They want the things for their children they never had, something just a bit more, something better. But it is a bit of a paradox because as we age, we begin to get an understanding of things, a new perspective. We realize that some of the things we didn't have were withheld from us. It wasn't that we couldn't have had those things, but rather it was determined that we shouldn't have those things. That was the knowledge our parents possessed. Sure, we often felt deprived, sometimes resentful of them as they assured us, we would be happier without those things. There are dangers associated with certain actions that on the surface seem harmless enough. But most parents know that the most important thing is order and discipline. When either of those two are missing chaos ensues. There is nothing better about any of that. And the proof is staring us all in the face. Is this better than what we had as children growing up? I fail to see how anyone could believe that. It has become a dangerous world we live in here in America. Certainly, far more dangerous than when I was growing up. And what is the reason for that? It is the lack of order and discipline! It's as simple as that.

  There has always been vice in this world, always been criminals, always been those that simply don't comply. Nothing new about any of that. What is new is tolerating all that, making excuses for it, and some quasi attempts at rehabilitating offenders. We are allowing the proverbial fox to guard the hen house. It isn't making anything better for our children at all! The removal of accountability and responsibility is not an improvement. Standards are required. That is the foundation. True when building a structure and true when building a person. Standards in conduct, standards in punishment. The standard is established by the majority. It has to be that way. Yeah, if you are in the minority that isn't so great, but it is what is required. I wasn't so great in algebra, often got the wrong answer, but no one was changing the answer to suit me. The answer is the answer. No excuses, no exceptions or exemptions. It has to be that way. Same in a society. This is acceptable, this is not. 

  It's true with each passing generation. Today it is the boomers. We are being looked upon as the cause of the problems faced by the current generation. That's because the current generation feels like they know it all. I remember feeling that way as a young parent myself. Hey, I'm grown up now. I'll do things my way. Over time, and with experience I began to understand the lessons I was taught by my parents. The lessons I had rejected as outdated, old fashioned, and just plain stupid. It became apparent that order and discipline was indeed a necessity. And sometimes, because I said so, is reason enough! There is no sense in attempting to explain a complex issue to a child. That's because, they're kids. I didn't like being treated like a child and resented that. Then at some point it dawned on me. I'm being treated like a child because I'm acting like a child. Now I've reached a certain maturity. At least my age says that I should have although I'm certain there are many that would disagree with that. Over the last fifty years or so I have tried most everything that I was told I shouldn't do. Over the last fifty years I have also learned why I shouldn't do that. But sharing that knowledge now makes me old fashioned and outdated. The kids know how to make everything better. 

  I don't feel any responsibility for it, but I do feel a bit of regret. I'm not leaving my children or grandchildren a better world. It isn't just that I would like them all to live the life I did, riding my bicycle around town, playing outdoors getting scrapped knees, doing all the things I did. Each generation has to make their own memories. I wonder what the kids of today will have to remember. Will it be playing video games and tic-tok? Will it be learning to shelter in place at schools to protect yourself from mass shooters. Will it be seeing drag queens in the library? Or little Johnny turns out to be little Jane? Will it be presidents being impeached, corrupt politicians and the narrative that the police are all racists. Will it be that all white people are racists and owe the black skinned people of the world everything. And what heroes do they have today? Will they look back on all of this with fond memories? I can't see that happening. The best I can hope for is they look back at all of this as the past. That and as a time they would never want to return to and would never want their children to experience. I hope they all get a better life! 

decisions

  Yesterday the residents of Texas, yes, the entire state, were asked to reduce electricity consumption as there was fear the grid couldn't handle the demand. I heard about that on the evening news. Meanwhile the news also ran a short section of a speech Biden was giving. He was quite naturally attempting to defend his green energy plans. Not much that he said made any sense but that's normal for him. He rambled on about nuclear energy a bit, solar power and the evils of fossil fuels. Then he went on about infrastructure and the need to spend billions on an upgrade. He did mention Hawaii and how he was going to make sure that situation was handled properly. There is speculation that the electrical grid may have caused the fire. 

  The commentary following that short piece drew my interest. There was talk about the electrical grid and how the majority of it is controlled by the individual states. The challenge to upgrading the system, making if safer and more reliable is complicated by that. You would have to have too many people in the room to make any significant decisions. That is creating a hazardous situation! The only solution would be to have federal control over the entire system. It is that statement that raised my eyebrows. So, you're saying the feds should have complete control over the entire electrical grid in the United States. The same federal agency that is pushing for electric vehicles, establishing housing standards that include all electric appliances and heating systems, that federal agency. Can you say the word control. Flipping a switch is certainly the easiest way to control all of that. A lot easier than attempting to control fossil fuel usage. 

 Yeah, call me a conspiracy theorist, an alarmist, or chicken little, I don't care, but I can see the writing on the wall. A failure to comply will result in, no power for you! We need an increase in taxes as well to pay for all of this. We will call it an infrastructure tax, a small surcharge added to your utility bill that goes to the federal government to pay for the upgrades. Of course, there will have to be an additional office with a director and a board to monitor all of that. Hey, the department of energy has enough to do already. The deputy asst secretary of spent fuel in that department has engagements at the local libraries in his role as a drag queen, fluid gender person. Can't expect him to do it all can you? Besides he is only concerned with disposing of nuclear waste products. The actual director Jennifer Granholm is busy trying to get us to use more electricity every day. That's why we need to upgrade the system, to have come under federal control, because we already know the system is inadequate to the task. The experts also say it would take at least ten years to upgrade the grid to meet current demands, let along demands ten years into the future. It's the old putting the cart before the horse logic! The only difference being the feds will control the barn door. You'll get power when, and if, the government deems it appropriate usage.

 Dependence on government is the agenda. That is the game plan of the Democrats and it has always been so. It is in the name of the party, Democrats. They are the ones always insisting they want to preserve the Democracy. The problem with that is our government isn't a democracy it is a republic. A republic is a government of the people, for the people. A democracy is simply a government where a simple majority gets their way. Fifty one out of a hundred is good enough. The importance in a democracy lies in maintaining control. All you need is one more vote! If you can make the voters dependent upon you, you can get that vote, by coercion if necessary. 

 Want electricity? Who organized labor unions? Democrats. Why are our products and services so high in cost compared to other countries? Because those other countries don't have labor unions demanding huge salaries that's why. And in those labor unions that so many are so happy about who gains the most? Hint, it isn't the workers, it is the leaders of those unions. They exercise that control, don't they? The workers are given a few peanuts, told how great they are, and continue to pay their dues. Yeah, a real sweet deal, for those in charge anyway. But, the union gives me more money and has my life so great. Yeah, until that union decides you should strike. The fat cat leaders continue to line their pockets while you walk a picket line. The president of the AFL-CIO makes in excess of five million a year! You will do as you are told. It's a dependence. Heck, it's an addiction now. You can't do without it. 

 What country manufactures the majority of batteries used in electric vehicles? China. That's correct China. China is way ahead of the United States in manufacturing batteries for use in electric vehicles. The average cost of replacing one of those batteries ranges between five thousand and twenty thousand dollars. China stands to make a great deal of money off batteries that's for sure. Imagine the cost of a battery when it becomes " out of stock" and needs to be manufactured for your vehicle. Currently united states manufacturers are required to provide spare parts for cars for a minimum of ten years. After that you have to rely on what is called "new old stock" which is products left on the shelves after that ten year period, or on aftermarket parts, usually made in China by the way. Suppose you want to drive your electric car beyond the range of your battery. You have to stop at a recharging station. Things is, the government has now decided the grid is being strained and so they limit that usage by shutting down the charging stations. It's for your own good. Do you want to drive to Grandma's house or have power to cook your dinner, watch television, connect to the internet or heat your house? Can't have it all you know. The government will decide what's best. 

implicated

  Saw a post from a friend of mine concerning specific training now being required for doctors in California. This training teaches that all white people have an implicit bias against black people. Fifty hours of training in this area are required every year. Failure to take this training will result in the loss of their license to practice. Basically, the lesson is that all white people are prejudicial. I admit to not continuing to read the entire article but I'm assuming without this training the fear is blacks will not be treated on equally medical terms. I'm not sure how that would work if the doctor were black though, but my guess is that blacks do not harbor implicit bias. I didn't finish reading the entire article simply because I see this as just another "woke" thing in some misaligned attempt to appease a demographic. Those liberal folks insist on proving they are liberal! In fact, that's the most important part of the whole deal to those people. 

  Now, as to implicit bias all I can say about that is that everyone harbors implicit bias against someone/something. It's a judgement based on what you are taught, what you learn, and what you experience. I have an implicit bias about city folks. I developed that bias when I was a child growing up in the country. It doesn't mean I hate city people, but it does mean I make certain assumptions about them. I'm as equally convinced that they make assumptions about me. Call it a mutual bias. Is it implicit bias? The thing about implicit bias is that has to be inferred. This training seems to believe that from the color of my skin you can infer that bias. But, if you are inferring bias based on the color of my skin wouldn't that make you prejudiced? It's a bit confusing, isn't it? I harbor implicit bias against those with black skin, and those with black skin know this because I have white skin. If they don't know they will be taught that with this training. That must be the thinking as they aren't exempt from taking this training. But that isn't implicit bias on their part, that is knowledge. Must be knowledge if you are being taught that in the classroom. And if I don't agree with that, I'm prejudiced and most likely a racist. I can't help that though, it's implicit. Only white skinned people are implicitly biased however, must be a design flaw, maybe an assignment at birth or something like that. 

 To be truthful about all of this I'm not really overly concerned at the moment. That is California the land of fruits and nuts anyway. They have always been a bit different. I know at least one person that was born and raised in California and discovered he was pretty much like everyone else despite that. It really wasn't a surprise though, just something to rib him about. But then again, he has white skin so I couldn't tell right off he was from California and that was probably the difference. It wasn't implied! I didn't infer it either. When I traveled south and heard those folks saying ya'll and calling everyone honey I knew right off, they were rednecks! I inferred that from their speech. Funny thing is they knew I was a Yankee! They inferred that from my speech. But at least there was no implicit bias involved, we were all white folks. Those redneck people were the ones feeding all this implicit bias in the first place. That's why we had to get rid of those statues, change the names of military bases, parks, schools and courthouses. Now we realized that we needed to teach that to doctors in California. They don't know about that because they are from California. 

 As for me I firmly believe in an old adage. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Ben Franklin famously pointed that out. I'm certain it wasn't an original thought on his part. The meaning is clear enough. Be careful, try to prevent something bad from happening before it happens. In order to do that you must exercise sound judgement based on what you were taught, what you learn and what you experience. When you do that, you will also develop some bias. It isn't implied however, it is inferred. When you become implicated because of inference that doesn't make you prejudiced, that makes you a victim of prejudicial thinking. 

 

required

 It's reported that there are in excess of half a million homeless in America. There are tens of thousands of illegals crossing our border every month. Strangely this doesn't seem to cause a growth in the homeless population at all. That tells me one thing, they are being housed. They are also unemployed and being supported by my tax money. Well, to be fair I guess they are maintaining their cell phone plans, they managed to keep that during their 2000 miles trek through at least three different countries. I'm thinking they must have solar powered backpacks to keep those phones charged up. I guess that is why they abandon them, along with all the other trash found on our side of the border. Hundreds of pounds of trash! 

 I wonder if it possible for us to house all these people why can't we do something about the homeless population? Is it that these homeless folks just don't want to be helped? Or maybe they are holding out for a better deal or something like that. I know there is great concern for those illegal people living in crowded conditions and lacking recreational facilities. Their children especially should be placed in the very best schools available. And let's not neglect any of their medical needs. Just because you can't afford your medication is no reason they shouldn't be given that for free. After all they fled their homes to get that stuff! They were promised that they would be taken care of if only they could make it across the border. They earned that. All they have to do is vote for the Democrats! That will be compensation enough. No need to be a citizen, if you vote for the Democrats. Democrats are understanding like that. No habla ingles? No problemo amigo, just say Biden. 

 The minimum monthly wage in Venezuela is $3.54 cents. You read that correctly, three dollars and fifty-four cents. In their currency, 10 million bolivars. A family of four in the United States that is on government assistance receives in excess of 65,000 dollars annually! That is what those illegals can expect to receive. Currently about 19% of the population in America is on assistance! And that isn't counting the illegals, they don't count when we are talking about that stuff, hey, they're not citizens you know so they don't count in the unemployment figures. Now homeless Americans count but they aren't a real problem because we don't support them. You would have thought that the majority of them would have died during the pandemic, they didn't get free vaccines or anything, they didn't even social distance themselves. And that just goes to show they don't need any help. They'll survive. 

 The real question in all of this is how many dependents we can support. We are currently a little over thirty-one trillion dollars in debt. Seems to me that something needs to cut from the budget. There are those terminating lives because they can't afford a family. We are accepting that as a reasonable excuse for that choice. Too many dependents would infringe upon their quality of life. The same infringement will occur on the nation if we allow this to continue. We have to stem the tide of illegals entering the nation. There are limits! That was recognized as early as 1790. They have been amended and modified over the years as sensibilities change. In overall terms, the Immigration and Naturalization Act provides for an annual worldwide limit of 675,000 permanent immigrants, with exceptions for close family members. Potential immigrants are evaluated based on family, employment, refugee and country-of-origin criteria." Note that is a worldwide number not exclusive to Latin American nations. There are limits for each nation! Yes, there are requirements beyond just showing up at the border or sneaking across that border. 

hedging our bets

  Being an atheist is nothing more than an absence of accountability. If there is no higher power to answer to you just get to do whatever you please. That is my assessment of that. I watched several programs about life after death and what others believe that may be. A portion of that program did contain a talk with an avowed atheist. Penn, of Penn and Teller fame. He proclaims that there is nothing more to death than dying. That's it, that's all there is. His concern was missing something in this life. That is what he said. By being concerned with the afterlife, with what may follow this life, altering your decisions to comply with religious beliefs you may miss something. I heard that as, I just want to do what I want to do. Sounds like a dismissal of accountability to me. It takes supreme confidence or blissful ignorance to live with that attitude. I will not judge which it is, I believe that judgement isn't up to me.

  To be fair however I also think that each of us hedge our bet just a bit. A great deal of that stems from the roots of our raising. Just how devout and pious where those that raised you? As they used to say did you have the fear of God put into you? That was the generally accepted way when I was growing up, you were expected to be just a little bit afraid. Today it is all about praise, convincing that power that you love him/her or whatever you conceive God to be. Nothing to be afraid of, you can screw up all you want as long as you admit it, ask to be forgiven, and offer enough praise. You are forgiven and start with a clean slate. It's a bit different from what I was taught, I could be struck down at any moment! It was even in my evening prayer; Now I lay me down to sleep. Are children being taught that prayer today? It is the hedging of the bet that we call "reformation" or "denomination." You can't do this, or you shouldn't do that defines the boundaries of piety. Simply redefine the boundary and the door is open to continued life. A new interpretation of the directives. Presently it appears to be anything short of a complete denial will suffice. 

 The real question the majority of us have is what will happen after I die. Where do I go? I believe there is a life after this one. I have written about all of this several times and so far, haven't changed my mind about how I feel. Our soul is pure energy. That's what it is and as such can neither be created nor destroyed, only converted from one form to another. That's science 101. I also believe that energy will be aware of the change. During that program I watched about life after death there were interviews with those that had a near death experience. The majority of those interviewed recounted the same experience, eerily similar in fact. They were much too similar to be chance. They also interviewed a Doctor, a neurosurgeon, that has been conducting research into all of that. He is convinced that the energy continues beyond clinical death. His only question being, for how long. That he didn't know. All in all, compelling testimony and scientific research. 

  Is there a gatekeeper? Do our actions in this life effect the transformation of our energy in the next life? Those that believe in reincarnation certainly think that is the case, those that believe in heaven and hell believe it effects the decision made by a higher authority. I believe wholeheartedly that there has to be something directing all of this. The universe is certainly an ordered thing, it isn't just happening at random. There is a definite order to everything. Defining that order is what we call Physics. We are being told to trust the science; physics is the science of life! Is there an alien entity controlling all of what mankind is and does? Are we just a big experiment started by some alien entity that is now sitting back and watching to simply observe? There are some who think that is the case. It is a possibility. I am not convinced it is a certainty.

  All religious belief contains the expectation of reward. That's the point. Whether that reward is received on a personal level, or to benefit the entire society or civilization, that is the point. We are accountable for what will transpire in the future. It's an attempt to be in control. We have progressed to the point where we now feel like we can control the planet! We proclaim that global warming is the result of man. We also claim we can save the planet. I'm amazed at the arrogance of man. This earth is estimated to be 4.5 billion years old. We also think man has been here for about 6 million years. That's about 1.333% of the time. If we use 1760 as the start of the industrial revolution, we are now saying we are destroying the planet in just 263 years' time! Yeah, that's pretty arrogant I'd say. All the natural disasters that have occurred didn't get that done but we will. And we insist on all of this for a simple reason, an expectation of a reward. We will live. We are even planning our escape should we fail to save this planet. You could say we are hedging our bet just a bit. 

 At the heart of all this there is the desire to live on. There just has to be more to life than this. It would all seem useless, a waste of time without that. What's the point? If I'm here to simply do for others, what are the others here to do? I must serve some purpose and I will be rewarded for that. As to whether I get that choice or not, the choice of purpose, I can't say for sure. I'm leaning toward, I do not. I think I am assigned at birth, by gender and purpose. The reward for fulfilling that purpose? Well, I like to think it will be awareness. Knowing the answer has always given me comfort. I've found I can endure just about anything if I know why. Why is the big question and the answer is serenity. I'm thinking that is the reward. Define that any way you please. For me it will be, I know, and I told you so. 

today

  I was thinking we must have removed all those offensive statues and monuments. I haven't heard about anyone tearing those down in the middle of the night anymore. That and all those pesky flags that triggered so many, gone. I'm sure glad we got through that. There was a time when I thought we were going to have demolish the white house! Hey, slaves were used in its' construction! But somehow that was averted, and the white house is safe, for now. All we need to worry about now is keeping the coke out! I wonder was that discussed in the situation room, it was, after all a situation.

 Listening to the ads on television I have to assume RSV has replaced Covid as the big threat. That's especially true for us senior folks, we could die from that virus easily enough. But not to worry there's a vaccine for that. Big pharma is on it! If you can't afford your medication, they may even help is the reassurance given. Maybe use some of the Trillions they made with the Covid vaccine, you know, paying it forward and all. Of course, we all still need to be alert, be aware of all the other threats out there. Your best bet is to shelter in place as much as possible.  You can just use tele-med to take care of the small stuff. Yeah, maybe you are a bit depressed but there's a pill for that too. Maybe even get some online counseling. You could check with the physic advisors about that first though. 

  The names on the ballot for president are uncertain at this time. We all just have to wait and see. Seems to be it's like a game of survivor or Big Brother. Who is going to be left in the house? The last man or woman standing. Speaking of women, you sure don't hear much about Kamala anymore. She is still VP, right? She never did make it to the southern border as far as I know. But I suppose it's' a good thing. We usually don't hear much about the vice-president so I guess she is doing the job. Any rumors of her running in Joes' place? I haven't heard any. I'm guessing even the Democrats have some conscience. She could just go and join up with the squad! Thankfully I haven't heard from that bunch either. Truth is all I hear about is charging Trump with any and all imaginable offenses and the Biden crime syndicate attempting to avoid investigations. I realize I'm a bit biased, but it does seem a bit one sided when it comes down to it. The good thing in all of this mess is that the Clintons are out of it. That is saving lives for sure. The suicide rate has dropped dramatically among their associates. And Epstein has been laid to rest. 

 I can certainly breathe a bit easier now that those incandescent light bulbs have been banned for good! The amount of heat they were producing has accelerated global warming! Why they even had them in the barns where the cows were farting. A disaster averted for sure. I'm certain the six or more elements needed to produce light emitting diodes are much better for the environment, they just leave big holes in the ground from mining. No different than the lithium needed to make batteries for our electric vehicles, very environmentally friendly indeed. But I'm going to hoard a few of those incandescent bulbs, one day they will be as expensive as a piece of plywood or a gallon of gas. It took those lobbyists sixteen years to get it done but they succeeded. Well to be fair about it not all those bulbs are banned, there are many exceptions to the rule, they are other lobbyists hard at work too.  But don't worry the bulbs that are exempt won't heat the planet or use too much energy because, well because, they're exempt. That makes sense doesn't it? Hey maybe we could just ban eight-cylinder cars instead of switching to electric, that should do the trick. Same logic isn't it?

 Now if we could only get everyone to agree on some basic facts, we could smooth out a great deal of the friction. Fact is you can't spend your way out of debt. Our congress needs to learn that lesson. Everyone has an equal opportunity. The results of those opportunities are not always equal. Nothing is free! That is possibly the most important fact to understand. Nothing is free! It's not free because of the past, the present or the future. Nothing is free. The world owes you nothing. Your reward in this life is directly proportional to your acceptance of responsibility. You will generally get what you deserve, nothing more. Anything beyond that is charity. The expectation of charity will only lead to bitterness and disappointment. The past no longer exists! Do not expect the past to entitle you to anything! The past no longer exists, it is gone! What you have is today. Maybe you will have tomorrow, maybe not. 

service

  We all admire and praise craftsmen. Those folks that do a job with pride in their workmanship. Those folks are concerned about what others think about their performance. They care. We say they have pride in themselves and their abilities. It's a desired trait to possess, isn't it? Well, that depends doesn't it. It depends upon whether they are in competition with you. If they are being seen as superior, we may say, pride goeth before the fall. Yes, it is one of those conditional things that often causes confusion. Ideally, we have a modest pride. Those with modest pride allow their work to speak for itself rather than tell others how great their work is. They are patient and kind. They don't make demands upon others. It appears to me those folks are becoming a very rare breed. Today we even hire social influencers. Think about that. Just what is the job of a social influencer? A salesman, that's what a social media influencer is. But we have taken to calling them influencers because salesmen have a bad reputation. I wonder why I should listen to an influencer! I was told often enough, this person or that person is a bad influence. It has always made me leery of being influenced. Call it skeptical if you will but I always take what others are selling with a grain of salt. That was advice I was given from a very early age. 

 I began thinking about a craftsman, a person taking pride in their work. Then I thought about those that are career politicians. That is their job. I am at a loss to name any current career politicians that are more concerned with their performance than their ability to remain in office. The craftsman takes pride in what he produces, not the length of time he is on the job. And that is the thing with elected politicians, those that are being paid to legislate and adjudicate. Their concern is in retaining the job not producing a product or service. It wasn't until 1855 that being a congressman paid an annual salary. That's when it became a job, not a public service. Prior to that they did receive per diem expenses while actually in session. You know, when they were actually working! And today that has gone to automatic pay raises every year unless they vote not to get one! Think about that for just a minute. First, they decided to vote themselves an annual salary and later they vote themselves annual pay raises that are automatic. Pretty sweet deal isn't it? The raise certainly isn't merit based. Think about that as well. They have judged their own performance so poorly that they have no confidence that they would vote themselves a raise. The solution was, just make it automatic so we don't have to vote on that. 

 Public servants? I hardly think so. Is there concern really with the general public, to do a service for that? No, the fact is they are busy trying to satisfy the lobbyists. What is a lobbyist? An influencer, that's what they are. They are selling a product or service. The hope is to get the congress to buy that. They have gotten Congress to buy into the whole global warming thing, haven't they? The green energy crowd stands to make a fortune. The pharmaceutical industry is certainly doing a bang-up job getting the government to issue mandates and recommendations. 

 Listen to the discussion taking place today in congress. How much of that is a real concern to you? Indictments, investigations, accusations and blatant incompetence. That's what I'm seeing. Gasoline prices soaring pushing us into electric vehicles when everyone knows there is no infrastructure that can support that. And the electric vehicles being offered come with price tags well in excess of 60,000 dollars for the basic models! The earth is being stripped of lithium for the production of batteries, literally billions of tons earth moved, while we are being told it is to benefit the earth. Well, that isn't happening in America with one exception. We do have one operating lithium mine in Nevada. But I'm certain we wouldn't become dependent upon other countries for our source of lithium to manufacture replacement batteries, would we? Nah, nothing like that. Interestingly we are only dependent upon other sources of crude oil because our government shut down production here. Wonder how that happened? Must have been out of concern for us citizens that those politicians are representing, you know, in our best interest. They certainly wouldn't have been influenced by outsiders. Energy independence. Yeah, okey dokey then.

 We the people need to fire the lot of them. The whole gang and start over. Perhaps their jobs should be performance based instead of an endlessly funded gathering of self-centered politicians. Could begin with one simple mandate. Balance the budget or get fired! No more raises until the debt is paid off and we are operating this nation in the black. That is a vital part of your job. I didn't hire you to drive me into bankruptcy. Secure the border. Either you lock the door, or I'll lock the door on you, you're out. That is another vital part of your job, my security. And one more thing, pay for your own haircuts! Yes, there is a lot of fat to be trimmed! Oh, and by the way, since you are being paid for a full-time job you have to work full time! The average American worker works 260 days a year. Last year you only worked 146! That is no longer gonna fly. Nope, come to work or get fired! Want a raise, put that on the ballot and I'll decide whether you deserve that or not. I'm the one doing the hiring and firing you seem to have forgotten that. I'm here to remind you. Can you say Convention of the States? Remember you are a public servant. It is your job to serve. If I don't like the service, no tip for you! The gratuity isn't automatically added to the bill, you have to deserve that.