Not really surprised

  I often write about things that surprise me in the news. I guess I should have been paying attention more over the years. My ninth grade English teacher Miss Bird urged all of us to read about current events. I believe we were required to write reports about that. But I grew up in a small town and our current events were pretty boring. Not much happening that piqued my interest. Yes I grew up in East Hampton and there were celebrities about but I didn't pay them much mind, bunch of silly rich people. My current events centered around the time and tides. Fishing, clamming and a little bit of hunting, whatever the season allowed. That's what was current in my mind.

  I wasn't paying attention to local politics, or national politics for that matter. About the only time I noticed was during election season. The parties would establish their headquarters in a rented shop and hand out all the goodies. I got everything from book covers to pot holders. It was a competition between the Republicans and the Democrats; who was giving out the best stuff. That was the extent of my political interests at that time. I had absolutely no idea which side my teachers were supporting, that wasn't mentioned in the classroom. Back then teachers were educators not activists! I wish it had stayed that way. It's apparent that isn't the case today. even though I haven't set foot in a classroom in many years. I hear about the issue of flags being flown and the battle over books. Of course I grew up with Uncle Remus, Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn and a host of other offensive characters. 

  I was listening to the local news and was surprised once again. The governor of Maryland, Wes Moore, was on the news explaining the need to hire a consulting firm. He had engaged a firm at the cost of $290,000. The stated purpose of this consulting firm is to inform the governor and the state legislature about the possible effect a Trump presidency could have on the state. They are so taken aback at the results of the election they needed to hire outside help with the fight. The general feeling is that Trump will upset the applecart. Business will not continue as usual. What are they going to do? 

  When Moore took office the state of Maryland had five billion dollars in their rainy day fund. The budget was balanced and in fact, there was that excess. Today, Maryland has a deficit, a serious one. It is estimated that the deficit will grow into the billions in just a few years. If the Trump administration doesn't keep funneling money  to the state it is going to be bad! 

 The answer to that is hiring a consulting firm. I was surprised because I genuinely thought that is what we elected those officials to do. I really thought the state legislatures' job description was to legislate, to confront the fiscal issues of the state. Turns out all they are doing is hiring others to do the work and they just go along with that. I think I would rather pay the $290,00 to those consultants and just send the legislators home. That would be a more fiscally responsible thing to do, save all that money being paid out to legislators, wouldn't even need to fund the capital buildings, staff members, maintenance or any of that. There are 141 state delegates. Not sure how many people working for that consulting firm but I'm guessing fewer than that. I'm thinking a lot smaller office space would be required.

  Facing a 2.7 billion dollar deficit, the largest in twenty years for the state of Maryland, the response is; hire a consulting firm. The big problem, the one they need help solving, expert advice on, is what will they do if they can't continue with this deficit spending? The Trump administration is saying they  expect there is wasteful spending taking place. The Trump administration is calling for, gasp, fiscal accountability. The plan will not be to simply tax and spend anymore. Cuts will have to be made. Programs may even have to be eliminated. Trump is even talking about deporting all the illegals living in the state. Well hopefully this consulting firm can provide some answers quickly. Once Trump is in there, it's game over. It's panic time in Annapolis. The state is starting to "lawyer" up to fight back. 

                                                                           

affordable

  I was listening to the politicians promising affordable housing. This housing would be available to everyone that met the income requirements, IE: a lack of income. The government sure has a wide range when it comes to income thresholds. The level for "poverty" for a two person family is 20,782 dollars. If both people worked for minimum wage their combined wages after taxes for a year would be about 32,000. That's 50% greater than the poverty level. To qualify for affordable housing your income generally needs to fall below 80% of the median income for your area. According to the latest government census the average median income in America is 80,610.  So that means if you make 63,681.90 you qualify for affordable housing. To earn that I need to earn $30.29 an hour. I don't know what others make but it sure seems to me a whole lot of folks would qualify for this affordable housing. So I'm left with a question, just what is going on here? 

  Well the first thing we need to understand is just what affordable housing is. The narrative is a home you can afford. That isn't what the deal really is however. It is housing where in exchange for your labor or money, you can live. This housing will not in the same area as those providing you with that housing, not with those that do not qualify, but tucked away somewhere in a less desirable location. That is by design. The land being cheaper there being the top priority. A larger profit margin is obtainable in that fashion. The politicians promising you affordable housing using the taxes they collected from you to finance that deal. Those politicians are concerned about you. They need you to be available to do the work and cast your ballot. If you can't afford to live there, you will leave there. It is a sort of quid pro quo situation. 

  Housing has always been an issue. Back in the beginning of this country you could simply build your own housing with little interference from the government. All you really needed to obtain was the land upon which to build it. That was the first restriction, the first interference from government agencies. Original land grants were the top priority for those settling our cities and towns. Those folks did receive the choiciest pieces by virtue of being there first. Those coming later had to settle for the outskirts of town. Those outskirts grew larger and larger. Then government decided to add restrictions, called codes, to the building of your home. As with most everything the government does, it was for your own good! You can't just build that any old way you want, you have to comply with these standards. It is in the best interest of public safety! 

  Following the civil war and the abolishment of slavery housing was required for all those freed. The original plan was to award each family forty acres of land upon which to build their homes and establish a farm or whatever. With the assassination of Lincoln that was quickly rescinded. So where were those freed people to live? The sharecropper was born. It was "affordable" housing in exchange for labor and a small stipend. What choice did most have? Then the promise of higher wages and indoor working conditions beckoned those to the industrial areas. Affordable housing was provided by those companies, for a portion of that pay. They became known as tenements. The focus was on profit, not comfort. Remember when the Indians were displaced. Their affordable housing was a reservation. At first they just took their teepees. Then shacks began to appear. The government was there to help! To provide that affordable housing. 

  Not much has changed. Today all this affordable housing you hear about is the same thing. A condo, an apartment complex, a townhouse or a single family home provided by a group that requires your labor. They don't want you living next door, they just want you to be available whenever you are needed. Those same folks will raise your taxes to pay for that. But they have you over the proverbial barrel don't they? You have been regulated out of any other choice. You are the low income people. I haven't done any big research paper on any of this, no government funded study, but my feeling is this. If you examine all of that closely you will see that wages are always far lower than housing costs. The government, those legislating things, have always ensured that will be the case. And it has always been, for your own good. It's the only way. 

  What is your largest expense? It was and continues to be a home. The median price for a three bedroom home today is 400,000 dollars. That's $192 an hour for a year. If you obtained a good rate, say 6%, your monthly payment will be about $2398.00 a month. That's fifteen dollars and 58 cents an hour just for that payment. That's just not affordable for most of us now is it. For housing to be considered affordable, by government standards, the rent/mortgagee should not exceed 30% of your gross income. If you are making that $400,000 that means you should be paying no more than $1200 a month. But don't worry, the government is here to help. We will provide affordable housing, all that is required is you pay for it. See how that works? 

                                                                            

                                              Welcome home ( this is a low income housing area) 

modified

  Modified behaviors. That is what came to mind this morning as I read a posting on Facebook. This post was one of those informational ones concerning sanitizing the handle on your shopping carts. The big warning was drug users leaving residue on those handles that would get transferred to your hands. These drugs like Fentanyl will kill you! It only takes a micro-gram on your skin to do that. Yes, it isn't just germs any more, we need to protect ourselves from those hazards as well. A behavior modification is in order. Do not touch anything without first sanitizing that surface! 

  I see a good number of people doing just that, I've even known some that practice that all the time. I refuse to become that paranoid. Yes, that is exactly how I view all of that, a bit of paranoia. It is a state I feel being fostered by our own government. We are being subjected to a constant barrage of warnings and advice to "protect" ourselves from these invisible enemies. If it isn't a virus or a microbe, it's the climate or someone spreading drugs on door knobs and handles. Ever try opening a door with that little foot thing they have taken to putting on the bathroom doors? Ridiculous. 

  Now as far as Fentanyl on the handle of your shopping cart I fail to see how that would happen. If indeed a small speck of that stuff on my skin will kill me just how did the person with it on their hands get to the store? Shouldn't they be dead! That's what I'm being told. But ok, wipe that handle with the little sanitizing wipe if that eases your fears. It will clean the handle, no doubt about that. So now you go shopping feeling all secure. Well, what about all the objects you pick up while shopping? Are they all sanitized and germ free? I don't see how they could be but no one is concerned with any of that. Well drug users wouldn't' be touching anything in the store they wiped their hands on the shopping cart handle first, you're good.

  I wash my hands after using the restroom and before eating, common sense actions. I do not sanitize shopping cart handles. I grew up in the time when a little dirt on your hands wasn't a big concern, just wipe your hands on your jeans, good enough. I didn't sneeze into my elbow either, I still don't do that. I just cover my nose as best as I can and turn away from other people that are present. I do the same if I'm coughing, just cover my mouth and turn away from others. Today I see those burying their face into their elbows, making a big show of that to send that message, I'm protecting you! 

  I remember when I was told I had to get that covid vaccine to stop the spread, to protect others. My issue being the same doctors saying that also determined getting that vaccine did not stop you from spreading it. You could still transfer that virus regardless. The real reason for that insistence was to ease the fears they had already created. In short, if you don't do that, you will die and kill everyone else by spreading the virus. Your only hope was staying six foot away from others or isolation! After that keep getting those boosters! Forever! 

  I do see a trend in behavior modification. I see a marked increase in paranoia in the general public. Oh it can go by many other names but what it is is fear. Fear of germs, fear of microbes and virus's. Fear of everything! Fear of voicing your opinion. Fear of being ostracized by the inclusive people because you aren't including them. And the biggest fear of all, the government isn't going to help me! I'm going to be expected to take care of myself! I can't do it alone! The government should provide for my needs. I need my emotional support goat to function and the government should enforce that. I can take my goat to work and my employer should be required to accommodate that. The government should provide me with the funds necessary to start a business. If that business fails I don't need to pay the money back, I just get another loan and try again. Yes, the biggest fear today is that everyone will receive equal treatment. There has to be exceptions and exemptions. 

  There is a change in behavior. It's a shift from independence to dependence. A dependence on government to provide, not to protect. The purpose of government is to ensure a level playing field, to protect us from those that would exploit others. Government exists to provide for the common defense, maintain order and discipline and provide for common services. Government is dependent upon people, the people should not be dependent upon government. Now that's a behavioral modification we need to institute. A return to independence is in order. 

                                                                           

in time

  Each of us grow up in a unique way. That's true even with siblings. I was the youngest and according to my siblings, spoiled. I was also named for my dad, a junior version, and felt like I was expected to be him. Dad was certainly the measuring stick. He was a man among men. That is how I thought of him, a role model of intelligence and skill. He was a man of his time no doubt about that. I tried my best to be that man growing up. It took many years for me to reach this conclusion, I'm not living in his time. Seems like it should have been obvious to me long ago but it wasn't. Was it admiration or respect? Or was it something else?

  My fathers time was as a member of the greatest generation. It it what was he was born into, his circumstance. I came along in 1953, a boomer. That term wasn't used until 1963 however, published in a newspaper, the Salt Lake Tribune. It meant someone born more or less after world war two. That meaning has been expanded over the years and is now generally applied to anyone that is "old." It means more than age, it indicates the values or concerns a person may hold. To some it is also an insult to be called a boomer. It is not an insult to me as I am indeed a member of that generation. I had absolutely nothing to do with that. I can't take credit for it or use it as an excuse for anything. it is what it is. 

  Now I am a boomer just like my dad was a member of the greatest generation. He passed away in 1990 and I'm not certain he ever heard of that. I know he never said anything to me about that. He wasn't a rebellious sort to the best of my knowledge, just a bit of a wild child by all accounts. I did know and work with some of his peers and heard some great stories about him and his youthful antics. He did have a certain zest for life as that used to be called back in his day. I remember his three piece pin striped suit, fedora and those shoes with the white tops on them. All quite the fashion in his early years. I heard his friends talk of his dance moves as well, old swivel hips they called him. I did see a glimpse of that at my sisters wedding. He was only sixty six when he died, I'm now seventy one. 

  I'm expecting my first great grandchild in January. Starting with my dad she will begin the fifth generation. According to the internet, generation Alpha. I guess she will be an Alpha female. That's if we are still using that term seventy years from now. She will grow up in a unique way, same as all of us. Her father is studying to become an attorney and her mother is a registered nurse. She will most definitely grow up in a far different environment than myself, my son, and my grandson. She will have all those opportunities I have been told I was denied by circumstance. My hope is she does get to know her great grandfather just a bit. I knew mine, just a bit. He didn't seem all that different than my father, just a bit crankier. I did admire him, especially when he told my father he was wrong about things and my father never argued with him about that. Dad just stood there and took it. Afterwards I might hear him muttering and complaining but he never said a thing to Gramp. 

  All the generations before me have accomplished great things. Those generation fought the revolutionary war, the civil war, the war of 1812, WW1 and WW2. Some fought in Korea as well. In all of those wars we were victorious except Korea which ended with an armistice. My generation, the boomers fought in Vietnam and many other conflicts across the globe but have never tasted victory. I was there for Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm and that is as close as we came. But it wasn't really a war at least in my eyes it wasn't. We were just there to help. 

 What have the boomers accomplished? According to one source on the internet, which we boomers invented, although Al Gore likes to take the credit, "The sixties defined the era of social change, and the Baby Boomers led the charge through activism, social change, and freedom. Baby Boomers opened our eyes to social attitudes with a decade of riots, boycotts, antiwar demonstrations, and protests for civil rights." That is our legacy and for that we are called "boomers." And just what is the current generation doing? Well, telling us boomers how wrong we are about everything while protesting and rioting for the very things we have already done. But history will write a different story I'm certain of that.  

  The Alpha generation is on the way. I wonder what they be told of the boomers, those people from the dark ages. Boomers believed there were only two genders. Boomers believed in a God more than science. Boomers even thought you should have to work for everything! It was a dark time for sure. The time the white people ruled! I wonder what my father would have to say today if he knew he was a part of the greatest generation. Would he agree? To be honest I think he would, and I couldn't disagree with him on that one. It's a strange thing that takes a while to understand, things are always better in the past, yet our hope is that things will be better in the future. It is what each generation aspires too. In order to do that however, you have to learn from the past.  

                                                                                   

Unity

  Is money always the answer? It sure seems like that is the case. Whenever their is a problem, an issue to be resolved, the response is always increased funding. If we only had more money. Listen to the news and what the response ultimately will be, an additional tax, fee, or allocation of funds already collected by taxes and fees. That will solve the problem. Except that the truth is, it doesn't. What it does do is mask the problem a bit further. It just moves it down the road a bit. Money isn't everything but it sure beats whatever is in second place. My mother had a small figurine of a hobo holding a little sign with that written on it. I remember seeing that as a small child and the lesson stuck. 

  Money may be the answer, but it isn't the remedy. If that where the case all the great civilizations of the past that enjoyed such great wealth and influence would still survive today. Every one of them has fallen in spite of that, proof that wealth isn't the answer. It truly is as the Bible records, "the love of money is the root of all evil" often  misquoted to place the blame on the lack of money. If I had money I wouldn't want to steal it. That's the thought there. It's the justification of evil acts. The transferring of blame to something outside of yourself. Not my fault I don't have enough money therefore I'm justified in stealing that. If I only had money.

  Why do civilizations collapse? The answer to that is a complex one and varies a bit with each civilization and time period. The population, the availability of food sources, the collection of taxes and the division of labor are all contributing factors. It's my feeling however that a unified belief system is the most important of all. It is belief that drives the motivations of men. When men believe that wealth is the answer, the drive for that wealth will ultimately destroy them. Power is necessary for the acquisition of wealth. Shared power requires the sharing of that wealth. And that is the big issue every civilization faces. What they now call the redistribution of wealth. But it is power that drives that narrative as well. I want the power to decide just who is getting the wealth. That is the ultimate goal, the control of wealth.

  The establishment of belief is the building block to a successful civilization. A unified cause. That was the objective when the United States was established, the ideal envisioned by those forefathers. They weren't the first to have such ideas however, far from it. Religion has always been the foundation in any civilization. Today we tend to think of religion as a belief in a single deity. That isn't the reality though, Hindu's for one have multiple gods. Still all their gods have a unified message. The ancient Greeks believed in multiple gods ruling from Olympus. Zeus was the top dog though, and ruled over all the other gods. The gods existed to protect and help humans. In exchange you had to pray to them and please them in various ways. If you did not, you were punished. Not all that different from what religions teach today really. My point being, when belief collapses, so too the society. 

  It is a delicate balance between power, wealth and belief. Any one of those can cause the collapse of the others. Belief is, by far, the strongest of the three. You can't buy belief. You can't enforce belief. The Egyptians, for one, tried that with forced compliance and we all know the results of that. It was belief that created the exodus. Those enslaved had no power, no money, but they had belief. The balance was tilted in their favor. " Freedom is not procured by a full enjoyment of what is desired, but by controlling the desire." (Epictetus)  That applies whether the desire is for wealth, power or belief. All three are dependent upon the acceptance of truth. Only you can determine that truth. All anyone can do is share their truth. It is when we all believe in the same truth that we prosper. 

                                                                                  

were you entertained

  I stayed up to watch the big fight on Netflix. Yes, I even signed up with the basic subscription. I will be canceling that, most likely, after thirty days. I'm quite certain those in the board room will be quite upset with all the technical difficulties that streaming service had. I know I grew quite annoyed with that. That's America today, we want it now, we want it fast, and we want it right! Any little glitch or failure is met with anger. I did watch the entire event, and for me, it didn't live up to the hype. It was a lesson. Even prize fighters get old. Iron Mike is just plain old. I can state that unequivocally because I'm old. 

  I have never been what you would call a fan of professional boxing. It is just a passing interest when a big event is scheduled. I haven't heard much about the heavyweights in recant years, not like when I was younger. The names of Ali, Frazier, Holyfield and Tyson were all very well known. Who is the world champion today? I certainly have no idea and don't recall then mentioning his name last night. Was that man in attendance? I don't know. I've heard of Jake Paul because of his brother Logan Paul. I'm a professional wrestling fan and have been since the 1960's. Sports entertainment is what they call it now. They are athletes in their own right. They say Jake Paul is a you tuber and a celebrity. Couldn't prove that by me but he also received about twenty million for that fight. Really, it wasn't a fight, it was sports entertainment. Did you know that Ali made 9 million for that fight called, The Thriller in Manila. How much would he make today? 

  The undercard fights were all amusing and they all fought their hearts out. It is the first time I have watched the ladies fight. They are quite intense and I certainly wouldn't want to challenge any one of them. Still it came off to me as a bit of a novelty act. But I realize I'm from a different time and place in that regard, from the "proverbial" old school. I don't feel like woman can't fight, just that it isn't very ladylike. As I said, old school. I didn't realize there were as many weight classes are they mentioned. I googled that and there are seventeen. A few pounds can make all the difference apparently. All in all quite a night for the fights and the promotion of that sport. I have to say I'm rather surprised that it is still allowed at all without the use of safety equipment. But then again, when it comes to entertainment not much is not allowed. Morality and ethics are often set aside in the name of "entertainment" or "sporting" events. 

  It does appear to me that the sport of MMA has overshadowed professional boxing. I certainly hear more about that than I do boxing. I see it as a blood sport. The objective isn't to outscore your opponent, the objective is get them to submit. You can choke them out, dislocate joints, whatever it takes. There are prohibited actions in the interest of avoiding killing one another. I am amused by one rule, you can't swear or use offensive language in the cage! A bow to civility? Well all civilized societies have had sporting entertainments with varying degrees of danger. No matter how smart we become, how civilized, compassionate and woke, we retain that primal instinct. We love a good fight. We are willing to pay a great deal to witness it. The purse last night was twenty million apiece for that main event. I'm not sure what the undercard fighters made. It was substantial though. Were you entertained? I was mildly so, I did want to see a knockout. That's that primal instinct I was talking about. 

before policy

  I'm loving the civic engagement I'm hearing concerning Trumps cabinet picks. Now that's being a good citizen. Everyone should be involved, providing input and suggestions for the best possible candidates. I have to say I'm impressed with the knowledge, the expertise, and input being shared on platforms such as Facebook. I have to admit I'm sorely lacking in that regard, a good number of the candidates I actually know very little about. Oh, I've heard their names before, especially Rubio, but to be honest not enough present a recommendation. I must really be out of the loop when it comes to politicians. 

  It's amazing how so many on Facebook know these people intimately, like they are old friends or their nemesis. They can certainly tell you all about their personal lives! Take Gaetz as an example. The subject of an investigation that has yet to be released many believe him to be guilty. No one is certain exactly what those charges would be, remember that's a secret, but he's guilty. There is speculation that the results will be leaked before the confirmation process can take place. Lots of folks believing that is a good thing, leaking sealed documents. Well, until it is their documents being leaked, then it is criminal. Whatever the case actually is, I'm just amazed at how many know so much about Gaetz. And Tulsi, well, she's just a turncoat! Imagine an incoming president choosing people that displease the losing party. How rude is that? 

 Yes even though I write a great deal about political things I do not think of myself as well informed regarding politicians. I struggle to remember who the governor is at times, let alone the vice-governor or the head of every department. I can look it up when I have a need to know. It's like checking boxes on my local ballot concerning judges. The judge of this court or that, who knows who they are? I'm thinking only friends and family members, perhaps attorneys that have to deal with them in those courts or golfers. Yeah, probably those who  play golf at the clubs know those people. My political writings are generally concerned with a policy, not a person. 

  You see that's where the wheels start to get loose on government. When the concern becomes more about personality than policy. We should vote for the person that will support our policies. The political party they identify with shouldn't be the biggest influence on that. The idea being, not all republicans or democrats think alike! Yet, we do hear about "falling in line" a great deal in these discussions. The republicans have gained a majority in all three branches and that has upset the democrats greatly. I get it, I'd be upset too. A lot of democrats just don't like their Republican counterparts. Some become vindictive, mean and unyielding, unwilling to compromise. 

  Trump is selecting his cabinet. Without looking it up how many members of the cabinet are there? I looked it up because I didn't know that answer. Who is currently the interior secretary? Who is the United States trade representative? I had to look all that up. Does he know all those folks well enough to make a selection? I'd say no and is relying on others to advise him. But, he is the boss and gets to make that selection. The Senate must then confirm that choice, unless the Senate happens to be in recess, then the president can fill that seat, until the next term expires. Yeah that's a part of the Constitution. (Article II, Section 2, Clause 3:) I looked it up. According to the congressional calendar the Senate will only be in session three days in December. Congress will be in session for twelve days that month. The twelve days of Congress, so to speak. I haven't seen the calendar for Jan 2025. 

  So, the answer is fifteen. There are fifteen cabinet positions. How many did you know? Be honest with yourself. If you want to get to know them, join Facebook. They are certainly all well known there judging by the comments I'm seeing, My faith is restored in America. Such an informed, unbiased and concerned citizenry can't fail. No one is putting personality before policy, I'm sure of that. And by the way, big foot is real. 

                                                                         

pov

 I have noticed that using the acronym "pov" has become the equivalent of an apology. The person is stating what they believe but apologizing for saying that. It's a defensive mechanism that we all employ to varying degrees. That amuses me because it is "degrees" that frequently empower those folks stating their opinions. The degree is supposed to affirm the truth of that opinion. If I possess a degree in a particular area that automatically makes me the expert, I have a degree! Yes, that is what you paid all that money for. It wasn't really for the knowledge, that is freely obtainable, it was for the paper to prove it. Same reason for the multitude of licenses required in todays' world. You must pay to be recognized.

 I understand I feel that way simply because I do not possess any degrees. I have quite a few "certificates" and hold or held various licenses. I can't play the degree card. I'm not jealous of those that have that card however, I could have gotten one or two had I chosen to do so, but I didn't. That's no one's fault but my own, if you consider it a fault. I do not. I'm not making any excuses or offering any apologies for that. I expect having that degree does make you feel more confident in your opinion. I get that. I spent twenty years in the Navy and so feel more qualified to speak about that than someone who has not, it's my degree card. Experience is the best teacher is an old adage and one that holds a simple truth. It takes experience to understand that. But there is no "card" for that, just wrinkles and old age. 

 The only time I get annoyed with that is when people attempt to use their degree to validate an opinion that has nothing to do with what their degree encompassed. I have a liberal arts degree so that makes me an expert in rocket science for instance. I have a degree. I'm especially amused with those on Facebook because they write that in their profile page. I wrote on mine, studied at the University of Life, and often get disparaging remarks concerning that, along with my employment at the grocery store. I wonder if I wrote I have a PhD or some other letters to put after my name, would those reading believe that as readily? I highly doubt that. Without the actual paper, skepticism would definitely be the reaction. I could get this new AI stuff to create that for me, might be an interesting experiment sociologically. I'm thinking someone has probably already done that. I have seen on television where some just flat out lied about all of that and still got the job. No one, other than my navy recruiter, has ever asked to see my high school diploma. Stolen valor is the most despicable of things I can imagine, stolen degrees falls into the same category in my opinion. No apology for that. 

  In order to change my opinion you have to change my belief. You will not accomplish that by presenting any paper to me. Belief has little to do with facts. That much should be obvious to anyone in todays' world. There is an entire political party basing their "facts" on opinion. Remember an opinion is the same thing as a belief. That is my point of view of things going on in the country today. Power may be obtained by the suppression of reality. But it is a power that doesn't last as reality has a way of imposing itself upon you. You can only deny the truth for so long. Then you have to look for excuses. The electorate has voiced their opinion. No more excuses, time for a reality check, as unpleasant as that may be. Well, that's how I see it anyway. 

                                                                                 

an exodus

  The news was reporting on the incoming administrations immigration policy. That policy would be the immigration laws as they currently exist, the only thing different is they will be enforced. In the news story they showed this caravan now carrying signs proclaiming they are migrants, not criminals. They received the news of the election via their smart phones and tablets. Both of those items being necessary when fleeing for your life from drug cartels or when migrating. The reason they are migrating is there are no jobs in their countries, they are hungry and don't feel safe. At least one individual being interviewed was from Honduras. The shortest route from Honduras to Texas is over two thousand miles! That's quite a walk.

  I do have questions though, ones the main stream media seems to avoid or overlook completely. I wonder about the logistics of these caravans. Let's start with an obvious requirement, a place to go to the bathroom. Are all these people really just stopping behind a bush along the way? I mean , like in the movies those folks seldom have to go, I don't recall a single instance of any cowboys having that issue. That is pretty much what they did on a wagon train though so, ok, you're just going alongside the road. Where is all the food and water coming from? I haven't seen any pictures of any wagons or anything like that. Are they simply carrying everything in back packs, is that why they abandon those backpacks once they cross the border? I've seen pictures of a lot of trash along those routes. And for people fleeing because they have no jobs, no money and no opportunities they sure have a lot of electronics with them. Just how do they keep those phones charged and who is paying the bill? It ain't them, they're starving people struggling to survive.

  Ok, so you're fleeing oppression, dreaming of a new life in a foreign land, broke, desperate and walking over two thousand miles in the heat, the cold, the wind, the rain, battling climate change and prejudice. But, you stop along the way to make signs. Just where did those materials come from? Did you bring your poster board and markers along with you? You know, pack them just in case you needed to protest a bit along the way. That seems reasonable enough. It is certainly something I will add to my "preppers" list. Never know when you might need to protest. I guess it is likely when your plan is to enter another sovereign nation illegally and that nation starts to get upset about that. The signs saying, I'm an immigrant, not a criminal. Maybe I'll just carry a sign down to the bank, I'm just broke, I'm not a criminal. Maybe the bank will just give me some of that money. You know, undocumented like. 

  I'm not buying the notion that literally thousands of people, entire families with infants, decide to walk to America. No, that's not the case at all. There is something far more behind all of that, some group or groups enabling that to take place. It just doesn't make any sense. And no one dies along the way, no one falls gravely ill, and by the looks of things nobody is losing weight either! They are arriving in pretty good shape, all things considered. Amazing that the media seems to have turned a blind eye to those things, I certainly haven't heard much in that regard. And if they are not, why isn't that being talked about? Shouldn't the United Nations be concerned about all of that? What about the World Health Organization? Crickets from those groups. If the conditions are so bad, so tragic in those central American countries to warrant mass evacuations, why isn't the United Nations getting involved? I'm no mathematician but things just don't add up! There's something fishy in Denmark. 

                                                                           

                                                    they can afford spray paint and bed sheets though

        back packs, cell phones, food for a two thousand miles journey and designer shoes and jackets. 

  

control

  The electorate has spoken and Trump will resume the office of president. If you look at that map of results a red wave did indeed sweep the nation. It's not official yet, but it sure looks like a trifecta for the republicans. All three branches of government holding that majority vote. It needs to be noted however that they will not have a super majority, their decisions will not go unchecked. The senate and the house will continue to operate as usual and the congress will continue in its' function. All of that just the way the founding fathers envisioned it to be. To those on the left I would say, we elected a president, not a dictator. And project 2025 is not the platform of the republicans. No one is proposing a complete and utter ban on abortion, those medically necessary will continue to be performed, as they always have been. Not once in the history of this nation has a doctor faced prosecution for performing a medically necessary abortion. Abortion should not be an "elective " procedure. 

  The governor of Maryland and the mayor of Baltimore where on television outlining their plans to push back on this new administration. They are not looking for ways to compromise or work together they are preparing a battle plan. Amazing to me that they just come right out and state that intention. Perhaps they have never heard of the old adage, you get more flies with honey than you do vinegar. Yes, the inclusive, empathetic and equitable left is preparing to fight! That's the plan because they are concerned that their free ride may be over. No longer will monies simply be handed out without accountability. The rush is on to spend whatever funds have been earmarked before the end of the year. The democrats have taken Maryland from being in the black, with a "rainy day fund" to operating in the red, with a large deficit. A great portion of the "recovery" funds have been spent providing raises and creating new positions in state government. If the government quits giving them money how are going to pay those employees? It's a dilemma. 

  No one is above the law is a a cry I've heard from the left for the last four years. I guess that doesn't apply if you are an illegal alien denied asylum in a court of law. Well over one million of those people have had their day in court, given every legal option and opportunity, paid for with you your tax dollars and were denied. The "sentence" for that is deportation, a return to your homeland. But, according to the left, they shouldn't be deported. The law says they should but the law doesn't apply to them. Why? Because, according to the left it could negatively impact our economy. What are you saying, they are cheap labor? Yeah, you democrats have always been about cheap labor, historically speaking. You did try separate but equal and had to compromise on that policy. Now Trumps promise to enforce that law by deporting those denied is somehow evil. Enforcing the law is wrong? 

  Yes there will be changes made, new policies enacted and old ones rejected. That's the way it works with free elections. The objection here is to do what is best for our country. That seems to have been lost somewhere along the way. While many women are screaming about bodily autonomy the left appears to have abandoned the concept of a national autonomy. That isn't nationalism, that is common sense. America first! Yes, that's how it should be and no one should be surprised or angered by that. A clear majority has spoken. Time to balance the books. You know it isn't about spending money, it is about how that money is spent. That's the big change about to take place. The republicans will have more control over the purse strings, that sure upsets those on the left. I get it, I hate it when that happens. I really wanted that new toy! 

                                                                           

What we do

  As I was writing the other day I realized that we haven't had a draft here in the United States in fifty one years. The last time was June of 1973. Since that time everyone that has served did so voluntarily. Recruiting goals have not always been met but I believe our military has stood ready regardless. In my time I have noticed the use of the National guard far more frequently and in far more combat situations. Fifty years ago those in the guard were often called "weekend warriors" and it was a bit of a disparaging remark. Remember how they were portrayed in the Rambo movie? They were thought of as a bit inept. I don't believe that is the case today. 

  Personally I think we should still have a draft. I don't think it is too much to ask of our citizens. There has always been exceptions and exemptions available to those that don't qualify or simply didn't want to join. They have covered quite the range. In the civil war you could simply pay someone else to take your place. Yes, if you had the money, you could do that. How that was viewed in society I can't say for certain but I expect it wasn't favorable. There have been deferments for continuing education, exemptions for conscientious objections, physical ailments or disabilities. Two years of active duty service does have a maturing effect on people, something we cold use today! 

  I don't stay current with the rules and regulations applicable in todays military. I suspect, as it has always been, things are a bit different now. In my time I saw what we called "just messing around" change into what was called "hazing" and punishable by court martial. Guess I'm one those old people that thought it was just fun to pull pranks on others and engage in some other high jinx's. No one got physical injured, well maybe a minor bruise or a scrape, but nothing serious. Mostly you got humbled a bit. Depending upon your reaction to that you were either accepted into the group or ignored. It was still, don't ask, don't tell in my time. 

  The pay has improved a bit over the years, although by civilian standards, on the lower end. Vacation days are pretty good, thirty a year with full pay and benefits, and the medical care is good. Still I'm thinking if you want people to do as a profession the pay should be a bit higher. The skills required today are a bit more than what was required fifty years ago, no doubt about that. From what little I know ships today employ quite a bit of technology that would require highly skilled operators. I was still dealing with steam power. While I served having a digital clock or gauge was high tech! 

  With all the advances in technology and weapons systems do we really need as many ships as we have? Do we require the amount of ground troops as in the past? It's my feeling that any future wars will only require those ground troops when the combatants exercise restraint. That is to say, do not use the more advanced and lethal weapons systems that we have. History has shown us one example of that. What ended WW2? Yes, it was the deployment of those nuclear weapons that forced the Japanese to capitulate. Whether the use of those bombs was warranted or not is still debated today. That lives were saved is beyond a doubt, but the horror of their use still resonates in everyone's soul. 

   Veterans today are enjoying the recognition they richly deserve. As we all know that hasn't always been the case. Those engaging in combat missions have not had a clear objective, the enemy has been elusive and confusing. The cause of "freedom" is a difficult concept to adopt when the bullets are flying. It is one thing to defend your nation, your family and your way of life and quite another to simply follow the orders of your superiors. That is what veterans do however, they follow orders. In fact this is what they pledge: 

"I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God  It is what we do.

packed away

  Tomorrow is Veterans day. A day to remember and reflect upon those that have served in our military. Some did so voluntarily and some have been drafted. Well, no one has been drafted since 1973, fifty one years ago. That's amazing to me as I remember quite well the draft and my friends checking the newspaper when the list came out. I heard a few sighs of relief. I don't recall knowing anyone that was drafted from my high school class but some probably were. The reason people join the military are as different as the people joining. The reason isn't important though, the action is. Whether from a sense of duty, or a sense of patriotism, all are subject to the same treatment. 

  I have witnessed a big change in public perception of those in the service over the last fifty years. I have seen it swing from one extreme to another. I never personally experienced any hateful language or accusations but know some that did. My experience is unique to me, as it everyone's time in the service. I can't speak for others, only for myself. I joined because I wasn't going to college and the job market wasn't much where I grew up. So, that's what you did in 1971. Yes, it was a bit of an old fashioned idea even then, what you might call "traditional" to join the service for that reason. We weren't making demands back then that others pay for our wants, like going to college. In fact, the guidance counselors at school guided some to simply get a job, others to learning a trade, and saved the elite for college. Yes they were making judgements based on your academic performance and social status. Some of us are destined to be laborers or some will be leaders. That's how it works in the world.

  I have also witnessed a change in attitude from those that have served. My parents generation, those that served in WW2 and Korea rarely spoke of that. Those conversations were shared in the smoke filled halls of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Many of those vets had earned high decorations during their time, silver stars, purple hearts and the like, although you never knew that. Those medals and memories were packed away. Today a veteran of basic training is liable to be parading around proclaiming his heroism. It is something I find distasteful. Many veterans today make demands based on their service, feeling they should get everything and anything for free. They feel entitled, rather than honored. All veterans are deserving of honor and respect, not all veterans are entitled to everything. 

  Today I will go to the cemetery and place a flag upon a few graves. I have three that I do that for every memorial day and veterans day. Veterans day is for all veterans, an all inclusive thing. A day to say, thank you. I never know what to say when someone says that to me, I usually just mutter, you're welcome. I feel uncomfortable with that. I remember the thousands I served alongside and some of their stories. Few every said they were doing it for love of god and country. The reasons for serving are only known to that person serving. I was making a living, taking care of my family. It was my job. When I retired from that occupation I packed my uniform away and moved on. It's all just a memory now. No hero here, just another veteran among millions. Memories are usually a lot better than the actual event. That's especially true when the event spans a little over two decades. And yes, my time in the Navy was an event. I was told it would be an adventure! Well, it was.  

                                                                            

The path of morality

  Truth is a compromise between our conscience and our god. Each of us establish truth based on our wants, not our needs. When what we want offends our God, we make that compromise. Laws do not establish morality, only enforce judgements. Laws are created to justify the compromise made. If it's legal, it's alright. That is the mentality of that logic. When we are told, don't judge, what the person is really saying to you is, don't tell me I'm wrong. Those that harbor doubt, fear judgement. They fear it because they know the truth. 

  Morality hinges upon the giving of self. That isn't to say you should deny yourself everything, every pleasure in life, but rather denying yourself those actions known to be harmful. Harmful to yourself and to others. Sacrifice is a personal thing, not a group activity. Sacrifices are made between you and your god. They are not made to satisfy that god, they are made in the realization of truth. The heart of sacrifice is in the acceptance of truth, not a compromise of values. It isn't a trade off, a bargain made, it is a gift, an acknowledgement freely given. 

  For any of what I have written to be true you have to accept the existence of god, whatever you conceive god to be. God is the force of good in the universe. The positive. Perhaps mankind is the negative force. I do believe we are all energy. Energy cannot be created or destroyed. That is the eternal life so widely sought after. Electrical theory says that currents flows from the positive to the negative. But, less known is the fact that electrons ( electrons create the current) flow from the negative to the positive. If we think of our god as a positive force and ourselves as negative we should be flowing to that positive! The path of morality one might call that. From negative to positive, from bad to good. 

  It is a never ending cycle, eternal life. Whether or not we are aware of that I can't say with any certainty. It is a question I have asked myself many times over the years, will I know. Will I be aware that I'm dead? I only believe I'm alive because this state of existence is what we call that. It really is like everything else, dependent upon whatever name we apply. Who decided that blue was blue or red was red? Who decided which way was north? Man has taken to naming things by mutual agreement, as a means to understand each other. 

  The Bible tells the story of Babel, when God confused the people so they could not understand one another. As a result the people scattered across the earth. The reason God chose to do so is left up to individual interpretation. For me it was simply an explanation provided by those writing the Bible. An attempt to answer a question. I do not believe every word, every story and parable written in the Bible came from the mouth of God. No, the book was written by man. That doesn't negate any of the truths contained within those pages however. Our conscience is created by our God. Truth is a compromise between our conscience and our god. An internal struggle. 

                                                                               

  

Only Congress

  The election is over and the results are in, well most of them, still waiting on the house. The republicans appear to have won the trifecta. The last time one party controlled all three was in the early years of the Biden administration. Interesting to note is that has been the case more times than not since 1857. The republicans do have an edge of two more times, this would be three if it happens. In having that advantage legislation can be passed in a more expedient fashion. It won't be a "authoritarian" government however, Trump wasn't elected dictator, just president. We have the three branches of government for a reason you know, so just cool your jets. Don't forget that we are "represented" by politicians! Yes we get to elect them but after that they make their own choices. Usually whatever the most politically expedient thing for them to do. Think, what will they gain financially. Are they seeking reelection or just "career" goals? 

  All the usual celebrities are leaving the country once again. I'm guessing they couldn't get a passport or something the last time around. Some of my more liberal friends and acquaintances are suffering from depression. Nothing much will change though, it's just their time to complain about everything. I firmly support that right. If you voted, you can complain about the results. Over the next four years we shall see just how inclusive, equitable and diverse those folks really are. I am amused listening to them blaming Biden for the loss. Well, they forced him out and replaced him with Harris. A colossal blunder in my opinion. Building back better requires superior materials not stuff from the discount store. Harris had zero to offer. I hear the complaint (excuse) she only had three months. Probably a good thing, any longer and she would have been replaced! 

  It's my feeling that the American people have just had enough of all this "progressive" nonsense. The woke crowd did accomplish something, they woke up America. Reality is a harsh taskmaster. You really can't legislate with emotions. A return to common sense is in order. In the novel Sense and Sensibility practicality is the sense and romantic notions the sensibility. That's what a great deal of this progressive agenda is, a romantic notion of how the world should be. As I have pointed out repeatedly, you can't legislate morality and that is exactly what the left is attempting to do. You can't argue against religion, insisting upon trusting the science, while legislating what are moral choices. The establishment of moral behaviors is an individual thing. Laws are established to maintain peace and provide for accountability. The judicial system exists to JUDGE those behaviors. 

  The proof is in the pudding as the old adage goes. That adage doesn't address whether or not you like the taste of that pudding. You have to experience something before you can judge the effectiveness of that. Trump, whether you like it or not did have a successful presidency. No wars on his watch, the economy was better and the border a bit more secure. Biden was going to build back better and the American people judged that pudding. It was awful. We'll have to wait and see how this administration goes. A few more obstacles have been placed in the road but I believe they can be overcome. And that is up to the Congress for the most part. Only Congress can make law. The president can't, the senate can't, the house can't. Only congress can do that.    

                                                                                   

alone

  There are times you just have to walk alone. It's a lesson I feel many have failed to learn in these modern times. That is the cause of so much mental unrest, all this wokeness stuff. There are times when not only will some disagree with you, sometimes everyone does. That's alright though, just keep walking along until the next fork in the road. Like Yogi Berra is purported to have said, when you come to a fork in the road, take it. That is what I have always done and that isn't changing anytime soon. 

 The truth never changes, only circumstances. For that reason you shouldn't attempt to alter the truth just wait for a new set of circumstances. Everything does change over time, it is new and exciting when you're young, mostly annoying when you get older. In fact, the older you get the more annoyed you become, at least that is my experience. I'm wondering what is taking so long. You haven't learned anything from history yet? You can rewrite that all you want, but it isn't changing the truth. What is that they say, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. Did you know that comes from a biblical proverb? It's a caution. 

  I try to remain stoic for the most part. That's the product of my New England upbringing. We are all products of our environments. We all tend to change a bit, adopt to whatever new environment we find ourselves in. It is a subconscious thing, the instinct for survival you might say. A concession made in order to "fit in" or gain popularity for a perceived gain. Perhaps that is what bothers us elderly folks as we generally quit doing that as our circumstance have changed. No longer do we feel that need to "fit in" or require the acceptance of others. We have learned to walk alone. 

  That isn't to say we don't want and enjoy company along the way, quite the opposite is true, being alone isn't any fun. It is just the willingness to walk alone when necessary that has changed. It is often uncomfortable and can cause bitter feelings but we swallow that pill anyway. It is that independent spirit that drives us. Not a policy of isolation, not leading or following, just walking alongside. The truth is, in the end, we are all alone. No matter how big the send off, the next journey is one you take alone. The hope being, not for long though.   

                                                                               

change

  Being an early riser the news hasn't officially declared the winner of the presidential election, although it is obvious that it will be Donald Trump. It's not surprising that the media is reluctant to admit to that as the bias has been quite obvious over the entire campaign. It remains to be seen how this result will be taken. Hopefully there are no incidents. I heard the National Guard had already been activated for security measures, a wise decision, one that should have been the last time around but was blocked by Pelosi. Whatever, the past is the past and behind us. 

  I'm just grateful that it is all over now as I have grown tired of all the talk. We will get a short period of rest from all of that. I'm sure much will be made of the fact that Trump has a felony conviction. It's true, he does, but it doesn't disqualify him from the presidency. It didn't even disqualify him from voting something the Democrats fully support, in fact, wishing to expand that to everyone in prison. Let's hope the Democrats can work in a bipartisan fashion. But I've heard that the Republicans have won the house and the senate, although I don't know that for certain. Time for a change!

  I didn't vote for a personality, I voted for common sense. The republican party is that party. As I have written many times you can't legislate on emotions. It is like raising your children, you sometimes have to say no, be mean, and hurt their feelings. You can't simply be their "friend" and allow them to go unchecked. Yes, they have to brush their teeth, go to bed and do their homework! If they don't behave in school it isn't the teachers fault, it is yours! We have to do what is best for America!

  Hate the man all you want, he is a businessman. The business of government requires someone willing to be unpopular, their ego needs to be that great. It's true, nice guys finish last. You can sit at home and talk about how good you feel about yourself, how moral and righteous you are, but in the end the nice guy finishes last. Fact is, only when you profit from that person will you consider him or her a nice guy. No one likes to admit that they are wrong. No one likes it when their ideas aren't adopted. No one likes to hear, no. As I wrote just yesterday, perception is everything. The electorate perceived it was time for a change. Only time will tell, buckle up, it's going to be a bumpy ride. 

                                                                            

                                                                             

    

the creation of perception

  Today being election day my thoughts are naturally turned to that. First thing this morning my cable television provider is having difficulties and I can't watch tv. You have to ask, is this election interference? That I say tongue in check but I'm certain there are those thinking just that. Here, in the election of 2024 the integrity of the election process is deeply in doubt. It certainly hinges a great deal on the internet. The internet as we know it today has only be around for about thirty years. My feeling is that for the public in general the time is actually a bit less. As a senior citizen I realize I came late to the party and haven't developed quite the dependence of the younger generations. And yes, all that "misinformation" on the web does influence others in a major way. 

  You have to understand what "misinformation " really is. It isn't necessarily an outright lie or fabrication, rather a distortion of the truth or the presenting of statistical data in a misleading fashion. Mark Twain is credited with having said, " there are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics. He spoke the truth in that regard and it is ever more so today. If one were to listen solely to the internet you would get the impression that the LGBTQ+ community predominates the world. The fact is less than 3% of the population identifies themselves in that way. A statistic versus a perception. And that is the danger in all this social media, the creation of perception. What the media now calls, influence. 

  There are more Latinos in America than there are blacks. We are back to identifying as black aren't we? That's a difficult one to keep up with and I certainly don't intend to offend anyone. Latinos are about 19%, Blacks about 13% and white about 75%. I know, that adds up to 107% but that's the statistics provided from the census bureau, go figure. There are many other lists breaking all that down even further into sub-categories. There is even a list of those "identifying" as "whatever" they choose regardless of biological facts. That is in the perception category in my opinion. And the perception certainly is that our election process isn't secure enough to ensure a fair result. 

  It is a perception created by the media. I know many will blame Donald Trump for all of that. Perhaps he is to blame for questioning the results. Regardless, the perception remains strong. A perception created seldom goes away completely. Will this lead to a major reform in the electoral process and/or methods? I highly doubt that it will. The push is on for ever more "remote" means of casting those ballots. Mail-in, absentee or whatever else you want to mention. It's my feeling the more remote it becomes the less secure it becomes as well. It's a concession to convenience. So many just don't want to make that effort to get to their polling places, citing a hundred different reasons they can't. Everyone should be the exception! 

  I also feel like the electronic tabulation of votes is open for abuse. Remember in the last national election when those "sd" cards were lost for a brief time? Just where were there and who had access to them? This time we are hearing about ballot boxes being set afire, what of those ballots? There are those telling you they would make no statistical difference. That's true. At least in the past it has always been a statistical fact that if all the mail-in and absentee ballots were discounted the results of the election would not change. A statistical fact no one wants to hear or acknowledge. Just seems awfully strange to me that your local bank will know instantly if you are overdrawn ten cents in your checking account, yet when tabulating ballots the results are questionable. It might take days! If not for the electoral college those results would still be questioned today. And that is my perception anyway. 

  Well whatever the reality is I will going to my polling place this afternoon. I will personally fill out my ballot and place it in that electronic ballot box. I would happily and eagerly show my identification to anyone that asked for it. I will vote in person on election day. It's my civic duty to do so and not an inconvenience. Losing your freedom, now that's inconvenient. Remember things aren't always what you see but sometimes just a perception. 

                                                                                 

 

                                                                         

a thing of value

  A member of my extended family, isn't that what you call in-laws, sent me a newspaper article he had stumbled upon. This article concerned his grandfather. It wasn't a very flattering article, in fact, quite the opposite. He had been incarcerated for lack of funds to pay a fine. The offense he had committed was domestic battery. He had been arguing with his wife after drinking a bit of alcohol. Well, as often happens irrational actions took place and he was subsequently arrested. They went to bed and according to his wife he used both of his feet to kick her out of bed! The police were called and he was taken into custody. The fine was fifty dollars. That was quite a sum in 1937. That is about 1100 dollars today, plus the cost of the court. It didn't say how long he was in for though. 

  I wrote back to this family member mentioning that it was a part of the secret lives of grandparents. We all have our secret lives, although I believe it is getting far more difficult to keep a secret these days. Transparency is the watchword today and people are continuously being called out on that. What was called mud slinging is now simply transparency. My grandmother would say it isn't nice to speak ill of the dead and if you don't have anything nice to say don't say anything at all. Being known as a gossip wasn't a good thing either. It was the same as being an informant! You didn't want to be a rat. Today is it viewed as a personal right to know the business of everyone else. 

  I have done a lot of looking in old newspapers and such while working on the family tree. I have discovered a few secrets along the way. Some of them are not very flattering at all. In fact, the majority of what you find in the news for us common people is that way. The little people only make the news when it is something sensational. The news, and the reporting of it, hasn't changed all that much over the years. The real objective is to sell the paper, or in more modern times, watch that particular station. It's about revenue not information. I did smile as I read about some misadventures of my ancestors.

  Of course not all secrets are bad things, just the best things. It is one of those funny things. We like to hear about the bad because it somehow makes us feel better about ourselves. I didn't do that. I have read good stories, positive things concerning my ancestors. Stories about receiving an award, or accomplishing some feat, tales of bravery and courage.

  Being the common man though there are none I can hitch my wagon too. Having a famous ancestor can be a benefit. Today the objective appears to be to find an ancestor that was mistreated and seek compensation for that. But I'm just thinking about those everyday secrets we all tend to keep. Our parents had secrets, our grandparents had secrets and so forth. I have considered writing my book of secrets to be shared only after my passing. But then why taint a legacy? It would be like finding out there is no Santa Claus. A big disappointment. Secrets are meant to be kept, not shared. I'll be keeping mine, at least for now. But you never know when the sharing of a secret may provide you a benefit. That's when we share them. They are only of value until they are discovered. They are the only thing of value you can take with you. Once shared, they are not a secret anymore. 

                                                                        

the ticket

  In posting these narratives of mine a frequent comment I might receive concerns' whether the person reading it followed my train of thought. In order to do that you have to be on the same track as me. Well, the problem with that is I run an independent railroad. No corporate or consumers influences. As a result all the passengers aren't happy with the ride. To that I say, reality is a bumpy ride and not always the most pleasant of things. This isn't an amusement train in a theme park, buckle up and hold on. 

  I would agree that we each live in our own reality. The mind is the most powerful tool we have. It's a topic I have explored many times, the notion of reality and truth. Things are pretty much whatever you genuinely believe them to be. The things I write about are those things. I do not feel the necessity for any "paper" to influence others. Completing an educational course, passing the final exam, doesn't make you any smarter than anyone else. I have no doubt that I could take any course offered and complete the work necessary to "graduate" the course. I have no doubt you could do the same if you chose to do so.  

  We buy our own ticket. You can go first class or steerage, but the destination remains the same. That is the part a lot of people seem to forget. It really doesn't matter how you get there, it's what you do when you arrive that counts. Like the song says, we are living and dying with the choices we make. The ultra rich and famous drowned on the Titanic alongside the poorest passengers. My point there being, it wouldn't have made a bit of difference which ticket you could afford, the circumstances where the same. That's true in life as well. That is the beauty of the American dream, that is the essence of that. It doesn't make any difference. We will all go down together unless we right the ship. One reality is, the ship is  overloaded without enough life boats. Combine that with the mindset from the "leadership" that we are unsinkable and a disaster awaits. Time for a new Captain! Time to replace the governing board of directors as well. 

  Reality is indeed harsh at times. I have been accused of a lack of compassion. Well, perhaps that is true but I really don't want to have to say, I'm sorry. I've found that is the usual result for allowing things to go unchecked, out of compassion. Things go south and you wind up saying, I'm sorry. But by then it's too late, the damage has been done. Remember that movie, Love Story? The catch phrase from that being, love means never having to say you're sorry. What was that saying? It means when you love someone, are truly caring and compassionate, you won't don't anything that you wind up apologizing for. Doesn't make any difference if it is an individual or a nation. You do what is best for others, even when it means they get mad at you or it doesn't benefit you personally.

  Saying sorry after the fact doesn't help. It never helps. It is past and you can't change the past. Apologizing for the past does nothing for today or tomorrow. "It is a good rule in life never to apologize. The right sort of people do not want apologies, and the wrong sort take a mean advantage of them."  (P. G. Wodehouse) A lot of that going on in this country right now, the taking advantage part I mean. Acknowledging past mistakes isn't an apology. That is called learning and what the true purpose of history is. History doesn't stereotype, just exposes truth. You can't change history by justifying wrongdoing today. Paying for lifeboats today ain't helping those that drowned. History should serve as a warning, a caution because it does repeat itself. Democracies historically last about 200 years, followed by socialism. We are currently in our 248th year. My hope resides in that we are a constitutional republic. The first one in history. How long can we survive, stay afloat? 

  I know, I started out on a train and wound up on a ship. Turns out it doesn't make any difference what your mode of transportation is, the destination remains the same. It is all in what you do when you arrive. You have to buy a ticket though, so get out there and vote. That's the ticket. Consider carefully the realities and set aside emotional choices. As I have pointed out numerous times, emotions are great motivators but seldom good guides. Vote with your brain not with your heart.