There is no better advice than "to take it one day at a time."
The old cavalier advice of "eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die" is also another bit of advice worth noting.
My Dad used to tell me to "never walk when you can ride, never run when you can walk, never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lay down, and never stay awake if you can sleep. For you never know when something might happen and you not get a chance to ride, walk, sit or sleep for a while.
Other roadside philosophy I like are
"First, do no harm. Second, see first."
"It is better to be taken advantage of then to take advantage of"
"the more things change the more they stay the same."
"If not I than who."
Most of these are simplify fies version of larger concept but ultimately are complete and beg only for the reader to meditate on. Second all of these are related and connected. For example beginning with the first to the last.
Plan but remember take it one day at a time for life has a way of happening as you plan. so take whatever joy you can from this day for it may be your last, and don't forget to rest step back and smell the roses when the opportunity presents itself because life does have a way changing on you in the most unexpected ways. So do good when can taking responsibility for your actions understanding that while folks change they really don't. they are really still the same folks. In the end when your days end "I want to be justified in my own house".
Politics
Well the vote is coming quick and the rhetoric is becoming more virulent with each passing day. My only big regret is that there is not a toggle to pull for "NONE OF THE ABOVE"
Yesterday on NPR Morning edition in discussions with two of their political commentators that if the democrats loss control of the Senate and of the House that there would still not be enough of a majority in control to move legislation of to take action.
This made worse in that both parties were finding themselves becoming even more polarize by labels of liberal and right wing Conservative with election to office of these demigods. That in short they were seeing fewer moderates being elected in fact they were the ones losing office thereby making it harder for bi-partisanship.
In short to the next two years will be even worse than the last two years. But then what did you expect when at the very beginning the Republican party made it obvious that they had no attention of agreeing to anything the Democrats proposed even at the risk of being seen as the party of No.
Combined the fact that they will have gained a few seats in Congress but not enough to drive the legislation will only make them more determined to unseat the current sitting Democratic President even at the risk of destroying the very thing they are elected to protect.
In the Shop
I am embarrassed to write on what I did but I am going to.
Yesterday I was cutting pieces for the table tops of course I was in a hurry so rather than measure and mark each piece as I cut I just took the first one used it then took the one just cut and used it to mark the next and so forth for the 16 pieces I needed. Then I put on my dado blade on the table saw and began making mortise and tendons. This can be a tedious job and requires attention to detail.
When I was done my oldest son who was helping me and I began to dry fit the pieces together to make sure it all worked. Imagine my embarrassment when the mortise;s were good but the length of the 16 pieces used to make up the table top were at incremental difference in length. so that there was no way for them to square up.
By using the preceding cut piece to measure by I had built in a error caused by increasing the length with just the width of the pencil and as small as that sounds it adds up to a significant difference. I had always told my boys never ever do that because that is what happens and when I called my youngest that night and told him what I had done he laughed and reminded me of what I had always told them not to do.
Now I get to go through the pieces and make minute corrections until I get them all uniform. Sin at haste, repent at leisure.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Random Thoughts
I know based on some of my recent writings that you might think this is a more or less and off beat political blog like we need another right. But the original purpose was to write about my interest or things that catch my attention. But recently that has been what has been on my radar.
So forgive me if I do post on what was on my radar yesterday. My family. Sunday was a traditional family gathering at our house and it was grand. Instead of cooking a big meal my wife and I stopped on the way home from church and picked up chicken and fixings for everyone. All I can say it was a very good day.
Even with all of my family gathered around the world had a way of inserting it's ugly head.
On one hand there was my daughter who has been unemployed now for almost two years. There was the warning I had given my kids that some of the finical aid we have been giving various one at different times might come to a end that the non-profit as most non-profits were having difficulty of meeting their budgetary needs and their mom's hours might get cut. Both of my son's were talking about how tight things were in what they do and how little work exist. So what am I trying to get at.
So what was my advice to the adults of my family who were expressing their concerns. To my boys and wife I would and have said focus on what you are hired to do not let the office gossip cause you to do something you might regret. To my daughter I have told her the work she did has fled to third world countries and she needs to rethink what she wants to do for work. To think outside the box.
To all of them I told them to keep it simple and to live simple. Now is not the time to buy without a purpose in mind. Sweat the small stuff for it may very well be the thing that gets you through this life we have found our self in. I told them when they tell me how they are sure looking froward to when this bust cycle is over that there may never ever be the boom cycle we all had gotten use to. Don't assume their paycheck will continue forever.
Yeah, I know real gloom and doom right. I didn't mean it that way for I truly believe that we will get through this but not in the traditional way of a boom cycle.
Voting
With the vote coming up the radio and TV are running rampant with political adds. But it seems to me as I watch, read, and listen the only person who seems to be winning are the Ad agency who produce this vomit of political rhetoric that does not seem to bear anything relevant other than elect me I will represent you better than the other guy.
But the truth is as candidates come depend on these political demagoguery to get elected they come to depend even more so on political action committees to fund their campaigns. What worries me and reader I don't think you can deny the plausibility of my worry, is the influence that this money buys. Influence the average voter and citizen can't hope to have with the candidates.
An example that I know of is one political action committee called The Concerned Taxpayers Committee. This it turned out was just two men who had used the influence of their money and the PA C's as a way to get around the maximum contribution amount, for them right at half a million.
Kind of makes you wonder about your twenty dollar contribution for like it has been said "Money talks the rest Walks".
By the way I will vote.
So forgive me if I do post on what was on my radar yesterday. My family. Sunday was a traditional family gathering at our house and it was grand. Instead of cooking a big meal my wife and I stopped on the way home from church and picked up chicken and fixings for everyone. All I can say it was a very good day.
Even with all of my family gathered around the world had a way of inserting it's ugly head.
On one hand there was my daughter who has been unemployed now for almost two years. There was the warning I had given my kids that some of the finical aid we have been giving various one at different times might come to a end that the non-profit as most non-profits were having difficulty of meeting their budgetary needs and their mom's hours might get cut. Both of my son's were talking about how tight things were in what they do and how little work exist. So what am I trying to get at.
So what was my advice to the adults of my family who were expressing their concerns. To my boys and wife I would and have said focus on what you are hired to do not let the office gossip cause you to do something you might regret. To my daughter I have told her the work she did has fled to third world countries and she needs to rethink what she wants to do for work. To think outside the box.
To all of them I told them to keep it simple and to live simple. Now is not the time to buy without a purpose in mind. Sweat the small stuff for it may very well be the thing that gets you through this life we have found our self in. I told them when they tell me how they are sure looking froward to when this bust cycle is over that there may never ever be the boom cycle we all had gotten use to. Don't assume their paycheck will continue forever.
Yeah, I know real gloom and doom right. I didn't mean it that way for I truly believe that we will get through this but not in the traditional way of a boom cycle.
Voting
With the vote coming up the radio and TV are running rampant with political adds. But it seems to me as I watch, read, and listen the only person who seems to be winning are the Ad agency who produce this vomit of political rhetoric that does not seem to bear anything relevant other than elect me I will represent you better than the other guy.
But the truth is as candidates come depend on these political demagoguery to get elected they come to depend even more so on political action committees to fund their campaigns. What worries me and reader I don't think you can deny the plausibility of my worry, is the influence that this money buys. Influence the average voter and citizen can't hope to have with the candidates.
An example that I know of is one political action committee called The Concerned Taxpayers Committee. This it turned out was just two men who had used the influence of their money and the PA C's as a way to get around the maximum contribution amount, for them right at half a million.
Kind of makes you wonder about your twenty dollar contribution for like it has been said "Money talks the rest Walks".
By the way I will vote.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Zero Growth
Yesterday I read a article from Utne magazine that said there are more economist coming out to state that the world must stop thinking in growth the only way the economy can be sustained. It argued that instead there are economist out there who believe in Zero Growth as the future of the worlds economy.
What is Zero Growth?
It is simply the ideal that there are only so many of anything you can utilize or use and overproduce of any one item results in wasted resources which leads to environmental suicide for us by using up our resources and polluting the world we live in.
It went on to say that zero growth while scary and new sounding really is not. that even Adam Smith the father of Capitalism said that eventually you would hit this wall where growth would stop. So where did this ideal of the only way for the economy to be sustained is by increased production? They said the concept came from big business in the 19th century and was propagated by government economic pundits.
Wait a minute if this is so then why do I recalled in my high school social studies class and then later in my college economic and history class the statement both read and lectured on that there is only so many of any one thing can be produced before you reach market saturation and the resulting saturation of that market leads to market failure or stagnation.
The ideal is then if you build refrigerators without concern as to what the market can bear then sooner or later the refrigerators you are building becomes so much clutter in the warehouse. That leads to factory producing said refrigerators slowing down or shutting down (layoffs) which leads to less ability across the economic scale to buy said refrigerators which leads to a recession or worse depression. This over production was what lead to the depression of 1929
Does this ideal sound familiar. Think the recent building boom in Mac Mansion driven by uncontrolled mortgage brokers and suddenly you see why there are so many foreclosure of Mac Mansions and subsequently the failure of our finical institutions. The key word here is speculation, another way of saying gambling.
The economic theory of Zero Growth has to do with the ideal of producing only what you need and nothing more. This they say will lead to at first to layoffs and shortfalls but with adjustment and doing what FDR in 1933 had proposed but was shot down by wall street and that is instituting a 4 day work week we will see actual drop of unemployment to the 4% acknowledge to be expected.
Of course this is extremely simplified view of Zero Growth but if you add to that a more progressive income tax, and yes I am talking about increasing the tax burden across the board but more so on the ultra-rich. Then what you eventually see is a more balanced economy of employment, resources and environment. One proponent of this concept went on to say if we initiated this theory that the economic models indicate that the 4% unemployment could be reached by 2020 and the Kyoto agreement on the environment met as well while increasing social services.
From Wikipida I found this definition and leads to the model used and other sources.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_growth
Interesting thought isn't. Might just be worth our urging our leaders to study and act responsibly if not elect someone who will.
What is Zero Growth?
It is simply the ideal that there are only so many of anything you can utilize or use and overproduce of any one item results in wasted resources which leads to environmental suicide for us by using up our resources and polluting the world we live in.
It went on to say that zero growth while scary and new sounding really is not. that even Adam Smith the father of Capitalism said that eventually you would hit this wall where growth would stop. So where did this ideal of the only way for the economy to be sustained is by increased production? They said the concept came from big business in the 19th century and was propagated by government economic pundits.
Wait a minute if this is so then why do I recalled in my high school social studies class and then later in my college economic and history class the statement both read and lectured on that there is only so many of any one thing can be produced before you reach market saturation and the resulting saturation of that market leads to market failure or stagnation.
The ideal is then if you build refrigerators without concern as to what the market can bear then sooner or later the refrigerators you are building becomes so much clutter in the warehouse. That leads to factory producing said refrigerators slowing down or shutting down (layoffs) which leads to less ability across the economic scale to buy said refrigerators which leads to a recession or worse depression. This over production was what lead to the depression of 1929
Does this ideal sound familiar. Think the recent building boom in Mac Mansion driven by uncontrolled mortgage brokers and suddenly you see why there are so many foreclosure of Mac Mansions and subsequently the failure of our finical institutions. The key word here is speculation, another way of saying gambling.
The economic theory of Zero Growth has to do with the ideal of producing only what you need and nothing more. This they say will lead to at first to layoffs and shortfalls but with adjustment and doing what FDR in 1933 had proposed but was shot down by wall street and that is instituting a 4 day work week we will see actual drop of unemployment to the 4% acknowledge to be expected.
Of course this is extremely simplified view of Zero Growth but if you add to that a more progressive income tax, and yes I am talking about increasing the tax burden across the board but more so on the ultra-rich. Then what you eventually see is a more balanced economy of employment, resources and environment. One proponent of this concept went on to say if we initiated this theory that the economic models indicate that the 4% unemployment could be reached by 2020 and the Kyoto agreement on the environment met as well while increasing social services.
From Wikipida I found this definition and leads to the model used and other sources.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero_growth
Interesting thought isn't. Might just be worth our urging our leaders to study and act responsibly if not elect someone who will.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Scary
The scariest thing that ever happen to me personally up to now was when visiting my Mother sent me out on a errand when I got back it was dark and as I approached the door she ambushed me from behind squirted by a garden hose. Totally surprised it was flight or fight and I choose flight with only one way to go was through a solid wood door. Of course my mother who was hysterical with laughter by now gave it away that it was her and I calmed down. Never did get her back.
But now I can say it is the space of two years that I have to endure without medical insurance that will be the scariest time for me.
When I retired I lost my employer provided health insurance so I have been trying to watch over my health as best as I can. I do not qualify for any kind of medical assistance provided by a government agency as my wife and I make about two thousand too much to qualify. That left the burden totally on me and in our for profit health care system it means I am making bets that i will not suffer a seriously illness during this time until I qualify for Medicare in June 2012.
Now that would be ok if I did not have health issues. One I am a diabetic. Two I suffer from lympedima, Three I have a enlarged prostate typical of a man of my age. That means a whole horde of medical issues can come up and one has this week.
I with a weaken immune system as a result of diabetes and as a result acquired a urinary tract infection this past week. Now that is treatable with heavy dose of anti-biotic ($126) and frequent visit to the doctor to verify it is Cleaared up ($80 per visit with a minimum of 2 visits). I also had to renew my meds to shrink the prostate and that is $106 per month this is to allow for more flow and thus flushing your system out of the ecoli that causes the infection. I am fortunate in that my Doctor is aware of my financial situation and therefore asst me with free med samples when possible. Even so if you are on a fix income you can see how you can run through your savings or money set aside real quick.
The reason why I call this my scariest time in my life is that with our medical for profit it can limit my options real quick to a catastrophic situation as I would not be able to afford medical assistance. What does that mean it means folks like me become frequent flyer's at the local hospital emergency room. Because of the cost of emergency room care if becomes one more bill that goes unpaid and the cost then is passed on to the taxpayer.
Ultimately you pay for universal heath care one way or another with catastrophic care being the worse choice for the tax payer to make as you only see folks when they are in their greatest and costly need. Where if simple routine preventive health care and reasonable price meds would of kept the health of the individual from escalating to that point.
To me before I found myself in this situation and even now I have always believed we needed universal health care for all with coverage from cradle to grave similar to what all modern countries have with the exception of third world or the US has.
In the Shop
Well I have not been able as I hoped to get into the shop but I have planned out what and how I am going to build the 4 end tables from dimensional lumber The top will be 21X24 inch in size with glued up 2X4 and bread board style ends. The finsish will be natual or antique pine stain. I am hoping this afternoon to get out into the shop and cut to length the pieces in need and get them ready for milling down.
I have picked up from Craigslist a almost new benchtop Delta 10" bandsaw for $75 and need to get new blades on it and adjusted ready to use. I say almost new the previous owner used it one time and broke the blade in not knowing how to use it. I am recycling a portable tablesaw base pulled from street side trash for it's base.
Reading
I began rereading of one of my favorite travel writers Bruce Chatwin "Songlines" his last book before he died. I waiting on getting Robert Reich's newest "Aftershock: The Next Economy and America's Future".
I am courious to see if his ideal of what is coming similar to what was forecasted by the book "Muddling through Frugality"wrote back in the 70's
But now I can say it is the space of two years that I have to endure without medical insurance that will be the scariest time for me.
When I retired I lost my employer provided health insurance so I have been trying to watch over my health as best as I can. I do not qualify for any kind of medical assistance provided by a government agency as my wife and I make about two thousand too much to qualify. That left the burden totally on me and in our for profit health care system it means I am making bets that i will not suffer a seriously illness during this time until I qualify for Medicare in June 2012.
Now that would be ok if I did not have health issues. One I am a diabetic. Two I suffer from lympedima, Three I have a enlarged prostate typical of a man of my age. That means a whole horde of medical issues can come up and one has this week.
I with a weaken immune system as a result of diabetes and as a result acquired a urinary tract infection this past week. Now that is treatable with heavy dose of anti-biotic ($126) and frequent visit to the doctor to verify it is Cleaared up ($80 per visit with a minimum of 2 visits). I also had to renew my meds to shrink the prostate and that is $106 per month this is to allow for more flow and thus flushing your system out of the ecoli that causes the infection. I am fortunate in that my Doctor is aware of my financial situation and therefore asst me with free med samples when possible. Even so if you are on a fix income you can see how you can run through your savings or money set aside real quick.
The reason why I call this my scariest time in my life is that with our medical for profit it can limit my options real quick to a catastrophic situation as I would not be able to afford medical assistance. What does that mean it means folks like me become frequent flyer's at the local hospital emergency room. Because of the cost of emergency room care if becomes one more bill that goes unpaid and the cost then is passed on to the taxpayer.
Ultimately you pay for universal heath care one way or another with catastrophic care being the worse choice for the tax payer to make as you only see folks when they are in their greatest and costly need. Where if simple routine preventive health care and reasonable price meds would of kept the health of the individual from escalating to that point.
To me before I found myself in this situation and even now I have always believed we needed universal health care for all with coverage from cradle to grave similar to what all modern countries have with the exception of third world or the US has.
In the Shop
Well I have not been able as I hoped to get into the shop but I have planned out what and how I am going to build the 4 end tables from dimensional lumber The top will be 21X24 inch in size with glued up 2X4 and bread board style ends. The finsish will be natual or antique pine stain. I am hoping this afternoon to get out into the shop and cut to length the pieces in need and get them ready for milling down.
I have picked up from Craigslist a almost new benchtop Delta 10" bandsaw for $75 and need to get new blades on it and adjusted ready to use. I say almost new the previous owner used it one time and broke the blade in not knowing how to use it. I am recycling a portable tablesaw base pulled from street side trash for it's base.
Reading
I began rereading of one of my favorite travel writers Bruce Chatwin "Songlines" his last book before he died. I waiting on getting Robert Reich's newest "Aftershock: The Next Economy and America's Future".
I am courious to see if his ideal of what is coming similar to what was forecasted by the book "Muddling through Frugality"wrote back in the 70's
Sunday, October 10, 2010
On a Lighter Note
Well today I started working on the end tables that my youngest needed while I am at it I will probably make my oldest a pair as well.
They are made of what I have in my shop available which is 2X4 and 2X6 dimensional lumber left over from building loft beds for two of my grand kids. The ideal came from a web site called Anna White
http://ana-white.com/
Most of the furniture is made by people new to woodworking and the plans and ideals are offered free for all.
After warming up with the end tables i am going to start working on a promised dresser for my daughter put off mostly because I dread making drawers. But there is only so long before I must breakdown and do it.
All this is because I have found more time on my hands as the grandson I was watching is being watched by my daughter his aunt for now at his home. I got tell you I admire those grandparents who find their self raising their grandchildren at the age you usually have grand kids it is no easy task I complain and I only watched him during he day while his Dad was at work.
I am slowly rebuilding my shop and will post a few photos of it and the work I turn out of it. preceding photos are a couple of shot of some of my work.
They are made of what I have in my shop available which is 2X4 and 2X6 dimensional lumber left over from building loft beds for two of my grand kids. The ideal came from a web site called Anna White
http://ana-white.com/
Most of the furniture is made by people new to woodworking and the plans and ideals are offered free for all.
After warming up with the end tables i am going to start working on a promised dresser for my daughter put off mostly because I dread making drawers. But there is only so long before I must breakdown and do it.
All this is because I have found more time on my hands as the grandson I was watching is being watched by my daughter his aunt for now at his home. I got tell you I admire those grandparents who find their self raising their grandchildren at the age you usually have grand kids it is no easy task I complain and I only watched him during he day while his Dad was at work.
I am slowly rebuilding my shop and will post a few photos of it and the work I turn out of it. preceding photos are a couple of shot of some of my work.
Side note.
Been thinking about buying me a Ipad along with a wireless keypad for it. Hoping by doing so I will free myself from carrying around a 6 pound notebook. Most of my work is either saved to a site like flickr or to this blog so a large memory isn't totally necessary Provided that is that I can find the apprioate apps.
If anyone has thoughts as to recommended size 16 gig,32 gig, or 64 gig or if it would be better to stick with a laptop let me know your thoughts.
Also would like suggestion as to how to or were to get some good soil for container garneing. Containers are best for us in we are renters and need to be able to move them with us. So far haven't had to best results with standard potting soild.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Unemployed
I was listening to NPR Weekend Edition this morning and with the big election coming up in a few weeks they mention that the biggest issue was the economy in particular the fact that the unemployment rate was holding at a steady 9.5% for the last 14 months. The highest rate since the 1933. But what is not reflected by this number is the number of folks who have given up or quit reporting to the unemployment office as their benefits have run out. This number if added to the actual unemployed could well bring it up to 15% and that is not a stretch of the imagination.
Of course the two parties and their different factions within their parties ie Tea Party in the Republicans and the liberals in the Democrats were pointing fingers at each other accusing the sorry state of affairs on the other watch.
Of course they are both guilty. We used to tell our kids that when they pointed fingers at someone they were pointing 3 fingers right back at their self's. Perhaps in that the parties are acting like big children it is time to point out that old saying to them.
The biggest problem as I see it is that their is no one willing to say 'Yes they are to blame but so am I and we need to quit pointing fingers and begin to point out solutions instead.' But will that happen? I seriously doubt it.
We haven't had serous political leadership since LB Johnson led the conservatives and southern democrats by the nose into the Equal Rights Amendment.
Or Richard Nixon out of the quagmire of the Vietnam War and the reinforcement of the Environmental laws to establishment of diplomatic relationship with China.
While you might justly argue that these men were flawed. I would argue though that on more than one occasion they stepped forward and said this is the right thing to do. It is this willingness to take a stand and lead the people to do the right thing is the only thing that will lead us out of this economic free fall we are in.
While descended from the elite the Roosevelt's both Theodore and Franklin were men of the calibre we need. to day. Theodore took on the monopolies in the turn of the centuries that set standards of fair play in our economy and Franklin led the people out of the depression. setting in motion Social Security and belief in he right for all who want to work to work.
The below link is to a fireside speech he gave as to a proposal for a bill of rights for all.
It is probably too late for this amendment but tell me after you listen to the speech calling for fair education, jobs, housing and medical care for all that we might be in a different place if it had been adapted.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwUL9tJmypI&feature=related
It was his untimely death that kept this from becoming possible. For those who are believers in conspiracy some believe his death soon after giving this speech was because of this proposal.
The Election is coming up soon. I will vote and I will vote Democrat. At least that way I can complain I participated in the political process.
As to the 9.5% unemployment. well I don't see it really improving anytime if ever In fact I see where it might be only the tip of the iceberg. We could easily become a nation of has-beens. Patted on the head by the world powers but never ever taken seriously again.
Of course the two parties and their different factions within their parties ie Tea Party in the Republicans and the liberals in the Democrats were pointing fingers at each other accusing the sorry state of affairs on the other watch.
Of course they are both guilty. We used to tell our kids that when they pointed fingers at someone they were pointing 3 fingers right back at their self's. Perhaps in that the parties are acting like big children it is time to point out that old saying to them.
The biggest problem as I see it is that their is no one willing to say 'Yes they are to blame but so am I and we need to quit pointing fingers and begin to point out solutions instead.' But will that happen? I seriously doubt it.
We haven't had serous political leadership since LB Johnson led the conservatives and southern democrats by the nose into the Equal Rights Amendment.
Or Richard Nixon out of the quagmire of the Vietnam War and the reinforcement of the Environmental laws to establishment of diplomatic relationship with China.
While you might justly argue that these men were flawed. I would argue though that on more than one occasion they stepped forward and said this is the right thing to do. It is this willingness to take a stand and lead the people to do the right thing is the only thing that will lead us out of this economic free fall we are in.
While descended from the elite the Roosevelt's both Theodore and Franklin were men of the calibre we need. to day. Theodore took on the monopolies in the turn of the centuries that set standards of fair play in our economy and Franklin led the people out of the depression. setting in motion Social Security and belief in he right for all who want to work to work.
The below link is to a fireside speech he gave as to a proposal for a bill of rights for all.
It is probably too late for this amendment but tell me after you listen to the speech calling for fair education, jobs, housing and medical care for all that we might be in a different place if it had been adapted.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwUL9tJmypI&feature=related
It was his untimely death that kept this from becoming possible. For those who are believers in conspiracy some believe his death soon after giving this speech was because of this proposal.
The Election is coming up soon. I will vote and I will vote Democrat. At least that way I can complain I participated in the political process.
As to the 9.5% unemployment. well I don't see it really improving anytime if ever In fact I see where it might be only the tip of the iceberg. We could easily become a nation of has-beens. Patted on the head by the world powers but never ever taken seriously again.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Trust
My youngest grandson when I am watching him for his Dad likes to crawl up beside me on the couch and take his afternoon nap. Now I tend to get criticism from his Dad and aunt in that I should insist that he lay down on a bed so as to get uninterrupted sleep. They tell me I am spoiling him and I might very well be. But you know I don't care if that is what they think.
For me it is about trust. All of my grandchildren when they were little would crawl up beside me or onto my lap to take a rest or nap and I felt blessed. Why Blessed? Because I knew that they trusted me that they were not in a room alone and that hopefully knew I would never allow anything or one to harm them while they slept. Grandpa would keep the monsters at bey.
Trust to keep the monsters at bey I think has to be earned and yet our political parties Deni-gods constantly keep reminding us how we can't trust the other side.
My email box daily is deluges with emails from the democrats telling me how we are headed to destruction if I don't send right now money so that they can respond to the republicans campaign of fear-mongering. On the radio and TV I am bombarded with ad's on how the democrats or leading the country to destruction.
One of my favourite quotes is
Every two years the American politics industry fills the airwaves with the most virulent, scurrilous, wall-to-wall character assassination of nearly every political practitioner in the country - and then declares itself puzzled that America has lost trust in its politicians. ~Charles Krauthammer
It is exactly like he said how can they wonder about our lack of trust in them.
If they put as much effort in resolving this countries problems as they do in their almost endless campaign then maybe just maybe we would not be sinking into a third world status. A country driven by greed and fear.
Maybe it is time for a new constitutional amendment to limit congress to two four year terns in office and the senate and to one six year term in office. The ideal is to keep a office holder from deciding he owns that office and encourage more productive work since they are limited as to how long they can get legislation past.
Yet I know that this is rather naive ideal. That the base nature of man and of the nature of power to corrupt that what ever process is chosen the elite few will take it over for their own contrivance. I maybe pessimistic but this tends to be the way of the world.
Bottom line is this if the political parties want me to have faith in them then they need to show me their works and from that work faith and trust will come. For now I see is people afraid of being voted out of office for taking a stand or for acting on a just cause. Fear that it might keep them from obtain power, prestige and the money it attracts.
I would like to be like my grandchildren and have faith to allow them to watch over me while I sleep but they have not earned that right. Until they do I will look after my own self. and of the ones who the ones I love.
Isn't strange how one of the most conservative media station, Fox, produce some of the most unusual show.
Example of a couple of my favorite "Fringe" and the now defunct "X-files" along with "The Lone Gunmen" were shows that question authority and raised questions on media manipulation
The last two were and are still great TV but the recent replacement of the sci-fi thriller "Fringe" has become one of my favorites with reasonable good acting combined with fantastical if not controversial subject matter much like X-files did.
Also if you get a chance catch the series on AMC cable channel called "Rubicon". Based on the ideal of conspiracy theories and elite domination of our society it tends to make one think.
Also if you want just good entertainment then keep track of a few show on the cable channel Sci-Fi. shows such as "Haven", "Eureka" and "Warehouse 13" shows which I have become fans of.
Hopefully someday one of the independent cable channels will come up with some shows based on "Blade Runner" or "Johnny Menomic"
Until then at least there is something to watch on the boob tube.
For me it is about trust. All of my grandchildren when they were little would crawl up beside me or onto my lap to take a rest or nap and I felt blessed. Why Blessed? Because I knew that they trusted me that they were not in a room alone and that hopefully knew I would never allow anything or one to harm them while they slept. Grandpa would keep the monsters at bey.
Trust to keep the monsters at bey I think has to be earned and yet our political parties Deni-gods constantly keep reminding us how we can't trust the other side.
My email box daily is deluges with emails from the democrats telling me how we are headed to destruction if I don't send right now money so that they can respond to the republicans campaign of fear-mongering. On the radio and TV I am bombarded with ad's on how the democrats or leading the country to destruction.
One of my favourite quotes is
Every two years the American politics industry fills the airwaves with the most virulent, scurrilous, wall-to-wall character assassination of nearly every political practitioner in the country - and then declares itself puzzled that America has lost trust in its politicians. ~Charles Krauthammer
It is exactly like he said how can they wonder about our lack of trust in them.
If they put as much effort in resolving this countries problems as they do in their almost endless campaign then maybe just maybe we would not be sinking into a third world status. A country driven by greed and fear.
Maybe it is time for a new constitutional amendment to limit congress to two four year terns in office and the senate and to one six year term in office. The ideal is to keep a office holder from deciding he owns that office and encourage more productive work since they are limited as to how long they can get legislation past.
Yet I know that this is rather naive ideal. That the base nature of man and of the nature of power to corrupt that what ever process is chosen the elite few will take it over for their own contrivance. I maybe pessimistic but this tends to be the way of the world.
Bottom line is this if the political parties want me to have faith in them then they need to show me their works and from that work faith and trust will come. For now I see is people afraid of being voted out of office for taking a stand or for acting on a just cause. Fear that it might keep them from obtain power, prestige and the money it attracts.
I would like to be like my grandchildren and have faith to allow them to watch over me while I sleep but they have not earned that right. Until they do I will look after my own self. and of the ones who the ones I love.
Liberalism is trust of the people tempered by prudence. Conservatism is distrust of the people tempered by fear. ~William E. Gladstone, 1866
Trust your own instinct. Your mistakes might as well be your own, instead of someone else's. ~Billy Wilder
Comment of TV showsIsn't strange how one of the most conservative media station, Fox, produce some of the most unusual show.
Example of a couple of my favorite "Fringe" and the now defunct "X-files" along with "The Lone Gunmen" were shows that question authority and raised questions on media manipulation
The last two were and are still great TV but the recent replacement of the sci-fi thriller "Fringe" has become one of my favorites with reasonable good acting combined with fantastical if not controversial subject matter much like X-files did.
Also if you get a chance catch the series on AMC cable channel called "Rubicon". Based on the ideal of conspiracy theories and elite domination of our society it tends to make one think.
Also if you want just good entertainment then keep track of a few show on the cable channel Sci-Fi. shows such as "Haven", "Eureka" and "Warehouse 13" shows which I have become fans of.
Hopefully someday one of the independent cable channels will come up with some shows based on "Blade Runner" or "Johnny Menomic"
Until then at least there is something to watch on the boob tube.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Real Value
I read a number of blogs and listen to NPR talk radio and do the old time thing of reading actual paper publications (Utne, Mother Earth News, Mother Jones, and Texas Observer). The ideal is to try to keep a balance in my life. To neither panic nor go blissfully thought life.
Your are probably saying as you read this that "I knew it he is a bleeding heart, Knee Jerk Liberal" and you would be right. But it is not that simple. No one tells me what to believe and just because it is written down or comes over the air waves does not make it so for me.
Only after I have set down and reviewed and confirmed by personal experience or by those I trust, and they are few and far between, do I then accept what accept a statement or event or situation as fact. This is what I suggest to your reader to do as well.
There are people and organization who want you with them to add you to their numbers whether it be the Tea Party or Green Party and they will appeal to your base instinct or survival in order to add your money or vote to their cause. Trust no one be paranoid there is someone out to get you.
Wow. Do I sound paranoid or what.
But even recognizing this as being paranoid does not keep me from sitting with my back to the wall,always carrying a pocket knife, never going into a place without acknowledging the exits, and the people who are sharing my space. To me this is just common sense.
I guess I am writing about being paranoid because of recent readings and news I have heard on the radio.
In Utne Reader the recent articles were about food and food production. When all the articles were boiled down it is essentially that we are producing enough food to feed people but it is a matter of who controls the food and the distribution of food . Second that the food we are eating are way too often genetically and chemically modified to the point of possible extinction of that particular food source with the ignoring the natural growth and production of our food.
On NPR the comments on the economy are that the middle class is shrinking and the majority of middle class income either have not gone up and most likely have decreased. in all states with the exception of one North Dakota. Starting Wednesday more broadcast on this subject is coming. About North Dakota I believe they have laws and regulations that favor banks and credit card companies.
Enough on this subject.
On personal note I was sitting at my dinning room table this morning drinking a cup of my favorite coffee looking out at our small container garden and what a shambles it has become. Between my retirement and helping family it has like my shop fallen it to a disreputable shape. But whit things starting to stabilize I hope to rectify this situation ASAP.
Beginning with the garage/shop I will clean up and straighten replace and renew tools as needed and begin again to work on delayed projects. In our small container garden I will asst my wife in reviving dying plants and beginning a vegetable section come this spring. My Dad and Mom were believers in idle hands or the devils workshop and Lord knows I get into enough trouble on my own.
Current Reads
Current recommended a magazine called Utne Reader and alternative magazine that collects articles from the world publications and publishes the articles at one location making it easier for a person to get a overall perspective and allowing you to pursue an issue by giving you obscure publications that you might not have a chance to read.
Enough for now
Your are probably saying as you read this that "I knew it he is a bleeding heart, Knee Jerk Liberal" and you would be right. But it is not that simple. No one tells me what to believe and just because it is written down or comes over the air waves does not make it so for me.
Only after I have set down and reviewed and confirmed by personal experience or by those I trust, and they are few and far between, do I then accept what accept a statement or event or situation as fact. This is what I suggest to your reader to do as well.
There are people and organization who want you with them to add you to their numbers whether it be the Tea Party or Green Party and they will appeal to your base instinct or survival in order to add your money or vote to their cause. Trust no one be paranoid there is someone out to get you.
Wow. Do I sound paranoid or what.
But even recognizing this as being paranoid does not keep me from sitting with my back to the wall,always carrying a pocket knife, never going into a place without acknowledging the exits, and the people who are sharing my space. To me this is just common sense.
I guess I am writing about being paranoid because of recent readings and news I have heard on the radio.
In Utne Reader the recent articles were about food and food production. When all the articles were boiled down it is essentially that we are producing enough food to feed people but it is a matter of who controls the food and the distribution of food . Second that the food we are eating are way too often genetically and chemically modified to the point of possible extinction of that particular food source with the ignoring the natural growth and production of our food.
On NPR the comments on the economy are that the middle class is shrinking and the majority of middle class income either have not gone up and most likely have decreased. in all states with the exception of one North Dakota. Starting Wednesday more broadcast on this subject is coming. About North Dakota I believe they have laws and regulations that favor banks and credit card companies.
Enough on this subject.
On personal note I was sitting at my dinning room table this morning drinking a cup of my favorite coffee looking out at our small container garden and what a shambles it has become. Between my retirement and helping family it has like my shop fallen it to a disreputable shape. But whit things starting to stabilize I hope to rectify this situation ASAP.
Beginning with the garage/shop I will clean up and straighten replace and renew tools as needed and begin again to work on delayed projects. In our small container garden I will asst my wife in reviving dying plants and beginning a vegetable section come this spring. My Dad and Mom were believers in idle hands or the devils workshop and Lord knows I get into enough trouble on my own.
Current Reads
Current recommended a magazine called Utne Reader and alternative magazine that collects articles from the world publications and publishes the articles at one location making it easier for a person to get a overall perspective and allowing you to pursue an issue by giving you obscure publications that you might not have a chance to read.
Enough for now
Sunday, October 3, 2010
You Just Never Know.
It is easy to fall into the ideal that you are the only one who thinks or see things like you do. I know it is for me. So, it was surprising to me when in a e-newsletter from our local congregation our minister mention how he felt that the control of fiance and government rested with the elite few.
Those who GWB refereed to as "my people" (see Michael Moore "Fahrenheit 911" those who according to the republicans we need to give a tax break to so that they will be more inclined to create jobs and capital in their belief of "trickle down economy." As they get richer the money will trickle down to the less fortunate as they spend.
In 1969 one of the few times I came close to winning any kind of lottery in this case draft lottery for 1970 I found myself with a low number (70) and quickly received my induction notice in to report for induction on January 17, 1970 at 6:00 am at the induction center on Jackson St. Dallas, TX.
My Dad on New Years Day took me aside and talked to me about being inducted. What surprised me was his offer to pay for my bus ticket to Canada to avoid the draft.
I mean here was a man who was a Vet of 42 months in the Pacific Campaign from the Aleutians to the Philippines had received 3 purple hearts, a bronze star and a silver star along with a battle field commission and served until 1948 when he married my mother and he was telling me I should run to Canada to avoid the draft. I could not believe this. Then he told me why.
He said wars or not fought over ideology or freedom but over money and property. That the ideal we were defending people's freedom or rights was just the excuse given the truth was there was something of value that the powers to be decided we needed to protect
My response to him at the time was I had rather take my chance in two years in hell then never being able to come home again. I worked out ok for me though as I went in for induction was told right off with 6 other inductees we would be leaving by MAC flight from love field at 6 pm for Fort Lewis Washington. But what the Sergeant had not counted on was the large number of other draftees who had volunteered so they could choose the service and duty they wanted. The 6 draftees and I were given after processing us through a six month deferment as they had their quoted for the day and were told we would be called back when they needed us and to stay in touch. But right after that the military began emphasising the volunteer and de-emphasing drafting to fill their ranks. It was a political thing.
Anyway I digress. Years later about the time that military recruiters were harassing my kids to join the Military the movie "The Thin Red Line" came out and the opening scene aboard a troop ship on it's way to relieve the Marines on Guadalcanal and finish the cleanup had Sean Penn character a 1st Sergeant telling a recruit to take the colonel's offer of a discharge from service.
This speech was almost verbatim the one my Dad had given me back on January 1st 1970. This scene was so intense and so right on as to why countries fight that I made my children sit down and listen to his speech and tell them the story. It truly is the reason I believe we go to war has to be about the economy.
Look who has benefited the most from our war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Black water, Halliburton, Bethel, and Kellogg Brown and Root our a few of the companies who literally had containers full of money provided by the US Government for use in looking after the welfare of our troops. Yet our troops were often neglected provided unfit quarters and not to mention water and food. Then they come home bloodied and beaten by a war in Iraq that never was and has yet to be proven needed. What do we do we ignore them for there is no money for their care or needs.
This past week 4 Iraq War Veterans committed suicide on separate occasions at Fort Hood.in Texas. Their reasons I must admit I am not aware of individually but just a sign of the overall failure of our leadership and government to provide for our troops after they did their duty.
Don't mistake me for a flag burner. I am not in fact I think it is disgusting when we use the flag of The USA for anything but what it was meant to be for to be honored and respected for what it represents and the men and women who died for what it represented. This respect for the flag was taught to me by the same man who offered me a bus ticket to Canada in 1970. I have nothing but the highest respect for our Military people. But, let us remember that the ultimate organization they belong ot is the Defense dept and not the Offense dept. Let us make sure that we do not waste the dedication and esprit de corp of these men and women for the bottom line of our corporations.
So What am I ranting about. Take nothing at face value our government or leadership has to say. Trust them no further than you can throw them and believe that their basic motivation is what or how can they profit from it.
Call me my sour puss and I very well might be but it is still they way it is.
After I had posted the above I decided to post some of my favoirte quotes here they are for your pursual
Those who GWB refereed to as "my people" (see Michael Moore "Fahrenheit 911" those who according to the republicans we need to give a tax break to so that they will be more inclined to create jobs and capital in their belief of "trickle down economy." As they get richer the money will trickle down to the less fortunate as they spend.
In 1969 one of the few times I came close to winning any kind of lottery in this case draft lottery for 1970 I found myself with a low number (70) and quickly received my induction notice in to report for induction on January 17, 1970 at 6:00 am at the induction center on Jackson St. Dallas, TX.
My Dad on New Years Day took me aside and talked to me about being inducted. What surprised me was his offer to pay for my bus ticket to Canada to avoid the draft.
I mean here was a man who was a Vet of 42 months in the Pacific Campaign from the Aleutians to the Philippines had received 3 purple hearts, a bronze star and a silver star along with a battle field commission and served until 1948 when he married my mother and he was telling me I should run to Canada to avoid the draft. I could not believe this. Then he told me why.
He said wars or not fought over ideology or freedom but over money and property. That the ideal we were defending people's freedom or rights was just the excuse given the truth was there was something of value that the powers to be decided we needed to protect
My response to him at the time was I had rather take my chance in two years in hell then never being able to come home again. I worked out ok for me though as I went in for induction was told right off with 6 other inductees we would be leaving by MAC flight from love field at 6 pm for Fort Lewis Washington. But what the Sergeant had not counted on was the large number of other draftees who had volunteered so they could choose the service and duty they wanted. The 6 draftees and I were given after processing us through a six month deferment as they had their quoted for the day and were told we would be called back when they needed us and to stay in touch. But right after that the military began emphasising the volunteer and de-emphasing drafting to fill their ranks. It was a political thing.
Anyway I digress. Years later about the time that military recruiters were harassing my kids to join the Military the movie "The Thin Red Line" came out and the opening scene aboard a troop ship on it's way to relieve the Marines on Guadalcanal and finish the cleanup had Sean Penn character a 1st Sergeant telling a recruit to take the colonel's offer of a discharge from service.
This speech was almost verbatim the one my Dad had given me back on January 1st 1970. This scene was so intense and so right on as to why countries fight that I made my children sit down and listen to his speech and tell them the story. It truly is the reason I believe we go to war has to be about the economy.
Look who has benefited the most from our war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Black water, Halliburton, Bethel, and Kellogg Brown and Root our a few of the companies who literally had containers full of money provided by the US Government for use in looking after the welfare of our troops. Yet our troops were often neglected provided unfit quarters and not to mention water and food. Then they come home bloodied and beaten by a war in Iraq that never was and has yet to be proven needed. What do we do we ignore them for there is no money for their care or needs.
This past week 4 Iraq War Veterans committed suicide on separate occasions at Fort Hood.in Texas. Their reasons I must admit I am not aware of individually but just a sign of the overall failure of our leadership and government to provide for our troops after they did their duty.
Don't mistake me for a flag burner. I am not in fact I think it is disgusting when we use the flag of The USA for anything but what it was meant to be for to be honored and respected for what it represents and the men and women who died for what it represented. This respect for the flag was taught to me by the same man who offered me a bus ticket to Canada in 1970. I have nothing but the highest respect for our Military people. But, let us remember that the ultimate organization they belong ot is the Defense dept and not the Offense dept. Let us make sure that we do not waste the dedication and esprit de corp of these men and women for the bottom line of our corporations.
So What am I ranting about. Take nothing at face value our government or leadership has to say. Trust them no further than you can throw them and believe that their basic motivation is what or how can they profit from it.
Call me my sour puss and I very well might be but it is still they way it is.
After I had posted the above I decided to post some of my favoirte quotes here they are for your pursual
Quotes
"The individual is handicapped by coming face-to-face with a conspiracy so monstrous he cannot believe it exists." J. Edgar Hoover
We have restricted credit, we have restricted opportunity, we have controlled development, and we have come to be one of the worst ruled, one of the most completely controlled and dominated, governments in the civilized world--no longer a government by free opinion, no longer a government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a government by the opinion and the duress of small groups of dominant men. Woodrow Wilson
The ruling class has the schools and press under its thumb. This enables it to sway the emotions of the masses. Albert Einstein
It was not accidental [the 1929 stock-market “crash”]. It was a carefully contrived occurrence. ... The international bankers sought to bring about a condition of despair here so that they might emerge as rulers of us all. Louis McFadden
The task is to covertly lower the standard of living, the whole social structure, of America so that we can be merged with all other nations. Rowan Gaither
“Whoever controls the volume of money in our country is absolute master of all industry and commerce…& when you realise that the entire system is very easily controlled…by a few powerful men at the top, you will not have to be told how periods of inflation and depression originate.” 2 weeks after making that statement, President James A. Garfield was killed
The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the [public] is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.' Edward Bernays (Father of modern media and nephew of Sigmund Freud).
"The real truth of the matter is, as you and I know, that a financial element in the larger centers has owned the government since the days of Andrew Jackson." FDR
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