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Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Flowers of the forest

The title is a Scottish traditional lament for the dead, at least as I believe on the Cumberland Plateau in this rural part of east Tennessee.

I think about this a lot, for reasons which will follow. Like all humans, I too can have feelings, laments, thoughts, and worries; and plans of action, too.

Now my main lament is that our votes may be taken away in the next few years. Now since all I can report and lament about is the local votes where I live, like school board, city, county, and even State. Now that right now I don't think will happen, though locally some well meaning types may try to do it, like manipulate the local voting system. Much friction will follow, as has happened in my part of the Country.

It is the federal types that worry me a lot. And yes, I lament and have feelings on this subject, too. Anyway, the federal government also collects federal taxes, has rules, and even has a Congress, Executive, and Judiciary which rule at that level, hopefully with friction between all three branches of federal government.

What I worry about is our Federal Executive trying to rule by fiat. These days it is called things like Executive fiat, even Executive authority our elected Congress has given the Executive, which even now has begun having the Congress and Judiciary being ignored. I still wonder why we the people put up with it, but I suspect that may end soon, like in the next 10 years. Here I hope the vote will predominate over another Revolution, which will come if our American vote is ignored.

Now I personally have lived in and under other political systems, and I really don't want to go through a Revolution in America. But I can and will, if I need to. Right now, I think, this Revolution idea is simply beyond the experience of most fellow Americans, all over our Country. A Revolution is not a fun thing for so many. Going through checkpoints and raiding party visits are an obvious example of what I am lamenting. Nobody wants to go through their Family divided, for another example.

Last, another lament. Why did we Americans get to this state? I don't know my answer right now, but I am sure am worried! And I sure have my guesses.

Friday, December 03, 2010

What a bunch of losers

There was a time when the term “lightweight” applied. Now it is much worse I think.

And we elected them. And we can also elect replacements. This assumes “they” won’t try assume some kind of royalty way of ruling, or even try steal our votes. And it has gotten down to even below the federal level, though that federal level stuff gets all the media attention these days on TV. But I can report, at the more local level where I live on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee, the vote idea is alive and well at all levels, to include the local levels, to include even the school boards.

So even a normal human like me can distinguish between political ideas and politicians. The losers I think of are too many of the present politicians, and those they hire. Now we do have some good politicians, too, but that is a voter decision.

We can argue and debate over political ideas all we want. After all, all most families want to do is live.

What is happening now is that USA and other citizens of the World are beginning to die at a new rate. Not just cold and hungry, but just die, but more now. Like in wars, present, and probably future, and because our loser politicians are influencing the action.

One definition of insanity, or even political silliness, is to keep repeating the same thing expecting a different outcome. How dumb are we humans, in the end?

Do we New World people have something worth preserving, and even fighting for? I think so when my life and my kid’s life is being threatened, in my opinion.

Now in the USA even a third party is arising in 2010. This one is not based on an individual, but an idea. If you follow this theme, then much change is coming.

The present USA national political parties will sink, in the end. By 2020 things will be different, but still human, I think.

And the political losers will suffer in the end.

Much friction is coming. The status quo politicians at all levels won’t go down easily.

Thursday, December 02, 2010

We New World humans are OK

In this there is hope. Good on us!

What unites us in the world is the ”idea” of family future, and hope in a new land to help in this process. Right now that land is the new world, like our present USA in my case. And as recently as a century or two ago, the idea was agriculture. Now it is more services and sometimes making things.

Much is being said of our new land in the USA. Most of us enjoy what we have, and our hopes and work towards our kid’s future.

Yet much change is going on, too! Mostly it is the idea of a Constitution with legal rights, like the rule of law. That is a bigger deal than who you know, for example.

Hence, we are not too shabby in the new world.

There are other alternatives.

I would rather have a family here, and raise them here.

Let others pursue their goals, while I will pursue mine.

That’s why I like living and voting in the USA.
Now that is an idea worth defending.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Some ironic thoughts

When I think about several things, sometimes on face value, the thought often seems kind of crazy or silly.

Here’s some thoughts.

Thanks to modern medical practices, and some good education about diet and exercise, I think our life spans and quality of life are being extended. Now I think we are also talking about extending the retirement age. I find the linking of the two ideas ironic. Is keeping we humans healthier longer so we can work longer? I don’t think so, but that seems to be what is happening in the USA.

The present USA federal executive and the recent control of the two federal legislative houses by the same National political party prompt another ironic thought. It is one thing to debate the politics being practiced by the party in federal power, and another thing to debate the competency of those actually practicing these policies. Linking those two is a normal human tendency, and often results in people talking past each other. I find this ironic because it is really two different things, at least to me.

Are we in one United States, or fifty different states united for federal purposes? The question still goes on all the time, and I find it “interesting” when people say, in essence, why can’t all people think like me? Extend this to the whole world, with the Eastern value customs often being different from the Western value customs. I find it ironic that many humans think of the world has a whole vice a collection of many different states and government types, some which seem to perform better than others.

People often think of intelligence, education, and experience as being much the same. I find that ironic, since they are all different ideas, at least to me. How many people have heard others say that their kids are smarter than them? Well, if that were correct, then I think we should have a bunch of little Einstein types running around, and most of us don’t think that is the case. Better educated, perhaps? Better connected because of ancestors, maybe? But smarter, or more experienced, I don’t think so.

I find it ironic that many humans think their status quo will go on indefinitely. It could be our politics, our language and customs, even such things as public electricity or clean water and waste water treatment, or public travel at modern speeds, all on demand. Now the old expression that death and taxes will probably always occur is correct, and probably for sure change will always also go on. I believe this change idea for three reasons: humans are involved, and both gradual and catastrophic evolution are happening and will continue to happen.

Now the reader may apply these ideas to their experience and thoughts. I suspect other words like naive, idealistic, inexperienced, dichotomy, educated fool, shame, key-stone-cops, and even dumb may cross their mind. Another old time expression comes to mind too, kind of like Clausewitz's famous "fog of war" idea. This one is slightly older, but in modern terms says: "for lacking knowing what to do, we do what we know".

Last I find it ironic that most humans who promote change faster than other change already going on are also usually comfortable in their status quo existence. Their quality of life is usually pretty nice. Other humans live in a more base way where their status quo is not so comfortable, or predictable. Their quality of life is not so good, like coldness, sickness, and hunger are every day kind of problems.

I conclude this post with one example to show this is not just some idealistic diatribe about ironic situations. I once went through a Philippine village after a typhoon had come through, and all was pretty well devastated (so was where I lived at the time). And no government "help" was coming in, and people, husbands, wives, and kids were hungry and unhappy; and I went armed with 45 ammunition after that experience, and did not return there on purpose.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

This is one to write home about

Sometime in our future, when one’s kids ask about how things were in the “old” days, just tell them what you think now, and observed in your lifetime and experience. Of course, this probably goes on about everywhere and anyway, but these days are full of more change than has happened in even the recent decades. And the change is mostly human caused, I think.

Much like the idea of a “perfect storm” (either the book or the movie) things are converging in ways worth recording. Some of the outcomes may be surprising to many humans. Even the novel “The Coming Global Superstorm” may have some validity.

If you buy the idea of a “perfect storm” then think about this. In the book and movie, three different relatively individual storms combined to make a catastrophic event. Such a similar set of events may be occurring to we humans today.

Now just what do I mean, or imagine.

Storm one: Much of the world is going through economic distress, and nobody will tolerate them or their kids going cold and hungry.

Storm two: The clash between east and west value cultures continues. One has to live in other cultures to believe and observe this. It is the increased modern communications means that brings this to the front. Sometimes it is more base, like being chauvinistic. The good news is that we new world humans are “balancing things out”. And we New World humans are “from all over the world”.

Storm three: The friction between the rural human world and the urban human world will continue. Most of the human world is still rural, and any “progressive ideas” these days by urban humans will probably fail, like fall on deaf ears. Even the various forms of governments, like royalty, dictatorship, western style democracy or republican governments, tribal government, or some combination will only assert that we humans are still different in so many ways.

Like I said, these are times to write home about.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

The military, expeditionary, and farm life

The purpose of this post is to talk about the common themes that surround the subject topics. More specifically, I want to think about portable electricity, mostly batteries, that seem to power most portable widgets that benefit us these days. A recent email from a relative got me thinking this way.

Anyway, public electricity to use in general is a recent phenomenon in human history, like the last one or two hundred years depending on how you count and where you live. Where I live today it is in the last 80 years or so. And in the older days here a two or three day electrical outage was considered OK…now people call to complain (on the electrically powered telephone) if they have to go 15 minutes without electricity for their home or business.

And it is a wonderful way to help we humans in whatever endeavor, like even sports games at night. Even gasoline or diesel engines that power so many good things usually get their fuel from electrically powered pumps. We are so spoiled, but can do OK if we need too, though.

When I think about batteries, I now think about them in two terms. One is the “battery case” or delivery method. Most think in terms of battery size, like “D” cell or “AA” cell. The other way to think about batteries in the chemistry that makes portable electricity, like lead acid, alkaline, lithium ion, or the various other schemes for rechargeable batteries. None are created equal.

Fast forward to the present day as far as batteries go. Most of us still have widgets (like cell phones) that use proprietary batteries. The wonderful military transceivers that talk to airplanes that support ground forces use batteries, too. Proprietary to me means custom designed, but hard to get after a few years (though they do work pretty good when they are working). And in the military, and especially in expeditionary situations, and now in farm life, getting batteries that will run whatever widget I have is a pain in the tail. Even a marketing and retail sales giant like Amazon.com should be applauded for all their inventory efforts.
But when one lives in rural America, or rural China, or rural Haiti, or rural anywhere (like the Saudi desert area) then the problem becomes both more apparent, and more obvious. There is a solution other humans have already thought of. And it is decades old. After all, right now Wal-Mart mostly exists in the USA.

Why not sell and use widgets that all of us use, be it military, expeditionary, farm, or mostly city use, that rolls in the wonderful portable electricity efforts going on into deliverable means, like the present batteries like “D” cells and even “AA” cells. Old companies like Racal out of England have figured this out already in then sales efforts to the third world where I captured some of their equipment. I was always impressed with the night vision equipment that ran on “AA” batteries, for example.

Whoever the human was that got the DVD standard for movies and later discs should be applauded. Later one could observe the competition between the follow on technology, BluRay vs DVD HD, two competing technologies, and both worked just fine for most of us. I for one hoped it would get sorted out other than the way it ended up. I am pretty much a generic human in this regards.

Now the portable widgets will always be around, and most help us humans in good ways. I just hope some smart people will make it easy on the rest of us, to include the batteries in our future.

Monday, November 15, 2010

Recording what you observe in your lifetime

Seems like a silly idea to most, and it may be. After all most adults think greater changes went in on in their ancestors’ times, and they may be correct, depending on where they live. That is correct in my case.

But much human change is going on in the whole world, including the USA America, and these days we all effect each other more than used to be the situation. This is a good problem, I think.

Now change can be recorded many ways…video is popular in many places I inhabit. But it still can be recorded in stories, as when some young person asks me about living “in the old days”. After all we humans are inquisitive, to include our kids.

Now one thing did hurt my feelings when I was telling some youngsters about fighting some dinosaurs at the rural place I live in Tennessee, and naturally some of them challenged me (after all I was making up a story). I used as my reference the movie “Jurassic Park”, and they wanted to know what that even meant, because that young crowd around the fire had never heard of the movie. Then I knew my time had passed, and recording history was a bigger deal than ever, and a little honesty might help, too, at least in my case.

Last, a little bit of politics from the Cumberland Plateau in East Tennessee. Even here, it appears, the times they are a changing. Not all I like, but at least I get a chance to vote my opinion and preferences.

It is when I sense hints of royalty and dictatorship at this low county level, as in stealing the vote, then I get alarmed.

And for sure, my stories about what I record these days will be interesting…some maybe even true.

And all I want to do is live OK until I die in Putnam County, Tennessee, USA. And record it of course. Mostly it will be with words, and that includes a blog.

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Affirmative action gone bad

Now I still believe in the idea of “a diamond in the rough”. And I even taught at the Atlanta University Colleges for three years.

Now for those who think Negroes are inferior humans, just join the Marines and make up your own mind. I would not want to be on the other side when fighting Marines, from any race.

The key question in my mind is the cost of our national policy of trying to overcome past racial discriminatory policies and even laws. Or as a recruiter, I had quotas, and finding enough qualified females to make my quota made me happy when the rules changed. Thank goodness we can man our military, for example, with competent people to accomplish the mission. I, and we, should be proud of them.

What bothers me is our present federal President, Barack Obama.

When he spoke of 57 States, or even spoke of creating a new National Service equal in funding and manning to DOD, that got my attention. Then when I read he was elected President of the Harvard Law Review by his peers, that also bothered me since I also read he did a poor job. And after he was elected President and took a much needed vacation in Oahu, Hawaii, and then visited his dying grandmother from Kansas, and did not take his kids and wife; that bothered me a lot.

I have concluded he is a lightweight. While his ego and intentions are his alone, he is still, and in the end, a lightweight. And the “perfect storm” idea of having a National Party back him is also bad, in my opinion. When Nancy Pelosi began practicing her own foreign policy visits, that also got my attention.

Now as one who also thinks about consequences and which way to go forward, I am worried about the consequences of affirmative action when it affects me and my family. After all, nobody wants a lawyer or doctor they think is some beneficiary of affirmative action.

In such a consideration, affirmative action can also work against our best national interests. Some “diamonds in the rough” are in fact poor stones that should not be promoted beyond their ability. Most parents know this. And most of us want to make our kids happy.

Friday, November 12, 2010

Rehearsals

The idea is pretty common.

The traditions, for example, of wedding rehearsals, most humans know about.

How about plays? Most performers go through rehearsals for human reasons.

How about amphibious landings? The military does it mostly to figure out the lessons learned. How about a future raid somewhere in the world to rescue people?

How about a musical rock tour? Most are rehearsed, too, for obvious reasons.

How about our wonderful emergency responders to police, fire, and water problems? They also rehearse, and good on ‘em. Even where I live bad weather brings down trees, for example. Even this can block roads, and maybe bop me in the head if I am dumb enough to go out in the storm.

To conclude, most humans can plan about most things ahead. That is a good reason for enjoying being a human. But sometimes, other things happen, and then a rehearsal is not a bad idea.

And I don’t mind paying for it in local city and county taxes since I respect these boys and girls good work and self sacrifice, and thinks it benefits me and my fellow citizens when we need it.

Friday, November 05, 2010

What happens if we have crummy leaders?

Now this question can apply about anywhere, and at all levels, like school board, city, county, state, and federal in the USA. Now it can also apply anywhere in the world since leader types are all over the place. Some are elected, some are dictators, some are royalty or tribal, and some are even some combination of all. Even nepotism is still around in a few places.

What worries me is if I think they can cause death or even starvation to my descendents while they are leaders that can influence my descendents. Then I have a problem, to me. Now if they die too, that is OK with me, but I doubt it.

Now maybe it was gonna happen anyway in the USA. But maybe not? After all we have all the advantages of being New World with all the Old World problems being shed. Maybe even the USA is destined to be an agricultural breadbasket, but probably not. Most Americans like working and making things.

Even one Marxist theory of dialectic materialism is an old world term appropriate to the Old World and another way of thinking back then about human history and actions in their time and experience.

Along the way, much friction is still occurring since most humans don’t like change, to include, it seems in this New World USA. Yet change is always occurring since it seems humans are involved, including immigrating humans.

So what happens if we have crummy leaders where we live today in the USA?

My suggestion is twofold.

First is to do whatever you think is right. Now that will probably be a painful process. And it is most important to start, thinking the finish will maybe be much later in the future, and good leaders at all levels may perish along the way. At least they will be proud leaders until the day they die. And they will have started things that are important to them.

Second is to applaud all the social and political change efforts that have gone on so far in the USA. A soft revolution is much preferable to what I imagine as a hard revolution.

To conclude, change is good, though most humans don’t like it. It makes us feel uncomfortable. Yet how are we going to elect in the USA New World leaders who represent us better than some of the crummy leaders it appears we have elected up until this time.

Yep, the times they are changing. And that includes the political status quo of the last century.

Last I heard, we are still in charge of our future, and our kid’s futures. My guess is this non revolutionary change ( I hope) will in the end take up to around the time 2020. The Moody’s forecast about two years ago suggested 2016. So where you live be yourself, and then guess and plan anyway you think is correct.

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Things are “different” now

Stealing the vote seems to happen all the time. All too often I would say. Asian dictatorships are especially good at this idea and following legitimacy.

Now it seems many fellow Americans want to do it for their reasons and advantages, and are more obvious now than in the past. Many are bureaucrats, hired minions if you will, and will manipulate the system where they may live. After all they have their sincere opinions and beliefs, too. But still they only get one vote in the area where they live.

But it sure seems too many of them want to rule us in their way. One can even think of dictatorship in some USA sort of way, but there are other obvious also human ways to rule which ignore the vote.

Now there is nothing magical about the vote, other than the key idea that the ruled people are in charge.

So one guess is that the massive change going on includes the power of the vote. Yes, things are “different” now.

For example, I don’t want some drifter idealist who gets an election job at my local county elections office (though local family connections) deciding my vote. How about my “vote” counts, too.

Like the title suggests, things are “different” now. Or so I hope.

Friday, October 22, 2010

A soft revolution is underway

Let me define this idea. Much change is coming, as in the 100 year old status quo is changing throughout the world, and a soft revolution means many more people will live in the process. A hard revolution usually means death to so many humans in my definitions. Being soft, it will go on to maybe 2020.

Now this guess is at a World sort of view, but even in the USA new world, people are making it happen in their own way. Most humans don’t support failure, but rather success. And here in the USA that idea still seems to resonate. The present USA political system has been “under performing” at best. After all, we still have many vast riches to exploit, at least right now. Meantime a lot of people are going cold and hungry.

The motivations are pretty simple. Most people want to live, and provide for their family’s future. Now this is a whole World family idea, though those of us lucky enough to live the new world USA are provided an opportunity to do it our way.

There is always friction in the World, and now is no different. What is different, though, is that more humans have, or think they have, the power to vote where ever they live. Now maybe I am wrong, and dictatorships and tribal cultures will still have an influence for the foreseeable future. But my guess is even in these cases a soft revolution is underway. Change is coming to them, too.

Now let’s be realistic, too. For example, too; much of present day boundaries around the world are often boundaries decided by western diplomats back about 120 years ago. I think of this idea mostly in the Middle East and Caucus areas, though Africa counts, too. And old style dictatorships and tribal leaders still have a role now for muddling through and ruling in their way these days.

Bummer. And the times they are a changing. Thank goodness we in the USA have the advantage of all that our immigrants bring. Hopefully it will be a soft revolution here, too.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Analyze this

Much has been said about politics in USA America today. I myself have both the time and inclination to read much of it. Well, we all do have our own hobbies.

What still astounds me, as in disappointing me, is the amount of time pundits spend analyzing, which usually amounts to doing amateur psychobabble type stuff. And it seems to pay well these days as far as I can see, and read.

What I would like to point out is the alternative. Rather than try put oneself in some other’s shoes and analyze their way of thinking and their intents, try soothsaying their capabilities. In my mind, the latter option is both more reliable, and a better and easier way to predict the future.

Four examples come to mind.

1) Are the Democrats in the USA simply executing some party conspiracy, or simply incompetent, or is it something simpler? For my mind, I think they (the Congress and the Executive) are running our economy into the ground, and hopefully we can recover in some other new human world less likeable to we USA citizens than before. In this example, it is the capability I can act and vote on. I won’t waste my time trying to analyze this group’s intent.

2) In Zimbabwe, is it simple human greed and ego or something else that is forcing so many to starve, or emigrate away. Again, the idea of capabilities vice intents is an idea one can vote on. Either way, a big piece of land is being run into the ground, and it appears to be human caused.

3) In Moro land, aka the Southern Philippines, is the now century old Islamic insurrection still locally based, or now exploited by outsiders? Just how to deal with this brings me back to intents vice capabilities. I myself think of the Philippines as the 51st state, but would never venture into Moro land.

4) Is the present Islamic terrorist threat to so many (who want to live without such a threat) based on some Arab Wahhabi sect or some other Islamic idea that others like in Indonesia accept? Again the example is what is the intent? And again, what is the capability of those intending to kill some of us. I myself have done my math, lived in these areas, and even worked with these others in the USA. In my math, 99.99% of Muslims are good people, but with a world population of 1.6 billion Muslims, the remaining 0.01% still amounts to about 160,000 people. Now eliminate most non Arab Muslims, and I am still left with a big number of potential people who want to kill me. Now that is an example of capability. And where does their money come from?

Intents are one thing. Capability is another.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

It is so obvious

There are few bad bureaucrats…only bad leaders.

I personally don’t know anyone who wakes up in the morning wanting to do a bad job. And I mean this at any level: school board, city, county, state, and federal.

So if you want to shoot the messenger, so to speak, then keep the political leaders in your voting crosshairs, too. In my mind, the hard working “mindless” bureaucrats are doing the best they can with what they’ve got. And what they’ve got is what their political leaders lead them to. Like I said, I don’t know anyone who wakes up in the morning wanting to do a bad job.

And of course the political leaders are those we have elected.

So if we want to change things, like make the future better for our kids and grandkids, then we should think about who to vote for while we are alive and can vote.

One idea drives me crazy.

Now most families will work months for making house payments in order to raise their family, but if in the near future one family has to work months just to pay interest on all the federal borrowing that has already occurred, and that means they cannot borrow to buy a house for their family, then generational warfare is coming. At least that is what I would do.

Now generational warfare is an idea that is still evolving. Just what it means even I don’t know. There are options. One is revolt, one is simple default on the debt, one is civil war, and one I can think of is more gradual, like using their vote to change things and sort it out the best they can.

While one today is alive and can vote, do whatever you think is obvious.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

I get to vote, too.

Now I also get to vote, too. Why the cynical title? Because I am suspicious that others may try to take away my vote. If and only if that happens, then some kind of physical revolution will occur in the USA.

Now some kind of political revolution is already occurring from where I sit on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee. And the vote counts a lot, I think, in making the changes that are needed to keep our new world USA American idea going. Of course, much of what has happened and will happen is simple human selfishness, but what is wrong with being warm and eating and supporting a family at a reasonable rate? And if we exploit our resources to the end, so what? Let the voters decide what to do next, and then expect our elected representatives to do it. If they don’t do it, then I suspect more humans will step up the plate and get elected.

In my thoughts, and if you buy this argument, then capitalism is a good way to balance human behavior with creating wealth. Now let me define what I think creating wealth is…getting others to pay for my work in a way that benefits us both. In this example, all families benefit from their labor, or as John Kennedy is quoted as saying, a rising tide raises all boats. In the USA example, we don’t have to work through a caste system, like in India. After all we never started it.

Why do I worry, or become cynical? I have thought about this a lot. My answer is that our present USA political system has screwed us in the long term. Both of our present and old two National Parties are simply failing us. They had their chance, and have simply failed. And it is not the economic recession problems today, which are considerable. More it is what I think of as the interference with the wonderful human ideas that have made the USA the Mecca of the world. After all, people do vote with their feet and pocket book, and there is still much good going on here in the USA. As the military says, let’s reinforce success, not failure.

Not too many decades ago, this idea was called public policy, and our politicians used this idea to advance we in the USA.

Last idealism only goes so far. One has to be practical, too.

To me, that means voting at the local public school board level, the city level, the county level, the state level, and even the federal level. And continue paying taxes all these governments presently levy on us. Practically speaking let us just elect humans who will dispense our tax money the way we want it done using their hired bureaucrats, too. Of course this idea assumes our vote still counts.

Now to me I also buy the argument that one of the intrinsic faults of any kind of democracy is that when the have nots can vote themselves benefits from the haves, then the system will collapse in the end. Hence, let the majority vote!

And of course, practically speaking, historical change takes time. So do we humans I think.

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Just another report from the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee

Just in the last month two things got my attention.

One was the answer to my question where do you come from? The fellow was probably from India in the long run, but his answer got my attention. His answer was that he was from London. And he was being honest, I think. He runs a local restaurant and beer store. Wine and liquor are not permitted for sales in this Putnum County.

Second was having my new “maid” show up to try keep up with all the main house upkeep. Now I am an OK cleaner, but the dust is still a constant problem when the local breezes flow through the main 1905 house. This is where I appreciated Bianca’s good work and time. Anyway, when I asked her where she was from, she answered Los Angeles. Now that got my attention, since I have about 6 years of my life in southern California.

Now I asked Bianca how she ended up living in the local city, Cookeville. She reported her grandmother moved out here from L.A., and then got her parents to move out here.

Now I am the beneficiary, at least for a while.

In the meantime, 12 out of 24 local county commissioners recently got elected as first time members. Here locally county commissioners are like the local legislature.

Last, local connections count, too. Recently an appointment to a routinely elected position was made by the local already elected politicians. Now that bothered me, even though I think well of the appointee.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Change is constant

What’s new? A lot, or so I think as just one citizen.

Here in the New World USA, we New World humans are actually starting to take control of our interests, which are mostly ourselves and our families. Now that seems fair and normal human to me.

Here in the New World USA the old time National Political Parties are going by the wayside. They had their chance, and I think they have failed. This is pretty much normal for humans, I think. As long as we can vote and have it count, I would say. This idea is a big deal

So what will the future be. I am hopeful, and cynical too.

I expect some humans to exploit the “gaps” to do many things, both to delay the inevitable, and gain or preserve power at whatever level during this change time. This change time I imagine will take one or two decades.

I also think we voters will “change” things to our advantage. As an obvious example, if elected officials downgrade their fire department in favor of other ways to dispense the taxes they spend, and humans die as a result, I think many people will vote otherwise the next time they can vote. After all, there are priorities about those that govern us spend “our” money.

The other obvious thing to me, and again I only have one vote at all levels, and still pay taxes at all levels, too, is how well I am being represented. In my mind, are we a United States (like one country) or still a United States of many people? Right now I think the latter.

Now I am age 62, and these times are different from our past. The times they are a changing. This I can report as an opinion.

And the New World idea I think still applies around here on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee. We have the best of all worlds whether some like it or not.

Even some of us humans have to put on more clothes to stay warm when mother nature makes things cooler. After all we are now locally in the fall. And having lived around the world, I still don’t like cold Siberian winds, or even cold Canadian winds. Now I did research what the two competing Farmers Almanacs forecasted. And both suggested the winter was coming!

Saturday, September 18, 2010

They still don’t have a clue

The old joke about who runs any organization comes to mind. The old joke answer is “they” and “some son of a bitch”, whoever they are.

The recent primary elections and the rise of the “Tea Party” comes to mind. Too many still think in a status quo sort of way, that is, the future will always be like the recent past, which I define as the last 60 years, or since WWII. And after all, the evidence points that way. And all third party efforts since Theodore Roosevelt’s Bull Moose Party have depended on one person to personify the third party effort. I offer as evidence, Strom Thurmond, George Wallace, John Anderson, and Ross Perot’s efforts.

Now another third party effort is arising, but this time it is more based on an idea than a person. This changes everything, at least to me. I expect that most of the people who identify and vote this way will come from all past walks, to include Republican, Democratic, and Independent. It’s the idea that binds these people, not some status quo national party or traditional third party. Hence the one characterization that the Tea Party effort and votes are all over the place is probably a fair statement.

In a way, I have always wondered what went on during the time of the American Revolution in the 1770’s and I think much of what is happening today probably happened in similar ways back then. Even one image in my mind of a dinosaur railing against the world as the comet has struck comes to mind. I suspect there are a lot of status quo dinosaurs that are railing, or going to rail, against the catastrophe they sense occurring around them.

Now I also suspect that because humans are involved, much friction and bouncing around will occur in the near future, like between now and say 2020. Some humans will take advantage and if elected, simply fail to perform. They will be replaced as locals decide their futures.

These are momentous times, and great changes are occurring and will continue to occur. People want change from the status quo, and will make it happen, one way or the other. And I think this idea will occur at all levels: school boards, cities, counties, states, and federal.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Make up your own mind

These are momentous times in the new World USA America. In my imagination these times are more like the 1776 revolution than the times today. I have always wondered what went on then.

We new World people, and our descendents, are doing OK, in spite of hard times, especially compared to the rest of the World. Some might say we are being ourselves to enhance ourselves and our families. Many might even say our vote counts to change our future. This idea sure beats the old world alternatives, like revolution, or even dictatorship. Yet all of us want to work, and do a good job, and will compromise to survive.

In the new World, the vote does count. We are in charge of our future, to include our descendents future. Those who choose to deny our vote are on a losing end of history and humanity.

Those who might use ideas to deny our vote are on the wrong end of history, though that is pretty much normal in 2010 in the USA these days. I hate to admit I can even think this way, that some fellow Americans want to take away my vote.

We have better ways to go, and will.

I sure count on it.
Just another local report. The times they are a changing!

Indecisive committees get little accomplished
by Liz Engel
17 hrs ago | 336 views | 2 | |
PUTNAM COUNTY -- The biggest unknown for those looking to start a community garden in Cookeville has been the location. That will continue to be an issue after members of a Putnam County committee disagreed on two suggested pieces of county property last night.

The commission's planning committee, meeting for the first time since 12 new commissioners took office in August, split on many other agenda items up for vote. The committee made no decision made on the location of the proposed garden -- a motion to place the garden at the suggested spot on the corner of Walnut and Veterans Drive near the Putnam County Fairgrounds and another motion to place it near the Upper Cumberland Soccer Complex on Washington Avenue failed in 6-to-6 ties. The committee even struggled to make an appointment to the nominating subcommittee.

The committee did, however, elect its chair, District 8 Commissioner Eris Bryant; vice chair, District 1 Commissioner Tom Short; and secretary, District 12 Commissioner Cathy Reel. Four commissioners were nominated for two spots on the intergovernmental committee, two-year terms set to expire in September 2012, and Bryant and District 4 Commissioner Ron Williamson received the most votes for that position. And four commissioners were selected to serve one-year terms on the road committee, including District 11 Commissioner Marsha Bowman, District 7 Commissioner Mike Medley, District 5 Commissioner Anna Ruth Burroughs and District 10 Commissioner Kim Bradford. The appointments were made by acclamation after Reel withdrew her name from consideration.

But the commissioners stalled when it came time to approve the nod for the nominating committee and the location for the garden. District 2 Commissioner Jim Martin and District 6 Commissioner Reggie Shanks were both recommended by their peers for the committee slot, but a vote on who should ultimately hold that appointment twice came to a 6-6 tie. Later in the meeting, Medley nominated Jonathan Williams for the seat, and Martin edged out both candidates in a third and final vote.

As for the location of the community garden, it's an agenda item that will be forwarded to the full commission next week without a recommendation. Some commissioners argued that the original location proposed, on the corner of Walnut and Veterans Drive, is a valuable piece of county property, one that has been proposed as the home of a future veterans hall building. Others were worried that it would limit parking for the Putnam County Fair.

But County Executive Kim Blaylock said organizers of the garden would move from that spot, considered a temporary location, whenever the commission said to. Lisa Luck with the Cookeville-Putnam County Clean Commission said they would like a centralized and highly visible location to get the garden off the ground.

"I think you need to choose another place," Medley said. He made a motion to move the garden to the soccer complex, which had been discussed by the garden committee, but it failed with a 6-6 tie. Voting in favor were Burroughs, Shanks, Medley, Bradford, Bowman and Reel. Voting against Medley's motion were Tom Short, Martin, David Gentry, Williamson, Bryant and Williams.

Short then made a motion to place the garden at Walnut and Veterans Drive, but it was amended -- Bowman wanted organizers of the garden to talk to the fair board first. But that amendment, as well as the original motion, failed 6-6 as commissioners voted along the same lines.

The planning committee was also set to appoint members to the land and facilities subcommittee, currently an eight-member board, but that decision was deferred until the October meeting.

"This is a committee we need to put some thought into," Bryant said. Before the meeting, she said, no commissioners had expressed interest in serving on that committee, which has studied several hot-button issues in recent years, including the location of a new Putnam County jail. "This is going to be a very important committee for the next four years."

Yearly disaster drill to take place Wednesday
17 hrs ago | 271 views | 1 | |
PUTNAM COUNTY -- A county-wide, full-scale disaster exercise will be held Wednesday morning at Tennessee Tech, the Cookeville Surgery Center and Cookeville Regional Medical Center.

Emergency responders will practice responding to these locations after they have been struck by a severe weather event. The goal of this drill is to practice searching, rescuing, stabilizing, transporting and treating a large volume of patients at one time during adverse conditions.

City and county agencies along with Tennessee Tech, The Cookeville Surgery Center and Cookeville Regional Medical Center will participate in the drill. Tennessee Tech will test emergency communication systems and internal response procedures including activation of its tornado sirens and other emergency notification systems. At Tucker Stadium, Putnam County Rescues' structural collapse team will practice stabilizing a "collapsed" building with trapped individuals during the drill. CRMC will simulate damage to the emergency room entrances and set up a fully functional portable hospital tent in the north parking lot to receive the mock patients. The Cookeville Surgery Center will become a receiving station for the injured from TTU.

"All emergency responders participate in these exercises to help build competence and confidence," said Mike Hellman, public information officer for the Cookeville-Putnam County Emergency Management Agency. "This way, should there be a major event in or around our area, we can respond in a quick and effective fashion, much like we did during last month's floods."

Many emergency vehicles will be in the area, but the public should not be alarmed. Everyone is being asked to avoid the immediate area from 8:30-11:30 that morning so the practice session will not be hindered. Tennessee Tech classes will proceed as scheduled. The emergency department at CRMC will accept and treat patients as normal during the drill.

The Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) consists of representatives from city, county and state emergency agencies along with members from local businesses. For more information on the LEPC, contact the EMA office at 528-7575.

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Korean noodles are pretty good

What prompted this post is this recent open source report:
It (North Korea) also accepted the South Korean Red Cross' offer of $8.3 million in aid, which includes 5,000 tones of rice, 10,000 tons of cement and 3 million packs of instant noodles.

I myself like Korean noodles, and included spices. I suspect most of those I buy in Tennessee these days are made in California, by the way. Either way, I enjoy them.

Now I used to call my father a cheap skate. Now I call him thrifty. Now he grew up during the 1930’s Depression in Tennessee, so obviously he ate enough to live even then. I don’t think it was on Korean noodles, though.

Now I also think the Korean noodles I eat today are made from wheat flour, in the end. But I still like rice, and we grow a lot of that in the USA, too. Rice with spices and some kind of made in Wisconsin Soy Sauce seems to go over well, at least to me. Now also some Japanese Wasabi mixed into the soy sauce is prime, to me. It will also probably clear you sinuses.

Just don’t forget there are many other sources of starch and even gluten. Mother nature makes acorns and nuts, for example. But for now I would rather enjoy the convenience of going to the local grocery store and buying more convenient already made things, like wheat or corn flour, or even refrigerator and freezer biscuits.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

The times they are a changing

One obvious bit of evidence is the rise of the Tea Party in the USA, and like minded American citizens. In this case, both the present National Parties, Republicans and Democrats, are going to experience change wherever they live and get elected or don’t get elected from. This idea is better than some revolt like our revolution in the 1700’s, or so I think. Even the Whigs appeared for their reasons.

Things are different these days, at least to me. The normal political frictions I can live with.

Young people be aware. These are momentous times.

What grosses me out is having a USA Speaker of the House say we (our Congressman) have to vote for a law in order to find out what is in it.

Another thing that grosses me out is some Congressman saying they can pretty much do whatever they want. Now this sounds like royalty or even dictatorship to me, and I don’t like it. I thought my vote counted, and my representative would listen.

Like I said, the times they are a changing.

Last, to me, is the idea of lying when ruling. Now I count on elected rulers to be honest about things. Anything less is just immoral.

And all I want to do is be happy, and promote my family.

Yes, the times they are a changing.

Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Is this what we new world Americans want?

How many humans on the earth is enough, or too many? What are the energy expectations of fellow humans who come to know the benefits of public electricity, for example. Clean water comes to mind.

Depending on your own experience and thoughts, make up your own mind, which most will do naturally. One old line comes to mind: we can dictate how to act, but we can never dictate what to think.

Is global warming human caused, or mother nature caused these days? Again, make up your own mind. Just keep in mind the greenhouse effect is how our present earth works today, and has for a very long time. Even when the last ice age which ended about 10,000 years ago, New York City and much of northern USA and most of Canada was under the ice. As recently as where I live on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee, about 200 years ago much of what is now poorly forested land (it has always been do to the acidic soil) was open land with Eastern Buffalo and Elk, and we humans had something to do with this present day, both ways. By the way, we were not under the ice where I live, but it was obviously cold, kind of like our image of northern Siberia today.

Now the latest human fad about being an environmentalist has started to affect many humans. Here is a link as to one story:

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20100908/D9I3MD9O0.html

Is that what we new world Americans want as a solution?

Here’s another quote from presidential candidate Obama in 2008:

"So if somebody wants to build a coal-powered plant, they can; it's just that it will bankrupt them because they're going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that's being emitted."

Is that what we new world Americans want as a solution?

Another question I ask, and I still don’t have an answer, is did now President Obama in the USA raise these kind of questions to be a priority human political question, or was it going to happen anyway?

In other words, there are alternatives to how to make things happen in our present world. This thought suggests timing comes into play.

Let me start with three questions?
• What is the problem?
• Is it human caused?
• If you don’t like the present benefits of global warming (like food from expanded grain belts), what do you think we humans should do, and how quickly, i.e. suggest alternatives we can think about, and vote on later.

As a new world American I don’t like the present day Chinese solution, by the way. But that is just my opinion.

Anyway, we do have alternatives. One solution is what our present USA political leadership is trying to do. Of course, this assumes we humans can still vote, and have it count. In this case, then we do have alternatives.

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

What a shame it is coming to this
The shame is that many humans are going to have to die before their time.

Maybe by starvation, maybe by revolution, but it is going to happen because of elected politicians, and some dictators. The era of good intentions is over. No amount of smooth talking will help fellow humans who are cold and hungry, and the winter in the northern hemisphere is coming. And it is already going on, depending on where you live.

Now there is nothing wrong with being human normal, like wearing more clothes to keep warm in the winter, or growing food when the time is correct to get through the cold season.

What seems silly, at least to me, is most of this potential food problem is man caused. Right now in the world (the Earth) there is still enough food to feed the 6.5 billion humans in an OK sort of way. But right now, also, our elected politicians are doing things that might kill us in their way. Now if we vote or submit to this, fine. I suspect humans hungry and seeing their kids suffering may vote otherwise. They might even slow down their birth rate. That might even cause a revolution?

And all I want to do is live in a rural part of Tennessee in 2010.

Now does charity come from the local government, or we local citizens in our way and our own local standards? How does each entity deal with the deadbeats and also poor people? After all, as embarrassing as it is, a good portion of our poor people are just deadbeats. And of course, do they even deserve a vote? I think not!

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

One thing constant is change

And most humans don’t like change. The evidence of that is all about us. Just look at what the environmentalist types tend to do…try to maintain the status quo. Just look at what our politicians tend to do…try to maintain the status quo, at least their status quo. In periods of economic hard times, so many politicians try to maintain the past they were comfortable with. And they may be reflecting their constituents, depending on where one lives and the level of government?

Now most change is gradual, kind of like the idea of Darwin’s evolution. Some change is more quick, like cataclysmic. An era of many volcanoes or many earthquakes provides such an example. Or for we humans, fads tend to be cataclysmic in nature. Certainly a revolution or civil war tends to be an example of a quick human change, vice gradual.

Now most accept gradual change, for whatever reason. An example is the name of the land Greenland. Now most would say it is not so green, now. But it must have been greener some time in our past, even discounting that human “marketer” types probably had something to do with the old time name, too. And at the end of the last ice age, around 10,000 years ago, New York City was maybe ½ mile under the ice. Most would say that the gradual change that has occurred to New York City in this regards is acceptable.

And some change is good, or at least most humans like it. An example is the expansion of public electricity, or the availability of mass communications to many people. Most people like running clean water, waste water methods, police and fire protection, and public schools, when they can get it. Even many USA Americans think running clean water is a right, and after all most have had it all their lives.

And some change is not so good. The widespread availability of food, and salt, in USA America today is causing many medical type problems. And the weather may be doing its periodical warming and cooling, and many that have food today may not have it available for their descendents in the future. Of course this depends on where one lives in this world. Even the “perennial” north and south poles may shift, or shed some of their ice we expect to be a constant. Pandemics are always a worry, too.

Now some change is simply “man-caused”. The reasons are many, but the human tendency to grossly over-generalize is one obvious culprit. For example, all people in Africa are not the same, nor do they think the same. Different cultures and tribes have different values, and some cultures are simply superior to others. The same idea applies everywhere, when one thinks about it. Yet too many human politicians tend to try do a one-size fits all solution to the problems they perceive as having to be solved. Of course some of this is just one group of humans trying to exploit or dominate another group. In either example, this kind of change is usually not so good. And one could lump in human selfishness in this category of man-caused change that is not so good. Exploiting aquifers for water, or other humans for family gain, are such an examples.

Never assume conspiracy (as change) when sheer incompetence will do.

Next for another idea…change can be exploited. In military talk, much change offers “cracks” to be exploited. In this idea, the quicker the speed of change, the more opportunities appear to be exploited by the savvy operator. In this idea, spending time to maintain the status quo is not always wise. Not all humans try to reinforce success, and often reinforce failure.

Now with a wink and a nod… Some things are constant. Examples are death, taxes, and the effects of hormones.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

The clash of cultures

It is so obvious. Many of our Western values are failing. But our Eastern values are also poor. Of course, this is mostly economics. And in the end, it is mostly about we humans. Are we fickle or not? And so also the question comes up, are we too dumb or even selfish?

Now mostly it is about us and our families. That’s a good goal about our future, I think. The main problem I think, is the energy consumption where we live. Now all want to promote their families, and quality of life. And most of we humans like public electricity, and are willing to pay for it.

Now like the Brits and the Russians in an earlier age, some Europeans and the USA are expending their young people and wealth in some effort in the so called Middle East. I prefer to call it the Caucus area, even the trans-caucus area.

So to revert to the basic idea, is there a clash of cultures going on?

Now I do not respect them (our ancestors), kinda. But if they too loved their families and way of life, that is human normal, at least to me. So I think if that made them happy, that is OK with me. Now in 2010 I am supposed to live with their decisions. Now I can talk about friction.

Of course the catch is dealing with the weirdoes. Now I suggest just killing them all.

Some cultures just don’t get along. I suspect it is mostly humans and the values we think well of.

There are some ideas and values worth fighting for.

The main idea, at least to me, is that some ideas and tribes, all human, do better than others. And it is obvious to me to reinforce success, not failure.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

I can recognize change, and say thank you.

We went without public electricity for about 10 minutes around 10 AM local time. The reasons are beyond me. And I consider myself in the middle of no where, as in rural USA.

We are so spoiled, I think. The old standard was 2 or 3 days in my rural area.

For what ever it is worth, I do like public electricity. Mostly because I am a computer nerd. Now having the satellite TV going too also appeals to me.

Now the cell phones and hard wired phones still worked, and I appreciate what so many fellow local Americans have done to keep the system going.

Good on em.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Who wants to be lied to?

Now I think most of us want and expect to be governed. But in the same vein, most of us want to think we know what is going on. The catch is how we humans have evolved, politically at least, and throughout the Earth. And our governments do provide benefits, especially depending on where one lives.

The obvious debate is between the ideas of knowing what is going on vice propaganda. In more USA terms, I think of the idea of really good USA type marketing, which I think is pretty good, especially if you watch TV. Even Google has made this into a good way to make a living. I guess we humans are predictable, as far as marketing goes.

What bothers me in simple terms, is how to interpret those politicians who lie for their own gain. Now that is a moral indignity, at least to me.

So what to think. Most of us expect humans trying to get elected to lie, albeit with some smoothing. But my vote is that we also expect elected rulers to be honest. In this idea is much friction. After all, many politicians at all levels still do their best, which is what most of us count on.

In the meantime, I have to live, to include me and my family.

And in the meantime, I think we will select future politicians who lie less. How about moral standards when ruling us? And all I just want to think about is what is going on. After all, it is me and my family at stake.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

The times they are a changing

Some of it was predictable in the USA. Even back two years ago one could confidently think that people wanted change, and a third party in the USA was coming. The normal and usual question to “who were you going to vote for President” was “I wish we had another choice”.

Now we are getting “other” choices thanks to the hard work of so many fellow USA citizens. What I still find astounding is the apparent stupidity of so many fellow Americans who assume the status quo two party national system will go on forever. How typically human. Even more amazing is the idea that some third party must be organized like in the status quo past, and compete as a Party. Maybe it will, but in the meantime, to this citizen, this effort will support any candidate who thinks about priorities like integrity, honesty, and even “the people” and what they think.

Anyway, both present USA national parties have had most of a century to make things better, and use your own judgment as to the results in the USA, to include your school board, your city, your county, your state, and our federal government.

So with all this friction and change in the USA, the world still goes on. And I think our present financial problems will affect the world. Basically that means things will slow down throughout the world. Don’t count European countries out, but don’t also count Asian (in the western term) countries out, either. Now I only mean this idea in the human term, not the nuanced “ USA State Department” kind of term.

Again, much change is coming. And much friction is going to occur for so many reasons, including where you live. It’s a big world, especially when you are a mom or dad.

The really good news is the USA and the New World is still the best hope for we world humans to both survive, and have a Family that will survive and flourish, as in be happy.

For those of us that live here in the still New World, we have a good deal and opportunity. For those motivated to come here, this is probably better than where you live. Of course in the end, it is your decision. Just keep in mind even things are changing here, too.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

The pendulum swings, still

For those that have never heard of a pendulum, it is just the weight that swings under old time clocks to help them “keep time”. Now modern quartz type watches and clocks do a much better time keeping job, and are so much better for we “masses” that still like knowing the time. Most of us still like knowing the time, or need to for our job, or so I think. And with GPS and TV and other such things, even the old time short wave broadcast of BBC time hacks seem to be passing.

The idea of the pendulum swinging in colloquial terms to me means the swing of our body politic, in all ideas, mostly societal values.

Hence I enter ideas of the old (before I was even born in the USA in 1948), and after I will die (probably in the USA, maybe Belize). Now I can be prejudiced, too, since I have been around the World and the USA. In other words, I have been exposed to many ideas and values. For example, in the 8th grade my best friend was Mike Lopez, back when southern California grew oranges. Now I live on the Upper Cumberland Plateau in eastern Tennessee, and that obviously influences me, too.

Anyway, as the pendulum swings, here’s what I think and can report.

First the old days.

• An awful lot of eloping went on in the 1930’s
• We had orphanages
• Birth control depended mostly on females
• We had homes for unwed mothers
• We married our relatives (usually distant in family history but still local) more than we do now
• Ideas like ethics and shame were dominant throughout society
• We worked hard, and some did better than others
• As an America, we were isolationist
• As an America, we were rural, mostly
• As an America, we still did not have public electricity, and all the wonderful machines that have come from it.
• We were thinner then, as in less “heavy”. We even walked back then because we had to.

Second the “new” days. Who really knows, and of course it depends on where you live.

• Generational “war” is coming as the recent Western idea of social security to dump our old time relatives on to the government as compared to the old time system of taking care of our old time relatives. Much friction is coming
• Shame and ethics are rebounding in Western societies
• Birth control will revert to females
• What’s wrong with working for a living?
• The age of the modern masses hedonism is coming to an end.
There is “no free lunch”, which most know. Those that do not know will find out when they suffer in their local community. Maybe the adults are in charge in some local communities?
• Going cold and hungry makes a big impact!
• The Western idea of voting is so important. Think about security for our families, clean water, waste water treatment, and educating our children. Now our local leaders can decide, or we, the voters, can. I expect much future friction.
• A small percentage of we humans are criminals. I think we will begin to lock them up more than we have been doing just to protect we humans and our families
• Public health will become a priority. Nobody wants to get Malaria, for example. Now I even read about bed bugs in New York City. In the end I sure hope it is a voter decision, in the end, again. I myself choose DDT, for example.

We reap from what we sow. Is this idea simple enough?

Friday, August 13, 2010

The new world

Let me just add to the email "chatter" here where I live on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee.

The order on this cut and paste is newest to oldest.

I agree, and talk is cheap. So only time will tell.
By the way, there is a Plan B, jail.
And he has reported to me that even in Putnum County Jail in low security, there are more gang members and Negroes than ever. Right or wrong, that is what he reported. And I do not think he liked it, so the idea of avoiding jail time still works in his case, if you believe what he reports.


I think if he gets out of here, dumps the woman he's with, and quits his drug use, there could quite possibly be success for him somewhere. And success isn't hard to achieve. It starts with a job, which is easy to obtain if you put forth just a little effort on your behalf. In all honesty though I'm not sure if Adam knows how to put forth effort, at least in a productive way. My views may seem to be on the pessimistic side but what's sad is that I'm just being a realist.


I agree, and talk is cheap. So only time will tell.
He did bring his present girlfriend and provider of a present roof, the ex-wife of the former Monterey Mayor, with him yesterday late. She and he says she has Type II diabetes, and that probably is correct. Now she is going to have to clean up her act, and I have doubts she can or will do it. She meets the classic old line/joke about being rode hard and put up wet. I think she is about age 40. Worst case, I give her two more years before she loses a leg or two, or goes blind, and then passing on somewhat soon after that. She even says her Cookeville doctor has her on oxycontin (also called oxycodone), which is an addictive pain drug that even made Rush Limbaugh go deaf. I told her that to provide an incentive to her.
Anyway, Type II diabetes is such an infinitely treatable condition, if she cleans up her act, which is pretty much the same as doing whatever the doctor recommends, which is usually conventional wisdom. Now to put things in perspective, having Type I diabetes is really bad because one's body is born without the ability to make insulin, and our bodies need insulin to make our bodies work as God intended.
All this long diatribe is to report Adam was giving her hell while they were here, and I think he was seeking me to just back him up in whatever he is telling her. All this suggests he might still be trying to turn things around for himself, and you know what, he might. Of course he was also here just to borrow some more DVD's, but unlike my relatives, he actually brings them back.
I think I hurt his feelings when I told him he was not welcome to use my tractor anymore. But I did come back immediately with a question as to whether he was trying to kill me, since I needed exercise, too, and doing tractor work was about my speed these days. That seemed to satisfy him, if a big smile is any indication.
He also reported another Monterey drug bust that was big enough to include using the Motel 6 as a processing center. I'll just wait for all this to come out, too, if even half correct.
By the way, if he succeeds?, then he has a good productive time of at least two decades ahead of him. Who knows, he might even become a preacher somewhere?

Hope it works for him. He will have to make some changes in his life for it to completely work.

Some construction project, vice regular job. But he is optimistic. That's all I know from what he has told me.

Some construction project, vice regular job. But he is optimistic. That's all I know from what he has told me.

I think he is the typical case of needing to get the heck out of Monterey.

Thank you. I think I have been hoodwinked. Plus my 2009 Polaris is still down pending one more part showing up via UPS, and then I have to do the work to fix it after it shows up.
In the meantime, I go without the services and machine I paid for, like $11.5 K (as in USD).
Now my personality is still charity oriented, but again I may have failed on Adam Henry. He was and is an OK choice, and compared to his Family, he is the best of the bunch.
In theory he has a new $15/hr job, and I sure count on it.
Meantime, I still go without my Polaris Ranger. And he offered to pay for it all, but of course, he has nothing to pay with.
Now I give him some credit. I think his mom and dad screwed him over when he was growing up, but he has made it worse for himself, I think. Anyway, hanging out with the ex-wife of the old mayor of Monterey says a lot.
And as always, I do wish him luck, which he deserves, I think.

The status report on the pond yesterday was one beer can on the side of the drive by the pond, and a coke bottle floating around the southwestern part of the pond.

Too bad William Henry Harrison's own hubris killed him by giving a 2 hour inaugural address in horrible weather.

Yep, it started out as a campaign song and then morphed into more. Here's a wiki link on all this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tippecanoe_and_Tyler_too

Yeah I've heard it. I always assumed it was their campaign song.

Here's one more question? Have you ever heard the song "Tippacanoe and Tyler Too". I think it came out around 1840!


I'll be a marketing asshole again and ask if you would be able to email the link of my song on Amazon to a lot of folks you know. Maybe they will buy it since it's only 99 cents.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Things in perspective

Let me add this idea to the reader’s bag of tricks. Act, don’t react.

Now this is easier said than done, but again there is a technique, trick if you will, that helps in putting things in perspective when trying to analyze a potential problem. Managers usually learn this idea, though most do have to be taught. It is not a human trait most of us are born with.

Now those in leadership positions often have problems brought to them. Mothers and Fathers know this quite well, I think. My encouragement is to “listen”, then act vice react. And of course don’t do anything for at least a day so you can think about it, and gain the advantage of hearing other courses of action. Now of course some situations demand a quick answer, like siblings fighting each other, and hopefully the “leader, as in mother or father” has thought all this out ahead of time.

Now above the Family level, some problems are bigger than others. The key, at least to this poster, is to put things in perspective. And an honest person will know (or recognize) that they might not know “everything” they wished they could know given enough time.

Now we also know the world is not perfect, so other humans operate with ego and micromanagement ideas that often work for the short term. It is both the long term and human tendencies that tend to balance things out. Nobody, in the long term can dominate humanity, but surely some can in the shorter terms, like a hundred years or less.

And sometimes, “in perspective”, they do an OK job, too...at least during their time and location, like Sri Lanka.

Now I suggest a starting list of “problems” we should put in perspective. I am sure there are many others the reader can add to.
• Global warming. Is it the sun or humans?
• Rural vs. Urban. What does that mean?
• Type of government. And what should public government do? And how should government balance good ideas with resources? How about elections? How about tax methods to pay for all this stuff our government does?
• Public health. To include food, clean water, and waste water treatment.
• Education. Is it teaching all good human things learned before, or more indoctrination of young people?
• Transportation. Is it for the public or business, or both?
• Maintenance. How do we pay to maintain previous generations’ projects, most done with good intentions at the time, I hope? How do we even assign priorities, as in tax more or just let lesser priority projects fail in the long term?
• Locally, whom do I vote for? And why, mostly, if they can balance the competing priorities to my voting satisfaction. Do I think they (our elected leaders) can put things “in perspective”? For example, do we locals and our elected leaders decide to pay to maintain the waste water sewer system set up in the 1960’s? What do we have to give up to pay for this, if anything in the budget?
• Academic vs. real world. Which way do you think we humans will go?

With all the normal turmoil in the World, now is a good time to remind all that putting things in perspective is a good skill for leaders. Again, it is a skill that most must be taught or acquired, but those with this skill can sure help we humans go forward to our future, whatever that will be.

Now I will modify a line from one USA 1970’s movie, Jeremiah Johnson. “Lord knows, I hope it be an experienced person”.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Are not we humans fickle?

Now what is wrong with being fickle? And fickle to me is some combination of high school cliques and wanting to take care of my family, and their families.

Thank goodness it is the summer in the northern hemisphere. When humans get hungry, and “cold” this coming winter in the northern hemisphere, then things will begin to change, or so I predict.

Now nobody wants to die, at least before what they think is their “time”. Now as a heart attack person who died in a USA walmart parking lot (age 60 I recall), and some son of a gun saved my life and brain, and well, I am both thankful, and bitching. After all, I had a perfectly good death which was both quick and painless, and now I have to die again. Bummer. And I can be fickle, too. And I hope the second time will be as quick and painless as the first time.

Unfortunately, many of us know of other circumstances through our relatives. Why can’t we treat our relatives like our pets, for example.

Back to being fickle.

How about let the people decide vice some well intentioned ruling class, like a King and Queen. In this idea I suspect much friction will come. And hopefully present USA national leaders will listen. I myself think they will for all reasons, to include the vote.

And you know what? A lot of Americas live in rural ares, for quality of life reasons, and work in more urban areas, for their family reasons. Having a connection to land comes up a lot. They are making nice families, inspite of drugs, for example.

After all, we humans can be fickle, and vote our instincts which is mostly our family promotion, in our minds.

And my instinct is that much of what has gone on in the last half century is finally catching up through both of the present national parties. Now things are going to change, probably circa 2014, but who knows. And I am thinking locally, of course.

Anyway, I would rather discuss and debate about our elected leaders, what ever economic or human theory they espouse, rather than have a revolution.

Now of course, that is just my opinion.

Sunday, August 08, 2010

Doing things in little pieces

What prompts the title to this post is the basic question about what to do about being in a bad situation. And the overriding concept to this particular human is that complaining does little good unless one can offer alternatives, i.e., solutions. And the idea is talking about politics, not divorce, for example.

And some alternatives are probably better than others, but the voters can decide that. And the idea of a vote is so good when the alternatives affect people’s lives and their families’ lives.

And so one can take the present situation in the USA, which is both enormous, and varied to boot. Now I try to avoid psycho-babble type analyses of what is going on, to include our present political leaders at all levels. Just what to do is what I mean and think about.

The obvious example to me is where I live in Putnum County, Tennessee, which is on the Upper Cumberland Plateau in eastern Tennessee. Now the County has much to do with my quality of life, as well as the State of Tennessee; so the typical reporting that usually tends to focus on the national government, and there is poor reporting even there, in my opinion; then that all needs to be “interpreted” by some local person like me so I can try figure out what is important to me. I can’t imagine someone from even the other side of the State being able to do that OK to where I trust them. Sorry for how convoluted the previous has been, that that is also my convoluted thought.

Now one more thought does come to mind. Many people “worse case” things, and that is often a prudent way to go. Some people “best case” things, and they tend to be disappointed in the long run. Most people think things are seldom black or white, but more typically grey.

I suspect we as a USA are in a grey area, again.

Now here is how I define “grey”. Much change is going on (compared to the last few decades). At the federal level, the USA has a decidedly leftist leadership, both in the Executive and the Legislative. Competency and experience and elitism have been called into question. There is an element of doubt that President Obama may try usurp the federal Legislature using his ancestors Executive authorities.

But the USA world is way past federalism,that is today I think we are still a United States vice one USA country. So the grey area extends to States and Counties that affect our quality of life, and our families’ quality of life.

Here in Putnum County are several hints things are changing already. The County Commissioners, all 24 have been just been changed by 12 new ones. The County Commissioners act like a legislature in my mind. Rather than raise property taxes, the School Board has “found” energy savings. Of course that begs the question, why did this not happen before? And even our County Executive is also a CPA!

Now nothing changes overnight. Here is one local opinion about our taxpayer money, and I also pay. For example they ok'd a 130,000 dollar elevator plan for our County Clerk Wayne Nabors. This elevator is only for his private use. Waste of county money. Also what makes us logical county Democrats and Republicans mad on this 130,000 dollar elevator is if the commisioners are so quick to pass the ok on it why couldn't they have put the money to use in actually bettering the county. My thought is that Wayne payed them under the table, which is what most think. But anyways it's just another political quagmire.

Now all this “grey” area stuff suggests like or similar things are happening all over the USA “in little pieces” from a USA point of view. The astute reader might think the emphasis is on “local” vice “national”, and they would be correct.

Back when our USA federal government began providing block grants of tax money decades ago, I even then thought that was a terrible idea. The obvious objection was that if the federal government had enough money to pass it back to the States, then we were paying too much federal taxes, and the states were not taxing enough. Let the voters decide, I thought. Now this present idea worked for decades, but now the consequences are coming home to roost.

Last, and truly last, the vote will truly correct many things, in my opinion. Mostly it will be the local votes and mostly those about “basic” services like police, fire, water, waste water, and public schools. Now there are so many good and well intentioned ideas, like even a fish ladder on a beach in southern California, but if that trumps public sanitation, for example, then priorities are going to change, again as long as we can vote. It will take new elected leaders.

What’s wrong with elected politicians doing their job? How about determining priorities and using budgets?

So doing things “in little pieces” is what is happening in the USA, anyway. I sure hope this idea extends throughout the world. And I sure applaud and thank all humans that are doing the difficult work to make all this happen today, as it is. They have a lot to be proud of!

Saturday, August 07, 2010

As long as I can vote

Few care what I think.

First for the bad news. Here in the USA there is a pattern of behavior suggesting some evolution to dictatorial or even royalty rule. The really bad news is that this worst case pattern is some combination of the both the present executive and the legislative branches at the federal level.

Second for the good news. Here is the USA this will never happen because of citizen efforts, to include voting. Dictators and kings and queens will just get voted out. God help us if this gets to something else, like a revolution.

As an obvious equal thought, most citizens just don’t even think about all this until they think their lifestyles and families’ futures are threatened. Said another way, most want some way to live and promote their families, and be able to say how that should be.

And the present USA is a good way for humans to assert themselves. Mostly it seems to balance human greed with balance.

Now we always have a Plan B.

And the human world is much bigger than the USA, at least in human numbers.

Now the economics are far different. And we humans both exploit each other, and also need our earth assets.

I just hope in the future we, the voters, the local citizens, can decide.

The alternative is to let others decide.

Friday, August 06, 2010

It is a new world

And it is new because of humans throughout the world. Humans change, and so does the world, mostly because of that. But mother nature, like our sun, also changes and that affects things, too.

Now we humans are usually family and also self interested, to include human greed, so that is not new. The question to so many is what does that imply to our world in our future?

Now I throw in a wild card in my imaginations. Will what happens in the USA affect things a lot. And my answer is “I think so”. I imagine so because so many humans have come here because it is both a new world (compared to our past), and that mostly means family economics, as in jobs, and our children’s future. But also there is an intrinsic idea that we adults control and influence our children’s futures, and that is good.

So are we in the present new world going to revert to our normal human aspects, and fight for our past wherever we live. Or are we going to try for better things, like the right to vote, and then be willing to even win that fight, to include revolution or civil war wherever we live.

Will the old world, because of humanity, overcome the new world?

There are so many historical precedents, to include dictatorships, royalty, and other types, so our past leaders do listen, at least some. And some are better than others, at least as far as history goes. Royalty, War Lords, and Tribal Leaders come to mind.

So is the Western Construct of voting and elected leaders and “power to the people” come to mind. I think so. Our human USA Constitution is pretty good, especially compared to our human past.

In this will be much human friction.

In this idea is there is truly a new world coming? And for those alive it will probably not end in our lifetime. The USA is obvious, but don’t forget so many others, like in China, Japan, the Stan states in the Transcaucasia area, those humans in Africa, and or course, South America. For those who I have left out, I both apologize, and remind all that numbers count, as well as ideas, too.

Now one idea does worry me. If the have nots can vote them selves money from the haves, then probably, that system will collapse.

There has to be a balance, run by the "haves", in my mind.

I,and many do think, that we humans being in charge is a good best given our alternatives. Now just how we pick them in both the old world and the new world is still up for grabs.

Monday, August 02, 2010

We are so spoiled

The way I read history even the kings and queens and royalty lived in nice houses, that were cold in the winter.

Now as an expeditionary Marine I even lived in a tent with a dirt floor in Korea up near the DMZ (for three months). And it was the fall and early winter, and it got cold. Now in fairness, in the last month me or my “roommate” scrounged a broken piece of ¼ inch plywood so we could have a wood floor, which partially covered the dirt. It was OK.

Now let me pile on. This last winter I spoke with a lady who lived on a farm in Nebraska with her husband and daughter. Now the daughter had to go out once a day to chop the ice out of the heated water trough in the barn for the horse. And earlier I knew some New Englanders who just wear more clothes in the winter to stay warm when the thermostat is set down to save money.

For a no no, I underwent heart surgery about two years ago, and bragged initially about going 39 days without a bath to my nurses who asked if I was ready to take a shower. They were not impressed! But loved ones did send me baby wipes to Kuwait, which worked OK for cleaning arm pits and crotches. And of course, if we all smell the same, then most humans don’t notice.

Now with public electricity, even local people in my rural county and city think they need air conditioning to live, and they are being honest. Yet the first time I lived in Okinawa, a semi-tropical land, if I had had a million dollars, I could not have bought an air conditioner if I wanted to. So I learned about fans. As long as we have public electricity, fans are OK.

Now also look around where you live and see how many clothes lines are out in the yards…not many. Most people seem to use public electricity hot air dryers these days, at least in the USA. We are so spoiled! We are living as common citizens better than most of our ancestors. But we do work to buy these things that do benefit ourselves, or so it seems. Now in fairness, one can still go to Amazon.com and find the today versions of clothes lines.

And I all want to do is live until I die.

In the meantime, I think I'll go back to defrosting my old 1928 GE refrigerator, which of course needs defrosting periodically. These days most "modern" refrigerators have an automatic defrost capability, and many don't know how to defrost the old time ways because they don't have to know. We are so spoiled.

Saturday, July 31, 2010

A simple ditty

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Americans have hearts and minds too

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Americans come from all over
It’s a big world too

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Who rules our world
We do

Roses are red
Violets are blue
The USA is different
From the rest of the world too

Roses are red
Violets are blue
As bad as things seem in the USA
It can be worse too

Roses are red
Violets are blue
All people are not created equal
But equal opportunity is true

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Is this a A Simple Desultory Philippic
Not true

Friday, July 30, 2010

A student of history

We all have our hobbies. History is one of mine. And mostly it is local history about where I live today on the Upper Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee.

Now just because it is a hobby does not make me an expert. I still am not sure if anyone is an expert, as opposed to thinking they are an expert. And certainly some humans are better historians than others.

Now what I pursue is the human aspect of history. I have always wondered what many people were thinking during the time of the American Revolution. My premise is that what humans did in their times can give me a hint as to what we humans may do in this time that I am living. Certainly, the technologies and communication means have changed, but we humans have been pretty much the same for a long time, I think.

I always wonder about when parents report how much smarter their kids are than they. If this were correct, then we should have a bunch of little Einsteins running around, and most know that is not correct. Better educated perhaps, but smarter, I don’t think so. And all the other human factors, like from the Ten Commandments, are pretty much the same, I think.

And then there is my experience, which is mostly as a US Marine. Mostly, for this post, it means don’t come up with a problem without offering solutions. I still buy that idea.

Now for a long time I have been wondering about the implications of the present situation in the USA. For example, is it like, from a human point of view, what our USA ancestors experienced during the time of the American Revolution? For now, I don’t think so. I keep in mind that many resorted to revolt, and I just don’t think we are there as an American culture today. For example, when I want to drive to shop at Wal-Mart 15 miles away, I don’t think I should pay a bribe for gas for my car, or carry a gun to make it through a road block, or be shot at. I have experienced such human things elsewhere, and it was not a fun human experience.

Yet I also wonder what we humans will do these days if some ruling class arises in the USA to tell us how to live and solve our human problems. The patterns of behavior are disturbing to some when things remind them of the Weimer Republic times in Germany (when citizens still voted), or King Louis the 16th in France. One recent news article tripped me off about circulating ideas about circumventing the legislature in regards the immigration debate in the USA. Now if some rulers want to take away our votes, then history suggests reaction in the USA. Said another way, voting is a big deal, and if you don’t like the outcome, vote later in time, but support the vote.

Now the historical problem question I have been trying to avoid comes up. What if we have a situation like the times of the American Revolution. And my experience says I must offer solutions.

So here it is. Vote vice revolt. If the vote is taken away (or stolen is how it might be done), then think about revolt. Even I might then take up arms and interrupt my Wal-Mart shopping trip. Even then I might selectively quit paying some taxes, and see what happens.

But that should not happen. Our USA culture, will correct things in our own rule of law way. No wonder so many humans in the rest of the world want to come here. The alternatives in the rest of the world are not so good as the USA.

Last, I don’t accept our USA culture has evolved to the point where our elected legislatures pass human laws, and the elected executive signs these laws to enact them, and then hired bureaucrats, all who take oaths to support the laws, can selectively decide which laws to enforce. Now it does happen, I believe, but as a way to govern, it should not happen. And if we need bigger bureaucracies to get the job done, then let we humans vote and pay for it.

It is fun being a student of history. What is not fun is thinking or imagining what we humans may do.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Examples of change

In the USA people want change. Past elections reflect this, I think. What follows are examples presented in a kind of bullet format.

Academia reputation for performance and results declining.

NE (North East) Schools reputation declining. The perception of a NE schools clique is arising. There are now lots of smart Americans around, not all in the NE, and they have funding, too.

Appreciation for ethics, shame, oaths, public health, and religion is arising.

Voter turnout (participation) at the lower levels increasing. More appreciation for what our local governments should do at the basic level, like police, fire, clean water, waste water, and public schools.

More public education will focus on human history in the USA. And there will be standards. And some may fail. Public acceptance of failing and standards will increase.

Diversity idea fading back to melting pot idea, which is what is happening anyway.

More investigative reporters are arising. And the focus on our governments’ performance and results at all levels is arising.

Environmental ideas that hurt humans at the expense of humans is fading. The idea of a common sense balance is arising. Nobody wants a cholera epidemic, anywhere. Nor do we want to promote malaria and the practices that bring it.

Playing God using governmental policies is fading in appreciation. For humans it is often called social engineering, or even redistribution of wealth (these days). For the environment, it is often called “new or better” regulations.

Newspapers and the three public “news” organizations are declining. Would you like fries with that order?

Opportunity for the two national parties has faded based on results. A third party based on ideas will arise. The Tea Party is a start, and maybe more will come?

The economic problems in the USA these days are already being taken care of as best we can, including family support. Now let we humans assert ourselves, and we may be surprised.

Borderline idea. USA foreign endeavors will decline. Vital national interests will actually get discussed. America’s natural and cultural isolationalism will and is gaining influence. The oceans around the USA still count. The idea of the importance of other nation building as in our interests will decline. Respect for other human systems (cultures) will increase, as in be respected. But their problems are their problems, not ours, or so I guess.

Regional conflicts and wars are so human and usual. They will continue. Only if some larger power gets involved will some change occur, for the short period (like one or two centuries). Call it a wild card for many reasons. For example, some nations can expend their wealth (their citizens efforts) in some pursuit their leaders pick.

Change is always painful to most humans. Just how change happens will revert to more human influences than political influences of whatever political party is in charge. As always, no matter what our politicians try do, humans will do what they think they have to do. I call it autopilot.

Just look at our cars in the USA. Already change as to saving energy is happening. Most people just want to save money in order to support their lives and their families. And more evolution is coming just because of humans.

And I imagine many can think of other examples of what we humans will do, and come up with to invoke change. Anyone who thinks they can control a country or the world is silly. Humans will always assert themselves, mostly for selfish reasons, I think.

For example, how are humans able to handle the change caused by so many more humans gaining USA type energy uses, like cars, air conditioning, basic heat, or even such public health ideas as clean water and waste water treatment.

One answer to change is both obvious and lucky, too. It is called the USA.