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Thursday, May 31, 2012


Curmudgeon

       And even improving our culture can be done from a word...it's up to us wherever we live.

            First is  the definition of this old time English (maybe French) word. Now I know what it means to me, but I did have to look it up to make sure I spelled it correctly. Anyway, here is one definition from an online dictionary:  "a surly or miserly person".

            Even I reminded myself of admiring Cormac McCarthy for his use of old time words in his modern novels and movies.

            And at my age (64) I have seen nationally, Negroes called, Negroes, Blacks, and now I believe African-American is in vogue. Now for me, I would rather be factually correct than politically correct.  No wonder I never fit in to the high school clique and Key Club style of thought when I grew up. Even my time teaching at Atlanta University reinforced my instinct about calling a spade a spade to include casually saying  and using the local talk, like "light skinned and dark skinned" .  It was exactly like what the author Michener included in his novel "Caribbean".

            Well, all this is a lead in to saying you can define your culture, and your standards, where ever you live. In this idea I think you are doing your "progeny" a big educational favor.  After all, we can try dictate thoughts in all ways you can imagine, but that is just immoral. For example, the USA passed three neutrality laws in the late 1930's, and we all know what that got us.  But, in the same vein, we can dictate behavior, like standards of behavior, like for our culture, including standards which often seem like the Golden Rule, to me.

            Last, I can imagine I will die without any younger person saying "thanks".  Rather, the usual is more like ignoring me these days, or not eating my food, or other such indignities. I probably did much the same in my younger years, too.

            But our culture, and our Family stories, are a big deal, to me. So if I have to be a curmudgeon, so be it. Call this idea a burden, but to me it is an opportunity. And time is always on my side.

            Last, a sales pitch if you will.  Raising kids is hard work and a big deal. So trying to influence culture through two parent families is a big deal, too. Why do I suggest this? Well it seems some cultures don't emphasize this like I would.

            Again, I guess I and my thoughts are curmudgeon in 2012.

Saturday, May 26, 2012


Almost for sure a third party will arise in the new world USA

       To me it kind of humorous, that is all the talk about this effort by so many in the USA. This effort includes the proponents of the status quo defining this third party effort in current times, and even getting reported as the news. I hear the term Tea Party, and that they are racists...wrong on both counts. So even our main stream media is failing us, in my opinion.

            Now in my experience, most third parties fail because over the last century they have tended to be based on an individual, and his money raising ability.  But this time the third party effort is more based on an idea, and that may persevere in terms of raising money. And really money is not all that is important when compared to an idea worth voting for, or even fighting for if that is what it takes. The Whig Party went away, and so may our two present National Parties, over a long time, like decades.

            Now, in old times talk, these may be times to write home about. I am confident the experience will vary quite a bit, often  influenced by where one lives. Said another way, expect younger people to ask older people to tell them stories "about how things used to be". I sure hope, if this should happen to you, that the story tellers will be as accurate as possible.

            After all, during times of great change, much friction also occurs, including rises and falls of national political parties that have been around forever.

Friday, May 25, 2012


The downside of affirmative action

       "There's no free lunch" even applies to affirmative action.

            Bottom line, if an poorly qualified person gets promoted beyond his or her abilities, they all too often get frustrated when competing with their better qualified peers, and all too often blame their woes on the "system".  That's the downside of affirmative action.

            Of course there's an upside, too.  Think of the "diamond in the rough" idea, and very often affirmative action will allow that diamond to get polished, and the person, the community, and the country are better off for it.

            But, bottom line to me, is I want a doctor to be in his or her position for merit based reasons. Now that idea justifies trust, faith, and confidence.

            So for all those parents who push their kids in the academic area, I say good on ya. Now that is an alternative that appeals to me, and the sooner the better, I would add. And I recognize how much hard work comes from this alternative, but, again, I say good on ya!

Going forward to the future in the new world USA

       We have a good deal in our new world USA. Many know it, but probably many more don't know it. In classical terms, it behooves us to maximize our strengths, and minimize our weaknesses when we deal with all the usual problems in our culture. Nobody said it was gonna be easy in whatever we do to improve our new world USA.

            Now for me, I like bitching too, but also to me it is important to offer solutions in the form of alternatives to our elected representative's policies.  That idea is profound, if you think about it. I would rather we citizens be in charge than some kind of royalty or dictatorship acting in their own way, too. And apparently, a lot of old world people think this way too since they have immigrated here, and not just for themselves, but for their children and umpteenth later generations.

            For example, perhaps we don't have to improve our new world USA. Improving a culture is a human instinct, but that is the collective citizens choice as to which way to go. Perhaps what we already have is pretty good, with a Constitution and rule of law and all.

            It should be interesting to see what evolves, like what is the "present state of affairs" at the end of this century, like around 2100.

            But in 2012, I predict the citizens then will be in charge, one way or the other. It will be our own new world way to go forward, an advantage I suspect we still will have in our new world USA. Nothing wrong against the old world, but good on the opportunities for our people and our culture in the new world USA. It is special, and unique for humans.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012


A perverse logic

            An awful lot of fellow Americans are getting screwed by the system.

            By that I mean using the hyphenated American spelling, like Italian-American, African-American, Jewish-American, and so forth. To me it is all just part of the multi-cultural idea that is the fad today. What a waste and failed idea.

            We are just Americans, with our own culture and values. This especially applies to our children who are not burdened with old country values brought over by their ancestors, be they from the other vast continents and countries on this earth. Nor, apparently, are they or the rest of us burdened to think this way, either.

            It still amazes me, in the most American way, that our census has even developed check off terms like Latino or Hispanic. And to be fair, even the Arab world has come up with a term Palestinian, which is new in our world vernacular, and very often repeated in our Western "news", like that term has always been around, which of course it has not.

            Another thing that really disturbs me is the idea of we humans will vote some kind of census assigned ethnicity, like we are from some sub-culture, rather than being American. How about we are just Americans who vote our own opinions, which do vary all over the place.

            Fortunately I am old enough to even remember Martin Luther King speaking about content of character, and not skin color.  That idea still works for me in our new world USA. Yep, no perverse logic here. I just want my Family to be happy.

Civil unrest

            Bottom line, the Occupy Wall Street types in the new world USA don't represent me.

            And during times of great change, do expect turmoil and other friction.

            And this civil unrest is way beyond the new world USA. In my mind, it is in Greece, Egypt, Venezuela, and 34 other countries, too.

            And this great change I imagine is a change in the status quo, which apparently has gotten us to where we are today. Bummer.

            But I am no anarchist, and I suspect most others are not, either.  And, best of all, we can change things our way, whatever that is in your mind and where you live, and all without tearing things down in order to build another better future. In other words, we do have alternatives, call it another way.

            Now these things, changes if you will,  do take time, which is another advantage for those so thinking.

            Lord knows, I just hope the idea of trust, faith, and confidence, along with the idea of the vote, carries the day, and in the end.

            Just so the reader knows, I too am hedging my bets, like living on my own in some kind of commune or small community (with security) until things get better, if that should occur, too. It's hard to believe I can even think and plan this way. But I too have a Family to think about.

            Last, it seems to me some fellow humans are funding a lot of the anarchists, who are unfortunately being taken advantage off, at least to me. I sure wish I knew who these funders were, but probably will never know, other than it is going on. Obviously, these funders have their own objectives, and sources of funding, too. And in the end, the anarchists, and their funders, are a really small percentage of our population, mostly urban it seems.

            Last, again, I left urban Atlanta to move to rural east Tennessee.  There's no civil unrest here, at least right now. Rather the opposite is still occurring, like the community pulls together to help those in need when they need it. I suspect much the same is happening elsewhere, and also is a fair report in most of the world.

Monday, May 21, 2012


Memory vice writing as a way to record our history

       Now this method was even taught at one time, in Malta, I believe. Basically if we did not write things down, then recording our history was a big enough deal to our distant ancestors to where they used the memory method. Of course one can do the math to see if a generation or two gets eradicated, then this whole memory history setup fails, too. And all this was probably before we had writing and the time to even record history that way. After all, being warm and fed has priority almost everywhere.

            Yet this method appears to be alive and well even up to today.

            For example, think of your Family stories, and the times assembled to tell them to our younger members. Usually, it is our grandparents sharing their stories with the younger generations.

            Even in the USA, the Civil War is still alive and well in many peoples' minds, even after a century and a half. And an awful lot of Americans still remember the Trail of Tears (circa the 1830's), the enforced removal of the Southeastern Indian tribes out to the Indian Territories, now called Oklahoma.

            Now this all seems like memory history, to me. For sure it is probably different from what was taught in Malta, but still lives on in humanity and Families and even the USA.

            I suspect most of this type history is not taught in schools, and in writing particularly.

Sunday, May 20, 2012


On the nature of prejudice
       This post just reflects my experiences. I am age 64. And throughout my long life, I too have been the object of prejudice, both foreign and domestic.
            Most prejudice I have seen tends to focus on people not like the people others are used to.  Hence expressions: like they all look alike; foreigners are dirty; have you heard this joke, like a Polock joke; Negroes are not smart, but are good athletes; a Palestinian newspaper cartoon showing Secretary of State Rice as a monkey; Jews and Slavs are sub-human; women are all emotional; and so on.
            Now some tribes, if you will, seem to be superior to others. Now whether that is religious, cultural, family, racial, national, or whatever caused, the explanations and guesses as to why are all over the place. But for sure, and to me, not all men and tribes are created equal. But also, and to me, that doesn't lead me to generalize about any culture, or whatever group or faction is in my mind at the time. As a recruiter I had to beam in on the individual who met the minimum standards.
            What I seldom hear is discussions of economic impacts, like what effect it may have on any group of people. And in the USA I seldom hear discussion of the impact of single parent homes on our children, and our culture. Hence, and to me, a lot of needed discussion about the forgoing factors is simply not discussed, to include its impact on prejudicial racial beliefs.
            For the record, I have been a career Marine, and even taught at Georgia Tech and Atlanta University, plus some professional military schools. So in my case, I have plenty of observations that go against the grain of conventional prejudice in the USA against Negroes.  My bottom line, there are a lot of USA Negroes the enemy doesn't want on our side, thank goodness. And there are plenty of geek Negroes I have known, though even this subject is  seldom discussed in the USA, whether in writing or sometimes in the movies.
            Now I do accept our country's history for what it is. No one can change history. But for sure we can influence our future. So in my opinion, a little discussion and an emphasis on two parent families will have a big impact on our future. So will more discussion about the melting pot which is the USA, and is what is going on anyway, even in spite of today's fad of multiculturalism.

Saturday, May 19, 2012


The value of rehearsals

       We humans can plan very well, and anticipate most everything...but not necessarily everything.

            Yet after all "that", we often have wedding rehearsals as a custom and usually a good planning factor, too.

            Now having a rehearsal does take time. And at one time it was just taken for granted that the time to do a rehearsal was planned in.  It could have been an amphibious landing, or even a gun salute, but it was rehearsed just to get the boo boos out, and anticipate the surprises.

            Even the new Airbus A380 is now undergoing wing repairs amounting to around $334USD (about a third of a billion dollars), so inadequate rehearsals ( called flight testing in the new talk) was apparently done poorly, or not at all. Now that is a lot of money.

            One can go on and on.  How about computer software and beta testing. All too often the first buyers find the bugs that a good rehearsal (testing) plan should have detected. Let the buyer beware, but also expect sales to suffer, too. Why should anyone pay money to do somebody else's rehearsal?

            And along that line, the USA's failure at Desert One decades ago included not having a rehearsal for security reasons, and the overall commander being later promoted. Why I don't know? If the military can't have a rehearsal for security breach reasons, then that is another problem best solved another way.

            Last, it is reported that the raid to kill Bin Laden was well rehearsed, including well constructed models, so some hope for the future does exist.

Flowers of the Forest

       Flowers of the Forest is a bagpipe lament for the dead.

            This post is a lament for our American culture as it has developed.

            Now my lament is not because of demographics, but rather a lament for shifting values that will change my Family's life for the worse.

            Now our children will probably have to live like our ancestors lived over a century or more ago, a proposition that turns making each generation better off  based on the efforts of the present generation obsolete for the time being. I especially lament that many millions of Americans will probably die miserable deaths during this time of turmoil.

            I don't think this had to happen, but it is predictable it will happen. There are precedents for thinking this way, like the Naval Academy graduating a class early in February 1941 because most could see a war coming to the new world USA.

            Now we new world USA humans are resourceful, so those that survive this coming turmoil will be better off in the end, I sure hope.  Better off in the end means being happy, to me, and with hope for their Family's future. And just what their quality of life and living standards will be, nobody knows right now, but most likely less than what our American culture has built up to today. Hence my lament.  

Friday, May 18, 2012


In a time of great change....

       Nothing that is not going to happen will suddenly happen in the new world USA.

            Much that was going to happen will just be accelerated in the new world USA.

            In other words, it is going to happen anyway; just when is the question of the day.

            Much friction will occur along the way. Quicker change usually means more friction, too.

            Here's some guesses, based on domestic type knowledge. World type knowledge is out the window for me, these days.

            Most of this change will happen by 2025. It always takes time.

            1.  Obama will go after one term. His hire minions will resist it, but in the end they will go if he goes. One hundred years of liberalism will go with it.

            2.  The end of the two national parties is upon us. A third national party will arise.

            3.  All governments will shrink according to their budgets. Lucrative pay and retirements will also shrink according to budgets.

            4. Others will only loan us money if it is a good investment. This applies at all levels, local, state, and federal.

            5. Educating our children will be a big priority. No jobs programs or school unions will interfere with the main mission.

            6.  The national media as we know it today will end. Pundits and failed minions will also fade away.

            7.  College academia will return to its roots.

            8.  Laws and practices will support the goal of making our culture work to the voters satisfaction.

            9.  The single motherhood fad will end. Having two parents at home will rise to predominate our culture, to include laws and practices to support this.

            10.  Ethics and honesty will dominate our culture.

            11.  We cannot dictate what to think, but we can dictate behavior, and will do so.

            12. The new world USA will lapse into pacificism until some despot and his hired minions start a war in their region of the world.

             13.  The new world USA will always be a melting pot as the multi-cultural idea fades of its own accord.

Happiness is a big deal

       Let me define happiness...it is good health and self respect, to me.

            Now poor health can happen at any age, most likely during old age. Poor health tends to make one less happy.

            Now self respect can be about anything. But for sure self respect does not come from money or wealth, rather it is feeling good about one's being and work and effort and responsibility to themselves, their Family, and their Community.

            Now if push comes to shove, I would rather be wealthy, too. And by wealthy I mean I don't want to be cold and hungry through my own fault.  And I can be warm and fed without being wealthy, too. Maybe it won't be as lavish, but so what?

            And if some terrible tragedy, like a life ending disease for a child should occur, and it does happen, then one can still be happy, as in having self respect.

            Why all this esoteric discussion about happiness?

            Mostly it is too suggest there are alternatives to any effort to provide happiness to all, both rich and poor.

            And this applies about everywhere, like from Mongolian sheep herders to Detroit city dwellers.

            You know, an awful lot of good goes on, the kind that makes for self respect, and if it takes one patting one's self on the back, then do it. 

            That's the alternative I prefer!

Thursday, May 17, 2012


Human nature and National Defense

            In the normal course of events, it is pretty simple. If you spend more for national defense, you get more, as expensive as it has become. And most of us humans want to defend our nation as a way of life, which seems normal to me.

            There's two historical flies in the ointment, so to speak.

            One is that despots still arise and exist, and assert themselves, like even starting wars in their region to achieve their goals.

            The other is historical pacificism, which does exist in the USA. Even after the dastardly Japanese attack on Hawaii, one congresswoman in the USA voted against declaring war.

            And every nation and decision makers can debate how to get the most bang for the buck. Now that is a good kind of problem to have.

            What bothers me, is the idea of asserting my opinion in a way that will adversely affect and restrict others that may make future decisions.

            While it may be nobly  admirable, it may also be naive enough to get millions of today's people killed as a result of wars.

            Now that bothers me.

            Even one can say that an individual is perhaps ahead of his time. One can also say they were naive and despicable during their time.

            And all most want to do is live in peace where they live, and raise a happy Family, albeit with a good National Defense.

Unicorn meat...from a product description

No foolin' - Unicorn meat is real! Excellent source of sparkles! Rick Bite Unicorns, as we all know, frolic all over the world, pooping rainbows and marshmallows wherever they go. What you don't know is that when unicorns reach the end of their lifespan, they are drawn to County Meath, Ireland. The Sisters at Radiant Farms have dedicated their lives to nursing these elegant creatures through their final days. Taking a cue from the Kobe beef industry, they massage each unicorn's coat with Guinness daily and fatten them on a diet comprised entirely of candy corn. As the unicorn ages, its meat becomes fatty and marbled and the living bone in the horn loses density in a process much like osteoporosis. The horn's outer layer of keratin begins to develop a flavor very similar to candied almonds. Blending the crushed unicorn horn into the meat adds delightful, crispy flavor notes in each bite. We are confident you will find a world of bewilderment in every mouthful of scrumptious unicorn meat. Tasty Magical Beast Diagram Parts Unfortunately, due to restrictions on the importation of mythical processed meatstuff, we are unable to bring you Canned Unicorn Meat in the way the Sisters of Radiant Farms intended. When you open your can, you will find one tiny unicorn which has been appropriately sliced into its main cuts of meat. Simply use your Growth Ray to re-embiggen the unicorn before skinning it and processing its flesh. Or if you're lazy, just bring it to your local Mad Scientist-Butcher. He'll know what to do.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012


Poor is when you cannot afford toilet paper

       Of course that is USA poor.  A lot places in the rest of world don't even have toilet paper.

            Now that is not to say in some sort of understated way that others are not clean. No, these other humans just use other means to clean themselves when they defecate or urinate.

            Yet toilet paper is just part of the USA way of life these days, but we really don't have to have it. Even splinter free toilet paper was not even manufactured until the 1930's. I can't imagine wiping my rear end and getting splinters, but many did, I guess.

            Presently, I live in a cottage built in 1905, and it did have a flush toilet. Well my great-grandfather was complaining about all the toilet paper his grandchildren were using, like more than anyone else in the County.  Well one smart-alecky child said something like they may be the only people in the County who even used toilet paper. The year was  probably circa 1915.

            And other paper type products, like diapers and feminine hygiene products, are all relatively recent in the last century or less.  People had other ways to get the healthy effects they sought before then, and of course used them.  We humans did not just miraculously appear on the earth with today's practices.

            Even I am weird enough to think forced air heat and running water is a privilege not a right. I am sure a lot of USA types would probably disagree with me, as well as many other world citizens probably agreeing. Admittedly, these conveniences are part of our USA lifestyle these days, and most who have them like them. I like them, but I also know I can do without if I have to.

            Back to the subject of being poor.

            Now even I used to call my old man "cheap"...now I call him "thrifty".

            And only in the USA can we even take the subject of potty parity seriously since one has to have public toilets to even have this discussion.

            And squat toilets are probably used by as many humans as western style sitting toilets with clean water.  And in places even with toilets, public access toilets and paper is not always available, either through custom, or necessity.
            Now the defintion of being poor in the USA could go on forever, but right now I'll just stop with toilet paper and toilets.

Monday, May 14, 2012


Unilateral disarming for the USA

            There is little doubt in my mind what this means, since I am big on definitions so even I can understand.

            In May 2012 it means doing less with less, certainly not more with less. Said another way, our USA Country is now cutting meat from the bone, not just trimming the fat.

            So the last decades of protecting ourselves and even projecting our  USA might in pursuit of our goals is now a lost opportunity.

            Let me say that another way. Conservatively, WWII was a world war because two major regional powers drug us into their wars, Germany, and Japan, and they were spread around the World. Now we took a few years to spin up enough to win the world war, and many millions died along the way during this "spin up" time. Our ancestors did a good job, given the circumstances they were presented with. And nobody got invaded either directly, or even indirectly, like by the weather spreading fallout, as an example. Yep, we were an "arsenal of democracy" back then.

            Now we are disarming because we want to, not need to.  Again, and said another way, and in my opinion, it is more a priority issue than a simple lack of funds issue in May 2012, which can happen, too.

            The consequences are pretty obvious. First, our National Defense is being reduced. Second, just the basic numbers, like numbers of ships, planes, ground equipment, and people are being discarded. So in the near future when some future leader and his hired minions ask questions like, where are the carriers, they will not exist.

            Even our ancestors tried to legislate peace through three Neutrality Acts in the late 1930's, and we all know what happened after that. Despots in Germany and Japan had another way.

            And there are still many despots around, today.

            Maybe we'll just surrender to them, maybe not. Maybe we'll have millions die while we "spin up", and pay the dollars later if we resist.

            Unilateral disarmament is not some esoteric discussion. There are real and different courses of action, and consequences to each.

Sunday, May 13, 2012


The scientific industrial complex

       Much has been said about Eisenhower's term "military industrial complex".

            But for the many who have not read this former USA President's whole farewell speech, the second half warned about the scientific industrial complex,  with a focus on funding.

            Throughout history, scientists have always sought sponsorship, money if you will, to fund their work, and feed themselves and their Family, if they had one. Even the famous scientist Galileo had this dilemma.

            So today when I read a scientist being quoted on any subject, to include human caused global warming, I almost always try find out just how he or his work is being funded.

            Eisenhower was on to something, and warned us to boot.

Saturday, May 12, 2012


Courses of action

       This post is about conventional wisdom, developed over history. It applies whether one is reacting, or acting. Now if one is in a hurry, like a crisis, then having an established "playbook" provides a lot of advantages.

            Basically, one should have the discipline to consider three courses of action in response to any problem, be it political,  economic,  military, engineering, or whatever. Courses of action (C/A) 1 and 2 will probably be similar, while C/A #3 must be clearly different.  Then all three are presented to the decision maker, and that should help them make a good decision. Even this process helps when developing a playbook to be used when time is of the essence.

            Hopefully most decision makers have the time and foresight to act, vice react.  That's one sign of a good leader.

            Now even at GaTech when doing engineering work, one might even consider a C/A #4, like a no constraints solution and assumptions, and just to say we thought of that, too. Depending on the situation, that C/A might help the decision maker, too.

            Just two examples...a political one and a military one.

            Given some social problem, one can consider C/A's that involve government trying to influence the outcome with laws that shape events. Think of this as C/A's #1 and #2, both with variations.  C/A #3 might be more a royalty or dictatorial method. Then the decision maker has better information needed to make a good decision that provides a high prospect of achieving its goals. 

            Using trip flares is my military example. One can do a pyro version, a chem light version, or even a pebbles in a can version. In all cases, the mission is common...security.
             
            Anyway, just an idea and reminder.

Tuesday, May 08, 2012


The muddle through idea

       One possibility for our future is that somehow things will go on, kinda, like they do today. Now it is probable this will not happen in the next few years, but it might, since new world USA humans are resourceful, and most humans also resist any change to the status quo.

            More probably, but still part of the muddle through idea, is that the vote will still predominate.

            In this case, if there is not enough money to finance everything right now, then it is time to set priorities, like to finance the most important things. That is the value of politicians in this scenario.

            Examples are obvious, like do police and fire and clean water and waste water treatment get priority over food stamps and food banks in this priority idea. Even in California does a fish ladder at Malibu beach get equal priority with feeding California's truly poor?

            Now that is what politicians are for, and if they try give everything equal priority, and preserve the status quo, then it is time to replace them, at least to me. Even if they apply equal cuts to what I think of as higher priority spending objectives the same as lower priority things, like police protection suffering due to lower priorities being treated equally, like environmental stream improvements; then that is a voting issue to me. Even this idea applies to our Federal government spending, too. I myself expect a real National Defense and police protection first and foremost, closely followed by teaching our children.

            Now in my mind, this is the stage we new world USA citizens are entering, and how these politicians do will have a lot to do with our future. After all, we still generate a lot of taxes at all levels (city, county, state, and federal), and how to distribute these taxes is a hard decision that elected politicians should be accountable for.

            I also think a lot of hard working new world USA citizens who also pay taxes are disturbed to think some other lazy Americans are filching off of the poor today using government as a way to do this. In this case, it is time for our politicians to take appropriate actions, to include getting out of the government charity business and sending it back to the private sector that has it's own ways to truly help our poor without as much waste, and filching off these same truly poor by our lazy new world USA citizens.

            Now like the opening paragraph suggested, I doubt this will happen, but in this case, at least we had our chance.
Lead in to this post
     1)  After this last weekend's votes in Europe, now I am truly worried about my and my Family's future here in the USA.
     2)  A lot of polls suggest much the same will happen in the USA, probably in 2013.
     3)  I have been preparing for many years. Most of this was forecastable years ago.
     4)  The links in this post lead to many other links.  A busy person can pick and choose what they want to read, and have time for.
     5)  I still forecast a third Party will arise.  A totalitarian government may also arise in the interim, but will fall. Inflation will be a big deal in this whole process.
     6)  Many elected polticians are doing a good job, and we should try reinforce them.
     7)  The law of economics is ineveitable.  Many may wish or try legislate otherwise.


Attacks on the Rule of Law and the Constitution, coupled with the general decline in ethical norms are occuring.  Read anything by D. Sherman Okst:
Plutocracy allows them to do what you and I would be jailed for doing. Being a legislator today is a get out of jail and get rich card. Congress isn't a place to serve the public, it isn't where you go to honor your country - it is where you go to earn wealth 150% faster than the American that serves you while you screw them.
There is no viable political solution. Choosing between Corruption Faster (Democrats) and Corruption Slower (Republicans) does not change the destination, merely the rate at which the public is plundered. Government is too large and too powerful to allow itself to be dismantled via the ballot box. Yet it is also too large, too inefficient and too insolvent to survive.
A mercy killing, administered by an economic collapse, will provide a meaningful opportunity to address the political problem and return to limited government. Such an event, unfortunately, also opens the possibility of a totalitarian state.
Great pain lies ahead. The only issue is whether it will be short-term (say ten years) or long-term as in the old Soviet Union. Be aware of what lies ahead and prepare as best you can.

Read more:
http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/12/government_of_the_elites_by_the_elites_and_for_the_elites.html

Sunday, May 06, 2012


The end of an era is upon us

            Will it end with a bang or a whimper?

            The era is that of "progressive", then "liberal", then named again, "progressive" thought and programs, to include how we educate our children, how we choose to be ruled, and how we choose to spend our public tax wealth. In my mind this era is over 100 years old.

            Now a bang could be another civil war or revolution in the USA; war or even other civil wars in other regions around the World; some mother nature event; and a whimper could be some kind of muddle through history with drawn out results, to maybe include periods of fascism in some places. Both ideas have logic in their thinking, but what really will happen nobody knows.

            Now at age 64, I always thought that basic ideas like our USA Constitution and our Bill of Rights were unshakable. Now I am not so sure.

            But for sure, change in the status quo is coming, and actually has already started. Most of us humans assume the status quo, often the circumstances we grew up with where ever we live, will go on forever. But we all know change is constant, kind of like evolution is too.  Even whole populations can shift, like the USA Republicans used to have the Negro voting block until 1927, when it shifted to become a USA Democratic voting block that continues to this day. But even that can change, quickly, it seems.

            This change period will be something to record and write about.  Right now just record it from where you live and sit as best you can.  Others in the future can take your work and massage it as they wish to do. I remember once reading a history of the USA about the 1800's and written by some PhD around 1899. Well later I read a history of USA in the same period written around 1980 by some other PhD, and it seemed like a different history.

            Last, at age 64, I no longer try influence the action, mostly because it is a waste of my time in May 2012. Rather I have dropped out, lowered my standards to that of a Marine cantonment (which is still pretty good), and plan to live in a primitive way (to include using my time and assets to this idea) until I die, or this era ends and another era begins with better prospects for me and my Family's future.

Saturday, May 05, 2012


OK, I will be stupid about my opinions

       Boys and girls are different, thank goodness. Humanity is likely better off because of this obvious difference. You figure it out, as best you can where you live.

            We humans are beginning to over breed, like to adversely affect our future, and our children's future.  Now we are not there yet, but the time to think about this idea is upon us. Presently our size is over 6 billion humans, I think.

            Human influenced global warming, as an idea to influence our politics, is a sham. Now I personally think global warming may be going on, but most certainly I give the Sun a lot of influence, like more than any human influence. And even I started studying this idea about 50 years ago while I was at Georgia Tech. In the meantime, any warming may help we humans even grow more food to feed our still expanding population.

            Political correctness, as a political idea, may be dominating our common sense thinking, or so it seems, kinda like some high school clique. Said another way, just what is important to we humans, like ourselves and our way of life where ever we live, or our less well off fellow humans, where ever they live, and still breed where I live.

            And less in the USA, it seems the low lifes have taken an abnormal political influence, and I disagree about the effects of helping them. I personally know about a lot of people who filch off the helping the poor efforts by the rich.  That is morally wrong.

            Let's not punt in USA terms. Rather we are still in charge in World terms. Yep, let us well off people dictate to our less well off people just what to do, to include their behavior. After all, in the end, they (the providers) are in charge in the end, like they finance all this wonderful stuff going on.

            Last, this is still a good place to live and raise a Family. But one does have to work to make this happen. Yep, evolution can be influenced by one's local efforts.

Friday, May 04, 2012


After the fall

       Even before the USA got into WWII, most people could see it coming. Even the Naval Academy graduated students in February, 1941, just in time to better prepare them for the coming war.

            Even I have told my financial adviser, I expect to lose half my wealth when it is all over, through no fault of my own, by the way.

            In the meantime, I am making my own electricity, at a Little Home on the Prairie type standard. Thank goodness, I served in the Marines, so my standards are pretty low, though good enough for me. Yep, I still like electricity's benefits, even at a minimal level, like food safety.

            So much for being negative.

            If we have to go through a "bad time" then I still think the new world USA is not a bad place to be. Hope does spring eternal. Hence we will sort it out, to our advantage, to include that for our children. Yep, we USA types are not too shabby.

            Right now this post focuses on the near term, like the fall. To make it sound too simple, many of my relatives will not like it, and will probably die off. What a shame.

            But like the early graduating class from the Naval Academy in February, 1941, we too will sort it out to our advantage. Here in the new world USA, we too will "sort it out".

            I expect others around the world will probably do the same, in their own way, and in where they live. I'm counting on it.

Thursday, May 03, 2012


And all I want to know is the news

       Let me define the news:  events that affect me and my Family.

            My father used to say, he only believed 10% of what he read, and 50% of what he saw on pictures and video.  Most of us know about Photoshopping.

            So I figure this problem is as old as prostitution, and other such things.  But what seems, to me, is that the problem is worse these days, what between people expressing their opinion as news (sometimes they say "this is the truth"), and even outright lying and fakery.

            Now if I wanted opinion, I prefer, still, to go to the local Hardee's fast food place to get still well opinionated ideas, though I do enjoy reading a lot of Internet opinions, too.

            What is frustrating these days, call it a feeling, is that the opinions have become so omnipresent that even reading the foreign news reports of events, both foreign and domestic, is a nice alternative to me. I feel it gives me some balance, in my mind, when seeking out the "news".

            Examples abound, but here's two. The foreign events unfolding in Syria are reported very differently between the USA news sources, and the foreign news sources, which often have their own problems.  And second, a lot of domestic news seems to be getting suppressed by USA news sources. My reference is reading USA news through the Internet "open sources", and comparing that to USA news sources reported through TV and printed media, and the Internet, too.  While I think this has always gone on, like the Yellow Press idea from over a century ago, I feel it is even worse now days, like becoming propaganda to influence me.

            And you know what, I tune it out. Said another way, my "antennas" are up, and my  news "filters" are sharpened every day.

            What is a shame is that this did not have to happen, but is happening. The result is an ongoing and fundamental change in the decline of institutions like the New York Times, which used be the number one newspaper in the USA, but is already down to number three (and apparently declining), and all because opinions are put on the front page as "news". If I worked at the other Divisions, like food and restaurant reviews, I would be hacked off, but that is just me. In other words, the entire newspaper is still pretty good, just not the news Division.

            So in the end, I suspect it will result in new organizations arising that just report the "news". What a novel idea. And in the same vein, other organizations more stuck in the status quo, will go out of business. 

            "Would you like fries with that order?" is a phrase perhaps a lot of news media types should be rehearsing.