I can live with the outcome

Mostly because I have to. This is what change is all about...and often the unexpected consequences.

Here in the new world USA the conventional wisdom is probably right. The two National Parties of the last century will try to go on, and any effort to "change" things may split the Republican vote, and allow a Democrat to have undo influence, like get elected. So be it for the time in the near term, like until the next election.

Change does take time, and the aforementioned is one example.

Another obvious example that upsets so many is that many of the "outs" during the change period will simply draw a retirement. So be it. But even these people will get old and die, and hence lose their retirement check. This example is just another example of why change takes time.

Of course those in a hurry might opt for the revolution method, which is certainly satisfying to the leaders, though in the long human run takes about as long to effect its ideas, again in my opinion.

So for the short term thinkers, go for it, and you may be satisfied during your time in power.

For the long term thinkers, settle back and advance at the snail's pace you might observe or think, as frustrating at it is. But for sure change is coming, and actually has already begun.

Anyway, I can live with the outcome, which is obvious and predictable; that is change will creep along. Though still today, the method and timing are not predictable, though many may try, mostly in their short term way of thinking.

My idea and vote is still to go for the future you think is best, and then live with the consequences, which will probably be middling to many.

And hope you live long enough to influence the action where you live, or even get wiser in the same time.

I wish I had another choice

The first time I heard this expression was during the USA federal Presidential election in 2008. Back then we had two choices selected by the two USA National Parties.

Even my older brother, who I think is a savvy investor type person, asked me years ago what I thought. Even back in 2009 I predicted the rise of a third party, i.e., Americans wanted more choices than the two national parties provided. And to me, even the 2008 elections were about change, and change does take time in America, like about a decade.

In that time many political dinosaurs will go away. They may not be able to see change coming, or will resist it to the best of their ability. They are used to the status quo they grew up with, I guess. If you buy this idea, then it probably applies to all levels, from federal down to school boards.

I myself count on it, but that is just my opinion. In the inverse, if the two national parties fight back successfully, then that will postpone the inevitable American people's domination about what they and their families futures are here in the new world USA.

Yep the times they are a changin'. And you get to make it happen, wherever you live.

Mrs. Ravioli comes to visit her son, Anthony, for dinner. He lives with a female roommate, Maria.

During the course of the meal, his mother couldn't help but notice how pretty Anthony's roommate is. Over the course of the evening, while watching the two interact, she started to wonder if there was more between Anthony and his roommate than met the eye.

Reading his mom's thoughts, Anthony volunteered, "I know what you must be thinking, but I assure you, Maria and I are just roommates.''

About a week later, Maria came to Anthony saying, "Ever since your mother came to dinner, I've been unable to find the silver
sugar bowl. You don't suppose she took it, do you?"

"Well, I doubt it, but I'll email her, just to be sure." So he sat down and wrote an email:

Dear mama,

I'm not saying that you "did" take the sugar bowl from my house; I'm not saying that you "did not" take it. But the fact remains
that it has been missing ever since you were here for dinner.

Love, Anthony

Several days later, Anthony received a response email from his Mama which read:
Dear son,

I'm not saying that you "do" sleep with Maria, and I'm not saying that you "do not" sleep with her.
But the fact remains that if she was sleeping in her OWN bed, she would have found the sugar bowl by now.

Love, Mama


Moral: Never lie to your mama .

Present day thoughts from rural America

I am beginning to think, really realize, a whole lot of Americans are thinking this way. Here's tidbits.

A wife recently approached me, an old male ex-Marine, about what do I think. She expressed concern about our future, and even she and her husband, a doctor, assumed things would get worse, and that they would have to defend themselves from raiding of their place by the riff raff who will come when they run out of their "low hanging fruit".

I am even making my own electricity (using gravity and spring water, which I have) anticipating when public electricity runs out. I won't live high on the hog, but will still be able to power my refrigerator/freezer, a couple of interior lights so I don't have to live like Abraham Lincoln, and one security light so I can take better aim at trespassers. I even have begun to put the word out that I am still a good aim, but sometimes I "can miss" since I don't want to really hurt somebody. You should have seen the eyes of probable riff raff look like saucers when I told this story. I assume they will talk and spread the word.

And last, as I even mentioned to the "wife" mentioned earlier, I assumed that public electricity would come back, but urban areas would get priority, so in the rural area where I live, I expect to go a year or more without public electricity. That's what I would do if I were in charge. After all, one does have to have priorities.

Imagine life without public electricity for an extended period of time. For example, gas stations can't pump gas without electric pumps, or grocery stores will fail for their perishable products. When my gas chain saw runs out, then I will have to cut wood the old fashioned way.

I have already enured myself to having to accept lower standards than I have become accustomed to. For example, I will have to use acorn flour vice grocery store food eventually. But in the same vein, I will still have wood floors and flush toilets, and my own independent water and waste water systems.

And I don't think of myself as a survivalist, either. Rather, I think I am just trying to anticipate, plan ahead if you will, if things turn south.

Let me say it another way. We humans will survive, though our standards will change. And many who cannot or do not want to change, will die early. Said in even another way, if all this dooms day kind of worry comes to pass, the new world USA is not a bad place to be.

In the near term future, like the next two or three years, I worry the most violent change will occur.

For example, I expect a lifetime of work, sacrifice, and savings will go down the tubes. I have even told one of my financial advisors I expect my own wealth to decrease by half. He assured me otherwise, by the way and a while back. He is young enough to have not lived through inflation of our money and expenses, though I am old enough to have lived through this period, which I did not like. Mostly it was the impact on my Family.

Just imagine if it you costs you and your Family more to be warm and fed for the same thing. In the meantime, your pay does not go up. That is one definition of inflation. Like the title says, this is a present day thought from rural America.

So now I wonder, think if you will, just what kind of change is going to happen in my near future. As a start I have government bought food in cans in my barn from my last charity failure, still sitting there and paid for by tax payers. Now I wonder when he, a 40 year old male with good skills who just simply does not want to work (but still got the aforementioned food), and has lived OK in his lifetime, suddenly has to change his style. Well in my mind the similarly low life women who also provide him sex, will be the types of riff raff who I have to defend from.

Last, and against all the animal rights and PETA stuff over the last decades, I still have yard dogs. They provide me and this place better biological alarms than modern day wireless infrared detector stuff which I also use. What really upsets me is what happened to last litter, when all three golden puppies disappeared at the same time. That occurrence gave me a hint that maybe thieving is still going in today's times. Plus the surviving dogs do seem happy, as I imagine dogs might think.

So what is the local rural idea today. Mostly it is just to influence future things in your way and where you live, be it the vote, or Lord helps us, a revolution.

Order versus chaos

I've been thinking this for decades, and now offer my opinion about our future courses of action. Like many, I have been quiet for a long time.

First it will get worse before it gets better, and then it will get better, like in ten or twenty years. The reason I think it will get better is because we
humans want it to, and will sort it out to our advantage, both foreign and domestic.

Now to put things in perspective, I think of myself as an investor, vice a speculator. Take this idea into your account, too. I also have time in the Marines, so I think I understand why any country has a military, and the underlying human instincts of our political leaders. One old time expression is that war is just politics by another means has some validity, at least to me.

So why do I think it will get worse before it gets better, which it will, I believe.

Others have already predicted this idea, but I expect regional wars to erupt, like Iran nuking Israel. Maybe there will just be other escalations, like the whole region going nuclear. And then there are ideas about civil wars, like in China when the bubble there bursts, and when it goes nuclear and the probable downwind contamination occurs in Japan and even Hawaii, what are we to do? One old time expression bothers me. It goes, for lack of knowing what to do, we do what we know.

Three thoughts.

Hopefully where ever you live in the world, we have future leaders who do the best they can, mostly in policy kind of things that help the situation. Along the way, I sure hope they also help our progeny, like our kids, since they are our future.

My expectation is introducing order, not chaos. After all we humans do have a minority of our population who are criminals, thugs, and just anarchists. And like normal, one cannot tell people what to think, but we can sure dictate behavior. Hence some of these people just need to be shot, like go away. After all, I have a family to protect, too.

Last thought. Where ever you live, the status quo of the past is going to change, mostly because of the past performance of our politicians. If that is the case, then I encourage all, whether they live in Sri Lanka, or Romania, or Nebraska in the USA, to be more like investors than speculators when you do change the status quo in your way.

My encouragement is to go with order versus chaos, as difficult as it might be in promoting your family's future.

And I think it will take years, really decades. But one has to start somewhere and sometime.

Balancing one person's smarts comes into question

Said another way, one does not have to be smart to be a leader. More likely traits like perseverance and hard work count, too. Even recognizing this is a big deal to me, and I speak of the leaders we either elect or they appoint.

Even back during the Vietnam War, our President appointed a West Point Army General to lead our war effort in Vietnam. Well look what happened, and make up your own mind if you like the results. And he was a sharp good looking and well dressed person, to boot.

Now I wonder just how do American elected officials at all levels (federal, state, county, city, and school board) sort things out, like they have always done in the last decades. Mostly I think in my election decisions do they want to rule the world, or just my little place where I live? And what if a fellow who still gets county money for his food (which I pay for in the end) causes my local firefighters or police to provide me less service that truly does affect my life?

Well this kind of thinking does truly affect how one votes in American these days. Now if we lose our ability to vote, then it is time to revolt, however you choose how to do it where you live.

But in the meantime, being smart or dumb doesn't count much, to me.

What does count is principles, and knowledge of them, and willingness to do one's best to enforce them. The old days of propaganda, now called spin, and even speeches, is passé.

Now that idea doesn't take much education or smarts, but it does take one's idea of the way things ought to sort out, for all interests of course.

My guess is the USA World is changing, and I encourage everyone to vote, and let it sort out. And it will not take necessarily smart people to rule in the future, but for sure being an honest and hard working leader is a good start.

Whites Ferry Landing

First here one a link to read about it: http://www.howderfamily.com/travel/maryland/whites_ferry.html

And then there is nostalgia, which old people like me think about ( I am age 63 and have been there a lot). My nostalgia includes bike trips down the C&O canal towpath, back when it was pretty rough to me, a 10th grader on an Explorer Post trip (did it twice, like 184.5 miles). I learned a lot, including ideas like tow path trance that even came in handy decades later in Saudi Arabia. Even back then I learned other things that also helped me later.

Even more recently than the 1960's, back in the mid 1980's, I met a fellow who had paddled by canoe with his brother the whole way from the South Platte River (near Denver as I recall), unto the Missouri River where they learned to dodge river barges that sucked up the river when they were paddling, and then onto the Mississippi River and down to New Orleans. Well, I was impressed, and we shared stories, and it was all around Whites Ferry Landing. Back then I was leading a Scout Troop from Harpers Ferry down to Georgetown. They were pretty much in canoes.

Even back then (in the 1960's it was roughly about 100 years from the USA Civil War). I even learned the names of Battles, depending on one's heritage. Simply said the northern tradition is to name about a creek, like Antietam, and the southern tradition is to name it after the local town, like Sharpsburg. Even I went to local commercial museums back then to find out there were still body parts being uncovered (then called preserved or petrified). I was grossed out, but that is just my personality. So we biked back to the campground about 5 miles away, and the rest of trip to D.C. proceeded later.

So what is my point? Mostly it is remind all that other Americans have been around, too.

I do not want to be a serf

I enjoy my public electricity, and my internet stuff, and going to the grocery store for my food. Our local governments and fellow Americans do a good job at providing these services. So I guess that makes me weird these days since I know it does not happen by itself. I even like being warm in the winter, and even I wear long johns inside my house to boot. Of course I do try to keep the temperature for the pipes above freezing, just to keep them from bursting if they freeze. I use a combination of wood stoves (and I cut and stack fallen wood), and public electricity. That makes me living like a deployed soldier and Marine, like many Americans do. Yet I am living in east Tennessee. Like I said I don't want to be a serf.

Now what does it take these days to be an environmentalist? Mostly my observation is just to hang out a sign saying that is what I am and care about. Even lawyers get involved, and hire lobbyists to boot on their noble effort. How all this gets financed is still beyond me. But land owners like me also believe I can be a good steward of the land, without any coercion, to boot. Not that I am idealistic, mostly it just makes me happy if I do good for myself and the land, and make some money to boot to help pay my energy bills and my taxes for the foreseeable 50 year future. Like I said, I just want to be a good steward of the land I live on, about a square mile by the way.

So what is going to happen to people like me. Right now I do not know. I have already worse cased things, and am pretty sure I can survive, kinda like a serf.

But I choose not to be a serf.

There are better courses of action.

Conflicts of interest

I was motivated today to hear this idea is still alive and well.

At the local girls camp where my kid goes this summer, mothers are not allowed to go camping with their daughters. For obvious reasons I would say. Such was the report I got today.

Even three decades ago, as a federal purchasing person, I had to sign an annual statement that I understood what a conflict of interest was, and would avoid it.

Even back then we all took oaths, and actually applied them.

Words mean things, and still do.

And a conflict of interest was against the best interests of our Country. Business is business, one can think and say, especially when in a position to look out for the best interests of our Country, or even in the case of the local girl's camp; growing our young daughters compared to their Family influence most of the year. I suspect most Mom's and Dad's will be surprised when their kid is not in their making.

Now I also accept that elected politicians, and those who even run for elected office, go through this moral dilemma, too.

But my vote will be influenced by what I think is their moral turpitude. So be it. And there are many I think who think this way, too.

Quid pro quo

Just copying from some emails today.
The subject, to me, is about the future of our country.
Here's the two posts.

Do you think it's possible to have a limited government and also meet the needs of minorities, environmental issues, and social services along with as much socioeconomic equality as possible?

Quick answer...of course.
Let me expand on one of your subjects, the needs of minorities, just to provide an example.
I used to teach at Atlanta University for three years, and truly believe in the diamond in the rough idea. The key idea is “harvesting diamonds”. But decades ago even the USMC had dual standards for qualifying, and the result was more minorities that could not compete with their peers, and got real frustrated, and bitter to boot. They told me as much, since I can connect. Now even I assumed they had been screwed in education because of their race. But in the same vein, all I wanted to do was defend the USA. On another occasion a Morris Brown college graduate (Morris Brown is part of the Atlanta University Complex) failed the ASVAB test to be a private in the Marines. Well I coached him on how to cheat the test, and you know what, he failed on the second test, too (there was a six month wait between tests). And he ended up crying in my office. I took it as an example of the college ripping off his parents as one consequence, and he was a bitter young man.
Later the USMC went back to one standard, and that worked better in the short term, the medium term, and the long term I think (since the long term is still happening around us).
One more thought. Why is government even involved in ideas like socioeconomic equality? You and I have one common knowledge of a person who filches off of the poor, in my opinion. His name is Adam Henry. I think there are better ways to help him, like keep him from starving and forcing him to work at minimum labor rates. And I don’t think the government is the best way to do this. There are alternatives I prefer. I even have some of government provided food saved as cans for when he ever comes back here.
Last I was already thinking about all this in composing my often daily post to my blog about my beliefs, based on my observing history as a history nut.
When things change, like the various future governments run out of money, and priorities change, then it might be a good time to review all this. What I predict for the next 10 to 15 years is that the various government services (school board, city, county, state, and federal) will have impacts that the voters, or revolters if it comes to that (I hope not) will make the changes. For one example, schooling our kids. To me the 3R’s are more important than teaching social theories, given that there is only so much time in the day, and school year. And I have lived other places that think this way, and even kids wear uniforms in public schools, which are 5 and 1/2 days a week to boot.
So nothing personal, but your exposure is somewhat limited, both in age, experience, and where you have lived.

Welcome to our future, and the coming changes

Imagine this. Inflation kicks in in a year or two, and we cannot borrow enough money to finance our various debts. Inflation has happened even in my lifetime, so it can happen again. Then we may have to live within our means, like our tax collections, which are considerable. In the meantime we have a lightweight President who has hired fellow lightweights to advise him.

Now I worry about the consequences for our future, and what they might do.

I have often thought our present President is not too smart, in spite of all the prognostications otherwise. There are plenty of reasons to think this, but I add in why does his position seem to change a lot? One good guess is that he is responding to the latest brief he got. But I really don't know, of course. It appears to me he is a classical case of affirmative action gone bad.

In the same vein, are his lightweight advisors trying to take advantage of him, and impose their own will or ideas about what is best for the USA?

Even more I fear if we have serious national problems, or international problems. What will this lightweight President and his hired minions do?

So I am now into "fears", like letting my imagination take hold. I normally do not do this, since it is mostly a waste of time.

But these days I do worry about our future, and the possibility that many humans may die because of what is going on these days. Actions have consequences, as they say.

For example, and to conclude, what do you think our President and his hired minions will do if North Korea launches a nuclear armed Musudan ballistic missile onto Guam?

It is time for a third party

I know the conventional wisdom, call it the status quo. All third parties fail in the end I am taught. And such is the record for the last century, I would report. Both present National Political parties say this, as well the National Media, which generally reports federal type "news".

But this time is different. This third party effort is based on an idea, not an individual, and his money. And I think this third party idea will come from all Americans, former democrats, republicans, independents, all.

That all this in under reported, or not recognized; sounds normal, like even during the times of the First American Revolution. Now we seem to be in a similar period. Call it "I wish I had another choice", maybe even a Second American Revolution. After all we are still the New World, which has shrunk, of course, but all we humans have left, which is still pretty good.

If this prediction is correct, then it will take time, like two or three election cycles, which I think of as two years per cycle. Some places are different, too. And this change I can guess at is at all levels, federal, state, county, city, and school board. For those impatient as to the pace of change, well do it your own way if you choose, and see what happens. I too am impatient, but know my own thoughts about the pace of change. And I am more interested in the change at more local levels, like county, city, and school board. Call this a bottom up effort to change things.

And the times they are a changin'. I suspect what Bob Dylan wrote now decades ago would apply today.

So I can also imagine I may have guessed wrong about outcomes...so be it. But I am confident that the times they are a changin'.

Mostly I want to help my Family anyway I can. I don't want to "share the wealth" with others, based on my lifetime of work and sacrifice which continues today. I especially am offended at others who want to do this. And since the government has gotten into the charity business with all it's rules, a lot of low lifes have filched off of the truly poor. I just prefer the more also established way of charity and helping the truly poor. And even this idea will probably take a third party. Where I live, I actually resent a 40 year old male who refuses to work, and still survives off of the government, and gets plenty of sex off of other low life local women.

So what is too happen. Even I don't know.

What I fear is that the voters, we Americans, may lose our choices, like what we want our future to be, to include our Families' future to be.

Hence, in my mind, the status quo will change, and it will be a painful process that will affect all of us, including me. Such is our place in life during such a time, but at least our future Families will come out OK in the end, I hope and think.

Like the title suggested, it is time for a third party...in the USA.

Just another hope for our future.

It is easier to figure out what you do not like than what you do like

Said another way, most of us know what doesn't work, but trying to figure out what will work is tougher.

This an universal idea, I think. Many have heard expressions like "this dog won't hunt". Or in the military I often heard "reinforce success, not failure". In politics I have heard ideas like "politicians keep doing the same thing over and over hoping for a different result". And another idea is that we are tired of hearing good theories with no proven track record. Last one hears things like success has many sponsors, while failure has none.

And of course I am now hearing we in the new world USA just can't afford it right now, whatever "it" is.

The idea I like is that how we think about our Families and our Nations is closer to we humans than reported these days. Mostly, most don't have much time to think about these things since we are busy running own own lives and Families, especially putting thinking about Nation things but on a lower priority level; and for sure know we want to take care of our Families, and indirectly, our Nation, mostly for selfish reasons I think. So what's new?

The older one gets, the more time to think, or have past thoughts add up, I also guess.

The more difficult thing to most, I think, is how to be a good parent, and there the results and opinions are all over the place. One just does the best they can, and see how it sorts out, and often helping their progeny along the way. I myself have seen a lot, like Families indulging their children, and Families who practice tough love. Like I said, what we parents do is all over the place.

And this idea seems to be universal, whether it is the new world USA or Okinawa or Turkey, which is my experience level. And yes, I have been to many other places, but I consider my time in Sweden or Denmark, or Saudi Arabia or Kuwait, or Korea, or the Philippines, or Scotland, more a snap shot picture which I know not to trust.

So now I wonder, since I think of myself as a political junkie, just what is going to happen in both our new world USA future, both near term (like the next few years), and far term (like the next few decades)? Mostly I wonder for the basic reasons, like how does it affect my Family, and also how does it affect our Nation's future?

So back to the title of this post. I sure have confidence in what I do not like, and also what I do like, though less.

That sure seems like a funny way to think or rule, but that is just the way we humans are, I think. Savvy rulers know this. Less savvy rulers don't know this.

So can we run a Country a savvy way. I sure hope we can, as in we common citizens voting to influence our future, at all political levels (like federal and state and county and city and school boards), albeit as flawed as we humans can be. The alternatives are less attractive to me, or so I think.

The status quo is changing

Now in fairness, nothing remains constant. Things like cultural values, empires, governments, business models, and even food preferences change routinely. In the same vein some things are probably more constant, like having retailers, feminine beauty products, and having to eat, and the desire to be warm with a roof over our heads. The obvious connecting link is we humans. And most humans want to be happy, which means good health and self respect to most.

But the rate at which the present status quo is changing appears to be quicker these days, and throughout the world. If you buy this line, then there are plenty of older examples, and plenty of opportunities to influence the change. Mostly the change is due to humans, but there are mother nature's wild cards, too.

And last, and as part of this primer, change can be both gradual, like evolutionary; and catastrophic, like a comet hitting the earth, or even a revolution. Both ideas introduce turmoil, and often many will die, though many will survive to emerge on the other side and the status quo then. And of course all this will go on ad infinitum.

So in a macabre sort of way, it is "interesting" to observe what is going on around the world, today. Certainly old western models are changing, to include the ideas of nation states, existence based on natural resources, and the results of governments over the last century. And certainly older world models are changing, too. This includes respect for older institutions, tolerance of the present forms of governments, be it tribal or dictatorial, as examples; and giving a higher value to deceitfulness than more western types value. I guess you have to live "over there" to believe this or even just observe this.

So what are we, whoever we are, to do? I suggest survive, and vote if you can to influence the action. If you can't vote, then use the other old time tried and proven ways to influence the action. Either way, the status quo is changing, and this is a good time to be alive just to be able to influence our human future.

Because for sure the status quo is changing. And the rate is quicker now than in our recent past, and probably will be in the near future, like until 2030 and later, when the rate of change may slow down.

The downstream side of the pipe

Much change is going on around the world, including the USA.

This change may affect me, but for sure it will probably affect my children and grandchildren. Such is life I guess.

The status quo of the last 100 years or so is changing, both politically, and business style.

Just how the present dinosaur political parties adjust is what is going to be different. Friction to change takes time, and time is on the side of those who want to live, and adjust. Think long term, like 10 or even 30 years.

The present friction in our elected Federal politicians in the USA is a classic example. They don't agree much, and it will impact us in the next few years, I think. After all, there are two visions for how the new world USA should go forward, and I sure hope we common citizens can still vote about what we think. I just hope no one side tries to dictate their opinion and rule kind of like a dictatorship or royalty. Then things will hit the fan, so to speak.

So what is it going to be like on the downstream side of the pipe in the next 100 years?

The quick and obvious answer is that nobody knows.

But here is a guess.

The way the world has run will change, mostly in good ways.

The bad ways include things like nuclear wars in many places, to include Asia, and the downstream side of things will be bad for a long time. Sometimes this friction will come from civil war, vice country war. And many people will die.

And then there are proverbial things like what the earth and space may do to the earth. Call them wild card type things.

So my bottom line is to respect our progeny, and let them sort it out as best they can. And I sure hope they also still have a vote in the new world USA. At the end of the pipe, of course.

Change is in the air

Like my normal style, let me define change. To me the times they are a changin'.

Most humans don't like change, especially the change in the status quo.

Yet it is going on which makes these times exciting both good and bad depending on your point of view. I still think there are good comparisons to the time of the American Revolution circa the early 1770's.

And part of this change is one's beliefs about short term and long term. Like I used to say in the Marines, I can dictate behavior, but I cannot dictate what people think, though some may try.

And the change I personally detect is mostly USA cultural. And it seems to be mostly generated from young people growing up in America. Maybe they have different standards from old people.

Here's one indicator. Low life subjects are beginning to fade in Hollywood movies after decades, especially the financing, and other more USA patriotic type subjects tend to be arising. Maybe people will spend their money on new kinds of movies and even music?

Another obvious indicator to me is how dysfunctional our Federal government has become, and we elected them. Said another way, there has to be a better way, and it will take change. Lord knows, it does not take another American Revolution. I still like to think my vote still counts, and won't be taken away. And I never forget many things that affect my life, and my kids and grandkids lives, are more local than Federal.

Another indicator to me is how we take care of our poor. Let me define American poor. Down and out from no fault of their own. And I feel a sense to help them out. And I sense how we take care of them, and those who filch off of this government involvement in charity is also changing. I myself have eaten government (tax payer paid) food just to prove I can do it. And all this food, and attitudes has helped them breed more poor young children (and they get plenty of sex), which is a terrible state of affairs right now. There is hope, even in the present system, by the way. Food banks may change "their" rules to recognize all this. The best way to help our American poor is more private charity oriented than government oriented, I think, and I sense this change is also in the air. Only time will tell of course, and I am thinking long term, like 2020 or later.

I sense that so many Americans think there is a "black" problem, though that is changing, too. Anyway, from my USA Marine point of view, I think this attitude is naive. There are plenty of African Americans in the USMC and the rest of the military who the bad guys don't want on our side. Said another way, those who think this way are probably thinking based on where they live and their experience and what they read. Well I live on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee, and there are plenty of similar low life types who are not African American. Let me say it another way, we have low life problems, and all are not always from black heritage. And even in this idea, I think the times they are a changin'.

Last it is pretty obvious that again immigration is changing the new world USA, kind of like normal, like our past. Some may not like it, either right now it is in our meal choices, later it may be in our female beauty choices, like at Walmart. But for sure change is happening. And so a current decades old fad idea of multi-culturalism may fade back to what is happening anyway...which I call another term, a melting pot, an old time term, by the way.

Hope for our American future

Short term gain...Long term loss

This post is about the USA.

I suspect many are fed up with what they read and hear and see going on. Apparently the status quo of two national parties seems to be a guiding factor is how things sort out these days. And the way I read the tea leaves, most USA types still think short term. This idea still assumes elected politicians think they run the USA, vice influence the action with their judgments.

And in the present status quo, skills at debating, posturing, playing poker with our future, and even lying to advance one's point, seems be appreciated in our national media.

These are exciting times for many. Even it is kind of like the time during the American Revolution begun in 1776. Obviously, the times and circumstances are different, but the human aspects are probably similar. Enough is enough.

I personally have the advantage of having a financial advisor that I consider to be aggressive, hard working, and short term thinking. I personally like him because he does sports, too.

But suppose others who loan us money to finance our wonderful USA way of life quit loaning us money. One example is if inflation kicks in, then if loaning the USA 10 billion USD's for a 300 million USD's interest income results in the principle being returned, but thanks to inflation only has maybe 7 billion USD's value, then that is a dumb deal most would not take. My long term guess is that the USA is about a year or two from that point.

So can we live without borrowing to finance our wonderful federal benefits? The simple answer is yes, mostly because it is going to happen, anyway. Call this more long term type of thinking.

The more interesting thing, or idea, to me, is how do we USA citizens react, since most will suffer some way. I don't know, but here is a guess. We'll vote for politicians at all levels (school board, city, county, state, and federal) who help this process along. If the vote is taken away, then a revolution will probably occur. My guess is that a fighting revolution will not occur, but at all levels of political ruling (school board, city, county, state, and federal) a new group of politicians will arise to do what we citizens want to happen, where ever we live.

My "another" guess is that a third party will arise to help this process along. I don't know what it will be called, but I am pretty sure it will be made up of former democrats, republicans, and independents who want to change all things, including the status quo.

So think longer term, like 2020 or so.

And let me define my "longer term". It is my kids, and their kids.

The world wonders?

This title applies today, though it was born in WWII, if you believe the history, which I do.

Why does the world wonder today?

I don't know for sure, but this is still what I think. The USA is still a big deal in the world in all ways. What happens here still affects others throughout the rest of the world. This effect will probably last for another two decades or so, I think.

The new world USA electorate is still focused on many other things, like raising a family. Much of the "nuance" reflects this. Whatever happens here will probably be more family oriented, and often reflective of what our present politicians are and will do in the near future. A cynical individual, like I am, would suggest that many of we serf people are used to the status quo, as it affects them. And when the status quo changes, then the electorate will rise up and change their politicians, or so I think. What hurts my feelings, is that it will take family hurt and pain to have this happen. So much for "chattering".

Many in the next few years will be threatened as to their USA benefits, too. Like most, they want something for little contribution, and will use their vote to say so.

So why am I wondering? Because it did not have to happen as I sense things are unfolding today. Nobody wants to be cold and hungry, especially when it affects their kids. All want something for little contribution, but if and when it ends, then they go cold and hungry, burden their children, and in general, be unhappy campers, still with a vote.

So why is the "chattering class" even bothering to do their bit. I suspect mostly it is because that is a good job these days, and also they care about their families, too.

So why is the other class, kinda like the serfs, going on about their way. I don't know, but can guess. Of course it depends on where one lives, but in general one has many more problems than the upcoming 2012 elections in the USA.

So why is the new world USA still up for grabs?

Here's the good news. Compared to other places in the world, this is still a better place to be, and have a family.

I just hope our political leaders can influence the future decisions, vice the money makers when things turn sour, who after all, have families and have to make a living, too.

Like the title suggests, the "world wonders"?

And I wonder, too. Does it take family and societal pain to make change happen?

Great change is already underway

The present debate about the spending limits in the USA federal government budget is a symptom, not the disease. Now that is the bad news.

The good news is that the new world USA is probably a good place to be during this great change time. There are worse places to be.

What is sad is that many decisions that affect our lives have already been made months ago. Most are financial, and most are made by humans at all levels I think. In other words, anything done now on the debt limit by politicians and their appointed minions is too late. Decisions have already been made, and are being executed on by others also with families who are also not politicians.

Now I also think there are two ways of evolution. The usual way is gradual evolution, like a lot of the Darwin stuff. But there is also catastrophic evolution, like a comet hitting the earth.

I believe this time that affects we humans is more the catastrophic side of things, and human caused vice something like a comet.

I also believe I will suffer too during this change time. Not just a change like in playing musical chairs in kindergarten, but being cold and hungry, and without public electricity. I will survive, though, or so I think.

Now I also think most USA citizens want and sense change is needed here. Hence the various elections, local (like school board, city, and county), state, and federal in the recent past. Change was a theme in the 2008 USA federal election, for example.

And I suspect the new world USA Constitution will emerge as a reinforced way of governing ourselves. I also suspect most people would rather decide their human fate than those that govern where ever they live.

Why others still impose their ideas on ruling those below them I still wonder about. I guess it is a human instinct.

Most want the best for their Family they have made, and it should all sort out about happiness, and confidence in their future.

But the change period is going to be painful, or so I imagine.

Thoughts of a recalcitrant

Who would have thought it might end up this way. For sure, I did not. I even used to call my father a cheapskate...now I call him thrifty.

Said another way, again as a recalcitrant, people are just going to have to die to get the ideas I and others have for free. At age 63 I can think that it is now their turn in the barrel (new world USA citizens), and they will probably figure it out just fine, whatever that is. Most of the people I think about are family oriented, by the way. But this person thinks a lot of pain will also go on in the interim, and people will die in the process. What a waste! It did not have to happen. And it seems we have elected those that are doing it to us in the USA.

Now the World is a big place, so other governments and the people that they rule are also around...like in big numbers. And they count, too.

I still think the new world USA is the best hope for the world's future, but that is just an opinion in 2011. The idea of a people's Constitution still works throughout the world. Most places in the World work other ways, by the way.

Are we willing to fight for our way of life? I don't know these days, but I think so. I also wonder do we in the new world USA have to be backed into a corner to make it happen. I think that is what it will take. What a shame. But there is good news, too. A lot of young Americans already recognize this, and will act in their own way.

So regional powers like in Iran, or Russia, or China, will also act in their self interest according to their leaders ideas, but so will the new world USA. Some will be dumb enough to try conquer their neighbors. How many people may die from this friction worries me. And all this recalcitrant wants to do is live in peace. What a waste I think for those trying to conquer others. It will come to friction, and war, and death, to sort things out for maybe a century.

Now we can unilaterally disarm, too. The reasons could be our national character, or even financial.

But there is no free lunch. One can either disarm and go pacifist, or go to war, like fight for our new world USA way of life. To this recalcitrant, it is the future generation of new world USA citizens who will decide. Nobody wants to be attacked, or backed into a corner, or so I think. Whether we as a new world USA nation get to that point is a future decision, or so I think.

Last, much is up for grabs, and in a way others that are younger than the older generations will now rule the future.

We're already ahead of the power curve

Here's the good news. We in new world USA America are still in charge.

The present economic problems will be solved by we new world USA people, not the present lightweights in charge. This idea probably applies to both the two present USA national political parties, but only time will tell.

Now in fairness, we in the USA did elect our lightweights, and they in turn appointed their own lightweights to help them rule.

Two ideas predominate. One is that the new world USA is still a better place to be than other places in our world. The other idea is that all this will take time, like until 2016, or even later. But for sure, change is coming.

I still imagine the change in the status quo will be resisted, often and by any means. But for sure, change is coming.

After all, we love our Families, and few will put up with those who will hurt our Families.

And I still believe change will come through the votes, rather than a revolution.

Hence, please vote, at all levels, be it school board, city, county, state, and federal.

And let's see what happens to our satisfaction, or maybe dissatisfaction.

Letting go

It is a painful process when our kids leave the nest, and go out on their own. It is especially painful when the kids enter the USA military, which has it own pretty professional training in its own right. After all, parents and kids are both in distress, too.

My only unsolicited suggestion is to not bring any untoward attention to them, since they have enough problems already. This assumes they will grow in their own right beyond what parents have already done, which is pretty normal to most. And, having been through boot camp, I understand and respect what was going on, at least as it was to me back then. Now it is my kid's turn.

You can tell them till you are blue in the face, but in the end, they have to learn, too.

So let "em go. And wish for the best. Some will fail. Even most will not like it, and bail out. That's normal, too.

It's fun being an old guy these days. I suspect most moms and dads will die along with me in our time, and our kids will inherit the earth in the USA that they grew up in.

So good luck in letting go, or doing whatever you may want to do.

Leading from the front

Most parents know this idea. Sometimes it comes down to tough love. The idea suggests most think our being is both inherited from our ancestors, and also conditioned by our upbringing. Along the way mother nature gets a vote, too. Most think boys and girls are different, too, and it begins at birth. Later mother nature's hormones will kick in, too.

If you buy this thought, then good policies help the "conditioning by our upbringing". Said as an example, government programs in the USA that promote families probably help our society.

Here's one example...the recent Caribbean Festival unrest in D.C. this last weekend. Other examples abound, like flash mob stuff around the USA that includes criminal action, and even just such common criminal behavior as beatings and robberies in Chicago.

Mostly many observers will think things like the blacks are lawless.

I think otherwise. Mostly I think these people need simple leadership, and standards taught by their parents. This idea is way beyond some government solution at the near term practical level. This is at a parental level, or a leadership level; and good policies and practices can promote this better behavior.

Examples abound, but how about promoting the family as a unit. I am old enough to report to the readers that many decades ago, this was a given, but now it is not. It seems our American culture and those we have elected in the last decades have changed all this, over time of course.

For those that still maintain a family unit, good on ya, since the USA needs these kind of people these days.

And Lord knows, such people still exist, in vast numbers it seems.

I am a retired Marine, and I can report there are plenty of sharp African-Americans who the "enemies" don't want on our side. Said another way now that I am retired, while recruiters can pick and choose the best, I think we as Americans still need to promote good policies that benefit USA society overall.

One little bit of humor, to me. I went thru the civil rights soft revolution in the USA decades ago (like I was in the 9th grade). Even back then I thought it would take generations for change to really happen as regards racial equality, but I never thought it would affect me.

Now the times have changed, and this includes me. I guess I need to die off for others to take charge. Fine.

But I sure hope others will step up to the plate in their time and lead from the front.

It is so obvious to me that good policies and practices will help our USA society in so many ways. The results will probably take decades to take effect, but one has to start somewhere.

A way to go forward

We in the new world USA have advantages...let's exploit them, like be ourselves. Said another way, let's reinforce success, vice failure. Seems pretty common sense to most, but then some fellow Americans still haven't come to this conclusion. It does happen, including to our political leaders at all levels, it seems.

How about we practice what we preach. Good policies will ultimately be rewarded. In this idea one must think long term, like one or two decades, vice short term like yesterday or next year. And I think to do this we will have to elect like minded individuals at all levels (like school board, city, county, state, and federal), and they in turn will hire the fellow Americans that can make all this happen. Anyway, this is a course of action that can work, I think. And in this scheme the goal is our future, like our kids' future. Forget us, I would say.

In my case, I expect to lose half the wealth I have come up with over decades. So any change sounds better than that. That is the present status quo, in my mind.

And what do you expect in this present day roller coaster type of ride as to our future?

For me, the times they are a changin'. And I hope I can have some influence in the process. And I sure hope the new world USA is a best case example of what we citizens will do to enhance our kids futures in this new world USA.

The process is typical for a country as big as the USA. This is not rocket science, in the old time vernacular. And this process should go forward at all levels to enhance our kids and our futures. We can make it happen, whatever we decide by our votes.

Last, I just hope we can still vote, vice something like anything else. I really don't won't to take up arms just to force or suggest my opinion on others. Hence this sales pitch and post.

And why the sales pitch. Well, I would prefer we citizens influence our future than those who might loan us money in both the short term, and the long term. After all, they have to make a living, too. But I don't want them in charge of my future.

Who knows, maybe they won't even loan the new world USA money for a while, be it the near term, or the long term.

Back to things in perspective. Many, and most new world USA citizens still have jobs, and do a mighty fine job of paying their taxes at all levels. So, things in perspective again, how about we adjust down to what we can pay for, which is pretty significant. Now that is a way to go forward, too.

When will results and performance come back?

I suspect it will be sooner than many think...like 2020 or maybe 2025.

Said another way, paying public money for good intentions is a poor way to evaluate politicians performance, like vote for them. As examples, just look at the education of our children where you live, or the rise of the poor out of poverty about anywhere, or the success of our American effort in the Middle East. In the latter case it is not just money, but blood and family lives of those involved.

In my case, I have a 9th grade daughter that spells psyched as siked, which again I offer as an example. And I know a local dead beat person who filches off the government programs to help the poor. He is age 40, and won't work, like get a steady job. But he is well fed and alive and well and gets plenty of sex, to boot.

What is "appealing" is the performance question, and even more simple questions. For example, why has the government been involved in the charity business since the 1960's? Are the past choices the best for the mission, for example? Or why can't we do all energy things that benefit us, not just "green" things that simply can't benefit us in the next two or more decades? Why is the government even involved?

More and more it sure seems like we are in one big high school clique, whose rules shift with the wind. Maybe that is tolerated in high school because it always happens anyway, but is that anyway to run a new world country like the USA?

With age comes wisdom is often said. I would add some experience, too. Hence, while things may be crummy here, just live elsewhere to compare, and you know what, things are better here in the new world USA than most other places in the third world I have lived. Just look at emigration patterns to make up your own mind.

Said another way, seeking a perfect new world USA ought to be tempered with practices that promote good results and performance. Now that is a voter decision, not some present day politician's decision. Hopefully by the vote, maybe by revolution, we come up with politicians who can do this kind of thing. And performance and results should be considered.

In the meantime, we get what we've been electing.

And the times they are a changin'.

Much telephone friction is underway

I happen to live in a rural part of east Tennessee.

I also happen to had been without phone service (including DSL) for going on five days. In my case, like all cases I suspect, I have my bitches, too. In my case it has to do with heart stuff appointments, plus getting my kid into West Point paper work stuff (doing fax stuff, for example), plus helping map a local girls' camp (including horseback riding trails allowed to overgrow), for which I need internet access to make a pretty map, plus I just do my business and email and shopping this internet way these days. And I pay for all this.

Now I don't mind living like a common citizen, since I am one of them these days.

And my phone and internet provider is Frontier, which has a local monopoly for reasons I do not know why, though I can guess.

What I finally got out of them (after five phone calls through my cell phone) is that there is an area wide problem, which at least I can understand. But what I do not accept is the priority given we common citizens in rural east Tennessee. What I heard today is a bucket truck may be needed, and is not available right now, like I have to wait days. And Frontier chooses to keep me in the dark in the meantime.

More than a day without service is unusual. Now I am up to five days. And this area has not suffered some terrible storm damage other Americans have suffered. And my electric and satellite TV service is just fine, and we have had our share of bad thunderstorms. For example, last week I went without electricity for about two hours during the day.

Hence it is time to ask my local politicians to introduce phone company competition to this rural area. If Frontier can't fix their phone problem with their monopoly in five days, maybe somebody else can. I have already started that process, by the way. That process includes local politics to take away their monopoly. And if no one else will bid on land line service, so be it. At least I'll know my choices.

It upsets me that this present day Company has paid leaders who influence my life in an adverse way these days, and kept me in the dark, without service for five days, about whatever the problem was.

Now I also accept that other phone and internet providers may not do as well, especially since the problem may be above their level, sometimes.

At least give me a choice. Then the levels who need to hear might hear. Right now I don't even have a choice. So back to using my cell phone just to gain and verify a heart check appointment (echo sonogram). And, of course, I have shared all this with the Frontier people I can speak with.

And I do have a choice, in the end. I will shop elsewhere, vice having to use my cell phone just to get and verify a heart check appointment. The cell phone service up here is pretty good. And there is competition there for my money. And we have had terrible weather, too, during which the cell phone service did just fine.

Now I assume Frontier's business model includes going into rural areas "with a monopoly" in order to provide rural service. But I also assume that business model is now decades out of date. I "assume" this based on my experience. And if I am supposed to get a message from Frontier, I do.

The message I get "is to go elsewhere", which I will do.

And I used to live in Atlanta, and moved back up here to get away from all this. And I have experienced phone service in various third world countries, and I can report this is poor service here in rural east Tennessee, at least compared to where I used to live in the various third world countries I lived in.

Living on about a square mile of land is a benefit that will probably keep me up here until I die. But lack of land line phone service is something I will not tolerate for going on five days. Thank goodness technology provides me choices not available even ten years ago.

And instead of just complaining, I am now just giving Frontier enough rope to hang itself, like report all this to the various newspapers, and the local politicians. In the old vernacular, I will sing like a canary if they even pick it up. Having been a Marine recruiter, I know how to do a "news release", for example.

Only time will tell. This will be a multi-year effort I assume. But this will be another mission in life, I assure the readers. No future American citizens should put up with this. More than a day or two without phone service is unusual, like something else is going on. Especially if you pay for it.

PS Just the facts, mam. After 5 plus days, a nice repairman showed up and did a 1/2 hour repair job at my house area. And I am back online. Hence this post I can now do.

PPS I have done some homework, and think to hook up my Microsoft home network through wireless is still not an option right now. I do think I can routinely hook up one computer thru wireless, though that is not my objective. Hence my main choice is to try get some land line competition up here, like take away Frontier's monopoly. Hopefully, the timelines of competition and technology changes may converge in the next year or two to my benefit.

Dialectical materialism

Now that's a phrase one does not hear too much these days. But in the 19th century it was part and parcel of Marxist Theory. Especially the dialectics part.

Yet even today in the 21st century I read the Dalai Lama says he is a Marxist. Now I wonder, does he mean what he says, or has the definition changed, or more likely, is he just educated and experienced enough to be dangerous? I don't know myself, and won't waste my time guessing about him.

I have moved on.

Now I also wonder just how trapped we are by our ancestors' decisions during their time in influence. For example, are we always bound by their choices for borders (like the Durand Line), or creating nations out of tribal areas (in Africa and Asia), or even creating some Nations and ignoring others, like Baluchistan.

My point is that we are in charge, and not bound by our ancestors' past, though that should certainly be taken into consideration. After all, they have left us their best efforts in their time's definitions. Said another way, are we going to send our military men and women to some foreign land to fight for some old idea?

My vote, or unsolicited opinion, is that any peoples will always act in their local interests (perceived or otherwise), to include protecting their women. I would. And that is often not the same interests as the outside "invader". Now that could be a recipe for just going along or doing nothing, but that is also incorrect. There are good reasons to invade, but it had better be in the national interests' of the invader, whose citizens will accept the consequences, like the death, maiming, or injury to their children who serve in the invading military force.

So back to the title of this post.

Are we acting in today's time, or just reinforcing decisions and theories our ancestors had?

Every man and woman for themselves

Don't take the bait, though many will.

The logic is simple, if you buy it.

Western leadership over the last decades has led the world to bad things happening to we common world citizens, today.

The best way out, I think, is the new world USA, and whatever we come up with. After all, we all want to survive, men and women, and have our progeny succeed, to boot.

Now how we pick our governments, be it feudal like the old Europe, or tribal or royalty or dictatorial, like much of Asia and Africa, or more often like governments in evolution, like South Africa, or the Philippines, or hopefully like the new world USA where we common citizens still have a chance to vote, and influence our futures, and our kids futures, too, is always up for grabs.

Again, one must just buy this logic line.

In this logic line, buy what the new world USA people are doing, I hope. Now this logic line will also be 10 or 20 years long, I also think.

The counterweighing way of thinking is to support the status quo, where ever you live. Many USA people have voted this way.

Good luck in how you influence things where you live.

Whether it is dictated to we common citizens, or decided, in the end, by we common citizens, is also still up for grabs, in my mind. At least this is what I think and observe in the new world USA.

Just what does civil unrest mean?

I can't believe it has come to this in our new world USA. By that I mean, it is difficult to even imagine the idea. Certainly, I hope, we never get to this state of affairs. Yet I have read the question or statement in our National Press that civil unrest may arise.

The answers I imagine include the seeds of a civil war, or a revolution. In that I mean people taking up arms, deciding loyalties, and simply defending themselves and their Families. In the multiple choice academic world, it could be answer "D", "all of the above".

Now I have some friends around the world who already have to put up with this lawlessness. One is a former South African SAS fellow, one is a Venezuelan Marine, and many live in the Philippines.

So back to the basic question as it pertains to the new world USA.

What does civil unrest mean? Only time will tell, if it even happens.

Here are some hints. News articles like "borderline riots". How about Park closes early to prevent worse things happening. How about gangs shutting down events in lake front areas in Chicago? How about where you live?

We all have a commonality and community to work together for our common good. In that this idea includes dictating standards of behavior that all must hold to. If that is not happening where you live, then one just has to go work, to include voting, to reinforce ways to "make it happen". Hopefully we don't have to take up arms to do what our local governments and charities are supposed to do. And expectedly, we should have a place to make our Families safe and able to succeed, as in be happy.

So what does civil unrest mean? To me, where I live, it is time for the majority to go to work, at least more than they have done in the last few decades. Hopefully, the vote is still a good tool in the bag of tricks to make this happen.

Culture and feminism

It's kinda funny reading the national press about our culture here in the new world USA, especially about feminism.

Even today I have been presented with three things to challenge me.

1) Women make up half the human world, and want to be treated equally. Even political correctness (PC) pretty much supports this idea.

2) I saw an advertisement of a young female dressed seductively (and on purpose to appeal to males and impress fellow females, I think), so I also think men and women are still different. The dichotomy is real, as much as many don't want to talk about it. But we can have it both ways, if we want to.

A) I have been a military recruiter, and there are plenty of American females who will accomplish the mission, and make my quota easier to make, by the way.

3) Who pees in the public pools more? Even today, I don't think anyone knows, though there are many guesses. My guess is more males pee in the pool than females, but I don't really know.

So the subject also comes up, to me, about affirmative action. Having taught at Atlanta University, I pretty much believe in the "diamond in the rough" idea. But I have also observed kids and their parents being taken advantage of by this idea. After all, who wants a lawyer or doctor who advanced by an idea and not being competent. Or how about a Morris Brown graduate who can't even qualify to be a Private in the US Marine Corps. Watching him cry in front of me was especially memorable. He was a good guy who got screwed, in my opinion.

So here is hope for our new world USA. We citizens of our future will change it, one way or the other. And by citizens I mean those willing to work for their future, and their children's future. Is that human enough?

Vote locally

It is the local votes that affect my life, and my families lives, most often.

Now that hard times are coming, here is a chance to affect our lives, like who we vote for and the priorities they (those we elect) assign to their future budgets. For example, do they continue the status quo as best they can, or give priorities to those who still pay taxes. In my case in Putnam County in Tennessee and the City of Monterey, can I expect similar police and fire protection, for example, over feeding deadbeats through the food stamp program. Or are the old status quo's still applying to me and them in their decisions. Now this is a voting issue, to me.

Now these kinds of decisions may be tough to those used to dispensing funds, vice deciding priorities and defending their decisions. Like I said, vote locally, since, especially, the times they are a changing.

Having been a Marine, there is a tradition I tried to follow of not voting so as to be able to say I serve the USA Commander in Chief. Now that I think I, or my Family, may die early because of politicians, has changed my attitude. I just hope I can vote all the time, and have it count. If that fails, well, there are other alternatives in the new world USA. Lord knows it does not come to that. That idea is probably the best reason I still appreciate where I live. Now I have lived around the world, too.

So vote locally, I would say. And see what happens. Some places will be different from others, and let the voters sort that out, too.

Much change is going on, thank goodness.

The next decade or so will be interesting from an historical point of view. Will the new world people in the USA actually be able to vote to affect their future, or will other means arise? I don't know right now.

I'm not going to take it anymore.

This classic line from the movie Network still applies, at least to me.

For me, if I am PO'd or frustrated, I just know to sleep it off, and things will generally be better in the morning.

So now another report to others. After 7 days, I am still not going to take it anymore. I am still PO'd, and I have slept on it.

In my case in Putnam County on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee, I had vandals now do thousands of dollars of damage to me. I consider this a new level never approached before, at least in my local history, which goes back decades.

Now I assume the County and local City will take this as usual, which may or may not be correct. After all, I am just a tax payer.

But, I will not let this become usual. Let their mom and dad pay for all this when I hopefully catch them. That ought to begin to change things here locally. And I will actually prosecute criminally and civilly, and see what a local jury decides, rather than listen to some County local attorney. After all, we do need to be protected from vandals.

Like I said, I am not going to take it anymore.

By the way, in my past I have had bullets going by my head in this same area, but times have changed. Now I will "shoot" back, so to speak.

The inmates are not in charge

Of course, it depends on where you live. I live on the Cumberland Plateau in east Tennessee, USA, and this is my report to you. I am age 63, by the way.

The philosophical part is "are we humans all equal"? My opinion and vote is no. Many just need leadership, and behavioral standards to comply with, like work for a living and suffer the normal consequences of responsible life. Now I think most know we humans always have a criminal class around us, but there seems to be another class arising, at least around here.

It has taken decades to happen, but in my mind it is certainly going on.

Here locally the scourge of drugs is a factor. And almost all locals are "white", by the way. Nothing like hearing the old time movie "Jeremiah Johnson" in French, by the way at 0100 in the morning by some drug induced fellow who I tried to help by my charity means. He has since been kicked out since he chooses not to work, but has since moved on to a better option, like local sex and food. And my local government and food banks continue to feed him, I think.

Well, the times they are a changing, in the old Bob Dylan song vernacular. Where ever you live, I encourage you to "change things" in your own way, of course.

Like the title says, the inmates are not in charge. You are.

And more responsible humans will have to act, in their own way, too.

Flowers of the Forest

And other laments and poetry, to boot.

In 1765 the wit and socialite Alison Cockburn published her lyrics to the Flowers of the Forest beginning "I've seen the smiling of Fortune beguiling" said to have been written before her marriage in 1731 . It concerns a financial crisis that had ruined the fortunes of a number of the Selkirk Lairds. Later biographers, however, think it probable that it was written on the departure to London of a certain John Aikman, with whom Alison appears to have had an early attachment.
*all this above is from Wikipedia

The first verse runs

I've seen the smiling
Of fortune beguiling,
I've tasted her pleasures,
And felt her decay;
Sweet is her blessing,
And kind her caressing,
But now they are fled
And fled far away.

Here's some Rudyard Kipling taken from a poem "The Young British Soldier"

When you're wounded and left on Afghanistan's plains,
And the women come out to cut up what remains,
Jest roll to your rifle and blow out your brains
An' go to your Gawd like a soldier.
Go, go, go like a soldier,
Go, go, go like a soldier,
Go, go, go like a soldier,
So-oldier of the Queen!

And last (some more) here's some Tennyson (circa 1889) that might also appeal to the reader:
It is from a poem called "Crossing the Bar".

Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;

For though from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crossed the bar.

And here's one more from the WWI timeframe:

The first chapter of In Flanders Fields and Other Poems (a 1919 collection of poems by John McCrae) gives the text of the poem as follows:


In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

An autographed copy of the poem (reproduced at the start of this same book) uses grow (instead of blow) in the first line. The book includes a note seeking to explain the discrepancy by saying "This was probably written from memory".

Propoganda today

Here's a primer I use and believe in.

What is it? In my KISS (keep it simple stupid) method, it is saying black is white enough times to where people start believing it. And it is a technique, a method if you will, to influence fellow humans.

Is it an ancient "thing"? Yes. It has been going on as long as humans lived on the earth.

Who tradionally practices it? Usually governments of all stripes, as a way to influence "their" populations, use this method.

Is it about the same or different now?
A) It's worse now, and in my lifetime. I am age 63. By worse I mean its practice. Said another way, it is being used more often by governments and institutions than even 50 years ago.
B) Now an institution, the 4th Estate if you will, or the reporters, or the media, seems to practice this method, too. I suspect most of the younger ones don't even recognize this. They (and probably the parents who paid for their education) don't know how bad they have been screwed). Hence a lot of other people are going to other sources for their "news".
1) When reporters casually accept conflicts of interest, then things have changed from even decades ago. Conflicts of interest are a big deal to so many. Even I have signed "conflict of interest" statements, and avoid the obvious things, too. Most of us do avoid the obvious things, I think.
C) The method is deliberate, in other words, the practicer is attempting to influence our thoughts. Even go back to the "Yellow Press" who helped get the USA into the Spanish American War, as an example.
1) Lying is immoral, period. Selectively distorting the facts is immoral, too.
2) High school cliques and debating methods and sales pitches are understandable. I've been a recruiter for the Marines, and understand sales pitches. Propoganda is different.
3) Lying to get elected is one thing that most voters accept. Lying to rule, or report to the ruled, is another matter. Back to the immoral idea about lying as a method.

Does propoganda work? To those who use it as a technique or method, I guess they think it does.

What are the implications these days.
A) People around the world are becoming more jaded than in the last half century. Depending on where you live, one may call it cynical. All I know about, or think about, is where I live; and propoganda, or the hint of it, is a wasted effort. It has a bad connotation because of its association with Nazi's. Most where I live on the Cumberland Plateau in east Tennessee also know there is no free lunch, or "no body gets something for nothing", in the end. And there are a lot of deadbeats who live on the government dole these days. But even they know "the times they are a changin".
B) It doesn't work in the long run.
1) Even the more recent Nazi's who used this method in their bag of tricks lost WWII.
2) People will change their views of the integrity of the present system. Hence the status quo is changing.
3) People aren't stupid all of the time.
C) Reporting what others want you to hear, like what the terrorists want one to hear, is a manifestation of how bad the problem of how propoganda has become these days. It seems to me to be the height of laziness to even "cover" such obvious things. Yet it is going on, right now at least.


"Would you like fries with that order?" may increase as an often used phrase.

Up to the limit

Most have heard versions of this following theme: "There is nothing we can do to America we can't walk back".

I have a friend who truly feels this way, and makes fun of me for worrying. He has my attention. He may be correct, in my mind. I have not asked him recently, though. And he served in the 82nd Airborne, too.

I've heard TV and Internet pundits say as much, too. Most are sincere, I think.

Then there are others who suggest much of what the present federal administration is doing is serious "can't walk back stuff". Others suggest it will take a long time to undo what is going on at the federal level these days.

I for one don't know.

What I do know, or think, is I like the idea of voting for my future, and my children's future, and my grand children's future here in the new world USA.

So back during the 1776 American revolution; I would not have been a King George fan.

But I do also know, or at least believe, that one must start somewhere, and "they" can finish it up, later. Call that a philosophy, if you will. It even works on genealogy pursuits.

And what I think is we can mess up the USA new world America, and now is as good a time as any to start the process of going forward. Much friction will occur, I think. Especially changing the status quo.

Hope does spring eternal, in the old time classic expression.

I think the times they are a " changin", and the status quo of the last century is also changing. The present national USA political parties, the Republicans and the Democrats, are declining.

The new world USA is still a good place to immigrate to, especially compared to the alternatives.

Back to the friction. Much change is going on.

The superficiality of it all

No wonder so many are asking, is there another way?

The idea of mission first comes to mind. Are we in the new world USA in it for ourselves, which I buy, or are we in it for supporting the current ruling parties, now called the Republicans, and the Democrats.

In my mind, there are two divergent interests at play.

Mostly, I think, most just want to go forward in a way that enhances their lives, and their children's lives. Hence the idea of a political party may be less important than their values. After all, it is the idea, not the political party. Call it a quality of life idea.

And then there are those who want to preserve the status quo, which is in their mind. For example, I know someone who just wants to keep Southern Democrats alive and well. His intentions are good, I think.

And to achieve one's political goals that keeps the status quo going, I have problems. For example I hear the present Federal President says Texas has always been Republican, which is simply dumb to say; or I hear a county person in Wisconsin say Arizona is not a border state.

Maybe this appalling ignorance is part of our American experience, but I am not happy with the result. I prefer facts, vice superficiality.

What really upsets me are the obvious results. Many people will have to suffer just because of all the superficial things going on today.

I just hope a vote will influence things, vice something like a revolution.

I think most Americans want change. Just how we get there is up to us, not the presently elected politicians, I think. They seem to be so superficial and so status quo. We are better, I also think.

The basic functions of government

This post is just a reminder to myself.

If our governments can't afford it all through our local taxes we pay, then I think about what we can have. Mostly these governments I think of are more local and state, than federal.

Of course, the basic question is how do we rule our selves, and our country. For example, so "we" decide on those who rule us, most recently that we have elected where I live.

And I also have, in my reminder, a question as to how effective the governments are compared to local charities in taking care of our legitimately poor. How well the deadbeats get filtered out is a local question also, to me. Where I live on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee, we do have our share of deadbeats, who filch off the poor through local government programs.

So how all the present situation affects me is of interest. For example, will my local police and fire protection decline for other priorities in funding, like a 40 year old druggie male who will not work for a living. How about funding elections so I can at least vote? Obviously, some things are going to suffer, and I am interested in hearing how my local rulers decide their priorities.

As long as I can vote, I can live within that system.

Just what is a big deal, locally. Right now it is a voter decision, in the long run I think and hope.

Much change is coming, I think.

We have a crummy president

There I said it.

As one who treats psycho babble stuff as a waste of time, though it is a human trait most pursue, I would rather deal with capabilities.

And whether Barack Obama is just dumb, or a liar, or some combination, is less important than the effects his Presidency, and those he has hired to work for him, can affect our lives.

Now I personally think he is a lazy President, in my opinion, mostly by connecting the dots over the last two years. And we have so many problems that are both internal, like jobs, and international, like terror.

So what is going to happen. I predict many people are going to die because of his being a crummy president. Some may be domestic, some may be foreign. Whether it is being cold and hungry this coming winter, or just old fashioned war, depends on what is your interest. I myself think his ideas and policies are leading us to major calamities. And this crummy President doesn't even know it. He has other priorities, it seems to me.

So what can we do. Mostly vote to change things. And go from there. I expect it will be a painful process, but will sort out in the end.

I do have one connect the dots concern. Will this crummy President and his hired minions try to become royalty? Now most will say I am crazy or silly, but to me I just don't know, right now.

Who knows what a crummy President might try do?

And all I want to do is to enhance my loved ones in the New World USA.

Is our culture approaching limits?

By our culture, I mean our new world USA culture. That's a pretty good standard for our human future, I think.

By limits, I mean things like what is the difference between OK and pretty good? I suspect the answer is in the eye of the beholder, like the common citizens most of us are.

After all, we all want to succeed for ourselves, and our Family's selves.

What got me thinking this way is something simple. Taking pictures of my loved ones is the idea. For example, if one shops for digital cameras these days, one has mostly really good choices. The dilemma is the multiplicity of good choices. This, to me, is a good problem. But it also suggests maybe our choices of OK and pretty good is becoming too fine a point to think about influencing what we want to do. After all, I just want to make my Family happy.

So have we gone too far, like to the point of excess. Maybe we are there already. And so many jobs depend on this idea, I think.

Said another way, should politicians who appeal to supporting the past initiatives of their ancestors supersede those politicians who want to keep "improving" things. Even said another way, how about we support our recent past (and how we voted), as opposed to changing things some more.

To me that is voter decision in the new world USA. In other places the politics will probably be different, like revolt or revolution.

In all cases, I think, the coming change will be difficult, as in much friction.

But for sure change is coming, I think.

Like the "Bridge too far" idea, maybe we humans will sort it out in the end.

Thank goodness I live in Putnam County Tennessee where reality and idealism seems to balance out in the coming cultural limits idea. And we have our share of deadbeats who leach off the truly poor, too, local County government provided, of course.

I personally know of a 40 year old local man who will not work for a living. And he has local women who provide sex, and he survives OK, right now. I suspect here locally all this is coming to an end after decades of "otherwise". He and the current women will figure it out when they get hungry, mostly to go to work at minimum wage in order to sustain their lifestyle. Here locally, we do have a bad drug problem, by the way.

So I truly think our culture is approaching limits. And I think many others may think this way, too.

The end of the world as we know it

Besides being an old time rock and roll song going back a couple of decades, it prompts some questions to this person.

So what if the world changes (which it will anyway), and is that good or bad?

I guess it depends on your perspective, and your time frame.

For example, you may think the next period in your timeframe and your family is most important. That is pretty normal to me. Call that the short term approach.

Others may think more medium (like the next few hundred years). For example, how many is too many humans on the earth? And can our human politicians influence what happens?

Last, others may think even longer term, like billions of years. I think most humans agree eventually the solar system will turn the earth into a crispy critter, and all of us, too.

I just wish political leaders would say the timeframe they are thinking in, which unsaid I assume to be short term, and that idea influences the way I think about my vote, or other political actions, like revolt, or revolution, or civil war.

Even where I live on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee, there are those who want to preserve the environment, a noble goal I would say. What I hear is they want to keep it like today, which to me is different than even from 100 years ago, or when the European ancestors of myself got here (like 200 years ago). How about the end of the last ice age, like 8,000 years ago around here, as a goal. Can we humans even influence the outcome?

Somehow I suspect it will all sort out in the end. And maybe the end of today's world may portend a better world in the future. Hope does spring eternal, and maybe much friction will occur in the interim. Now I wonder if human friction is a curse, or just a part of living on the Earth?

On that question, I do not know. But I have my guesses. I expect you do, too.

The game of musical chairs

Many people have played this game. For those that don't know about it, well, Google it, or something like that.

I think of that game as an analogy of what is probably happening in the USA these days. The past 100 years or so of the status quo of two national political parties is coming to an end. And a new national political party is arising kind of like normal, if history is any indication. All this will probably happen in the time up until 2020 or so.

During the interim, several ideas come to mind.

One is who might compose or join this new party. I suspect it will be a lot of former democrats, former republicans, and former independents.

Another is how this "party" will come about. It may be more a "movement" than a party.

Last, where I live, I still hope we have a third choice other than whoever the two present national parties nominate. Maybe there will be more than just three choices. And keep in mind there are many more elections than just the federal presidential election going on.

The game was fun when I played it in kindergarten. Governing the USA, to include our well being, is probably more than a game, or theory, or otherwise do-gooder intention. Most people know this already.

So like the game of musical chairs, someone is always left out when the music stops, and the game then goes on until the end when one is left standing. I suspect much the same will happen to how we end up governing ourselves in the next decade or so.

Lord hope we USA citizens depend less on luck, and more on just being ourselves.

Waiting for it to warm up to 50F

It's early May in 2011 on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee. And I have decided to try start the tractor with a bush hog on it when the temperature gets up to 50F. If I have to "jump" it, then I can do that, too. Mostly I will bush hog an area to be used for Mother's Day fishing this coming Sunday. Today is Thursday, I think.

That's a big deal to me, even if I think the poachers will also enjoy this effort. Oh well. Hopefully there are some fish left for these mother's day visitors to have a nice day. After all, I paid money to stock this pond a while back, and did the work to stock it, mostly for my family and friends intents. In fact, I had to restore this old time pond earlier , which I guess to go back to 1890, but I don't really know.

In the meantime, I too am enjoying all the euphoria over the Ben Laden death. I would add not to believe much of the first 24 hours reports, but at least now we are into the "believe it" reports, which should continue for a while. At least the bad guy is dead.

Now is a good time to remind all that we elect and appoint leaders just to have someone make decisions. In the business world, many have a board of directors, and I like that system. In the political world, the election system seems to be the way to go. There are worse alternatives, like revolutions, or civil wars; or in the business case; going out of business. It does happen.

Well, it just got above 50F, so I am ready to go outside and unlock a farm gate, then go bush hog for Mother's Day.