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.

Hope for the new world USA

Hope springs eternal is a phrase I like. But it is also human based, I also think.

So no matter how much damage our present USA federal executive (and his political party) does during his time in power in the USA; economic, political, and cultural (maybe moral), I think the masses, we humans, will prevail. Like the title suggests, hope springs eternal.

Now I also believe the status quo of the last hundred years is also changing, and the outcome will probably be unpredictable today. For those that trust the experts to predict, I understand and accept it. For those who ascribe to this idea, just look at how well the sports predictors perform. And I think they have better data than the political prognosticators usually have.

Having been a Marine, I trust human behavior mostly.

And I am becoming pleasantly surprised to read more and more that others may think and say the same effect in the whole human world. It sure seems like it is. While the outcome is unpredictable, I like it better than things like the more status quo European colonization policy of about 100 years ago (mostly the nation-state boundaries), that we are still enforcing, at least selectively. Call it a UN thing. Even Colin Powell declared it US policy years ago. I just wonder what the people who live there think?

Just let me provide one example of what I mean. A few English and Russian diplomats over 100 years ago came up with the Durand Line as an effort to divide the Pashtun Tribe, which was area between British India and Afghanistan at the time. This line is still the present border (now between Pakistan and Afghanistan), and we are still shedding American blood to keep it the same.

Let me provide a second example. Many USA humans are voting with their pocket books, and their feet, or so I think. Only time will tell, of course.

What appealed to me today is an article by a gal I like reading. Here's a link: http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/04/the_chord_donald_trump_strikes.html

Most of us humans like leadership, if we have trust and confidence in those in charge. And at least for next 50 years in human history, I sure hope the USA can provide it. Of course, that is up to us voters in the USA, which is constantly changing, too.

Like the title suggests, hope does spring eternal.

The three courses of actions method

By my personality and professional training, I always offer alternatives to solving problems I present. Hence I apply this method to our present federal indebtedness that affects our USA nation today. That is the identified problem.

To me there are practical alternatives, as well as political alternatives. I take that into account. Consider this method in how you vote.

Alternative 1: Do nothing. Just muddle through and address each result as it affects us. This alternative has the advantage of deferring probable painful outcomes. It does defer the initiative to others than today's citizens and their politicians. This alternative will take about two years or more to reach down to the school board, city, county, and state levels, like 2014 or later. And the others are those that have been loaning us money so far.

Alternative 2: Live within our means, which is not what has been happening the last few decades. All these wonderful benefits will come to an end as priorities are set by our politicians. This practical alternative will have obvious political effects as the "aggrieved" use their votes to protect their interests. This commotion, or adjustment, will take probably five years or more. Many will find out happiness is not always connected to benefits. Many societal shifts will occur to reflect the decisions made.

Alternative 3: A combination of Alternatives 1 and 2. This alternative assumes it took the USA decades to get into this present mess, and it will take decades to get out of it. Hence, use the idea of laws and procedures that guide new world USA society along in the direction we want to head. Said another way, one has to accept that actions (and laws) have consequences. For example, imagine our future generations not being able to buy a house because they have to instead work three months a year just to pay the interest on the debt this generation is incurring. Plus their old ancestors are moving in with them after Social Security failed.

Along the way, we in the USA do not exist in a vacuum, both now, and in our future.

So what happens around the world if so many that depend on USA consumption can no longer depend on jobs to feed that consumption. After all they want to have families, and be warm and fed, too.

So bottom line: decisions will be made, like it or not. And the three courses of action method is one way to go in influencing your vote.

The meanderings of a lightweight

Just assume our present federal President is a lightweight. By that I mean he has good intentions in his mind, but less experience to help himself along given the problems of the world's humanity, including those of us in the USA. And in this assumption, he has hired fellow lightweights to help him rule.

People who have promoted him as being brilliant (like super intelligent) are balanced by those who have seen too many chinks is his armor. "Just listen to him" often works for so many who see much missing in his knowledge, or even truthfulness. Maybe he is just a crummy President, in the end.

I always liked the idea I was taught that to be a good Sergeant, one has to prove himself at lower ranks, first. If we have time, that makes sense to me. And we should make the time, I think. Mostly making the time means educating young men and women who have shown themselves to be good candidates. That gives them extra help with their increased responsibility.

I always also liked the idea of citizen politicians. And in that vein, I guess I can be a radical, too, and suggest our vast new world USA has outgrown Washington, D.C. Our legislature needs to be bigger (and more representative), and the 1913 law limiting our House of Representatives needs to change. That means, a radical thought I think, that the rules limiting building heights in D.C. need to change, or let's new world USA people just move our capital, kinda like what got Brasilia going a while back.

So does any of the preceding, or any other ideas and frustrations amount to a hill of beans?

I don't know...you decide. Take your own path if you wish.

I have a good friend who always said, in the USA past, that nothing that any politician does, be it school board, city, county, state, or federal, will amount to a hill of beans, in the long run. He might be right.

But there is another point of view, too.

What's happening in the new world, north , central, and south America, I think one should pay attention to, especially the USA. I know I don't like much of what I see, but try take the longer term view of "compared to what". Hence I recognize that maybe old world people still are doing wonderful things by coming to the new world to advance their future generations.

And I think what they do will amount to a hill of beans.

Now getting there is probably beyond a lightweight's ability, or so I think.

I for one, would like to think our rulers are riding the tiger, rather than the tiger's tail.

Time for a change

Sometimes our politicians change, but then sometimes we change, too.

Last I heard was that the elected politicians were supposed to represent we common citizens. Seems fair to me. But if and when our politicians start dictating to the common citizens their values, of which I am one of the common citizens, then things have changed. Does the tail wag the dog, as an example of what I am thinking about? Does my vote still count in America? I sure hope so. What is good for our collective good, for example? Do I get a say?

Can our federal President say what is fair, or can we common citizens dictate that, for example? I personally resent our present President dictating my moral thoughts, especially when it comes to charity.

The question is begged about anyone's motivation? Does the end justify the means is also a good question? To me it drags in the idea of a human Constitution that we have today in the USA today. In my mind it tried to address all the human foibles we have, and we humans have pretty much not changed in thousands of years. We have our own human problems too, I guess. Hence, in my mind and thoughts, our Constitution is both special, and unique, in our human history.

So what is going to happen given the present situation in the USA, and I add in the Western World, mostly in Europe?

The quick answer is that I don't know confidently enough to predict.

The longer answer is that the idea of a human Constitution will predominate, even in China and throughout Asia.

After all, we all want to work (politically and otherwise) to make our families warm and fed, with good prospects for their future, where ever we live on this earth.

This "radical" idea suggests that it is time for a change. Lord hope it doesn't take a revolution to make it happen. Or a failing U.N. to boot.

After all, there are many other alternatives that will work, too.
Now that is another post for another time.

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, 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 these 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 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?

The die has already been cast

To me this expression means an irrevocable choice has been made. Some of us are planning ahead using this idea, in our own way of course. Now I never thought of myself as a survivalist (whatever that is), but now assume I will lose one half my wealth in the next few years, and maybe even get cold and hungry this next winter.

But I think I will survive, barely and certainly, and probably not happily. Especially when I think we humans did it to ourselves, though it did not have to happen. There were alternatives along the way. As to myself, I am doing things to try survive where I live just to get through this coming winter.

Of course I am positioning myself to go forward in other ways, too.

My logic line today is that eventually no other humans will loan us money, as in finance our debt. They will have their own problems, too. And then we in the USA will have to live within our own means, which are considerable. I think it is fair to say that many people and governments have been living in the past decades on borrowing, or the wealth of others as one might say. One subject I seldom hear discussed in the USA is what happens when fellow humans quit loaning us money. Right now the debate about debt seems to assume we can borrow forever. After all that has been the status quo for decades. And in the last few decades our inflation rate has been normal.

What appeals to me is the logic line, there. Compared to many others places in the world, we New World USA humans are an OK place to use trust and confidence in promoting our families health and success, and wealth that we have made.

Though, what happens when other humans get cold and hungry, too. Nationalistic movements, like what happened in Germany in the 1920's may arise. Just look at the recent elections in Finland, for example. Or in my imagination and experience, China may do its normal bit and devolve into civil war, with nuclear aspects. Lord knows what will really happen, to include mother nature wild card type events, all with some human reaction through our political leaders.

All this friction is normal to me, with one caveat.

It sure seems we humans (who can vote and have it count) have elected a generation of "lightweight" political leaders (with exceptions of course). And they have hired lightweight minions. Now how they handle the coming frictions is a big worry for me, both nationally in the USA, and internationally. For those who have other governments, like dictatorships, royalty, tribal, religious, or some mixture of all, that is beyond my experience level. I still think the key point to me is how well do they represent their citizens, and their circumstances. And how well do others respect it, or try impose their way of doing things.

So like the title suggests, the die has already been cast.

Lord hope we humans do "trade-ins", at all levels, and in our own ways!

Why are we in Afghanistan, today?

Like I think most Americans think, the USA had a good reason to go into Afghanistan, especially after the 911 attacks. In my mind there was self defense going on. And I think we Americans did a good job, all in all.

Now it seems the mission has morphed into something like "nation building". Now why that is in our National Interest, I don't know, though I've heard all the various reasons to try get there.

If we want to spend tax money, try doing so on the Cumberland Plateau, for example. Now that is a nation building effort I can understand as to be a good mission. Or just save it for other National Interests.

Or cut down the borrowing rate, assuming we can still borrow into the future.

We Americans are pretty good I think. That extends to our cultural instincts to help others, and even to do military type things. But along the way, some heavy weight type leadership is called for, and that seems to be lacking at so many levels of governments, these days.

Our present President Obama ran on the idea of hope and change. I still like that idea. But also, using his words, it's time for a trade-in, and we in the USA should consider this trade-in idea in how we vote in the future.

The federal Executive is a powerful position, to include those appointed minions. Use your imagination; suppose we elected a lightweight who appointed and hired similar lightweights. This is serious business. One could apply this to the other levels of government, to include the federal legislatures, both the House and the Senate.

Here's an example of serious business. One local Monterey Tennessee boy joined the Marines and has already been over there. Why? After all he has a Mom and Dad and local community in his life, too, who want to feel safe. I don't think he was brought up to be a Nation Builder in Afghanistan.

And I have a former student at GaTech who got mobilized to fill a Agriculture Dept. quota to help on farming in Afghanistan. I am still bitter for two reasons.

One is that he has his own family who also goes in harm's way.
Two is that other Americans would not fill this quota.

So like the title says, why are we in Afghanistan, today?

Let 'em suffer

It's a selfish thought for three good reasons in the year 2011.

First is that I can pontificate, and hope I die before I have to live the consequences. Most of us know there are always unintended consequences. Now that knowledge in my case is both through professional past experiences, as well as family life.

Second is that I tried, in my own way in my past, of trying to suggest changes to our culture and our many governments' present methods of doing business that other might agree on. Strike two in my mind. I failed, or just did a poor job.

Third, and last, is I suspect the old fashioned way of social security will come back. That basically means having more kids, who then take care of their ancestors the best they can. And as a now "Sr.", the thought of being shuffled around really hacks me off. I would rather die first with dignity and self respect and independence, but others are different, of course. Along that way, still contributing to society is a really big appeal, too. Bottom line, I would like to be warm and fed, and right now I can do it myself.

So good luck for the younger people reading this post. I am age 62, and already have passed the torch, at least in my mind.

Hope for our American future

First the bad news. The opportunity for our two present national parties (Republicans and Democrats) to make better our present economic problems has passed.

In hindsight, these two parties had about 100 years to have their way, and this is what we got. Of course "this" depends on where you live.

What really upsets me is what I believe to be the coming inflation, and its effects on my family and friends where I live. It did not have to happen, in my humble opinion. Bottom line, our quality of life is going to be reduced, like dimished in polite talk. I've lived through inflation, before, by the way.

And to pile things on, again on the down side, what will happen when fellow humans will no longer loan the USA money to finance our ways. Then we will have to live within our means, which are considerable, and which will be painful to so many of us, including me, who depends on a military retirement. I suspect inflation will be a factor that the loaners invoke when they assert themselves, and their rules that affect us, we the common citizens.

So much for the bad news.

There is good news, too. Mostly I use the idea that compared to other places in the world, this new world USA is not a bad place to be when change comes.

After all, people have to live, have families, and want to work, and that is why so many emigrate to the new world USA. And what ever happens, I suspect it will not look like the new world USA we live in today. Imagine your kids and different cultures, USA style, all mixing here on our land. This appeals to me, at least as compared to living in Sri Lanka, for example. Yep my kid may marry a person with a name from another culture, back when their ancestors emigrated here. I now suspect they are Americanized, what ever that means where they or you live.

And I suspect a new political party will arise to represent all this, maybe as soon as 2020. The alternatives like another way to rule I suspect just won't happen in new world USA.

To use an old phrase, in this is the national hope. Yep, I am optimistic that after much pain, the best is still yet to come, at least for my descendents. And I don't think of myself as relgious.

Just another Cumberland Plateau set of postings

He’s out of jail, again. I figure his drug use is a violation of his parole, so he’ll end up serving out the rest of his original sentence, and he will go away eventually for a long time. That is probably a good thing for him since he can’t take care of himself.

He’s still without a job so that confirms how worthless he is. He actually stopped by last late afternoon to get a bunch of his stuff out of this house, and lied some more about his circumstances. Too bad he doesn’t want to work.

All I kept saying was see you later. He’s got someone else supporting him right now, poor fellow. I suspect his world is finally closing in on him at age 40.
I presume his truck is still down, too. Like I said he can’t take care of himself, or pay to get his truck fixed if he doesn’t work.

It makes me curious as to how long his next term in jail will be. He comes up with a new excuse to not work every day. People like that piss me off. I go to bed at 10 and get up at 6 and go to work. It doesn't take a genius to do that.

I can’t remember exactly, but suspect it will be over one year, more likely a year and a half. And that is just the parole violation of his previous sentence stuff! Who knows what is being added on to.

Why he does not want to work still escapes me. I have done everything I could to break that code, and failed. I suspect he is, at age 40, just scared to leave Monterey, which one usually has to do that to get a job these days (not a periodic project). Hence he is not what I think of as the normal criminal, just a lazy human who lives off of the goodwill of family, friends, charity, and the local governments (think of food banks as an example). But like the old pecker head I can be, I warned him about all this, and he just blew me off. Now let the government take care of him (using my taxes of course). He should respond well (or at least better) in that environment.

Anyway, I don’t have to wake up at 0200 anymore to hear Jeremiah Johnson the movie in French, or find out the next day the movie Happy Gilmore has been reprogrammed to a serious adult level that I could not even see, after years of watching it again and again. Like I joked to you, I only live here, and still pay my way. And at the time he was highly drugged by himself, and mumbling at best.

Last, let me reverse, like mission first! There are a lot of good young people who can use all the reinforcement old people like me can provide. And I choose to do so.

Hope springs eternal. There are plenty of good American people around. And losers like him are still a minority, kinda like normal throughout the world I have been to and lived in.

And compared to the Marines from Monterey deployed overseas, Putnam County is OK. At least where I live now it is not a canvas tent with a dirt floor, with ice on the inside tent walls in the morning. Although long johns in the house did help, at this last winter that we are coming out of. And back then I did have to use an outhouse for obvious public sanitation reasons. Anyway, Putnam County is still OK, to me.

Ignore the people at your own peril

Most people know this in their own way. Whether it is in business, the military, political governing, or dealing with your relatives, the principle is pretty much the same. Just listen to them, and they will pretty much tell you what you probably want to know to get your mission or goal accomplished.

There are many famous lines that say this well. One is about relatives. It goes: "we can pick our friends but not our relatives". Another is about customers: "the customer is always right".

This post, and poster, chooses to focus on USA ideas. Of course one can expand it to many other places in the world where people ignored have been set off to demonstrate or even revolt against their status quo. The obvious area reported these days is the middle east, but the idea really does cover the world and all it various circumstances.

One common theme everywhere, I think, is that people want to be warm and fed, have dignity, and take care of their families. There are, again I think, about a zillion ways this gets expressed around the world.

Here in the USA I think it gets expressed mostly through the vote and at all levels: school board, city, county, state, and federal. Now if that is not possible for whatever reasons, then things like the Civil War occur; or otherwise called many other names to include the War of Northern Aggression, the War of the Rebellion, and the War Between the States.

The point is that ignored people will act in their own way where ever they live.

What worries me, and that is the correct term, then concerns and imagination takes hold, or at least comes into play. And our imagination is often our worse enemy. But it happens, and should be recognized by anyone with experience as a factor to be reckoned with, especially if they are in charge whereever.

So what worries me is thinking we have light weights in charge at too many levels. Let me define lightweights: "lacking experience though well intentioned". The obvious follow on to this idea is: what will they do when times get really hard? Like most, I think again, I hope for the best, and expect the worst.

What might the worst look like in the USA. Only your imagination really counts. Mine is going cold and hungry next winter, and having no expectation things will get better. Said another way, one can lose hope and faith in the ability of our present elected leaders at all levels. Another expression is trust and confidence. Things will get really tough when people start dying in large numbers, and communications suffers along with energy blackouts, or at least rolling blackouts. Like it or not, we are dependent on public electricity, which has only been around for about 100 years.

Having followed that logic line, then what happens when the present lightweights who hold the reigns of governments do their responses, which I suspect may include imposing some kind of martial law to rule. And what do we the people do to survive in our own local way?

Will it include demonstrations, revolts, tribal rule, religious rule, or some kind of royalty? I don't know. I imagine it depends on where you live and your customs.

And all I want to do is be warm, and able to eat, have dignity, and take care of my family.

Like the title says, ignore the people at your own peril.

The beginning of an end

Much change is going on these days in the USA, I think.

The end of governments (local, state, and federal) involvement in charity is coming to an end. My guess is during hard times the taxes we still pay for basic services, like police, fire, clean water, and waste water will bubble to the top of spending priorities. My guess is that is if it doesn't happen where you live, then it will be based upon the votes of those we elect for our future where we live.

Now this idea is not that complicated. If our taxes we pay only offer so much for our elected politicians to expend, just what is their priority. If it means I have to suffer to support some deadbeats, then I have a problem.

All this premise assumes we can still vote to influence our future. If that does not happen, by various means I know about, then maybe we are going to have a revolution, which is a painful process. I sure hope this does not happen.

What galls me, is that where I live on the Cumberland Plateau in east Tennessee, there is a whole class of humanity that now depends on living on the government dole of the last decades, either directly, or indirectly. And when I use the also local charity methods that are more tough love, they, the government dependents, still have choices that avoid tough love, and use them (like the once a month government check). Now that hacks me off, though that is just how it is around here.

Especially when they are so drugged up I have to hear one of my favorite old time movies in French because of their drugged induced boo boo. Even then they could not speak English...mumbling was the best this one fellow could do at 0200 (2 AM), and woke me up to boot to help him. He was one of my charity cases I booted out later. In the end, this fellow just does not want to go to work, like most of us have to do. This, I hate to report, does happen a lot around here. Like I said, I am a tough love kind of person.

Much change is coming...I hope. Why it had to get to this state is another story that will often be reported, I think, and later.

Maybe we have screwed the pooch?

I think most of us in new world America are doing OK. After all we have warmth and food, and public electricity to boot. Even the Kings and Queens of our European ancestors probably did not have it that good even when they were at the top of their food chain.

Now I am beginning to wonder about the classical dilemma of democracy in America. It is when the have nots can vote themselves benefits from the haves, then we are in a pickle.

Here's why I think about this. I, by my personality, believe in and do local charity. So do my local county and state governments, of course using my tax money and the votes they get. I think I am more tough love than the local governments, but of course, that is just me.

What can be frustrating is dealing with those who are deadbeats, that is those who will compromise their integrity in order not to work for a living like most do, and still survive, and even breed. Whether they are born poor, or just choose to live that way, is of course an individual circumstance, in my view. There are just as many females like this as males, in my opinion, and where I live in east Tennessee.

What really galls me is the question I ask? Am I enabling their drug habits, which is my recent experience in east Tennessee. Have you ever heard the old time movie Jeremiah Johnson in French, for example at 2 AM, 0200 in 24 hour time. Or wake up with some drug induced idiot (mumbling to boot) failing to use the remote control for the DVD player, and wanting me to help him. Just so you know, I sent him packing to camp in the barn.

Now I have "consulted" with his local relatives, too. And they pretty much concur, and have done their best too.

Sometimes you just to have to let go, as much as it hurts me to say this. Send them packing I would say. Heck, they might even want to get minimum wage jobs just to survive.

I had a dream, too

I recently had a dream which I actually remember, which is unusual for me. Usually, the dream just disappears in front of me, and I cannot remember it, as much as I want to.

In this dream, I caught two yard invaders, who actually shot at me first. Well, I shot back, and actually killed one, I think. At least he did not shoot at me anymore. The other I deliberately aimed low when shooting back, and still hit him, or he faked it, I just don't know in this dream. Then I called the police. I was shooting a pistol (where it came from I do not know) in this dream, and I consider myself a pretty bad aim, though sometimes I guess in this dream I can hit home.

Two principles follow.

Tell this dream to local criminals and their friends, who I hope will blow the story up, and hopefully keep them away. After all I have about a square mile and a two house compound to protect in rural east Tennessee.

Wish for the best as how our today's elected politicians have their dreams, too. And dang, I sure hope I can vote in the future about who they are.

Are not we humans fickle?

Times do go on, as much as it hurts my feelings.

And much of the hoopla over the terrible earthquake in NE Japan is one thing that is a big deal. But don't leave out other human caused things, like the problems in the USA, or the probable other human caused things, like the bus accident in Brooklyn on I 95.

How about we brag about ourselves? Especially like how we react to a very bad earthquake in a rural part of Japan. Messing with public electricity is a big deal, for example. Most of us depend on it.

Having lived in Japan for about two years, I would rather be a USA citizen (new world) , than this really great group of people who deal with it in their way.

Our New World America

And it is not too shabby.
Like invest in America today, or it may be too late tomorrow.
This photo I think is from the Williamson County Square (TN) circa 1941.


I suppose most of the people in this picture are dead from old age.
Yet they did things seldom reported these days.
Now it is your choice these days.

Suppose public electricity goes out where you live

Forget all the arguments and politics of why. This post is imagining the impacts if it should happen.

If we don't have public electricity, then things will get pretty hard. After all, our USA was created without public electricity, but I suspect most who use public electricity don't want to go back to that standard of living. But, in turn, those who still live in rural areas may find many relatives from urban areas coming their way. Who knows.

I still use the USMC standard of marching 4 mph, including a 10 minute break every hour. That seems to work pretty good.

Most of us use public electricity routinely, like don't even think about it. Hence, our thermostats always work, and even when we turn on the switch for artificial light, that is expected. And even when we pump gas for our cars, of course all these pumps are electrically powered, too. All of this amazing stuff is less than 100 years old. What a country!

I assume any recovery will happen many ways, but of course there will be a priority system (that is what I would do). I assume the rural area I live in will be last on the totem pole. Hence I just want to use all the old time things, like making acorn coffee, which is pretty good, to me. Anyway, our USA ancestors did OK in their time, and I suspect we USA Americans will do OK, too. I also suspect many adults will not be happy, but most kids will survive just fine.

The unintended consequences of change

The status quo of the last 100 years is changing. The USA federal elections of 2006 and 2008 were good indicators, I think.

The rise of an American third party was obvious to many as a symptom of this coming change. Even where I live in East Tennessee, the often answer to who are you going to vote for President in 2008, was, I wish I had another choice.

Even now so many media people expect the general public to join or let a party represent them, as in somebody else can speak for them. But many just want another way to do things. This idea is a good example of the unintended consequences of change. Ah, the times they are a changin'. And all most people want is to hear the news. Opinions I can go to the local Hardees to listen to. Yep, would you like fries with that order is a joke I often hear about the change going on.

Even the deadbeats will learn about change. The era of the "government dole" will winnow as they have to either go to work for a living at minimum wage, or otherwise try differentiate themselves from the otherwise poor people. Even their relatives will probably give them the boot as the various governments sort out the differences between their role in charity, and the private sources in charity, whom I think are more tough love in their practices. Even where I live in East Tennessee, many present deadbeats think living in a room with common bathroom down the hall is a hardship. Boy, their lives are going to change when they have to live like so many other Americans already live today, and even work to upgrade that standard of living if they don't like it.

One other obvious idea is this change is mostly due to our present hard economic times. I think it is way past that, like the old status quo of having good intentions and voting money towards that intention is now going to be judged by another standard, like performance. Only the voters at all levels can decide that.

This begs another obvious question. Will the USA's Constitution survive in today's times, or will we revert to other ways of government, like royalty. I suspect that it will be the people's way of doing things. Lord hope it doesn't take another revolution, so popular until one has to go through one.

And all I can report is what I think and where I live. I expect there are many more unintended consequences where you live.

And I am a baby boomer, too.

It's fun getting older

First, the obvious downside. I will die before most people younger than me (I am age 62), or so I hope.

By the way, I can be an ungrateful wretch, too. About three years ago I died in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Cookeville, TN, and some well meaning people saved my life and my brain. Good on 'em. But now I have to go and die again, and I just hope the next time will be as quick and painless as the first time. Like I said, I can be an ungrateful wretch, too.

One thing that hurts my feelings is this. When young people ask me what was it like in the "old days", it is both an honest question and reflects my getting older. Even in the last few years I have lied about fighting a dinosaur raptor on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee, and the young children then challenged me around the fire. I used as a reference the movie " Jurassic Park", and they all said what is that. Now in fairness, they all knew about the movie the next year. But right then I knew my time had come and gone.

So good luck being a parent in your own right. After all, you will do it your own way. And listening to your own ancestors will help you, I think.

Last getting older comment. I presently live in an 100 old time place on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee. My mission statement to myself was to make it a living museum for my descendents, and provide them an opportunity for them to live like fellow Americans lived even 100 years ago. I suspect most adults don't like it, though kids will thrive. After all, just being able to turn on the thermostat is a pretty good deal. Plan B is to put in wood into the wood stove, which is an imposition to most these days, since one has to maintain the wood stove heat overnight.

To put things in one's perspective, I personally have lived in a canvas tent with a dirt floor in Korea up near the DMZ (for months) when it never got above freezing for over a month. Hence I think where I presently live is at least better, like more comforting, than fellow Americans who live in Nebraska, or New England, for example.

These are times to write home about

The times they are a changin'. This title of an old Bob Dylan song it seems has changed to less liberal themes than I think he intended when he recorded this song back in the early 1960's.

And I think change is constant. What I note is that the rate of change is increasing, and at a faster pace. Hence somewhere in the future, like 2050, when some young people then ask you what it was like in the old days, you are really in a good position to report what you observed and lived where you lived at the time.

At least that is my method. And using this method, I am worried about the next 5 to 10 years of change. The main good news, is that you can report it as you see it, either now or in 2050.

Here in the USA the obvious usual worry is about our budget (federal, state, and local). But I have another question that is seldom reported. What happens when inflation goes back up to like the 18% it was under Carter, and our pay remains frozen? Does that mean people won't loan us money to finance our federal way of life? And what happens let's say in 2025 when our young people then have to work 2 or 3 months a year just to pay the interest on our National debt?

I am age 62, and hopefully will check off the net before then. Call it avoidance if you will, which is pretty much what it is.

I am particularly galled by those who call for USA military action in the present Libyan debacle. When I hear people say the USA is the most powerful nation on the earth, which it still is I think, don't they know that the USA has much less military resources than, say 20 years ago. So when the USS Kearsarge, for example, sails towards Libya, the USA is losing an asset in the Afghan and Iraq areas, and that will hurt there. And these people have families, too. So dredging up another group of Americans to deploy there from the USA has impacts, too.

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

The status quo has changed. And we had a lot to do with it.