ballistic Tour of John0

Kick Starting; again

2012-01-26T00:22:00.000-08:00

It may be some organic syndrome--medical weirdos who studied me because I am weird chalked much up to "organic syndrome"--or it may be how I've been conditioned forever from without and within. Often external conditioning becomes internal and the organism produces its own shock treatment when considering choices that yielded pain from external sources in the past. That is where one can get pretty crazy and self defeating.

I fall into that latter category, and have discovered that knowing the score is not enough to affect the proper course. It is a start.

So, knowing I have to change some things, mostly because I am not satisfied and I want project and passionate challenge in my life, I started thinking...

That resulted in considering what I would do if I won a great deal of money; enough to take the limits financial embarrassment brings out of the equation. Soon I realized that most of these things could be done right now.

It would be tragic to be wealthy and isolate, avoid exploring various possibilities, let one's self become out of shape and unhealthy, etc. --all the things I'm doing. All of those things can be changed without a huge bank account or trust fund. I may not be able to build a machine shop for creating whatever right now, but I do have some tools and materials and a place to work and create. Make do with what you have.

I don't need a car so I don't dream of money falling in my lap so I can buy some exotic auto. Mine does the job very well. I have a good amp, and only need a delay pedal, and can get by without if need be. Besides, I am not making use of that.

Things I'd like to market I have yet to pitch. Things I want to write I have yet to finish. Money is not the key to that. The more I hear of the 99% the more I want to be the .1%. The 1% is not a lofty enough goal. I'm not interested in being the 1%, or more accurately the .1% or .01% who wield power and control over others--the .1% who are free, happy and purposeful. And financially secure.

Maybe that is because I was present for the 60's and early 70's and I discovered that a huge portion of hippies and group protestors were insincere, selfish, duplicitous and just out for sex and party time, and usually in a way that was horribly materialistic while masquerading as the opposite. Not a big fan of any era, but that scene was cruel, and failed miserably. They protested during Vietnam and created the concept of never ending wars, domestic roadblocks, mandatory helmets for everything they can get away with, and a general open season on minding everyone's business and making laws to force others to conform. That is the flower power generation--useful idiots for tyranny.

If they mean the modern day version of that crowd when they claim to be the 99%, count me out.

OK. That was a bit of a tangent there. The point is, resources at hand often hold the key to opportunity, and behavior can be altered by realizing it in a way that becomes internalized. Maybe some kind of special pill would help too, but I've not found any useful, long term, in my quest to get out of my own way.

Odd as it seems, my drastic move out west, and rambling travels have been baby steps toward breaking out of destructive patterns which create a mental prison. Plus I have enjoyed the travels, and learned a lot about sleeping in a tent.

Empathy; double edged doodad

2012-01-24T00:46:00.000-08:00

People tend to get worked up, feel self righteous, while identifying the downtrodden. Sometimes they assume some group is more beat down and powerless than they really are. I guess that is more a manifestation of a superiority complex and a need to appear benevolent than it is a true indication of empathy.

Even so, I've seen and known people in certain circumstances which tended to earn them the scorn of those who think they know what that situation is like to live, but they do not know. Some people are incapable of imagining any condition of life feels differently than their own. They are ignorant, and either totally lack imagination or brains, or something.

The thing that tends to happen when it becomes open season on judgement of a group, where they become the scapegoats of frustration, is that a lot of unjust things happen. If you can paint such vitriol with the brush of egalitarianism or self righteousness, then any values which go by the wayside are unnoticed.

That is much of what is happening with this class rhetoric which has provided a release for so many who just need something to blame and hate because life is a bit more tense than it ought to be. Rich is evil, therefore we should cut them down to size by confiscating their wealth for ourselves. That is as unfair, and cruel as some of the games which are played on the poor and ignorant.

Payment selling was designed to financially rape the poor. If they weren't ignorant, and greedy, it would not work. The guy making ten grand a year ought to know he cannot afford a twenty five thousand dollar car. But, if someone says they'll carry the note or the lease, he'll sink himself into it. The only reason why is that he is too greedy to use his head, and/or he does not realize that just because someone will allow him to do it does not mean it makes sense. In this case there is a bit of reality denying and greed on both sides of the board. "He signed the contract!". Yea, but you knew he was a half wit or otherwise highly unaware. I've been there. It is an ugly thing, and those jobs wear thin.

Empathy, or lack of it, cuts both ways. I'm highly empathetic to people who have made a lot of money through very consistent, disciplined effort and planning. Many times they are very bright. To think they do not deserve it because someone else is poor is a very stupid thing. One person creating and accumulating wealth does not make someone else poor. We are putting thievery and dishonesty aside for now.

When I hear this 99% talk, I still wonder what exactly that means, why is it nobler to be part of the average mass than of the exceptional few, and how you can decide that everyone is to be grouped in terms of income. Some mega wealthy people are evil, and some are not. Many of the self proclaimed 99% are greedy bastards who want to control the wealth of others, and some are not.

Maybe "we are the 99%" means we aren't the 1% who live under a bridge, in prison or have a terminal disease. Hadn't considered that, but it is a bit heartless and cruel to then protest that 1% of struggling unfortunates.

I'm pretty sure they are talking about money though. It gets confusing. People raising hell about the greedy rich, while they advocate spending the money of the rich on things they deem worthy, and which will benefit them. Sort of like the extortionist calling the miser greedy. In some cases the thief calling the victim greedy.

Just because someone has wealth does not mean they in no circumstances deserve empathy. It may be a surprise to some to know that even the wealthy feel pain, have hearts, heartbreak and cannot do everything they'd like for some of their loved ones. They cannot cure the incurable or ward off mortality. They are not by definition evil.

I've met as many (more, in reality) people of meager means who were evil and violent, unfeeling and lacking conscience as those who had some wealth. I feel far safer walking down an ultra wealthy street than I do a street in a housing project. That fact alone causes me to conclude that poverty is by no means a virtue, nor does it necessarily spawn decency and compassion.

I could be in poverty at any minute. I wouldn't think it would give me the right to mug people, be violent or destroy that which others have created and worked to build. I'd ignore licensing and zoning laws if I had to make myself a shelter. I'd ignore licensing laws if I had to sell trinkets on the corner trying to get a foothold.

Who knows, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe the rich should hate everyone and anyone who wants to be richer should hate those who are. They all deserve the wrath; rich and poor alike. Nervy bastards.

Roadside Ramblings/Seasoning-spice Update and Correction

2012-01-23T21:27:00.000-08:00

The smoked hot paprika from Spain is really not that hot when cooked into things. Take it straight and it is. Cook it into Grandma Ballistic's hundred year old recipe for potato extravaganza instead of using regular paprika, and it is quite the thing.

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I've noticed more and more in my travels that the hip thing to do in traffic law enforcement is to threaten double fines. At first you think, "OK, workers are in danger so they are out to ensure their safety".

Then you realize that the last five double-fine work zones have consisted of a couple of orange signs, maybe one giving a reduced speed limit, but no work, no workers, nothing. Just a few miles of harassment and paranoia.

Then there are the "Safety Zones", which sometimes have a slightly different name. "Safety Zone Next 20 Miles, Fines Doubled. Drive Carefully." Oh shit!, I better be safe and careful for a change. Time to quit driving with my toes from the back seat. It never occurred to me to drive carefully at 70 or 80 miles per hour. If they hadn't told me, I'd have gone on driving without care, concern or attention.

It's always a relief to get back into the unsafe zone where all hell breaks loose and everyone goes back to watching tv, texting, having sex, and blogging as the drive. And where the fines are only one time as bad instead of double the trouble.

Now I'm seeing that "fines doubled" thing on side roads which have a 40 mph speed limit, and the same fake work not going on.

I guess they want money and want to be able to extort it at will. My thinking is, "Do I really want to give money to an outfit that does business this way? NO!!!!"

How we became a culture that not only accepts, but often encourages, this kind of big brother, police state mentality is beyond me. I guess people look around and think others are idiots who need heavy handed guidance. But they fail to consider who it is that sits in judgement and pulls the strings---often those with no moral compass or good judgement whatsoever. Often just thugs who missed getting drafted by the Mafia.

I guess a safety zone is a nice way of announcing an extended speed trap, and possible venue for random searches and the like.
If only people here and elsewhere were not so damned afraid of freedom. I believe it is partly their fear that makes them need this kind of parenting as adults. It is strange.

Insights of Meditation; part a

2012-01-20T00:05:00.000-08:00

It came to me in a flash of clarity.

Ever wonder where Trump and his son, the wannabe mini-me-Trump, got that poker face thing they do on the apprentice, and what makes them think it is cool?

The Donald picked it up from the old Alfred Hitchcock series. Al would parade into view wearing that expressionless expression, then begin his droll narrative. No matter what he said, it seemed highly intelligent and beyond reproach due to his delivery and that emotionless countenance, which still managed to convey an air of superiority.

It is clear that the Trumps have studied this and practiced imitating Mr. Hitchcock's manner, incorporating it into their management style. I suspect that they watch old Hitchcock intros then run to the mirror to see how close they can come to duplicating the look.

Now Trump's secret is out. I can't believe I am the first to realize the influence behind the man and the show. Just goes to show the power of meditation, daydream, and living half in one dimension and half in another.

Movie Review: Midnight in Paris

2012-01-16T20:45:00.000-08:00

Say what you will about Woody Allen, he can write a script and make a movie. Fortunately, I am not overly familiar with his affairs. From what I understand he kept it in the family, so there you have at least some version of family values. I prefer that to elites visiting Castro and Chavez then coming back praising them as geniuses and great men while wearing a Che T shirt. For all I know Woody did that when I wasn't looking.

That aside, I liked this flick, partly because I am an Owen Wilson fan and identified with his character in this movie. No good outward reason to do so, I just did. That happens sometimes.

The concept is great and they carry it off in a way that is never boring. It is one of those movies that you hope won't end. The humor is good, and it is a good escape. A clever film, I'd say.

So, if you are thinking to yourself, "Should I rent one of the Jackass movies or Midnight in Paris", I heartily recommend the latter, unless you are a fan of Jackass movies, in which case I suggest you get yourself a six shooter, load every other chamber, and in the privacy of your own home, with no children present, play Russian roulette with your pals prior to watching whatever movie you rent. You'll probably be tempted to film yourselves in hopes of one day marketing your own jackass movie. I torn between encouraging that or not.

Taming The Spice

2012-01-14T23:17:00.000-08:00

First, I have decided I am a good catch because I cook the best two or three things, sandwich, omelet, Mexican extravaganza of anyone on the planet, as far as I know. I admit that the spices friends have encouraged me to test have made all the difference.

Really. You don't need a big spice rack. All you need is pepper, the good salt, Howling Wolf, Richard's Delicious Seasoning, and Pimenton de la Vera. Deciding which of the last 3 items to use depends upon mood at the time as much as what is being cooked.

Once again, I ate no breakfast, and not much lunch, so it seemed a perfect time for a breakfast extravaganza for supper. A 10 pm delight. This was a perfect chance to test the La Chinata Pimenton de la Vera. Need I say every time that the accent is over the O? Thought not.

Having been around the block a time or two, I knew not to gob this stuff on top of things. I put a wee mite and a half into the omelet mix--extra large eggs, finely chopped spinach, a dab of sour cream, and a trickle and three quarters of half and half.

Hash browns on the side with a vegetarian's version of bacon. I like those pictures of bacon that Morningstar farms sells. Sue me, give me lectures about why not just kill a pig? I don't care.

So La Chinata smoked, smoking hot paprika was cooked in, and I used it sparingly. Worked as if I knew what I was doing. I dare you to make me a better omelet. Oh it had plenty of extra sharp cheddar as well. The one you make me can have feta cheese and such. Spend a fortune if you have it.

Next I will test it on some sort of bean bonanza Mexican edible pinata---it's the n with the tilde not the other one---surprise.

What people do, other than become grossly obese, if they have more spices, I do not know. You'd want to eat way more than is recommended by federal and state agencies, and their wives. The grocery bill for buying stuff to cook with the seasonings would be enough to keep you in recapped tires for a year.

What I don't get is why so many eateries out there have no clue when it comes to preparing good food. Maybe they get carried away with variety. People do that. They eat slugs, squid and things that only the sophisticated and ambitiously elite would bother ingesting. But it is still a badge of class to do so. They eat worms off of fine china, therefore they are way the hell ahead of me.

I think the weird things eaten around the world is probably a secret contributor to war and religious fanaticism. Not that I care, or would care if the worm chefs would also fix something I find edible without having it all mixed up with worm bits because they arrogantly refuse to clean the cooking surface. Easy to see why I avoid places many people love. It is just not fun. And to think, I helped catch the fish the gang down in Florida ate one night for supper. See? It isn't that I would not help others get what they want. But turnabout in the marketplace does not work in my favor.

That could be because many vegetarians who adopted the habit for reasons that don't fit me tend to try to make everyone do what they do, and even claim to be helping save the planet, whatever that is supposed to mean. I am not of that group. As a matter of fact, I think they are part of the planet's problem, like all people who go around trying to force others to change when it is not their business.

In Praise of Sour Cream

2012-01-13T20:58:00.000-08:00

Let's say you discover a package in your PO box and when you open it you discover it is something called pimenton de la vera--accent mark on the O. You are quite happy you waited until you returned home to explore further.

Oh, a new seasoning, you think to yourself. You also think, I hope people don't imagine that they have to send me something just because I sent some of Richard's their way. Even so, it is a thrill to get packages in the mail.

On this outing I actually had two packages. One, which is unrelated to sour cream, was a gigantic candy cane from a factory in Scribblerville New England. It is remarkably artful and I've even seen pictures there on Scribbler's blog showing it being made. This is going to last me a little while. Well, maybe not too long.

Mmm mmm, the people at Tucks Candies, famous since 1929 -and rightly so, know how to make a candy cane like none I've ever seen or tasted. You think you will bust teeth to look at it, but just a gentle bite and you have a delightful mix of flavors like no candy cane ever. It is crunchy but not a jaw breaker. It has a little mint and maybe a little licorice, not sure, but it is great.

Here is the chief elf making my candy cane. I stole the pic from Scribbler who was conducting industrial espionage at the candy factory for the Grinch, I think. Or possibly for some secret TSA mission.

Excuse me while I take another nibble.

OK, so I get home and decide to check out the little tin my food (and other things) snob friend picked up in Spain. I mean "snob" in the most complimentary sense of the word. The woman is a friggin genius so she has reason, sometimes, for this eccentricity.

La Chinata is the brand, I think. My spanish works in Mexico, but not so much in Espana. (little thing over the n). I don't need to look up what Pimenton (accent over the O) de la Vera means. It means you've just been french kissed by El Diablo while he was in a very hot rage. I did not know this before I explored this spice.
So, once I got the tin opened--I like things in tins with the circle shaped cap--I thought I'd just dip my finger in and sample a pinch. Mostly it did not stick to my finger so I unsanitarily touched my finger to my tongue then poked it in the container. Then I licked my finger.

Holy smoke! I only ingested a bare few thousandths of half a gram, I swear. I mean like the equivalent of about four grains of the good salt. Instantly my sinuses cleared, my brain unfogged and steam gently exited through my ears and eyes. If you have family members who have trouble waking up when you need to get them going, just dab a miniscule bit of this Devil's kiss on your finger and stick it in their snoozy little mouths. Then run.

Fortunately I have some sour cream on hand. It is a great soother when dealing with hot peppers and such. I dug my finger in that and stuck a nice dollop on my tongue. No time for fancy spoons and formalities. The cool thing is I could feel the flavor and heat even after that, but it wasn't hot in the way that burns your tongue, even though it was as potent as could be, and the effect that lasted was quite pleasant.

I will experiment with this in my ever evolving quest for non carnivore hermit dishes of incredible tastiness and artful display. I may even share such delights with wild-women, should they happen by, when the mood strikes. Or not.

I would say that one could use this french kiss of the devil regularly and not go through this 70 grams in five years. Maybe even ten. It does not appear to take much.

Another interesting thing is that it tends to do something to the palate that clarifies and enhances the flavor of a candy cane made by Tuck's. You eat the candy a few minutes later, although mixing the two at one go could be an interesting event. And Tuck's candy canes go well with popcorn made as it is best done--on the stove top.

I fear, if not for the sour cream, my tender senses may have run amok. As it was, the whole experience was enjoyable and leaves me eager to create some sort of Mexican tortilla extravaganza or another remarkable breakfast creation which you just can't get these days.

It certainly was nice of these crazy people to send such delights. I've never had the likes of either item. Quite dissimilar except that both fall in the food category, and both are extraordinarily high quality items. So, if you are in a quandary about what to get a non carnivore in the way of edible things, Tuck's candy and cattleprod-in-a-can from Spain.

This thing is going quicker than I had planned. I have to save some to go with espresso in the morning.

+++++Wait a minute!!! I investigated and it says this spice is smoked paprika!! Well my taste was kind of hottt, and now I'm confused. So, assuming it is all the fault of me being an ignorant non-carnivore, and maybe it is smoky and not hot, I just had to repeat the taste test. IT IS HOT! But I do now taste the smoky part and it is amazing. Thank God for sour cream, again.

Open Mic in Santee

2012-01-13T15:43:00.000-08:00

Normally I'd be on the other side because I like to be able to see the guitar player's chord hand, but in these things you just kind of end up where you end up and don't waste time worrying with it.

Open mic at the coffee house/deli is not like open jams of the good old days. Mostly it is a little gathering of old codgers who socialize and like to play. They get up on stage, play and sing old folk songs, mostly, and then the next one gets up to do it.
There was a group consisting of three very dissimilar people who had something special.

The oldest guy, maybe 60ish played a big drum--one of those African things I think, kind of a tall drum. --, another guy, maybe 40ish, played a bass acoustic guitar, and the third guy, a Mexican looking guy about 25 played electric through a tiny VOX amp.
They were great, with an unusual sense of dynamics, how to make less be more. Total class, and great vocals.

Enough about them. Cliff, the other guitar player up on the hill--the one who has been around this area forever, and is quite the p[layer songwriter, and I played a few tunes.

The troube with open mic like this is that they can only let people play 15 minutes or they can't give everyone a shot. By the time we quit, I felt like I was yet to settle in. We only did three tunes--maybe 10 minutes. Since neither of us could see the time, Cliff figured don't risk being rude. Half the place knows him and wouldn't mind but it is good to be considerate.
However, it is like a tease situation. Kiss but don't touch.

Even so, it was worth doing. It gets a little notice and notoriety.

Tavernier Sort Of

2012-01-12T15:10:00.000-08:00

I did not bring much in the way of photo recording devices so these few pics snatched from borrowed phone of intelligence will have to do.
One includes front of my car as proof that I was there. It is as much to affirm to myself that I didn't just imagine it as it is for any other purpose. I often wonder if I am in the real world or living in fantasy while actually languishing somewhere in a coma, or comma for that matter.

Ballistic Auto Tech Guide; part 1112012-the turn signal

2012-01-12T00:11:00.000-08:00

Anyone who has bought a car, new or used, in the last fifty years probably has a vehicle which includes the turn signal option. They are standard on most street ready vehicles, or the original owner opted in on the popular turn signal and window option. The manufacturer generally ties in the option of having windows and windshield with directional signals.

If you are unsure, take a look behind the steering wheel to see if there are one or more sticks protruding from the steering column. I'm assuming here that the vehicle has a steering wheel of some kind.

Go ahead and start the car. Then move the lever up or down and see if a little indicator light blinks there by the speedometer. If this motion makes windshield wipers move, then look for another stick and try it. If you are still in doubt, move the stick to the up or down position, then step outside the vehicle and examine the front and back region where the lights reside to see if any of them are pulsing on and off. If so, then your car does indeed have this option. You may have to fool around with the stalks sticking out from the steering column until by trial and error you figure out what's what. Of course, I am guessing your vehicle came with lights in the front and rear.

Assuming it does, then it is wise to familiarize yourself with their use. Once you get it down, you will feel smug knowing that you are way ahead of 35% of the drivers in many parts of the country in this bit of automobile knowledge.

The use of the pulsing light--be sure to make the ones on the left pulse if you are changing course to the left, and the ones on the right when moving to the right--is most effective if you initiate such action prior to actually turning or changing lanes. It doesn't do that much good if you wait until you are turning or in the middle of the lane change to use the indicators. By that time people already know where you are going and can't do anything about it.

This item is also appropriately used if you are exiting a parking lot onto a thoroughfare. That way someone a hundred feet over entering the thoroughfare from the opposite side knows if you are likely to turn into him should the two of you choose to turn in a direction which puts you heading toward one another.

There are more situations than one might think in which the prudent use of the turn signal, in advance of changing course, can enable others to more safely navigate and plan for the future in such a manner that no one collides.

I realize this may sound like overkill to many drivers across the country, particularly among the sporty wannabe and gansta crowd, but studies will show that it is not. Actually a small period observing traffic should be enough to convince even the dimmest of wits.

Surprisingly, the habitual use of this undersung, underused piece of optional equipment is equally advisable for those driving colossal SUVs and pick up trucks of any size. I know, if you have a pick up that stands ten feet above the road, you think, why bother. But, again, careful study and analysis clearly points to the value of that extra effort to move the little lever in the proper direction, in advance of your change of direction.

I've spent many hours pondering why this silly automotive device is useful, and finally I came up with the answer. The reason one should operate the turn signal device whenever anyone else is around is because at least 85% of the population is unable to read minds, hence they are unlikely to pick up on your plans for the near future. The other 15% are generally busy reading the minds of others, so they, too, are unaware of what you are thinking at a given moment.

We'll cover lights another time, but for now, if it is dark, foggy or raining, turn them completely on. Not halfway because it is only half dark or a little rainy. Full on, or full off when the sled is moving. And, surprisingly, you can and should use turn signals as described, even if your lights are on. Incredible as that may sound.

I hope this public service bulletin proves helpful.

The Eye Nazi

2012-01-09T20:40:00.000-08:00

There have been a few peculiarities in my ocular world for a couple of weeks or more. I was pretty sure it was not serious, but it seemed wise to consult professionals rather than guess, considering they had done some internal welding with lasers.

As it turns out, nothing is amiss, and some of the occurrences are normal or caused by external factors of unknown type and character.

Obtaining audience with such a professional was a peculiar journey. First I call and describe, to the best of my ability, what I am experiencing. Like the honey badger, the phone lady don't care. She'll have a tech call me back.

An hour or so later, a tech calls back; the eye nazi from a bad Chinese restaurant.

"You have flashing lights? YES OR NO!?" "So, it just bubble in eye!".

No, not a bubble, like suds look but two dimensional in peripheral vision, sometimes, etc.

"You have bubble? YES OR NO!? "
"What about light flash? YES!? NO?!"

Uh, well, I, uh.... The eye nazi has me on the ropes. I forgot what my problem was. She's getting pissed now and asking questions faster and louder.

I start just telling her what she wants to hear.

Yes. Lights flashing sometimes, and a big bubble come over eye.

"OK, we call Dr asdfkhasdfakh, you doctor out sick."

Maybe I should wait for my doctor.

HE SICK. DON'T KNOW WHEN HE COME BACK. WE CALL DR KJHLGHLHLKJ, AND IF HE WANT YOU IN TODAY CAN YOU GO DOWNTOWN NOW?! YES?! NO!?

OK.

A few hours later the other guy's office calls up. I was expecting some sort of punishment but they tricked me by being nice and seemed to know what I was saying--whatever that was.

As it turned out, the tech I knew and liked had been promoted to lead tech and as such was transfered to the downtown facility, and he's the one I drew by stroke of fate. His first day on new job, and I was his first patient. Definitely an A team sort of guy. That was reassuring, and all went well after that. Dr kshdfgkjhsd turned out to be rather sharp and probably did not get his degree by cheating.

If I go back to the other office in the future and draw the eye nazi, I fear she may poke my eye out if I don't say the right thing.

The sick part is, I started imagining what her love life must be like. "YOU DONE OR WHAT? YES OR NO!!," and many variations on that theme. Now that I think of it, the juxtaposition of this thought with "poke your eye out" kind of takes it to another dimension entirely.

OK. I quit while I can. It's been a swell visit, now I get out.

Questions I ask Myself; part 192012

2012-01-09T20:06:00.000-08:00

Having skipped breakfast, I opted to have breakfast for dinner. After a couple of bites into the meal, I humbly asked myself, "What is your secret? I've never had better omelets and such anywhere else on earth, you, sir are a genius!"

"Aw shucks", myself replied, "I guess I'll tell you the secret; Richard's Delicious seasoning, and clever use of sour cream in the omelet goo, as well as spinach."

"Where can I get this Richard's Delicious seasoning?"

Myself, refused to say more than that you can get it in North Carolina, and that a full blooded Carnivore* is the one who introduced him to this unique mix.

This past Christmas I passed out a few bottles of the substance to carnivores around the country. It is hard to be taken seriously in such culinary circles when you are a vegetarian, yet you tell them to cook it into meat, fish and fowl. They are sure I have no hope of enriching their cuisine.

Fortunately a few people tried it more than once with favorable results. Down in the Florida keys my sister in law was feeding several people. OK. My brother helped some. One night they grilled roast beast burgers of some kind out on the gas grill. They tried the seasoning on that. It must have been good because I found out that she used Richard's Delicious seasoning in the cooking of the Christmas turkey which was heartily devoured by all save for myself.

Food things can often be like women's clothing---you can make some choices, if you buy clothes to give women, that in no way work out for the recipient. Seasoning is much cheaper and easier to hide so it doesn't really put people so much on the spot. Like if someone dropped off a lovely squid dinner, I'd immediately regift it or go driving down the hill and throw it off the side of the road somewhere. Fortunately no one would expect me to wear it.

I guess I doled out the Richard's because no one would expect it of me, and because I like it. They should all be on notice that if they don't care for it, I will gladly take the unused portion off their hands with no hard feelings.

It doesn't hurt my bias that I spoke to the people who make this stuff and I like them and the way they do business. I may become a traveling seasoning salesman selling Richard's delicious products. I'd only have to sell thousands and thousands of units to make it pay for the travel.

I should ask myself if this is a viable plan. Anyone who can create such an incredible breakfast for dinner would probably know.

* If I don't give Joel credit by name, he's liable to sue or put out a hit on me, so here it is.

Sometimes

2012-01-05T21:08:00.000-08:00

..I love all of humanity, and that includes huwomanity. (for those in public school and the universal noun and pronoun challenged)
Sometimes, I hate them all. I know I really don't hate them all, but it is easier than assessing my many failures in life and my interactions with others allegedly of my species. I'd blame them for the wringer my heart has gone through for decades, but I guess it is m own doing. I'd much rather blame and hate. That is so much easier than looking at the truth.

What can you do? In spite of never being "home"--not sure when or where ever felt solidly like home--some people seem to appreciate what little I offer, while respecting my autonomy, boundaries, etc. Boundaries, autonomy, where one's rights end and begin are all totally foreign concepts to some people. I do not think such people are capable of understanding or embracing that sort of respect. Being an optimist, I place that group in the minority of Americans. Otherwise the whole country would be far more tilted toward unsavory pathologies than it is. Not a pretty thought.

It comes down to the simple truth that you cannot blame others for your choices.

Back In The Land of Fruits and Nuts

2012-01-04T20:55:00.000-08:00

My abode is not as mess as I thought. That was a pleasant surprise.

As much as it is nice to be home, I hate for the journey to end. I could keep cruising around from place to place, trying to catch the motel scammers in lies, visiting friends and checking out new out of the way places indefinitely. I like being in travel mode.

I'd like to go around conducting clinics on proper lane usage, following distance, the wisdom of turning on lights, not just parking lights, in fog and rain, how it won't kill you to move over to let someone merge or so a car isn't blocked in so he has to stop for a slow moving tractor, etc. Then again, some people, like those rednecks in Phoenix in the big new red Dodge truck actually enjoy making travel tough for others. They actually smiled as they went out of their way to inhibit a lane change by more than one driver. My seminar might give them more ideas on how to screw up the world.

Kudos to Texas for the 80 mph stretch on I-10 in West Texas. And for being better suited to motor vehicle operation as a group than are Arizonians. Maybe it is the tricky approach the cops take in AZ, I don't know, but on the road they are kind of rude and angry. I think it partly the universal tendency of third word transplants to be clueless when it comes to basic rules of the road, lane usage and the idea that the objective is to get from point A to point B without incident, and in a timely fashion.

It was pretty much smooth going. I forgot where it was that people would race up like they wanted to pass then just hang in the blind spot. Maybe NM and maybe AZ. It was very odd. I entertain myself by mentally chronically trends in driver behavior, and by finding common denominators, such as car type, person type, state of license plate, etc. Like most issues, the raw data and the results would only make trouble for the one reporting it.

Overall, the highways were not very angry this past week.

I cannot over emphasize the time saving properties of empty coffee cans, with lids and a secure place to stow, easily accessible while driving. Cruise control is a big help in exploiting the potential of the empty Bustelo can.

Somewhere In The South

2012-01-01T17:28:00.000-08:00

The empty place at the table is Fin. He was taking pictures while I asked Bethany what was Italian for "food I like". My two favorite cuisines are Mexican and Italian. I left there stuffed. Thanks Fin.
This is located in a very cool town that is kind of out of the way but near a splendid natural resource. One of those places I'll keep in mind, like Ponca City Oklahoma, except Ponca's natural resource fun place is not nearly as abundant.

(that was a good choice of camera angle, looking sort of down on the scene. Both of my hosts are unusually talented in various ways. You'd be amazed at some of the things around that house that Bethany has created; from photos to functional additions to the house itself. Not a room addition, although I wouldn't rule that out)

Another Good Tour

2011-12-31T16:52:00.000-08:00

Slow connection and tiredness prevent me from going into detail. I am in TX taking the fast way home, so I won't be stopping in Dallas. I need to return a little quicker, and this is taking awhile.

I was able to rest and have a thoroughly good visit with Fin and Bethany. It is a very pleasant place, away from the hectic city life, but close to a very cool town. That's all I am permitted to say regarding the location.

Bethany is expert at many things, one of them having. a knack for anticipating a guest's needs before they arrive. You just find this and that right there when you need it. I even had a choice of places to dwell--one was an rv which is very comfortable. I chose that since it was a new experience, and so much preparation had gone into making it a splendid resort accommodation. I would have moved in until evicted had I not felt the need to get home.

We had a good time; night time walks around the 'hood to check out the holiday decorations, and to walk Copper the wonder dog, great dinner in the cool town, Bethany's fresh blueberry pancakes, Fin's professional keyboard playing, and more.

Copper is allegedly a purebred breed of some kind, but he appears to be the only specimen of whatever breed he is. Basset hound is what I think the papers say, but he's more like a basset hound on stilts with a bit of alien thrown in. He's something else. I love the fact that he rarely barks (mostly if he sees a rabbit--rabbits to him are more alluring than crack is to a crack addict), but instead he just kind of grumbles under his breath in response to what's going on. He is quite a character. I've never known or seen a similar canine in appearance or behavior.

That is one cool dog.

Better go and hope this connection will handle posting this.

Happy New Year!

I'm very happy to be out and away from any of the New Year's hooplah

S Fla.

2011-12-23T12:12:00.000-08:00

Here I am in Tavernier. Got here at midday to be greeted by the signature low lying puffy cumulus clouds and sunshine. 80 degrees and a gentle breeze. The water out in Florida bay has some definite greenish turquoise hue to it. I can see that from the living room and deck here at my brother's place. It has more of that turquoise color than I remember.

It changes, depending upon the light and other factors. Lots that azure color of water in the Caribbean and off of South Florida. It is pretty nice. Earlier today, as I was driving in, I was thinking that I have no use for Florida whatsoever. But then I got to Key Largo and before I was half way through that island I began to soften on the issue.

That's the end of my story.

Driving Tips /Unashamedly Racist Motel Review

2011-12-22T19:45:00.000-08:00

Let me get the review out of the way.

First I should say that I have worked with many people from India and some are great while others are the kind of people ou want to run out of town--much like any other ethnic group. I consider white people an ethnic group as well, even though the definition of "ethnic" has come to mean all those not of european decent.

The Indians previously mentioned--the group that ought to go away--seem to buy up motels like crazy. Only one in two hundred fifty nice ones go into the hospitality business. Especially in the south. Please note, however that the Mr. Patel who runs a motel in Ponca City is not only hospitable and friendly, but he also maintains the place in tip top condition, does not pretend he "already gave you" the senior discount, AAA discount or other discounts advertised, when quoting a price without knowing if you are senior or have the AAA card.

The bad people do all of those things. They give you the rate, then you say you have AAA, if it is advertised, or you ask what age is considered senior. Then they say, "Oh, I already discounted it. The normal rate is 5 or 10 dollars more". Liars. And they are so cheap they set hot water temperature at roughly 98 degrees F.

Those people give foreigners from that part of the world a bad name. They cut every possible corner then wonder why people don't flock to their unkempt hovels. They soley prey upon the poor and ignorant, like me. I bite my thumb at them!

On the driving front, if it is raining cats and dogs, foggy and overcast, and you can hardly see two feet in front of you, turn on your lights! It may not help you see, but it goes a long way toward helping others see you. And don't do the parking lights routine. That is not for driving. It has been shown that for some reason you cannot judge the distance of parking lights on the front of a car as well as headlights.

Besides, when trucks kick up massive mist, or it is just foggy and rainy, headlights are a lot easier to see. If you have to be told to turn on your lights in the rain, and that it is so people can see you, you probably should just stay home and give your car to a veterans' organization.

Finally in Florida, toward the upper part. I cannot wait to get to the Keys. You can have the rest of this place. And after that I can't wait to get back across the Mississippi. It is nothing but traffic in the east.

I'm really being tough on the place. I'm sure it is only being overly tired that makes me this way. Memphis can do that do you all by itself. Except my friend's restaurant and a few things. The town just doesn't agree with me. Something about the mojo or vibe or joojoo or something.

I know I stepped over the line with the motel review, but you tell me you do not know what I'm talking about and that you do not feel relief when the inn keeper is more ethnically American. Any race or nationality can be that. It is a way of doing things, not a racial imperative. Oh hell. If you of are a certain mindset you would never get this anyway. Just telling the truth.

It poured rain all day from to the bottom of Alabama and Georgia. Part of the time I was in a tornado warning area, part of the time tornado watch, the rest just sheets of rain slapping everything around.

No Jams Strange Days

2011-12-21T22:12:00.000-08:00

No use going into it but it was a day like that.
Anyway the jam just didn't work out on any level. People have lives and some have more drama than others. Often one can get sucked into the aftermath of such things, carting people to and fro, carrying Christmas trees on your car against your will.

Out of here. Soon. Not soon enough.

Memphis and Restaurant Review

2011-12-21T10:24:00.000-08:00

G1, for various reasons will not be able to jam tonight.

Last night I was able to get by his very nice house for the amp exchange. One pristine Mesa Boogie Blue Angel amp with 4 10 inch speakers in the cab--it is all one unit --for a 1966 vintage Fender Bassman amp with a Mesa speaker cab with one 12 inch speaker. Speaker cord and amp cover included. For some reason the bassman lends itself better to the harp, although I did like the Blue Angel.

But what a bear that Mesa was to load and unload in my car. Since it was one big unit, maneuvering it to fit in was a task. The new rig is two smaller, lighter units, and much easier to carry.

It looks like no electric jam tonight but probably a little acoustic get together with the bass player and his friends at his house, in the back yard by a big fire pit.

This brings me to the restaurant review. Bass player and his lovely wife bought a building in the artsy Cooper-Young district in Memphis. They converted into the coolest restaurant in the area. For whatever reason, they only serve breakfast and lunch, but they do cater night time parties and group events on site at night.

I had breakfast there this morning and was caught by surprise in every respect. The place is immediately comfortable and hospitable. It is hip without the usual over the top stuff usually done around here to announce that the place is chic. Those places end up being uncomfortable except to the special regular crowd of posers.

Stone Soup--the name of this establishment--is extraordinary in that it is ultra clean, very relaxed and has the sharpest, most competent staff I've seen just about anywhere.

All the bread and biscuits are made on site from scratch. If you know Memphis, the lady who used to own Buns On The Run now works at Stone. My tour included the kitchen which looks like the kind you see on those chef shows, except it may be cleaner.

The called it "oats" on the menu. I call it oat meal, and it was the best I have ever had; served with a side dish of raisons and one of brown sugar so you can doctor it up how you wish. Eggs cooked perfectly, in butter, I think. Something made them better. The biscuit was good enough that you could eat it without butter or anything and not complain, although I added butter because I could. I sampled the toast that was a slice about 2 inches thick, at least, and it was also good enough without adding a thing. They make great bread.

Another clue for me about a place is how they handle the simple task of cooking potatoes. It is surprising how most eateries struggle with that while pretending they are doing a good job. M hashbrowns were neither greasy nor undercooked. Not overcooked. I don't knw what they do but it comes out just right. Usually you have to pie on pepper or salt or something to make them edible. Like the bread, the hash browns are great as is.

Most of the time, places cook potatoes on whatever was used to cook greasy meat things and you can tell it. Here they don't tend to have that bleed over from one item to the next.

All I can say is that whether you are carnivore r not, this is THE place in Memphis for lunch and breakfast. Most likely they wil grow into a dinner joint, too.

Since breakfast and lunch are my favorites, I guess a place like this suits me better than most. If you are in Memphis, try it you will like it. Just south of Cafe Ole on Cooper.

Fighting Climate Change

2011-12-19T20:17:00.000-08:00

Another early start today because I heard that high winds and probable blizzard conditions would hit Amarillo and part of Oklahoma starting at noon. So, I left very early before the sun was up--but I did not see the sun all day, so who knows.

Leaving the Albuquerque area, it looked hopeless. Snow and sleet was blowing so it was coming at me in a straight line rather than down like it is supposed to. It was foggy and cold as well.

I guess the trucks with salt or whatever they put on the road had been there just ahead of me on 40. I saw different ones taking exits in front of me. I think they even plowed a place or two.

It was a little dicey but fun. After awhile the winter stuff gave way to constant rain. It was like that all the way to Arakansas, with a ceiling of maybe 150 feet. Really. I passed a couple of those modern windmills--the stuff of windfarms and bird death--and you could not see the top blade for the clouds. It was a day of low visibility but since people in this part of the country are nuts I drove 70 to 80 miles per hour anyway, most of the time.

Too tired to comment much on the points of interest, but couldn't see too many of them. It made for a great ride. No time to get bored. I guess I like this sort of thing. I believe I covered more miles than yesterday, and as it proves out, it may be that gps lady did not lead me too far astray. Yesterdays scenery was well worth the mystery of where I was or whether I'd ever again see civilization. Highway 60 is a trip worth taking in AZ and part of New Mex.

The radio was saying not to travel or go out if you didn't have to. Once I got close to Amarillo, I was ahead of things enough that the rain quit changing to sleet and snow and the temp was above freezing so the threat of ice was no concern. Just wind and water and driving blind.

They were right, these Pirelli tires are good in wet weather. The time and miles flew by. I must have been in another dimension. I was never sleepy so I don't think I napped. But where did the time go? Must be true that it flies when you are having fun.

Only 200 and some miles to Memphis. Over 750 miles today. That is not a thing I would have planned or promised. So I arrive a day early.

My car is cleaner and shinier than it has been ever. Driving fast in hours and hours of rain will do wonders.

That's how you fight climate change--you haul ass down the road to a place where it is less threatening to your plans.

PS: by the way, I don't care if you think the globe is warming or going into an ice age--you are not going to change it, and I am highy skeptical of the notion that you or any other human has caused it. Whatever It is.
I know, what about the polar bears? So, where were you when T-Rex bit the dust? Huh? How about the buggy whip?

Me Not Sure GPS Lady Not Crazy

2011-12-18T20:55:00.000-08:00

So, I somehow left the atlas at home. I had a couple of google directions for different routes printed out but decided to trust the gps lady.

She took me through Tonto national wonderland or whatever it is called. Now I see a short jaunt up 77 would have hit I40, or Thee forty, if you prefer.

By the time I finally got to 40 I was talking like Tonto and ready to do something Tonto-ish. I don't know what that means.

It is possible I lost no time. I can't tell. I know I covered almost 750 miles today, and averaged a decent speed. I did not stop much, and when I did, it was not for long. My eyes complained, but held out until I found lodging that wasn't part of a casino emporium. Tonto no throw hard earned wampum in one arm bandit's mouth. Bad medicine. Tonto want to cut out him guts when bandit take money, give Tonto nothing.

One thing I will say, highway 60 is not short on really great scenery. Lots of snow covered mountainous canyon stuff. Snow covered plateaus, and platitudes.

I have no idea if I forgot something important when I left this morning. I do have the big amp that I am trading, some clothes, and a few other things. No tent. Too cold for that. I'm set if I need to make the car a short term dwelling though.

Remind me to raise hell with Subaru of El Cajon when I get back. It appears Gus, the mechanic, only replaced the top radiator hose, but I paid for top and bottom. The lower one is harder to see and I think he didn't do it. They always replace the factory crimp clamps with screw strap hose clamps. Ain't there on bottom hose.

I know they gave it to Gus because I heard the service writer say, I'm giving this one to Gus, pull it in his den of iniquity.

It'll be OK for now. But, I will insist they find a way to prove to me certain other items were done, which you can't tell from outside looking in. If I do this right, it could be a very good leverage item. I do not think this is standard fare for the other guys. Gus, however, is on my list and if it costs him his job, he would deserve it. It is all in writing what was requested and what he claims he did.

I am not one to go for firing people, but I have zero tolerance for intentional liars and thieves.

OK

Trying to beat it through Amarillo tomorrow before the snow hits.

Now that I revisit the maps site and add up the miles, I think Ms GPS Lady may have run me about 35 or 40 miles farther than need be. I refuse to believe it could be an more than that. Still, it may have cost time. I need that wire that hooks it up online to update her attitude and knowledge of modern roads. But this was by far the better way for less traffic, often 10 miles or more with absolutely no traffic, and for the better view.

The Spirit Hits

2011-12-16T22:12:00.000-08:00

I'm almost in the mood to do backflips down the aisle of the Holy Roller Tabernacle Church of Imbalanced Sinners and Saints. The hope of seeing all the clan down in the FL keys, and some old friends along the way has finally sparked a bit of cheer in my heart.

I've accepted the fact that I won't get my house cleaned and spotless and totally uncluttered before I leave. I won't do the backlog of laundry--I'll be bringing the dirty clothes with me. There will be laundry facilities wherever I stay in Memphis, and in Tavernier.

I remembered to retrieve my Audix Fireball mic from my pal K, who owns the PA and practice place Copper Creek uses. I just leave the mic there most of the time.

This way, I can better experience the new amp when the trade is made in memphis, and I'll be set if a jam with the guys is possible. I know the bass player and drummer are up for it but G1, living a complicated life, may find it difficult to work in. Hopefully we'll all be able to play. He sounded really good last time, and as much as I have groused about him at times, it is not the same without him. I guess absence does sometimes make the heart grow fonder, even with cantankerous friends. Which of us that applies to probably depends upon the day in question.

Like Joel. Now there is a cranky dude. Yet, bright as he is, he would put that tag on me. Go figure. Another musician who plays stringed instruments, as well as little harp in days past. I figure it is a guitar thing--they just can't see that I am always right, and that my ego is justified, whereas their egos tend to cloud their world view.

Excitement is something I try to cultivate when I can. Age can make your outlook so dulled that you scoff at excitement and wonder. I think that is not the way to maintain vitality. I know I am less prone to feel those things than I once was, but I like to embrace awe and excitement when I can. It probably triggers some good brain chemistry.

When it comes down to it, I like this season. I'm all peace on earth, good will toward men, and especially, of course, toward women and wimmins. Not so much toward those who screwed up the language by taking universal pronouns absurdly personal. And maybe not toward those who continue to paste laff tracks in shows that have the potential of being OK on their own.

Maybe the eye scare has made me appreciate what I have a little bit more, and want to waste slightly less time than I do.

The Tourmobile is all set and ready to roll. I do like that car. When I get rich, I'l still probably drive that car or something Subaru. And maybe a Toyota FJ. It is FJ, isn't it? Well it is two letters of some kind.

The wind here is horrendous, so it looks like I'll have a hell of a head wind to start, unless it lets up soon.

Eye eye, Matey

2011-12-15T21:12:00.000-08:00

So, Dr Pokeye says I passed the thumb in the eye test with flying colors and can resume normal activity. I didn't think to ask what is normal activity, but I did ask if there was any reason not to embark on a ballistic tour. He pretty much said to have at it, so I will.

Memphis friends expect me there on the 21st. It seems prudent to depart California sometime before that date.

It took being told that I've healed up splendidly for me to now feel like I am in trip mode. I consider myself fortunate in more than one way. They caught the eyes anomaly quick so they could fix it. I was able to pay them, although they would have worked just about any terms I could handle. And I was able to get the car maintenance up to date and find a way to take off down the road. I realize that the freedom and ability to take advantage of it are lucky things.

You never know what lies ahead, but for this moment, life is good enough. Some aspects of my existence to tend to confuse me a little but I probably should chalk that up to immaturity and being very slow to forget the sting some circumstances can bring. I'm like a guy who got burned by the stove so now I am overly cautious to the point that I am afraid to cook. Worse things befall people.

I wonder what I'll do when I get back. It doesn't seem like the status quo will be acceptable, or is acceptable, any more. When I consider the possibility that it may be as strange to be anyone else as it is to be me, I wonder how the world has managed to survive as well as it has. It certainly explains all the occupy activity, the political tangles, and other nonsense that hear about on the street. Those people just find it strange as hell to be alive and don't know what else to make of it.

Some people I know seem pretty content in a way that gives the impression that they do not find it strange to be who they are. This may take further study. Not sure how to measure it in the way I think of it. You can't really take their word for it because you'll get whiners and those who think we are talking victimization. Then they'll compete and the study will be totally bogus.

Clearly I need about a billion dollar grant to do this thing properly.

The Shining Gets a Laugh Track

2011-12-14T17:31:00.000-08:00

This just goes to show how influential a laff trak can be. Here we see how a horror/psychopathic killer can easily be mistaken for a clip from a sitcom.
Now, I would watch this kind of show with a laff track, but in general, if a show has canned laughter, I skip it.

If something was written as a comedy and can't stand on its own without telling me when to laugh, then the producers either have no faith in the material, or they assume the target audience is a bunch of morons who won't know how to react.

Many shows cue you to laugh at things that really aren't very funny. It conditions people to think like shallow Hollywood trash balls who think bratty disrespectful kids and adults are the stuff of humor. There are too many of those in real life for it to have much worthy of laughter in slapping their smarmy faces on the screen.

The end.

Snakedocs

2011-12-14T16:51:00.000-08:00

My old band, the Memphis Snake Doctors (snake doctor is a dragon fly--country slang) now have a new site: http://www.memphissnakedoctors.com . They used my graphics from the Sun Studio CD, and the MP3's are ones I recorded with them.

The tough part is seeing some of the venues they've played since my departure which I would have loved to play. Can't have it all. I am vain enough that I always hope they miss me. They said they did when I was in Memphis last summer and we had a little jam session.

Looks like I'll be there again next week, provided I get the all clear from Dr Pokeye tomorrow. I doubt there will be a chance to jam, but maybe there will be. I hope so. At an rate I plan to leave with the amp I used at that jam. I'm trading a very nice Mesa Boogie Blue Angel for it. G1 sold it to me at a bargain, and now I'm trading it back to him for the Bassman rig which is more primo for harp. It should all be OK.

If you go to the site, hit the "about us" link, and there you will find the mp3's you can stream. On Chain of Fools I am there but very much in background, which was appropriate on that song. On the others the harmonica is way more up front. The keyboard guy on Fools was very good. He's played with all kinds of names which I forgot.

I should not be reading and writing much yet. Just thought I'd give them some publicity here in case anyone is curious. And feed my own ego, since the crazy purple dragonfly stuff was what I drew, and the harp on the mp3s being mine warms my heart.

Now I know I am an ego maniac because I find myself wishing they had more pictures of me instead of the new guy, Gary. I'm in one pic which says something about Sun studio. Sad to be so starved for attention. My mountain group, Copper Creek, likes to post pictures of me on their facebook accounts, but I am not very big on FB. I think it is the devil.

Often, gossip which you may prefer not be there gets put out and in my odd life, it can be a bit troublesome at times. Even so, I wouldn't mind if we had more chance to play. Maybe in the coming year we will.

Old Movie Review

2011-12-11T22:25:00.000-08:00

Two movies that I still like even today are El Mariachi and the amped up sequel, Desperado.

The thing about Desperado is I like the music as much as anything. It has that Mexican electric stuff going as well as the acoustic. Killer soundtrack.

So, for a really well done low budget flick, El Mariachi, and for a super surreal, Mexican shoot em up with great music, and Salma Hayek, who was fine as fine can be in ---damned nine is giving trouble again so I have to write it out -nineteen ninety five.

I think I would love to own the Desperado soundtrack. I'm a sucker for that Spanish sound.

Can't Play the Blues

2011-12-11T02:05:00.000-08:00

Must be the time of year. I am finding that being in a situation which requires that I don't play my harmonica music makes me start jonesing for it.

That's just the way it goes. No way I am taking any chances. Sometimes it is smart not to push something. I've probably pushed it a little by reading when I didn't need to and using the computer right now, and a few times working I may have taken a chance or two. Soon as I realize it I back off.

I'm kind of happy at Christmas, so I wouldn't be playing the sad blues anyway. After years of people being trained not to expect anything I don't feel the pressure which depresses a lot of people. And I don't expect anything. It is a good time to appreciate friends, family, and life in the USA. Anything that is a reminder that it is OK to be kind is a good thing.

People who have known me long enough know if I have loose cash, I'll spend it on them, and if not I won't. They never know from year to year what I might do. You don't have to be rich to create a little fun. Besides, a lot of people of means have no wish for more trinkets anyway, so what's with these psychotic shopping events?

And I don't want anyone to feel like they have to give me stuff. It took a long time to figure out that most people do not care about all the gift routine, as far as insisting people give them things. It's a gesture and can be fun. When it is only a trade or some stressful way to prove something the point gets lost.

I can always use some coal, and I think a hickory switch would be cool. That's why I've been as bad as I know how. I was bad other years too but I never got the coal and hickory switch they promised to the bad kids. I don't get it.

So Far, So Good

2011-12-08T20:54:00.000-08:00

Dr Pokeye checked things out and said I'm healing well. He also agrees with me that it is unlikely that my aggressive harmonica playing caused the eye situation.

He did, however, emphasize strongly that I need to avoid too much computer and reading, so I better listen. It shoud be all healed by this time next week. If so, then I guess it is road trip time. If not, plan B.

TV and Tool Reviews

2011-12-07T19:08:00.000-08:00

Due to the fact that I live in the hills, have no cable or satellite, and the TV antenna pulls in two stations at best, none at worst, I get my movies and else on Hulu. There was some series I got so involved with that I paid the few dollars to get the whole thing. Now I forgot what it was. Probably something no one would guess.

So, I decided to check out this series, Once Upon a Time, by the same people who created LOST (picture those letters floating away into space). It is about a town where everyone is a fairy tale figure but doesn't know it. The mayor of the town is the poison apple witch from Snow White. A real jerk lady.

They switch back and forth so you can see what was happening in fairy tale land before the CURSE, which landed them all in Storybrooke, Maine, not knowing that they don't know. It appears that they take a few liberties in spinning the yarn, mingling characters who were in separate tales and such. It is really hilarious and engaging.

Rumpelstiltskin is named Mr Gold in his Storybrooke incarnation. He runs the pawn shop. And the town shrink--psychologist, I guess-is Jiminy Cricket. It goes on from there, but that gives a clue. You know it's good if Rumpelstiltskin is there with his pawn shop.

I must again give kudos to the Milwaukee random orbital sander. That thing has held up through all kinds of use and abuse. Work needed doing today and I am trying to avoid eye stuff, or things that might vibrate like a sander. So, I had help and one guy ran that sander all day. A good item and it wasn't very expensive. Mid to low double digits I think. Anyway, I was happy to see it performing so well.

My help today was superb. These kids never stopped, caught on quick and took initiative. What a relief. No way this work could have been done before my planned trip. I say kids, but they are maybe 19 or 20 or so. The housekeeper's son and his pal. Legal American citizens doing the work the late Ted K claimed we wouldn't do.

And who'd have guessed? The son started taking to me about neutrinos. Oh, you may not recall--Sally does---there was some neutrino talk here awhile back. Anyway, that is not what I expected from young punk California kids. It was very cool to see that they wanted to learn what was what and then worked like crazy until we were done. They didn't even take a lunch break when I took my breakfast break. I brought a breakfast sandwich with me because it was a hectic morning, and didn't hit a stopping point until midday. Those guys just kept trucking.

That age and circumstance may have had the rug pulled out in some ways, but don't think they are all lazy. Not the case.

Shop Review: Mufflers

2011-12-06T21:30:00.000-08:00

So, someone had an issue with a Cherokee muffler. Searching on line, trying to avoid the heart of El cajon--traffic and madness--I found Ed Hanson's muffler shop in Spring Valley, not far from the Target and Edward's inemas (C won't light up) in Rancho San Diego.

Ed has a real deal business, the kind that made America 1st world back in the good old days. A clean, state of the art facility with sober, competent, good natured techs who also possess better than average verbal skills, technical skills, and sense of humor. It was like I'd stumbled into an alternate universe where good enterprises could thrive. Ed and his wife run the office, although Ed also hangs in the shop and does some work when the spirit strikes him. He speaks quite highly of his employees, as if they are the best ever.

They charged my friend $35 for a repair which I would have thought cost much more. No trying to oversell. It was bizarre. Ed's been in the business since he was a kid. His father was in the business. Somehow he has maintained the interest and pride it takes to have a shop that probably equals those in muffler heaven.

It's good to find places like that because you never know when you might need them. I went because I thought it might be a leave it there operation. And I wanted to get out of the house.

Now I know where to go for exhaust system needs. And I discovered another off the charts first rate independent business. You can't build and run a place like that in Cuba.

I Wonder How things Really Work

2011-12-05T18:43:00.000-08:00

Aside from the fact that any big time election contains no well heeled candidates who share my philosophy, I still can't help but pay attention here and there, and draw certain conclusions.

Clearly the powers that be in the Republican part are as set on keeping people divided on something other than philosophy as their brethren in the Democratic party. And like the last election and the one when Bush 1 went for a second term, they are out to lose.

I could be wrong but when Trump is hosting a major debate, I think the shark has been jumped. I'm so at odds, or think I am, with the prevailing Obama Democrat philosophy that I don't want him re-elected, but, Holy Smoke!, what is the opposition doing? Their front runner, at one time or another, has backed umpteen policies which are the same as those the present administration is pushing. The same ones that leave me cold, and concerned.

The whole thing feels a bit manipulated, considering the way only chosen candidates got attention before they had any support. It's a dog and pony show, and sometimes even looks real.

I may have to run again, and write myself in.

I shouldn't be doing this much writing or reading. I haven't read news, just heard it on the street, and on the radio. They make you feel like you ought to choose a team from those presented, but I have to say I am once again a lukewarm fan at best. No team trips my trigger. What they tend to do when they get the job has been rubbing me the wrong way, though.

Oh well. Vote for me. I promise not to play golf or basketball. And I will never ask myself how I can make your life better, won't give you a hard time for being fat, will refuse to differentiate between Americans based on ethnicity, who you screw, or anything else of that nature, won't pretend to be king, and will tell many lobby groups to screw off. I will piss off environmentalists, Wall Street, unions, and every other freedom killing, blood sucking group. If I live to serve a second term, I probably won't run.

Quarter of a century

2011-12-04T00:34:00.000-08:00

25 years ago I crossed that bridge into the new century, my time, and gave up drinking alcohol. Haven't drank since, although I almost fooled myself into it a few years ago. For me that is a horrible idea.

In that time pedestrians have been much safer on sidewalks and streets, roadside mailboxes and fences have been safer, as well as your garden variety motorist. Though I never did encounter another motorist when I found myself cruising through gardens or farm fields.

I don't think I've done anything great, I just quit being a hazard and such a negative force in life. Hopefully, I've managed to net out on the positive side since then. Some people shouldn't do certain things that others can do without issue. Like many people shouldn't drive, be parents, gamble, or eat cake. My kryptonite, besides brainy women and those who won't take no for an answer, just happens to be a naturally occurring fluid which is a great solvent, disinfectant and homemade camp stove fuel.

Decisions and Reality

2011-12-03T16:48:00.000-08:00

Can't do too much computer time or reading. A little eye situation arose.

To head off real trouble they nuked a vital piece of optical apparatus contained within my own seeing equipment with a laser (I say that with air quotes and pronounce it "Lay Zar" like Dr Evil).

If all goes well then I am able to take a road trip in two weeks. The catch is that this process was expensive and I used my trip money for it. I baragained the best I could and paying on the spot saved me five or six hundred dollars. I say saved me money but I don't feel like I saved much because I really mean I paid less than if I worked out a time thing or was billing insurance.

I see well and all that, but these sudden floater things nicked a tiny bit of the big disc behind them, so the spot weld the thing with a lay zar to prevent hypopoly fallingoffadaplaceitbelongs. There is a healing period involved and I'm not sposed to do much comuter and the like or do things which jar my eyes like bang my head on the floor or play blues harp the way I do. I tend to be a bit physical in that endeavor. One friend described it; "you play very aggressively".

It was one of those things which is best done right now, not later. I went for a follow up exam due to another exam which was the result of an initial exam. The actually stayed late to go ahead and do the deed right then and there. Basically a prevetative measure which is much easier than that which was being prevented.

The guy had a cool picture of BB King hugging his guitar. His son drew it with charcoal and something, maybe flax. Very good drawing.

So, now, do I dig up money from places I wanted to leave it and have even less later on than I already do? Hard to say. I may not see all my family together like this again, so I think do it if all heals as expected.

Once again I am kind of fortunate. Various circumstances led to catching this so early that it could be dealt with quickly with no open backed gowns or very costly, much more risky procedures. It is an inconvenience but it may also be one of those things that is needed to get my attention and cause me to deal with things differently. I know I need to do that.

I am also grateful for the less than 1% who invented technology, and perfected it to the point that they can shoot a light beam in your eye which doesn't affect any tissue except at the pin point place where they focus the beam. Would I care if they are mega rich as a result? No I would not. I do not care if they recycle or if they give to charity or if they drive gas guzzling vehicles with bad mufflers. They benefit the world more than all the celebrity preachers who tell you how to live combined.

And it is in one way or another an offshoot of a capitalist economic system that these things get done. Granted, there is corruption in the world and it often, if not always, involves governmental types using their power to skew the free market so that they get money and power from those they help. Hating everyone who creates things and gets rich is the wrong place to vent anger at the corrupt syndrome described.

I better stop. I won't proofread. Fingers are crossed that I can hit the road soon. If not, maybe it will prove to be some benefit in ways I can't see pr predict at this time. I bet I do make the trip.

It is not a situation which would be helped b medicinal or illicit marijuana. In a way that is good--one less expense.

Cooking Thought

2011-11-30T21:51:00.000-08:00

A toasted peanut butter sandwich is a fine thing. But don't think it is without its own set of complications.

Fickle Sports Fan

2011-11-29T23:02:00.000-08:00

If I'm not actually playing a sport, I rarely get overly involved in the emotional turmoil that comes from pulling for a particular team Of course teams from home cities and colleges are my first choices for the bit of emotion I do devote to fan activities.

I like football, and always have. It must be the neighborhood games when I was a kid. Most of the guys were bigger and older but I could run through and around them with a football. It is one of the best feelings I recall from elementary school. Life got complicated after that. It was one place in which time did not exist.

So, now that I am in San Diego, it is required that I be a Chargers fan. And I am, to a point. I see no way they'll get to any playoffs, but I don't keep up enough to know the ins and outs. The good thing is that I keep a few teams on deck so I can have a favorite when San Diego punks out. And they are punking out.

My favorites are not teams my die hard Chargers fan friends like at all. They actually have disdain for a couple of my secret favs. Like Denver and New England. Long story on the New England thing, but a nice one which stems from a cool event in my life.

I'm a Miami fan, of course. I was more of one back in the day when Shula was coach and Larry Czonka was playing. I like Green Bay, so I won't mind when they win it all.

People really get tribal when it comes to sports teams, and sometimes people get beaten, shot or stabbed at games. We used to think that was just the stuff of Europe and South America at soccer games. Maybe it is a measure of our true level of advancement as a species, I don't know. That sounds kind of bizarre and pretentious, but could be true.

If everyone was like me, people would not get killed or in fights at games, but the whole sports industry would be broke and probably fall apart. The people now employed in that industry would end up doing jobs that Americans won't do--whatever that means. And I would miss out on the enjoyment of watching a game now and then and switching my allegiance depending upon who's winning or I just happen to like.

Good thing everyone is not like me.

The Reluctant Love of Machines

2011-11-29T21:53:00.000-08:00

Fortunately, I am not the only one who gets attached to a car, a bike, a computer or some other inanimate object. I say "fortunately" because irrational emotion loves company. Then again, maybe it is rational.

Now that I think of it, this kind of emotion could be why it grieves me to see people ignoring the brilliance, hard work and persistence it takes for someone to bring a good idea to fruition. Without such people, we'd be fanning ourselves to cool off on hot days, and we'd be walking in something less than well made footwear. Certainly we wouldn't be driving machines which can go 100 miles per hour or more, and which have been so refined that semi-imbeciles can operate them--maybe not well, but well enough to get a license, or fake it.

People who are responsible for making these things happen ought to be rich. Richer that 99% percent of the population. Richer than 99.99%. Why not? It is a very dangerous thing when talk of disdain for such people, regardless how the money was earned, becomes some kind of self righteous key to peer acceptance.

Disdain for dishonest people and people, like elected officials, who abuse power to enrich themselves, usually at taxpayer expense, makes sense. If you look at the basic tax code, and how much of the tax pie is paid by the wealthiest one percent, it ought to be evident that this talk of "their fair share" not being shouldered is not all that accurate a statement.

Those who use government to control markets, market share of an industry, to reap subsidies for bogus enterprises which pay the top dogs big bucks to fail, to bail out their company, etc, are crooks--pure and simple. I don't care if it is legal. That is the problem; government officials should not have the power to so blatantly peddle corruption. It's OK. Tons of people can't see that point, or flatly disagree. They think regulation works, but who is regulating the regulators?

You start blaming the richest one in one hundred and you certainly begin to persecute some very good people who simply do not deserve your anger. Chances are, some of those people did something which in one way or another saved your life, enabled you to travel and see things you'd never have seen, made a difference that you probably take for granted. They don't demand that you use what they created in a particular way, so I see no reason to demand that they use the wealth it earned them as I see fit.

Uh oh. Sidetracked. The real story is that I finally broke down and got new brakes and timing belt done here, as well as changed out transmission fluid and a few things; needed items which I would have a hard time doing myself up here in the dusty place where I park by my front door. My first choice was Sewall Subaru in Dallas, but I just couldn't put the brakes off longer. I could tell by feel and sound that I was getting close to the point at which no pad is left and you tear up drums and rotors.

New brakes are almost as much fun as new tires. As trashed as the interior of this car is from dirt, grease and whatnot, it may have been concerned that I didn't love it. I think it has been reassured and will be happy for another several thousand miles.

When you get that much work done they arrange for a rental car. I ended up with a 2012 Nissan Versa with only 3000 miles or so. It was nice and did the job.

What struck me, when I got back in my car is how few times in my life that I owned a car which was better than the car I rented. My car seems tighter, tracks better at highway speed, and is all round more solid. Not to mention better visibility and better performance uphill. Even though it is frightening how much some maintenance items cost, I felt quite fortunate as I drove home. And I am now ready for a road trip.

I suppose 103000 is not bad for a set of brakes. I'm certain this is the first brake job for this car. To think it only had about 30K when I bought it. Well, it has been a little over two years.

I guess I will have to examine the finances and see how thin it will cut things to take this Christmas trip. I'm pretty sure I can swing the fuel bill, but lodging may have to go by the wayside. I've got a plan so it won't be too uncomfortable.

No reason the car should actually run better, but it seems like it does. It really feels great. It told me it is ready, as soon as I replace that one fog light that went out.

While being shuttled over to pick up a car with a few other people, I discovered that they all love their Subarus and all were in for normal maintenance, not breakdowns. They also gave the service facility good reviews since they had been there before.

I wonder when that one lady was there. She was about forty thousand miles past time for a timing belt and was in to finally do that. Maybe she'd been in for all the other regular service things. I doubt it. Maybe just one or two of those fluid things or brakes or something. And what a surprise, I think only one of the people was possibly a lesbian.

I'm telling you, this car is crossing over. I'm not the only non gay person to own one.

I hope that doesn't mean I am losing my uniqueness.

Maybe I Am Somebody's Secret Boy Toy

2011-11-28T21:37:00.000-08:00

You can't prove I wasn't Faye Dunaway's secret lover. It seems she was in Memphis sometimes when I was there. So was Jesse Jackson. So was Al Sharpton.

I was in the same town as Ted Kennedy, too, and Gloria Estephan. And Jim Morrison. And Abalonia, though I'm not sure how she spells her name; I was too busy fighting my shame as she took advantage of me.

I'm pretty sure, now that I think of it, that Herman Cain forced me to do the windmill in his hotel room. He hired people to kidnap me at that conference.

I'm only coming forward now for purely altruistic reasons. It has nothing to do with secret payoffs, politics, or my narcissistic desire to be on talk shows and in the news.

You can't prove I did not have forced or voluntary sex with any of the people I've listed. It may even be difficult to prove you didn't sexually harass or abuse me, or have a consensual affair with me at some point in my life. So, I'm going to your enemies, and the media to tell the sad tale of my involvement with you. Hope you understand.

One thing I never did was visit any universities in NY or Pennsylvania. But I am not sure I can prove that.

Kudos to GQ

2011-11-27T00:35:00.000-08:00

I do not read GQ or any other magazine. However, in waiting rooms, like at the tire store or elsewhere, I do read boating mags, and other things of that nature, depending on what is available. I don't read GQ even if nothing is available but that and Cosmo. In that case, I read nothing. Cosmo because it is evil propaganda designed to warp minds, and GQ because they haven't figured out what a fashion plate I am. They don't write about me, then what's the point of reading their publication?

But this bit of news caught my attention; they just published a list of the "25 least influential people alive". Obama is #25 and John Boehner is #24. #3 is Ed Schutlz of The Ed Show. #1 is Tim Pawlenty, one time republican hopeful in the presidential contest debacle.

For some reason it cracks me up. It is pretty much true, I think. The article didn't give the entire list. They mention some other people who are unknown to me, so I saw no point in relaying those names. I know who these people are. Not always sure they know who they are, though.

Well, GQ's accountants and tax attorneys should probably gear up because I suspect a nasty audit by the IRS will soon befall them.

Just judging by the way the GM thing was handled--you know, when dealerships were forced to close and it seemed based on who that dealer's owners supported for president more than on profitability. They ended up having to back pedal a bit on that but it wasn't loudly stated in the news.

The point is that when you displease this administration you get screwed. That may be true of any administration. It is my belief that this is why no one ever opts to get rid of the IRS. If you are in power, it is like having your own private KGB.

Got to wonder what's up when the most influential (and I'm guessing here) media person is probably Jon Stewart, a comedian.

Barring Certain Possible Obstacles, the Journey is On

2011-11-26T23:04:00.000-08:00

Never mind what the possible obstacles are. A little scare is generally a wake up call, and being very fortunate on a regular basis, in my case there is no problem.

The really good news is that G1 of Memphis Snakedocs, my old band, is going to come through with the amp trade. Sometimes I wish I'd been less mad at him at times in the past. I think I could have handled things better. I'm sure I could have.

Anyway, despite butting heads, we are friends. I guess, even in the old days, if he'd been in a bind and I could find a way to help, I would have. And, in most cases, I guess he'd have done the same.

I'll trade my Mesa Boogie for the Fender Bassman with the 12" speaker cab. It is better for playing my style of harmonica, and the other will serve better for his guitar adventures. I forget how many guitars he has now--maybe 13, if that is possible. And he rarely buys junk, if ever.

He sold me the Mesa for a song, relatively speaking, so trading it even for the Bassman means I am getting it for a song. I'd say I owe him one because I'd never have known what a suitable rig that is if I hadn't tried it when I was last through Memphis. He went to the trouble to bring it along when the guys set up everything to jam with me.

He's going to try to arrange for another jam of some kind when I go through on the 20th or 21st. That is the tentative time frame as things now stand. A few unexpected expenses came up which may cut into how I do this trip, but I have to go.

The new rig is so much easier to deal with, so I am more likely to try to find opportunities to use it.

This day was one in which I felt out of phase, like I must of said and done only stupid and offensive things for the last week. I don't really know specifics, just the way I felt.

Then Cliff, Kevin and Lauren, of Copper Creek, our group here on Ballistic Mtn, asked if I could make it to an open mic at a music store down toward El Cajon. At the last minute I found a way to make it. It was very quiet, low key, and lit up like retail stores tend to be. No ambiance in the mood light department.

Nice people. I say that because they gave me a good reception and acted like I was OK. Some of the regular hotshots--the ones that play other places and seem to be considered the big deal there, asked for "the harmonica guy" when they got up to play. So, I had my flattery fix for the day and it took my mind off of being paranoid and uncertain in my society of friends and acquaintances.

Not enough mics, and even though there was PA, I just played without any amplification. You could hear it throughout the room so it worked out. I just tried to play louder and really work on producing good tone. It is so easy to play harmonica sideman.

I may be a little bit not quite right in some ways, but I am pretty fortunate in how people treat me. I am very grateful for that. Kindness goes a long way, so never regret giving it out. You may never know the benefit it yields, but chances are a small gesture can be very uplifting to someone who needs it.

A Little Late for Eulogy

2011-11-23T23:58:00.000-08:00

Even so, since I just finished reading Sphere by Michael Crichton, I realize I am sorry he is no longer among the living. The guy was really quite brilliant.

I think I want to read State of Fear again. So, there you have it; Michael Crichton made his mark on the world and was head and shoulders above those who made movies from his works when it comes to imagination and intelligence. I doubt he owned a Che T-shirt. If he did, I have this thing all wrong.

TV Review--X Factor

2011-11-23T23:14:00.000-08:00

How I ended up watching that is of no consequence. The odd show, X Factor has not darkened my own TV screen, though. However, it can be perversely addicting.

So, they have a few people on there that ought to be touring and recording. One guy in particular. I think his name is Jason and he works at a Taco place. No question that this guy is the real deal, and has something extra that is hard to define, and that can't be taught. I'd want him to front my band, if I were putting one together.

They canned the next best person. I figure, if you are going for someone who could record and perform, appeal to a large audience and who shows the potential to last, then why do they keep that obnoxious, bratty 12 year old rap creep? This kid is useless. But I have a theory about their refusal to get rid of him. More on that in a sec.

There's a girl on that show from Florida somewhere who is also a quality performer and singer. They did not can her yet. Actually Simon did at some earlier point in this fiasco, then went to her house and said come back, that he was wrong. Good thing because she's OK in my book.

Now what I think is up with this kid who has dubbed himself "Asstro" (spelling is mine, not his), is that his parents have some pull and the panel is under pressure not toss the little psychopath back in the psycho bucket. I don't know all the judges names, but I think the one on the far left, L.A. something is the kid's bio dad.

Asstro's mom is as full of bad attitude as her darling mutant offspring. I do not believe these people are poor, so I'm not buying any hard luck sympathy story that may or may not have been put forth. I haven't watched enough or been told enough to know if any such drivel was put in the mix.

Since that judge is her bio dad, and Mrs Asstro has threatened to go pubic with the whole sordid affair and ruin his life if little A gets booted, he puts up with the kid refusing to follow the same parameters all the other contestants are required to meet. The reason the rest of the panel buckled is that L.A? hired thugs and private investigators to dig up dirt on them, blackmail them and threaten bodily harm to their loved ones.

They don't know it was their beloved colleague who is behind it. So, the poster boy for why abortion ought to be legal, or even mandatory sometimes, gets to continue to have his time in the spotlight.

It just goes to show that life is not always fair, and especially in show biz, pushy creeps get more than they deserve. But, in the long run I still believe life has a way of making sure consequences catch up. Not everyone believes that, but I've noticed it often works out in fairly short order. I've seen big drug families and mafia types back in Miami, and it is amazing how their lives are so rich in tragedy of one sort or another. Ill gotten gains spend poorly.

Still, that doesn't let this panel off the hook. At least if Jason wins we'll know they have at least a shred of integrity. I've rarely seen anyone on national velvet or whatever it was called--that's right, American Idol--never seen any of those people who had that presence and pure magic this guy exudes. It really is rare. And the vocal is at once haunting, engaging, and real. Not one of those show tune, overly vain pretenders who learn how to appear to have heart.

I used to dislike Simon, but from what I've seen of this, he is the sanest of the crew of judges. The production crap behind the singers is way over the top, but maybe they have some unknown reason for all the glitz and nonsensical production numbers. Makes Elvis and Graceland look tasteful. And I liked Elvis in his early days, but believe me, he's not one you'd want doing your home decorating, or picking out your clothes.

So, I'm curious to see if they do the right thing in the end, and if they ever get rid of that creepy kid in this process. If not then this is a ripe opportunity for an investigative reporter to discover the corruption which has allowed Asstro to hold them hostage.

I may have it wrong and he might be Simon's secret son. But I get the idea that Simon doesn't like the kid but he's being forced to pretend the kid has some kind of value and character. He spun the kid's public displays of disrespect, whining, and baby -like behavior as "passion". He had to be up all night to come up with that.

My impression was that he was trying to figure out how to avoid saying the kid deserved to be there because of his talent and performances, and at the same time appear to be paying him a compliment. Yea, I think Simon was under duress as were the two high strung women on the panel. Something very fishy about this whole thing.

That's the trick though. Get you to watch just because you know something is up and because you hate the creep they won't can. It is almost as bad as shows that have a laff track. Clever and not so clever mental manipulation.

But seriously, that Jason guy could be a great addiction to the world of contemporary music. I wouldn't pin him to a genre because he could do rock, country, maybe jazz, R&B, pure blues and do it very well.

Maybe I should be a promoter and/or music producer. I know what works, even though those around me rarely believe it. My picks and ideas have panned out in small time ways and more remotely in the big picture.

Which News Source Has the Worst Writers?

2011-11-22T14:20:00.000-08:00

AP has often been one of my favorites when it comes to using annoying or unbelievably trite cliches. Often their sentences get lost midway, losing all sense of coherence.

There are others in the news game who are nipping at AP's incredibly incompetent, biased heels.

Here's an example from NBC:
Both her and her family are likely far from destitute, so they don't need capital right now, but current tax laws mean she will likely sell off a large chunk of it before 2013.

Dear NBC "her" is not the word you were after there. The whole thing is very trashy, if your goal is a level of professionalism.

Breaking part of it out we have, "Her is likely far from destitute...", and you, NBC, be's far from having yo' head not way the hell up yo ask.

Maybe the Season

2011-11-22T13:43:00.000-08:00

There are days, like today, when I feel a distinct lack of patience for anything, especially fellow humans who cross my path in any way. Or those who seem slightly pushy in whatever way.

Right now, I want to bolt from here, go far away and not have to deal with anyone. Not that there aren't swell, nice, together, fine people here who seem to think I should say hello every now and then--especially on holidays. It is just that I'd rather be off somewhere as a stranger, unknown to anyone for miles around.

These are times when you just swallow the restlessness, hoping that your presence enhances the experience for the others at the gathering. It usually works out.

I'm pretty sure my entire outlook and chemistry have changed in some way beginning several years ago. I care, but inside I think I may be flipping off half of humanity at any given moment. It's like I really don't know if I give a damn if I end up alone in life forever, or not. I used to say I did not want to be alone forever. Now I'm not so sure.

That's right, just drop by, use me as you will, and then who cares. I'm more inclined to strive to be a slut than to be a permanent husband. We are talking hetero here. I realize, in these times, one must spell it out or the assumptions run amok. I'm almost as ignorant as one form of interaction as the other these days, so who knows.

Anger is a strange thing. It could make you drive off a one thousand foot high bridge or kick the cat. It is almost like dope or alcohol, it can induce behavior which you know won't work out well later. This is why I never get angry or raging mad.

I just lie instead.

Auto Repair In Simplest Context

2011-11-22T11:01:00.000-08:00

By simple context, I mean the easy stuff. So much is controlled by computer and sensor that it is hard to know what's what. The path of all that can be very contra-intuitive.

But there are many simple things which can affect the complex things. For example, if you are out of gas, the car won't run at all, yet the fix is easy enough that the dimmest of wits can do it.

Sometimes a problem can be sensed, but, due to the expense most problems represent, and the likelihood that it is too complex for the reluctant handyman to tackle safely, we don't even open the hood to take a look see. Just turn up the music volume or the talk radio, or open the windows a bit at highway speeds so that wind noise drowns out any audible irregularity.

Perhaps ignoring things which pose potential hardship can become a reflex. One may not even realize he is ignoring the red flags of imminent repair.

I noticed some odd behavior of my power steering a time or two while on my last land voyage. It was frequently herky jerky and peculiar in a parking lot situation.

Once in a rare while I'd hear a bit of squeak or squeal which quickly disappeared. Maybe a belt could use a little tightening. That is probably complicated so I'll think about it later. And the power steering pump must be shot and that is probably complicated. I'll look at it in my next life.

That steering thing seemed to be getting worse. Finally, while at a bank in Poway, I could take it no more. I decided to check to see if there was any steering fluid in there or if something else obvious might show up.

I pressed the outside of the belt which runs power steering and alternator and it felt tight enough. It is mostly covered so you can't see every detail. Then for some reason I reached in and felt underneath it. It is one of those low profile belts with a bunch of grooves in it, not the old style V-belt.

It not only felt like half the grove things were worn away and that it was falling apart, but I could feel a longitudinal split. If it had continued all the way around, then I'd be running on two skinny belts instead of one wide belt.

This thing could blow at any minute!

I got new belts from the parts place, and figured I could make it home. All I had was a multitool leatherman and a small crescent wrench in the car.

As it turns out, it is far easier to change these belts on a Subaru than on my old Honda. Dear Honda owner, check that main belt and be sure it is OK. It runs everything and is not easy to change out.

You can change the Subaru belt from up top, in front. No extreme reaching or difficulty. A few nuts and bolts come out or loosen, but nothing extreme.

I last put the belt on the Honda while working at the airport. It went south right there, or close enough that I made it in on the battery. I was in the special lot for supervisory people, close to the airport but outside.

I have no idea how I got to the parts place for the belt. Maybe someone gave me a ride, or I risked running down the battery.

What I do recall is having to work from underneath the car, in the middle of the night, in a light rain. It was raining on the hill when I changed the Subaru belt too. The Honda was more of an accomplishment, I can tell you. I got good at it because the first belt they gave me was the wrong one.

Somehow I got it worked out. Taxi cab I think. I rarely call anyone for anything and at that time in my life, I felt like a misfit and I was angry enough at everyone not to want to ask any favors.

The truth is, I am regularly angry at everyone to the point of being somewhat incommunicado. Or angry at myself. I don't get it a lot of the time so I avoid.

Either way, the Honda belt worked fine, and the Subaru belt resulted in no more power steering oddness. It did not seem like it was slipping that much but the thing is working far better. It is doing better at speed too. I guess it was slipping enough not to cut out as soon as it should so it made steering at lower speeds a bit funky at times.

So, a case of an easy fix which could have affected more complex systems. I had no idea their belts were so easy to change. Good move with a car supposed to go anywhere so you can be an environmental whiner. You can change the belts with minimal tools regardless where you are.

What? You Live Under A Rock?

2011-11-21T17:24:00.000-08:00

The argument that illegals are necessary because the do the work that legal citizens in the USA refuse to do has never been overly convincing. At least, not to me.

I think it sidesteps the issue. In California, anyone of Mexican or South American descent, legal or not, has come to believe that un-hyphenated Americans won't clean houses, do yard work, landscaping, painting, and a host of other tasks. That is because they believe the self appointed leaders, even those who become mayor and have lived here all their lives in privilege.

My view on all that gets a little off the norm so I won't go into the folly of the DEA, the tax structure, and the distribution of tax funded benefits. That is not the topic here.

Recently I discovered that there is a guy living under a rock further up in the maze of dirt roads on Ballistic Mountain. I haven't actually seen his dwelling but I am told it consists of a sort of cave formed by three huge boulders. So, in reality, he does live under a rock.

This hill has many dips and little valleys creating sections which have trees, bugs, and more vegetation than exists at my place. As a result they actually have some form of landscaping. Well, even here, my landlord has flowers and plants and things, but they do their own work. But that is different.

Many people up the hill do not do their own work, the guy under the rock does it. He is not here legally. He charges how ever much plus breakfast and lunch when he does yard work. Fine and dandy. I would have thought they'd be hiring some of the miscreant youth who reside in this back country community. Guess not.

I'm assuming that they like hiring this guy because they think they are getting more work for less pay. Many people are like that.

So far he has only been linked to one questionable incident; he grabbed a lady's boob while doing work--presumably on her property.

What I find puzzling is that no one cares. She did, from what I understand. But to the hotshot of our equivalent of a homeowner's association I think the feeling of paying dirt wages outweighs the potential for danger to women and girls up here. He's allegedly a big fan of the rock dweller.

Very bizarre. Maybe they think the lady shouldn't have had her boob right there asking to be groped. Anyone would have given it a squeeze under such conditions. That seems to be the implied thinking.

Just another of those things that makes me wonder what else I don't know about this mountain. I was wondering how the guy managed to get anywhere to spend his money. He has a bicycle is the best I could discover, and he doesn't like to go into Alpine. That's because he's an illegal squatter who grabs breasts without asking or being invited to do so!

Maybe people include his shopping list when they go to town to buy their own supplies.

Yea, but what a bargain!! Illegal labor! No way he has any recourse. Or something like that. From what I've seen, they don't really get paid less than a desperate citizen would. My laissez faire mindset is such that I don't care who they hire. But the reasoning is often rather mushy.

I won't rat him out unless we cross paths and I think he poses and danger, or if he grabs me in some way.

The bigger picture here is that some people really do live under a rock. So that expression, "What, you live under a rock?" is not actually a rhetorical question when you get down to the nitty gritty.

Personally, I do not see rock man as a victim. I probably would not hire him, but who knows?
I may picket his cave with a sign complaining about him taking work away from me. I'm thinking of an Occupy the Rock protest.
Damn fat cats living in a cave on ez street. Talk about your 1%.

Finally, I Found the Ideal Candidate

2011-11-19T21:01:00.000-08:00

A little uneasy with the Obama administration? Not convinced the alternatives seen in the Republican debates will be anything but Pelosi lite?

I found the guy that can beat Obama, won't take any flak from the media, could care less if you call him names---if you dare, whose grades and history are as vague as the president's, and who is not a political insider. Even less a crony of billionaire market manipulators than Barack (but then I'm less a player in crony capitalism than the big O, but no matter).

Ladies and gentlemen I give you Mr. H. Heidelbergensis. Worried about the gay vote? His first name is Homo. I dare you to make a crack about that to his face. And I can tell you, he is plenty territorial enough to put a big dent in the industries which abuse the integrity of our borders.

It's time we had a no nonsense president who doesn't owe anyone anything, doesn't even comprehend the idea of pandering to special interest groups, and could care less if you see him naked.

A distant relative of Homo Sapiens--probably a namesake--he's got all the breeding he needs for this job.

You really want change? Let's get rid of these mamby pamby wannabes and put someone in who is neither beholding to special interests nor the academic and financial elitists.

Put him in the next debate and I dare them to ask loaded questions, cut him off before he's finished, or smirk at his answers.

I know what you are thinking, but you are wrong.
Sure they thought that's what they were electing when they let Arnold be governor of California. Arnold was a cheap imitation and caved to every boondoggle scheme and special interest in the book.

Homo is who Arnold wishes he was. Arnold was merely a moral midget in a Homo suit. This guy is the real deal.

Homo Heidelbergensis for president! Bringing us back to basics. Homo: Stickin' It To The Man

No logo yet, but I'm sure someone will come up with one when Mr. Heidelbergensis comes from behind in the polls, as I'm sure he will.

Cooking With Hermits; part 112011

2011-11-19T10:40:00.000-08:00

Today's tip is for a good breakfast omelet which includes green food groups as well as white and some other colors. If I didn't know better I wouldn't think this was any good.

What you do is heat a large pan on your hotplate while you get everything ready. That is because your hotplate takes its sweet time when it comes to heating things. If you have an actual stove, you should probably just set it on low for now.

Get a bowl out and don't forget where you put it.

Grab a handful of raw spinach. Wash it off in cold water, and shake it out. Then lay it on your handy cutting board and chop it up into little bitty pieces with your sort of sharp big knife. If yu kind of clump it up and make it into a cylindrical mass you can do that chef thing of holding the point of the knife down and feed the spinach in as you rotate the blade down like a paper cutter. Go fast and keep your fingers out of the way.

Then you clump it up the other way and chop like a maniac. It ain't rocket science so I guess no more explanation is needed.

Poor some half and half or milk in the bowl. Throw in a glob or two of sour cream. Add a dash of Richard's Delicious Seasoning or some Howling Wolf seasoning. If you don't have any, let me know and for $50.00(US) I'll send you some. Or just toss in some of the GOOD salt, maybe a bit of garlic powder and spit in it.

Mix that stuff up, then dump all that spinach in. If it doesn't look like you have too much spinach for any of this to make sense, then you don't have a enough. Mix it up a bit.

Dump two extra large eggs or three regular eggs in the bowl with the green mass you created. Mix it up well. Beat that sucker until blended well.

Put some butter or oil in the pan, if you didn't already do that. If you have a regular stove up the heat to medium or medium high.

Oh yea, you should have cut a bunch of slices of cheddar cheese by now. Don't forget where you put them.

Empty the bowl into the pan and mess with the pan so the mixture spreads out over the whole thing. I think m pan is twelve or fourteen inches, not sure. Lay the cheese on, and if you like bacon, you should have cooked some by now to a bacony crisp so you could put that on there too. If you want to add tomato and whatever else, go ahead. I prefer the tomato slices raw and put on the plate uncooked. Do what pleases you.

Cover the pan with your big stainless bowl or a normal lid if you have such exotic cookware. Go ahead and make some coffee.

By the time you are done making coffee or setting that process in motion the omelet will almost be done. When the cheese is melted it should be about ready.

If you can fold over from two sides so that it is folded in thirds. You can fold it in half if you must.

If you were really hungry, you probably had some hash browns going too, or maybe some grits, possibly toast as well. Put the omelet and all that other stuff on the plate. Pour yourself some cafe Cubano and chow down.

You will catch yourself exclaiming, "Holy smoke, this is great!! Who would have thought that greenish mess would have been edible? John0 is a genius and he doesn't even eat meat. He deserves the Nobel Peace prize--and may be the first person in awhile who actually earned it!"

People rarely make war while enjoying a good breakfast.

This process doesn't take very long. I've been pleasantly surprised how quick it is, and I have the slow heating hot plate. Sometimes I let the stuff cook while I take a shower or do whatever so I never feel like I am waiting around for it to cook.

I found it works out even though I couldn't imagine how so much spinach in there could possibly yield a good result. Must be that sharp cheddar makes everything work.

Send me a large self addressed stamped envelope--one of those with the wing nut looking fasteners, along with $38.50, and I'll mail you a hot, fresh custom made omelet like the one described. Add your own bacon.

All The Ballistics Over Achieve

2011-11-18T22:17:00.000-08:00

It would be easier on the ego if those of my natal family and their offspring were dimwits. The one who used to wear ultra baggy pants and wanted his grandma to spike her hair has now just finished restoring a 100 year old printing press to working order and is printing out wedding junk on it.

Possibly I won't be invited, depending on how private or remote this thing is. I was not advised of another wedding in that bunch but they had just a few people and went to the Virgin Islands somewhere. No doubt they thought I'd not "fit" and couldn't afford it anyway. The fact that both items are correct kind of hurts but I can't hold that against them. Just the way it is.

I saw a short video of the press in operation and it looks like a new machine. It must have an electric motor powering it, or else it is operated by treadle. It could be one of those things that hooked to a belt from a shaft driven by a water wheel, like early textile machinery. The video did not have that wide a view. I did see a belt and the thing was continually in motion. A page was laid on, the rollers got inked, then went over the plate--a reindeer in this case--then it pressed the page and a hand exchanged the printed page for a fresh one, quickly.

That house he managed to buy and refurbish has as many machines and products of the young engineer's efforts as a scene from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. He's not as goofy or exuberant as Dick Van Dyke was in that, but he's a pretty cheerful sort in his way. Just don't cut across his yard.

When my nephews passed me up in lifetime achievements, income, and success of love life, it was hard to be as happy for them as I ought. Young punks. I taught them most of whatever they know. They were supposed to ignore the knowledge like I always have, then look back and say, "Uncle John0 was right. Guess he really is a genius".

It isn't going to go down like that. I take this as a sign that some people escape childhood with far less baggage than others. They are simply more stable than I have ever been. For that I am glad. I don't know of anyone in my family who could have survived what I have. I hope they take pity on me in later life.

That press is impressive. Oh, even I am groaning at that. But it is. A beautiful machine and looks like new from what I could see.

I always go through this thing of being sorry I'm not the big hero, or more than I am, when I know I will see my people soon. I do not think that is a healthy thing on my part. Most of what makes me more defective than the rest of them is not something I can change. The underachievement part could be changed and if I am to be honest I should just own it.

Kindergarten--Good or Evil?

2011-11-16T20:48:00.000-08:00

In my case, I vote evil. You may not know this but I don't even think it was required when I was that age--younger than dirt. The kindertorture institutions were private, and apparently not expensive. My brother was spared the experience of kindergarten, and look how he turned out. (shining example of success, accomplishment, family and not really any stranger than I am. And not that much smarter--depending on how you measure smart, not any smarter)

The evil Mrs. Anderson was a kindly old woman on the surface, but in reality she was a nazi, man hating sadist. [maybe not nazi--it was Miami and most people like her treated everyone except Jewish kids like dirt]

Most of all she hated the truth, hated me I think, and loved the dogma only educational institutions and government could bring --at that time--the 'private sector' made great strides toward zealous enforcement of policy and rules which ignore context, morality and common sense over the years that followed. Much of it by government decree and example. But that's another story.

The big kids at the school, grades 1 through 3, had some good looking teachers who seemed to have better hobbies than pretending niceness while making the lives of misfits like me a living hell. Private school would have been a good fit for me, but I got shipped off to public school after Mrs Anderson's kindergarten weirdness.

I think the one and only thing I learned that year was that teachers were not necessarily to be trusted. And that truth was not the thing that sets you free when under the thumb at an educational facility. 1st grade landed me under one of Mrs Anderson's coven homeys, I think. Piece of work. It got better in subsequent years, sometimes.

Still, in my mind I figured it was me. I thought it was like with my father, something about me was just wrong and I could never guess on a given day what it was. It obviously changed and was rarely defined. Adults in authority were often mean and pissed off for reasons unknown. I was clueless, but inside I considered them cowards and never really believed I deserved any of their abuse.

At least I tried to hold to that throughout school, but I never did get how to play the game. That is why it was such a relief when I learned to make fake IDs at 15, and learned how to get beer and other alcohol.

I had to carry a hobo bundle on a stick. No fiddle for me

Foreshadowing is fine as a literary device, but I find it disconcerting to see it in one's own life history. Perhaps Mrs. Anderson was...THE DEVIL!!

She cast me as the lazy, no-account grasshopper in the play we put on--The Grasshopper and the Ants.

The goody goody kids were cast as industrious little ants, doing their goody goody work so they had plenty during winter or whatever it is. I should re-visit that grim tale. I actually did have to work at home. Those other kids didn't. It was an outrage.

I was like the lonely hobo outcast. The little goody goody collectivist bastards were all there together sitting around on stage. In I trod without a clue as to what was going on or why I was there. Was this type casting, was it a statement that at five years old I had been stamped the misfit who would be screwed forever for not being an ant?

My gut feeling is that Mrs Anderson was an evil witch and this play was part of a curse or spell she was casting on me, and that my father was in cahoots.

My mother went along like a nincompoop because she always deferred to her spouse at that time--best way to avoid listening to loud yelling. I think he was in on it because that is the only school or sporting event connected with me that he ever attended. I'm pretty sure he went along with witches and other evil doers because they'd give him pot or sex.

Guess he had more issues than I do, but I am naturally strong even though it may not be obvious. Stronger than most evil doers, and in some ways stronger than he was. In other ways he had some real gumption, though. Just not always put to optimal use.

I should have taken him under my wing at a young age. Didn't realize I probably could have pulled it off at the time. Too busy trying to figure out what it was they wanted to teach in school, and too busy second guessing myself because I couldn't make sense of authority and the culture of government institutions--schools.

Sometimes I feel as if I have been irresistibly compelled to be the grasshopper. The times I broke away required three times the effort the endeavor at hand actually required. I think it is the Mrs Anderson spell that I've been fighting all this time. Took me until now to put two and two together. I put some garlic powder on the popcorn and I bet that may have loosened the evil spirit's hold just enough for me to see a glimmer of the truth. Better late than never.

Now, how do we reverse this thing? Do I go find the final resting place of Mrs Anderson and use it for a urinal? I just do not know. Holy people will suggest I forgive her. OK, forgiven, but I still need to break the spell. This isn't about the late misanthropic teacher, it is about from now on in my life. Fulfilling my destiny and all that.

Let this be a lesson to you--if you leave your kid in the care of alleged educators, you better make sure they don't hate your kids even more than you do.

Did I Re-Review Sandpaper Already?

2011-11-16T17:53:00.000-08:00

Too lazy to check.

3M, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company--or so it used to officially be called--is a company that one would think makes things in Minnesota.

Their sandpaper is still the best I've found readily available. Home Depot has it. But it is not made in Minnesota or anywhere else in the USA. It is made in Canada. Maybe we can talk Canada into becoming a gigantic state. They might prefer to keep their independence from us, though. So that idea is probably never going to fly.

Wonder why they don't boot the queen. Oh well. They make great sandpaper. Maybe there is some advantage I can't see to them helping prop up Britain. We should all be good pals with the Brits, but being subjects of the queen or anyone is a creepy concept in my view. To each their own. I know diddly about the affairs of foreigners. Better for them to mind their business than for me to do it.

Doubt they really want to add us as a province, either. Pros and cons to everything. I don't know why we don't boot our own versions of royalty. It was never supposed to be monarchy lite. People want to serve a monarch or feudal lord. They just won't quit it.

The stuff at Ace Hardware just doesn't compare, especially the wet and dry. Gator, made in Finland by Finnies. It is OK, but if you have a choice get the 3M at home Depot or wherever else they sell it. Best bargain is the job pack. I've gone through a boat load of 220 grit, as well as 400 and 600 wet and dry.

I've also gone through the Ace excuse for sandpaper and it lasts about 64.7% as long, if that.

The other day I had reason to use sandpaper and I thought, Hey, you should again sing the praises of 3M's product, and ask why it isn't called Manitoba Mining and Manufacturing, since it is made somewhere up in Canuck land.

Did you know there are over 110,000 lakes in Manitoba? How do they have room for any housing except houseboats? I guess in winter they would be ice boats.

That's a place to watch--Canada may take the world by surprise and subjugate us all using high quality sandpaper. It will be a smooth transition ultimately. At least they almost speak American. Maybe more so than we do any more.

How to Handle Holidays

2011-11-15T23:04:00.000-08:00

There are many ways to approach the festive season. First, one must determine his/her/its holiday goal.

If you want to fuel your anxiety, and raise your level of misery, then watch all the TV ads and insist to yourself that your life be just like the guy who gives the woman the 20k diamond bracelet, like the family who has a big fireplace in a stately home and whose members are all good looking, well dressed and smiley. Convince yourself you must shower all with gifts beyond your paygrade or you are admitting failure and the world will end. Once you have spent some weeks soaking up the ads, comparing yourself in a less than favorable light, spend the rest of the season getting rip roaring drunk, especially at inopportune times, like when your kids wake up on Christmas morning, or when it is time to stand up the tree and decorate it.

If you want to enjoy the season, then just hope you have the good sense to appreciate the friends and family you have, the cleverness to not lead them to expect gifts and bribes which you can't afford, and the sense to know that good people appreciate it when whatever they do for you is accepted graciously with sincere gratitude.

It is mostly a choice. If your kids are being raised by peers, public school and TV, you are probably screwed. Resign yourself to the fact that they will be disappointed and have no clue what you are talking about if you try to discuss what is real and what really matters. Too late. You should have raised the little munchkins yourself.

If you aren't married, it is often a great stress reliever to break up with the current squeeze prior to Thanksgiving. That way you don't have someone placing uncomfortable expectations upon you. Especially if it is a female who is fond of jewelry store commercials. Get a big poster which expresses outrage at blood diamonds, or something like that. My view is that diamonds and those who promote them are the devil. Nothing good can come of the path they push.

You know you have trained your loved ones well if you can give them each a gift wrapped raisin and they react with a smile and a hug, telling you how happy they are you could be with them for the holidays.

Believe it or not, I think I actually have come very close to achieving that. The last part. You could never get away with that if you have kids in the picture. Hmmm. Maybe some of this explains why I am single. Oh well, my blood pressure is low and I know what it is like to be with the wrong person, so single is by no means the worst condition one can experience.

This is going to be a great Christmas season. I can see it now.

Generations and Quality and I Don't Know

2011-11-15T12:51:00.000-08:00

You hear all this "greatest generation" talk because, in England, they were tougher than nails while the Germans were bombing them to pieces, after they naively pretended that there was nothing to worry about. A little friendly diplomacy would do the trick and peace would reign from now on.

For our part, we managed to bail out England, France, plus others, and a bunch of Asian crap as well. I doubt we will ever know the exact 100% truth about any of it. People who read a lot of history often think they know it all, but judging from more recent events and twisted way it is viewed, I doubt the most elegant, leather bound, heavily footnoted tome is going to adequately explain how and why people are moved en masse to blow each other to bits in any given instance.

I've been skeptical when it comes to calling my father's generation "the greatest generation" because they are the ones who gave us baby boomers, the suburban culture of cheating husbands and wives, ideas like "driving is a privilege", a petty sense of status and false pride based on nonsense, did I mention that they produced the baby boomers?

But in their defense they still had remnants of the idea that quality matters, and that one should at least revere values like honesty (regardless of one's practice of such principles), hard work, inventiveness, respect for others, etc. Men shouldn't hit women, and you definitely weren't supposed to call them bitch, whore (before we gave in to the ignorant who think it is said and spelled Ho), brag about the number of baby mommas we have around town. Idiocy may have been practiced to some degree, but it wasn't revered by that bunch.

The baby boomers are the ones who made the worship of total nonsense an art form. It began pretty early on in the game and the parents of the boomers played enough of a role.

When you really think of it, what actual value, what crumb of constructive idea, thought or action did James Dean represent? A confused and spoiled teen ager full of angst? Who cares? But the greatest and the boomers turned depressing anxiety into genius and role model. I can't say I believe James was reasonably either. He was famous.

I'm not just picking on JD here. Just trying to make the point. Maybe it explains why you call up a place and get run through computerized madness, and the quality of service is no good at all. Here we have all the technology which is supposed to make providing products and services easier, more efficient, cheaper, better, and all it serves to do is depersonalize both customer and vendor, and results in bad experience.

People who can think past the normal expected view at any given time saw this coming. I'm not talking about those who think invention, flight, and birth control are evil. I'm talking about those who create, but see how good things get put to bad use. It is not the fault of computers that they've been used to place a barrier between consumer and supplier rather than enhance communication. They work great when it comes to buying, but beyond that they are the wall. It needn't be that way. It is a bastardized view of business and capitalism that leads to that. I've worked for those people. They don't know it can be done honestly. Shallow pricks.

It is not the fault of technology that those who seek to rule use it to take freedom while telling the gullible baby boomers and their offspring it will make them safe and cozy. People have suckered for lies and accepted that they need others to lead them for so long that they accept any garbage thrown their way, especially if they can maybe get a dollar out of it, or be classed as a potential victim. Brats.

It is typical of current and past generations whose hypocrisy has become a cultural lie that must be believed. Like the flower children--all peace and love, innocence and honesty. Hell no. Flower children were and are, for the most part, greedy little brats who supplied the most love and piece to whomever had the drugs, the cool van, etc. And they were no more non-violent in the long run than the occupy wallstreet crowd.

There was a kernel of creativity and sense which got lost in the process. The "movement" was peppered heavily with phonies. And idiocy was revered. I remember hearing people self-righteously proclaim in that stoner, semi-valley girl tone, "Eiu, mon, I dewnt rally doo logic. I'm more in to feeling and intooition, like y'knoo mon" WTF? Ever try to reason and make a point without logic and to someone who does "not do" logic?

Anyway. If you wonder why your company and other companies are always halfway dishonest, and why it is so hard to function otherwise, I would suggest it is because of the power the greatest generation and their lunatic offspring have had in the realm of governing, corrupting, and controlling that which should not have been theirs to pervert.

I hope this made no sense to you because I may be angry at something else.

Some products are actually better now. Mostly we are dealing with degrees of respect, and a growing acceptance of an elite class of rulers, bosses, "thinkers" who pretend to know best but don't have any right to even think about my best or worst interests.

Cars are actually better now, but they cost a bundle. And they've been, unnecessarily, designed so that diagnostic and other work can't be done by a normal person without sophisticated equipment. That's the respect part. Like potato chip bags which won't open right--they split down the side so all the chips go everywhere. What's that about?

Maybe it is because I saw a documentary about The Who, and realized what a prick Roger Daltrey is today, and probably always was. But a lot of those guys were total jerks in reality. Did good work on stage but best off locked in a trunk between shows because they're jerks.

The greatest generation is unknown, and non-existent. Maybe the ones who founded this country were our best. But they weren't perfect either. At least they didn't give birth to the baby boomer generation.

The Same Things Repeat

2011-11-14T22:00:00.000-08:00

There have been times in my life when I yielded to the pleading or push of others to make a choice that I thought was not so good. It usually involved something which falls in the foggy zone of my understanding, generally in the category of something social. Often I think that I must be weird and I guess x or y is what normal people do, so I acquiesce. It never works out. Or almost never, can't recall everything so I'll leave it at 1 time in 100 that it works out.

Certain situations seem to arise again and again which have similar characteristics. You do it over and over until you get it right. Or so I thought. if you aren't careful, it will sneak up on you again even though you thought that lesson had been learned.

I should know better than to let such trouble surface. I do know better, but it is easy to ignore it under some conditions. Wish I could be more explicit, but I can't. Anyway, I'm on top of it and not going to let it happen.

In other news, I guess in not much more than a month I'll be riding down that long lonesome highway once again. If all goes well I'll arrive in the sunny Keys in time for the Buena Noche party--I think that's what they call it even though I thought it was supposed to be bueno noche. Who knows. Cuban Spanish. I doubt they can understand one another. If I was in school I'd be expelled for saying that. But I mean it in the best possible sense.

I look forward to being in the Keys, not much to being in Miami, which is going to be part of the deal. That is one hyperactive place, especially on the roads. And Florida is a boring drive from north to south.

Yikes, now I'm talking myself into not wanting to do the drive. I'll find ways to make it interesting, I'm sure.

Dear Self Proclaimed 99%

2011-11-14T21:45:00.000-08:00

If you are blocking traffic, or preventing an area from being used for its normal purpose -playground, sidewalk, etc-you are infringing on the rights and mobility of others. That is force. It is not peaceful.

I must be in the 1%. Who knew? Those claiming to be the 99% absolutely do not speak for me. Most couldn't relate to me anyway--they have too much money.

Fix is In, I Guess

2011-11-13T15:42:00.000-08:00

In response to some complaints that the various media outlets are effectively enforcing a near blackout on certain candidates during debates, we get responses like this:

“We are in the business of kicking candidates out of the race,” CNN host Howard Kurtz responded.

They have decided it is up to them to decide who has a chance and who should be given voice. An already closed shop is being closed off even more. Some candidates are barely given time enough to introduce themselves in these kangaroo debates while others are encouraged to blather on and on.

The arrogance of news media is beyond the pale. They sincerely believe it is up to them to shape and narrow the choices of the unwashed masses. But many people believe in a class of ruling elites. Obviously I do not.

The whole thing is a bit questionable.

Random Compulsion to Think Out Loud

2011-11-12T19:54:00.000-08:00

I call it thinking out loud if I write it here. It has a different feel than if I write it on paper or even in Word or Mac's version of that, Pages. Writing in the new post box has a different feel altogether.

One of the things I was thinking is that my favorite story from Mark Twain, of his work that I've read, is his short story, The Mysterious Stranger. It has to do with the variables in life which you can't see or predict.

Recently, I heard people discussing someone's suicide trying to think if they should have done something differently which might have changed the course of events. No one knew what he was up to, but in a morbid way some of those in the conversation seemed to think they could have changed it all. You don't know.

It may have been a chance event in his youth that resulted in all this. It may have been because he was forbidden from going to the movies with that cute girl, Gayle, when he was 12, and that led to another chance thing which landed him in bad comapny, and on and on. He was forced to cut the grass that day, didn't go the the movie, then went down the street and ran into Tony, who talked him into sniffing glue.

If he'd gone to the movies he'd be a physics professor at a large university in some great coastal city, have two intelligent well behaved kids, a wife who gets better looking every day, and he'd be happy as a clam, and alive.

Instead he led a troubled life, dropped out of college, flirted with various addictions, was a full blown alcoholic at an early age and his troubled brain and addled mind simply could not see life through the chaos.

All because his slave driving, nazi parents couldn't wait until later in the day that Saturday for him to mow the lawn. Or let it go until Sunday. Either they thought they were instilling a good work ethic, or else they were just dogmatic creeps who hated their children. Well, it could be that they had some obsession and/or compulsion related to length of grass or yardwork in general.

I don't remember the specific events in the story told by Mark Twain, but it was that sort of thing.

And if the guy above did NOT off himself, he would have entered the 10 items line at the grocery story behind Mary Smartypants, causing Barry Brilliant to choose another line, thereby preventing the chance meeting of Mary and Barry, who would have mated and produced the next Einstein, and also the next Joan of Arc. A very interesting brother and sister combination.

So, since things have gone as they have, all starting with the slave driving parents and the lawn, ending in the sad suicide, we can look forward to a brilliant scientist and one bad ass, freedom loving chick to enter the scene in a couple of decades.

See how it works? It is what we call the unknown factor which is everywhere in life. That covers many things in science, politics, etc. So ignore anyone who thinks there are only so many ways to skin a cat, or that skinning the cat won't lead to a different path than not skinning the cat. You just don't know.

That's why it sort of irks me when people go on about how could God let this or that happen. If you ever created an invention with moving parts and a control system you would understand. You build it, set it up and let it run.

If you are lucky, or the creation is lucky, when it breaks you can fix it. That's divine intervention. You didn't make it break. You just lovingly set your machine into operation, hoping for the best. So bad things happening neither proves nor disproves the God concept. I tend to think it is such a different deal than we traditionally think that it would be very mind blowing to actually know.

But in my own life, I swear it feels like something other dimensional saves my ass over and over, and occasionally sprinkles me with lucky dust. How that works, I haven't a clue. But, from the standpoint of building a working model, I don't really know how my own happy-parts work either. Glad for the good things, understood or not, and that's about all you need to know.

Dear Whatever is God

2011-11-11T22:30:00.000-08:00

Am I really as hopeless and lost as I feel?

Please answer in a way which will mold the truth into something like,
"Hell no, son, you are destined for marvelous things, all of it exciting happy and perfect, with plenty of wild sex, money, travel, good health, and lots of respect from your fellow earthlings, both human and inhuman--like bears."

Secret Life of [name withheld by my request]

2011-11-11T21:49:00.000-08:00

My friend who lives in or on the North Pole, whose name may or may not be Sally, has been holding out. Before I go further, the reason I don't give a name and then stipulate, "not real name" is because that gives you one name to rule out, narrowing it down a little. I prefer to keep you completely in the dark.

Who knew? This chick plays great finger picking on guitar. She hasn't even been playing in ages and picked it up and went to town without once having the dead fret thing that happens if your fingers aren't chording hard enough, and not once did I see one of those instances of falling out of rhythm because she forgot a particular fingering. It was quite surprising. Even good players who haven't played in months and possibly a year or so before that will fumble a bit.

Not Sally. And she can sing. I had no idea she was that much better of a musician than I am. Most people are, but still, not everyone. And then I heard her daughter sing. She sang with her fiance and the blend was spectacular. I thought their sound and style was the kind of thing that could really go somewhere. They have other lives and I doubt the poverty life of trying to get your music out there appeals to them. But making music certainly does.

Sally was down here to see family and they invited me to a gathering at her brother/and/or sister's (see I am not going to give too many clues, but the item in question is in no way gender confused) home at an undisclosed beach, right on an undisclosed ocean. The fiance who is in a branch of the armed forces, which I will call the possibly air, land or sea Militants, wrote some pretty interesting stuff while based somewhere other than here.

I don't know what it was I expected, but the quality of the Sally crew when it comes to playing music exceeded whatever I must have expected. Sally was looking good, too, which creates lots of confusion, partly due to her citizenship in The North Pole, and because lots of things tug at me in various directions lately and I have no map of my future.

It is quite obvious this mild mannered popcorn cook woman has been hiding the musical mojo within. Previously she led me to believe she didn't even care if she played an out of tune guitar, and acted like she didn't know how it worked anyway. Wimmins, they will fool you any chance they get. They won't admit it, but it is a key element in the Secret Code of Wimmins.

I was nice to witness such art after watching the Chargers throw away yet another game. I'm convinced that the mob is threatening to harm Phil Rivers' family unless he throws X amount of passes per game to the other team, and that they are paying his line to let the other guys in to chase him around and tackle him. Either that or the coach has handed out different playbooks to the receivers so they cut left when Rivers thinks they are supposed to go right.

I'm highly skeptical of Norv, the coach. He's a good guy, I think, but lets his team and the other teams walk all over him. I've offered to counsel him but I get no reply.

Too Confused to Know

2011-11-11T14:23:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I have no idea what to do with some situations. Just do not know.

I think this is why I hide away. When I don't I miss the simplicity and freedom.

The matters of time and space and logistics etc can be a bit daunting. It is always feast or famine in so many aspects of life. Usually the feast lasts a very short time then the table gets rudely cleared by the Ur life suks police, and somebody gets pissed off because you didn't rave about the duck beak soup, or select their pie for desert.

Voodoo Eye Ailments

2011-11-09T21:44:00.000-08:00

It was a dark night, and I was minding my own business. I'd just walked in the door and turned on the light when I noticed an upside down couplet of musical notes floating in the periphery of my left eye's field of vision. When I moved my head or my eye or changed focus it moved too.

I could make it dance right in front of my face. I tried to snatch it out of the air but it was more elusive than a quick housefly. It was black like how notes are printed on the page. And it was dancing around like it didn't have a care in the world, and in my line of sight. No respect whatsoever.

Soon, I was on the computer searching for answers to black spots in my vision. The results were predictably off subject, with links promising answers landing me on pages with links promising to explain "black spots on penis". Who cares?

Finally I scored some info which indicated I probably wasn't going blind. This has gone on for a couple of days with day one being a day which consisted of me trying to avoid a migraine by not moving much. It felt like one of those that goes through the back of your eyes and rips your brain out. I am good at heading those off at the pass if I am left alone, so I managed to avoid the pain while only experiencing the dull wittedness that comes with it. I had to do some work over at the big O's pal's house.

Whether the musical notes, which changed into that Batman logo that the commissioner projects up in the sky, were related to the rare headache, I don't know.

I decided I better get checked in case the retina was falling apart or something. It turns out it is just the voodoo thing peeling off and it happens and is generally OK. It "should" eventually fall away from where it is in my eye and go away. At least I learned that all other aspects of my eyes are very healthy and my blood pressure was 98 over 63. Maybe I should update my glasses more than once every five years.

What made this voodoo vicious thing happen all of a sudden is unknown. I'll bet I got bumped by something or a ball bounced off my face and that is what happened. I am not good at keeping track.

The difficult thing was that I went in at 3 and they dilated my pupils. It must have been around 4 when that happened and it must take hours for the stuff to wear off. I had to hang around forever before I risked driving. I did end up buying some sunglasses but they won't be ready for a week or so--progressive lens and curved shape blablabla. So that took some time.

It was dark by the time I got out of there and all the lights looked like starbursts with long rays. I waited until maybe 630 after eating an overpriced pretzel. This place is at the edge of a mall. I do not like malls. It is as if they took the ghetto, separated it into various parts, put designer names on those elements, and presented them in very clean nice stores in the mall. What is that about?

Anyway, I got impatient put on cheap shades to cut the glare and risked it. Once I got on the straight stretch of highway the going was not too bad. Getting to that stretch was a game of guess where the lanes are, and is that guy on my tail going to kill me with those headlights or not?

My Batman logo and I made it home fine. I catch myself making it appear, moving it around like you would a cursor with a mouse, seeing if I can make it hover over various items in my view. The thing is, it is actually a little left of direct vision so I have to play little tricks looking at one thing while thinking of what is in my near peripheral vision.

Tomorrow I plan to file for disability due to Batman logo eye. I think that comes with pension, medical marijuana, and a direct line to the mayor and the commissioner. Perhaps this is God's way of telling me my destiny is to be a super hero. Well, He can wait. I want the pension and some perks.

I hate to pick out glasses and I had plenty of help. Nice store ladies.. That was mostly for the regular glasses which I will purchase later. If I was rich, I'd be in the eyeglass place a lot. I'd have all kinds of gasses and sunglasses.

The Job I Want

2011-11-08T22:38:00.001-08:00

Here's the silver lining to the cloud in which we find ourselves. There was a time when no one would have dreamed that America would have fallen into such dysfunction that you would become socially or legally forbidden from thinking and expressing an ever growing list of sentiments. The world of political correctness, and the Big pretense. But this opens new opportunities. New agencies. JOBS!

And I want to be the first to apply for the position of thought cop.

I catch you looking askance at someone in a burka or at a homo or even thinking that certain racial groups claim more members per capita who might harm you, I'm taking you down. You can think race or ethnicity as long as you only do it from the point of view that certain segments of the population are victims more than others; victims of bullying, hurricanes, particular diseases, price of sugar, earthquakes, paparazzi, you name it. As long as your thought or rhetoric suggests that the correct groups are victims, OK, you have nothing to fear. But you must know to whom this applies.

That goes for gender issues of most varieties as well, and for anything female, unless you are citing someone from one of the untouchable groups as the victimizer, in which case it depends on certain factors who will officially be deemed victim. There is a hierarchy which suggests what trumps what, so be up on that before you think or speak.

I get it. I know instinctively how the hierarchy of political correctness works, so I am the guy for this job. It involves more than just race and other condition of birth. It covers religious matters, nationality issues, illnesses and all sorts of things relating to sex and genitalia, and also a coolness index as defined by the Code of Dead Kennedys and pop culture.

Much of the PC handbook is unwritten and has not been put into law, yet it is being enforced in businesses and governments throughout the nation. More and more it is being incorporated into legislation and I expect this trend to continue.

Why it takes a true specialist to enforce correctness correctly is because this is not something which applies equally to everyone. It depends upon condition of birth, your associates, friends and acquaintances, where you are from, where you live and various characteristics of whomever is being attacked, hired, fired, scrutinized, or considered in any way in one's thoughts.

I know all of the nuances so I always know who to cite in cases which may confuse the less savvy. Recognizing this new and growing field and the wonderful opportunity it presents causes me to feel like I am at last in the right place at the right time. That perfect vocational fit has finally materialized.

We in the thought policing business would not have such opportunity had it not been for hate crime legislation. That opened the door wide. By gaging the severity of the crime by what the perp was thinking (beyond normal consideration of premeditation and such) rather than solely on what he did, thought and opinion entered the realm of possible crimes. And crimes bring punishment.

Such laws made the thought behind the rape, murder, beating, robbery, etc. a factor in how severely the perpetrator is to be punished. So, having the wrong thought during a crime carries the punishment of the extra jail time. Separate that out and you find what thoughts and feelings, and against whom, carry what punishments. I'll bet I could catch people thinking the wrong thing before they actually do the crime.

I could fry them for the thought, then maybe add a little wrist slapping for the crime they may have committed in the future. I believe some of that is already going on---dealing with crimes that haven't been committed but could be some day.

But don't worry, if you don't think or feel, you are probably safe.

Occupy Naubinway, Michigan

2011-11-06T19:44:00.000-08:00

This just proves what I've been saying about the audacity of the animal kingdom. Moose are now staging Occupy events in Michigan's upper peninsula.

This moose chick decided to occupy an innocent citizen's front yard, then gave birth right there in plain view. Her demands are unclear, but many vote-hungry politicians say they have sympathy for this demonstration. The Teamsters are sending her a megaphone to better conduct her Occupy effort and so she can more forcefully announce her demands, provided she and her young mooseling reach consensus regarding what they want; demands, etc.

Wisdom From The Ether

2011-11-06T19:07:00.000-08:00

How these things happen to cross my desk (which consists of me sitting atop my bed cross-legged with a laptop in front of me, propped up on a book for better cooling) I cannot say. Perhaps I have friends who delve into sources of information where even angels fear to tread. Perhaps they, or I, are strange people.

Here is an excerpt from this site which eloquently discusses some do's and don'ts for the lady who wants the man to be of interested:

The second is you very love to say dirty, it is good but when you communicate it at the right time, by saying it repeatedly then you just make your man shame, find out how to talk dirty at the right occasion, to raise the connection between you and your man. The third awful approach is always feeling displeased with your own body, it has been a normal fact that most women do not pleased with their own body, this situation turns into the special difficulty for your man also for the reason that when he tries to respect you, and too bad you assume it as a scornful action.

The "how to talk dirty" part is a link I did not follow. Go to the site link, above, and you can find the dirty talk link in the article and follow it to educate yourself further. I know millions of women are eager to learn "some uncomfortable manners that should be kept away by a woman".

No need to thank me. Just another public service I provide which costs tax payers not even the dime.

Update: I see the talk dirty link came through in the copy and paste so you can go straight there if you so choose. I have not actually read the page as it may make me blush, barf, or fear for my life.

I Wanted To Be The Non-Leader

2011-11-05T13:53:00.000-07:00

It looks like this guy (I think, but could be a she) stole my plan of Occupying ATM machines in places where Wall Street and larger banking institutions can't be found.

So, all I can say is Dear Sir, and/or Madam, You stole my idea, and I do not recall any consensus being established which would give you the popular mandate to do so.

I must ask that you cease and desist immediately. You are welcome to come join the Occupy Descanso movement which is actually an occupy the ATM inside Perkin's Store situation. At that time you can seek consensus on any initiatives or blocks you might want to put forth. Right now the consensus is that I get to be the one with the megaphone, so hands off, Buddy/and/or Missy.

Quick Word To Anarchists

2011-11-04T22:36:00.000-07:00

Do you not find it ironic, and a bizarre mixed message to have a logo and actual organized groups? You are supposed to be anarchists, meaning you do not support authority of any kind outside your own good judgement. (an obvious stretch there)

As soon as you organize, ally with the most archist of all archy, communist groups, and strategize group activities, you are only being hypocrites. Fake anarchists. Bubble anarchists.

Having a nifty logo which is easy to spray paint on private and public property, and doing so, suggests that you are more a member of a vandalism cult. I know that the term "anarchy" is usually associated with chaos and crime, but I'd think that one who thinks governments can be done without would think that because he/she feels that such organizations have less respect and conscience than the vast majority of people.

What the logo, the destruction of property, the alliances do is paint a picture of a group of very bratty people who love to destroy that on which they depend for sustenance while pretending to possess a philosophy.

I've been accused of being very close to anarchist in my social philosophy, and neither I nor my accusers ever considered that title meant one who seeks to create chaos. It just means without rulers. Not the kind the nuns use, you nincompoops, the kind who run your organization and the groups with which you ally.

You play right into the hands of those who love a jack boot, all powerful central authority, and you give those who are highly skeptical of most regulation a bad name.

Rock n Roll In The Back Country

2011-11-04T21:31:00.000-07:00

Sometimes where I live in East San Diego County is called the Back Country. I think there is even a little rag publication called Back Country news or gazettee--some such thing.

We've been having news worthy rain the past day. Rain is not a common occurrence here or anywhere in SoCal. The place is just not built for it by man nor nature.

There I was on the winding two lane road between Ballistic Mountain and Alpine. Actually, I was headed home. It was raining hard enough, temperature in the 30's (! that's cause for alarm in and of itself!!), when I see what appeared to be clods of weeds and mud on the right side of the road.

It was dark and visibility was poor. As I passed I wondered if that was debris caused by someone running their car over the side. It goes down a ways on that side. So, I drove up the road until I found a wide enough place to turn around.

Now the clifflike bluffs are on my right. I see some more cloddy looking masses in my lane as I headed back to the potential accident site, but couldn't make out clearly what they were.

I took the path that avoided most of them, doing about 40. This path meant that I'd straddle one prominent one. I'd estimated that I had enough clearance, and I did until it reached somewhere toward the rear of the car. At that point I heard and felt a pronounced thump.

My brakes still worked and I didn't hear sounds of car pieces dragging the road or falling off so I continued to see if the other debris was from an unfortunate motorist. There was no sign of people that I could see and no tire marks so I once again turned around.

When I reached the place where the thump occurred I was able to find enough shoulder to get off the road. Still raining a cold nasty rain--one of my favorite things when performing outdoor tasks. Really.

The clods turned out to be some heavy boulders which had fallen from the bluffs. A mini landslide I guess. It seemed only right to get them off of the road. A lower car could be in big trouble if the driver didn't see what was there. My car may have suffered, although a flashlight inspection of the underside, in the cold cold rain, revealed no damage.

In predictable California fashion, as soon as I was underway again, a rude idiot in a pickup truck races up to tailgate me, on a slippery road, with debris, in a very dark area, in the rain. This is why I carry no firearm. I probably would have shot a hole in his radiator. Or her radiator, whatever the case. It is usually a guy in such cases. The women jerks who drive like that are normally in different types of vehicles which I won't describe. My generalizations tend to get out of hand if I am not careful.

That is one thing about this state, there are some very nice people, but the basic culture is a bit edgy and rude in a pushy yet not quite mano a mano sort of way. On the road, they tend to be what can best be described as pricks. Still not as stupid and bizarre as Memphis, mind you, but certainly not as polite as Seattle or Boise. Unlike Memphis, the prickishness is purposeful, not the by-product of incurable ignorance.

So, though it ended with thoughts of doing violence to a back country moron, I did my good deed. It would have been two good deeds had someone been off the side down the hill. And, considering the thump and the annoyance of some tailgating redneck moron, the deeds did not go unpunished.

On the up side I got to enjoy performing a task in the dark, rainy, cold night and that was kind of fun.

Guess There Is A Reason For Success

2011-11-04T14:35:00.000-07:00

I hate her for being smarter and way more interesting to others than I am, but the best description of a certain state of mind that I have seen can be found at hyperbole and a half. on blogger. The difference in my case is that I am not a girl, and I have had a war with myself and sadness for decades to one degree or another. And lately, a whole lot. Except I don't cry, other than when watching advertisements or westerns.

The Gods Must Be Crazy; part 11042011

2011-11-04T00:29:00.000-07:00

It seems I have little material to write about ever since I attempted not to include much from current events, as fed to us from various media sources. That may have been a bad bit of advice, and a mistake on my part. Whenever I try to change to make better sense to others, or to please them, it results in failure or worse.

The "that" which I discovered people have to get past in order to appreciate or accept me may actually be the essence of what keeps me alive. I don't expect that to make sense to anyone. Some people don't find there is anything much to get past or overlook. Others find it maddening and think it is unnecessary and voluntary. I guess it is the way things go; different people find different things appealing, annoying, and worthwhile.

People can be very weird, to put it kindly. Just look at the way people gossip, trashing others to make themselves feel better. Look at the world of politics and the magic appearance of scandal whenever the wrong candidate shows popularity.

It is also interesting in politics how some people get tainted with a little scandal and it is excused, while others go under the bus, and the bus backs up runs over them, then backs up and does it again. And often in those cases, the scandal is trivial or largely fictitious. It only works because so many people thrive on that sort of thing. Or they are sadly gullible, not sure which.

Who was it that said "it isn't the legitimacy of the charge so much as the seriousness of the charge that counts"? I'm paraphrasing there. Seems like it was a prominent senator regarding something some anonymous source said about a political foe of his. Was it Kennedy who said it? I vaguely recall it was someone who'd managed to get away with murder in the past. Good thing those people don't live in glass houses. If they do it is bullet proof.

I've never seen so much national rhetoric which passes for thought which only demonstrates a total lack of understanding of what a republic is and what limits on power were meant to do. Obviously it doesn't occur to many of the Occupy crowd that you can't have bought off government, excessive lobby influence, without first giving those officials too much power to begin with. And without the government/business partnerships they so proudly announce.

What is the definition of crony capitalism if not a government-business partnership?

Good thing the president is not all powerful, is not a monarch, and is not elected to be supreme leader and dictator. Bad thing that most people don't realize that, and that many who seek that office feed the ignorant, erroneous view.

Of course trial lawyers love the people who make the most laws, add regulations in lieu of enforcing existing laws, and dream up convoluted rules which get through with few people noticing. Keeps them in the money.

I've not heard anything more about PETA suing Seaworld on the basis that they are violating the Constitution by enslaving whales and dolphins (persons who happened not to be born human). It does warm the heart to think that tax money which comes out of what we get paid would finance all the court time, judges salaries, etc., to handle such a worthy cause and circus.

I guess we've seen people who appear to not have been born human be the cause of considerable tax expense as well. I don't think PETA worries about them.

Oh well. There are organizations with slogans like, "because the earth needs a good lawyer", and a big push to be the legal representative of rodents and bears, so why not trees, bees, mosquitoes and poison ivy?

Friends and Lovers

2011-11-02T22:23:00.000-07:00

A cliche title, not necessarily to be taken literally.

I should be a politician or a lawyer, the way I can say yes and no at the same time, but make it sound like I actually said something.

Today was one of those days when it was good to know I have a few friends around the country who somehow make me look at things in a more hopeful light, even though the conversations had little to do with the fact that I needed that boost. That is how it is.

In general, people confuse me, even though I consider myself one who likes people. Maybe I like people because I am one and hope it will help me approve of myself more than I do. Who knows.

That is why it is quite a treasure to know people who don't confuse me and who tend to be uplifting just because of the mutual respect.

In the case of Sally it also goes into the realm of extended laughter. We should take notes and make scripts for movies and TV series from the fruits of our conversations. It just happens, and pretty soon imaginary worlds, intrigues and complicated events are created from one simple statement or observation. And it is the sort of story that has weight and quality, bizarre as it may be.

Now that I think of it, maybe I can recall some of those things and write something. The trouble is I often can't recall the scenarios at will. That's just a minor obstacle most likely. At least I remembered to tell people I get my protein on the black market if they ask me, "So, if you don't eat meat, where do you get your protein?", which is a question posed with a tone of accusation most of the time.

It is freaky how often that question has been thrown my way. I can only conclude that I worry less about where my protein is copped than many carnivores. You'd think it would be the other way around. So far no one has shined a bare bulb lamp in my eyes and trapped me in an interrogation room when quizzing along those lines. It has often been clear that they wanted to and would if they could.

That's the kind of wisdom that comes out of having a few good, trusted friends. Also, they tend to point out the plus side of my existence without lecture or overdoing it. It just seems to flow and then I realize that I am not doomed, living in hell, or in much of a bind if I don't want to be.

They can't do much about that toenail that wants to fall off. I keep it taped there. I do not want to know what is underneath, or to deal with that last bit of tissue holding just one millimeter of it to my body still. Even friends don't want to deal with your toenails, in most cases. Hence the old saying, "It is lonely in a shoe".

I Lied, Once Again

2011-10-31T15:58:00.000-07:00

My life is not really exciting. It is confusing. Mostly to me, but sometimes to others. I guess we're even because I am perpetually baffled by the effectiveness with which most people manage their lives. They may not see it that way, but they have no idea how confusing the basics are to people like me. This sometimes results in me feeling like we are not speaking the same language even though it is all in English.

Remind me if I forget; whether it is superstition or voodoo, my best hope is some kind of blind faith that I'll manage to do the right thing, and It Will All Be OK.

I should be looking forward to the holiday travels. So far, I am not looking forward to much, and that is bad. One should always have something to anticipate happily and with enough excitement to produce some adrenalin. I'll work on it.

I saw a documentary about the Pixies 2004 re-united tour. It was pretty good. I didn't know who they were but the flick made me like them. I may not be thrilled with all their music but I liked elements of all of it, and I liked the creativity.

So, that documentary inspires me to write more songs and become a country singer, believe it or not--(either way you could be right).

In health notes: that big toe nail which took a beating in the great unexpected step into a jaccussi --how to spell it?-- is now trying to fall off. I guess the blood which kept it glued on finally dissolved. I am keeping it taped down.

There is intrigue in the land of Big O's buddy, as far as his local house management. I keep feeling like I am being eased out, but it could be that this involves other things which could be quite troublesome for certain operatives who aren't me. I strain to give a clearer picture while not saying anything which would not be wise at this juncture. Not prudent.

My Exciting Life

2011-10-28T17:40:00.000-07:00

If you actually knew, you'd be shocked, dismayed, puzzled and chagrined. But you don't because one can only talk about so much on the net if he is even marginally prudent. I consider myself marginally prudent. No more, and maybe just a little less. Judgement calls have not always been my strong point, that's why it stands out when I do exercise a bit of wisdom.

So there you have it; my life is not quite as boring as it sounds.

Pennies From Heaven

2011-10-27T17:00:00.000-07:00

So, according to my brother, an unexpected little windfall is coming my way which will make the Ballistic Holiday road trip possible. Who knew?

It's peanuts to some, but this will make joining those of my gene pool for Christmas much less stressful. Every bit helps these days. And it seems to be because the government overly robbed one of my dead relatives. Something that ought not happen in a truly free country.

Dear 99%

2011-10-27T12:10:00.000-07:00

If the people claiming to represent the 99% truly do represent 99% of this country, then I am in the 1% who think the 99% are full of it.

Winter? Again? and etc

2011-10-26T23:07:00.000-07:00

Just last week it was about 90 deg one afternoon. Today, I bet it didn't get above 60. Factor in the windchill and I'm sure it showed a "feels like" factor of maybe 59. Time to quit jogging nude.

Ballistic Mountain weather is certainly a puzzling thing. San Diego county, in general, is a puzzling hodge podge of micro climates, all of which are almost ideal if you compare them to other parts of the country. That quickly causes one to be super sensitive to little changes in humidity and temperature. And if it rains, close the schools and hope for the best.

It has been IN THE FIFTIES just after sunset lately. If that doesn't qualify as winter weather, then I don't know what does.

I'm trying like hell not to point out that examining fine print, etc. would reveal that the big O's college loan relief plans only benefit a small fraction of people who owe or will owe. It is smoke and mirrors, so don't let that unabashed bribe buy you off. It is a lie.

The part that does trouble me is the part about claiming it is on behalf of the people that the elected executive of the country is wanting to by-pass the elected legislators of the country as if the separation of powers means nothing, and as if they were not elected by people, just like him.

It sounds very dictatorial. But, I've long noted that people forget what the president's job is supposed to be. It is not to make laws or approve budgets or to run lives. Those who run for that office act as if they are running for supreme ruler, monarch or dictator. It is sad how this snowball of authority has been rolling down the hill gaining momentum and mass for over a hundred years. And how much of the population has helped push it along at higher and higher speed.

Why not just import Castro or Chavez? The talk and attitude are the same. I find it hard to comprehend how people can be so easily duped. It is because they think there is something in it for them; like the fake student loan relief. Those college kids are all over that. Do your homework, Junior, you been had. Again.

I heard I share a birthday with Gumby and Charles Lindbergh. Can't complain. They had a bank robber here called "the Gumby bandit" because he tried to rob a place dressed in a Gumby suit. He failed. Got his hand all tangled in the pocket trying to prove he had a gun.

Just one of many odd bandits. We had the Geezer bandit, who they think was wearing a realistic old man mask, and one called the dandy or suit bandit or something like that because he was super dressed up and daper. We got em out here in SoCal. There are more but I don't keep up very well. Some get caught. Most get caught or screw up and run away.

No way I can really be from this planet. Between the bears' rights, and people like PETA suing Seaworld for slavery, and occupy this and that, and helmet laws, and laff tracks on TV, I must be another species of being from somewhere else.

Video Curse Continues

2011-10-26T00:37:00.000-07:00

It turns out the video taken of me at the party was not of the cut loose Cmin jam. It was just me trying to play a little blues over a progression a couple of guitars were doing. I think all three of us had a different idea of where it was supposed to go. Besides I sometimes suck at that sort of blues. If there were vocals and all that, then I'd be better--I hope.

My conclusion of this is that the other thing went well. Whenever I really nail it the camera is off. Or, if it is on, then the picture is of the pavement, the port-o-lets, the sky or the bar room floor. Usually, it is off, out of tape, out of memory, or out to lunch. It must be a karma thing of some kind.

The good part is that I expected no recording of this and I made no effort to see that anything got recorded. I've given up on that temporarily.

I think G2, the older guy with the beard and interesting local history was best in show. He did a few songs by himself and he was clearly a cut above. G1 did a good job on the only song I recall him doing. That was all of us playing on that. No two songs. G1 is the most consistent of everyone in all ways.

K aka G1 is the responsible anchor of the mountain and the group, and he has more control over his emotions. He behaves the best on a consistent basis. Puts up with me and C aka G2. And of course he puts up with his lovely wife who I maintain is perfect. Because she is, and I am the kind of guy who always sides with the chick --when I am being smart. I like her voice. It has a very nice quality to it, plus she is one who always has my back. Some women look out for me and I appreciate it more than I let on.

Wireless Modem Review

2011-10-25T05:58:00.000-07:00

Due to my peculiar circumstances, and possibly my peculiar construction and constitution, I have been connected on line via air card modem--cellular system, just like what phones use. G with a number in front. 3G 4G

Anyway, it has been through Millenicom.com ever since I left Memphis. It is a different animal getting connected on Ballistic Mountain. My original intent was to be wired in when I left TN, even as a vagabond, and the setup was as good as I could do up here. It used to be much cheaper, but to maintain the unlimited part I had to start paying more. When I checked what a regular cell company would charge it no longer seemed like highway robbery, and I was not forced into a contract.

It is still a lot, but all alternatives charge a lot up front, require installing a satellite dish or other equipment and still want to limit usage or charge a bundle. When my Franklin modem starting going south--falling apart--I was happy to know I'm grandfathered in to this deal because it is not available any more.

I was nervous when the new Sierra modem arrived. Not only because I wondered if it was something to do with the Sierra Club and lobbying, but because you have to uninstall the software affiliated with the old modem and trust that when you plug this into the usb port that it will install and work.

It took a little messing around but not much. I haven't had this kind of speed in a long time. And I did not have to call up the tech support. That is another thing about Millenicom, when you call tech support, or billing, you rarely wait longer than a minute, and you get an American who lives in the USA. They have always solved whatever issue I had, and I have had ver few over the almost four years with them.

I don't know what all they offer now, but if it is comparable to something you're looking at elsewhere, I'd go with Millenicom. Their service is as good or better than Mindspring back in the late 90's, and they were good.

This turned out to be more of a cellular internet service provider review than a modem review. The Franklin cdu-680 was good and served me a long time. I liked the pouch it came with. This one has no pouch but it is smaller, does not rotate, and uses pretty blue lights that don't blink all the time. So, you have the good and bad, but I think the sierra is somehow more MAC compatible. All seems faster.

The other posts before this are more interesting. And more full of ego if you go down two.

I was prepared to spend hours getting this right, expecting I'd have to get the tech girl on the phone again. They have guys too. I just liked the female who handled the process of getting this sent to me. She said that she was the best for MAC support. Older males are really pitiful.

Maybe I am turning into an old lecher. OK. I was that way when I was younger, too. Now I blame it on being older than dirt.

The Ad That Would Put Romney In The Big White Crib

2011-10-24T22:28:00.000-07:00

This Bad Lip Reading video ought to be his campaign ad. They have videos of other candidates, too. They've got Obama doing a rap (which is not so far off of things I've seen from him and Hilary when they want to be homeys in da 'hood). Still, it would be better than usual campaign ads.

I think all of them should just use the bad lip reading version of their exploits--far more entertaining and coherent. Besides, they would offer as much, or more, reasonable criteria for making a voting judgement as people generally possess before visiting the polls.

I've never found Mitt so personable and engaging. None of his other appearances did anything other than leave me cold, and mistrustful of him. This one, though, won me over. I'd vote for a guy who talks like that.

Ballistic House Party

2011-10-24T21:38:00.000-07:00

My guitar friend and his singer wife, 2 of the members of Copper Creek with whom I play, had an afternoon, early evening party on Sunday. It was an Oktoberfest theme but I just showed up as I normally do. No little funny clothes or any of that.

K set up the PA out on the deck and lots of people got up and sang and played. We played a little bit, but not that much. Some chick claims she has a video of me doing my Oaxaca jam. That's when I jam off of a riff from a song I wrote that has been titled All I Ever, Fly Away With You, and Oaxaca. It actually has words but we do it without any. I guess it is my chance to try to let loose and let off steam, and show off on a good day.

Mostly it is a bit of a release. We don't do much that requires me to let go and I need to every now and then. So far I haven't seen the video, so I have no idea exactly what I did or even how long I did it. Judging from response, it may have been OK. I felt kind of OK but still felt like I didn't hit the stride I always crave in such situations. It felt better than not doing it at all.

Here's a picture someone took. I hold a harmonica different than you are supposed to. Different than anyone I've ever seen, and I do the hand stuff left handed instead of right. Just the way it works out. If that wasn't me I'd be captioning the photo, "do you think these folks know I'm really up here picking my nose?" I wasn't, of course.

In spite of all I did enjoy that Cminor jam. It's nice that the guitar players put up with it. They have to lay down the progression and they never know when I'm going to stop because I often let it get way quiet like it is about to end, then I rip into harder than before.

I'm not that great a player, really, but I am somewhat different, and that is all I can say on that.

If I , etc

2011-10-22T20:33:00.000-07:00

If I were the rich parent of one of the Occupy kids, I'd be encouraging the wayward youth to check out those fly suits, maybe they are called wing suits, where you go sailing around by the side of mountains and it looks like the most fun ever. It is a little like high speed surfing on the air.

I'd feel obligated to help the kid see what life can be; things I wish I was better at doing for myself. If I had the dough many of their parents have, I'd find ways to meet and introduce young Woolsworth or Buffy to inventors of things like that microwave machine that turns tires into fuel and carbon black. Carbon black is used in tire manufacture so that could go right back into more tires.

At one time I was intimately familiar with the workings of a tire manufacturing facility in NC. For various reasons my equipment proposal was not accepted, but I was young and inexperienced. The education and the experience gained in the process was worthwhile. Most likely I could have landed that account with what I knew later. Plus my design would have been a little different.

I've certainly spent much time in frivolous ways at every stage of my life, but I do think my time spent in that plant was of far more value than it would have been had I camped out to protest instead. And that's the real point.

It is great to let your views be known. I still say that doing so in a way that involves force over others in some way is over the line. I consider stopping traffic, clogging infrastructure and making work for others because of mess or vandalism, etc. a form of force. This is clearly where I part ways with most unions in their tactics.

But the real shame is that it is so easy to get a myopic view of life which limits one's chances of really experiencing the good things being a human being can bring. I consider things like loving a sport, being enamored with surfing or paragliding or any number of activities far more worthwhile than war, many forms of public service, and many other things considered holy by those who love mobs. Those activities are purely human and serve as a celebration of life and our creative nature.

Unless it has been enslaved and trained, you won't find a bear catching waves on a longboard, or sailing around the world, and zipping around like a flying squirrel in a glide suit. And even flying squirrels don't get to do what I've seen those guys do.

I think that helping a child learn to enjoy these things that are part of the joy of being is one of the best gifts anyone could give. I wish I hadn't had to spend my life trying to unlearn the opposite message. Even so, I know better. And I do appreciate what people can do.

Playing my excuse for music may be a sliver of that, and I cling to it because it is. In reality I would rather have been some kind of career athlete or be sailing through the sky like an insane rocket. No reason not to do both. It is just that the physical things are more my true nature than music or much else. Fortunately it often is kind of physical when I play. That is what kept me doing it, not how it sounds. Only how it felt on a good day.

At this time a lot of cool things would not be a good idea to try since I'm old and haven't spent my life working out.

It does make me a little sad to know what some kids are missing, and that it doesn't need to be like that. It is one problem I would not throw money at because that is not the real issue. People are simply being conditioned to believe life, humanity, and what matters are something other than what they are.

Credit Where Credit Is Doo

2011-10-21T22:19:00.000-07:00

It could be that I am wrong, but if I thought so, I'd be saying something else entirely, or nothing at all.

If I am not mistaken, the general template for the troop withdrawal from Iraq was hammered out, with the Iraqi top guy, under Bush, at the end of his presidency. The timeline was pretty well set. Many people objected to the timeline approach at the time.

Obama claims he has kept his campaign promise about pulling troops out because of this December 2011 thing. He is unabashedly claiming full credit. The basis of it all has kind of changed over the last few years since Iraq nixed the original plan of having some bases still there. But such is life. The O wanted bases but since they said no, he can play up getting out as not being kicked out on that level. This is one of those times when he could blame Bush for the general troop withdrawal and it would be more truthful. Give the man credit for nerve. He must have been reading P.T. Barnum's memoirs.

Phineas Taylor Barnum (pbuh)

The big O can claim credit for Osama Been Laiden to rest in the deep blue sea. Not for this. I understood his campaign promise was to bring troops home immediately, much faster than this. I believe the timeline followed was pretty much the default already put in place. At least we haven't escalated other involvement over there, tried to influence who was or wasn't in power and have met with nothing but respect and success since Bush hit the road. Right.

If this is drastically different than how things were before Barack, I haven't noticed. Neither one has been overly clear on objectives, rationale, or what constitutes a victory which would allow us to get out.

Both expect soldiers to be social workers and to serve under unsafe rules of engagement. Both allow troops to be misused.

This police action, using the army to build schools approach hasn't worked, ever. Unless you are someone who benefits from the event. I'd love to be the guy who sells million dollar missiles. Imagine that commission. I'd be starting little skirmishes in the dark of night just so someone would fire one off. Then they'd buy more.

I'm interested in knowing what the strategy is in Afghanistan and the rest of the area. I find it unclear, just as I did in the Bush days. Especially when there was talk of making the region free to be sane and happy, and not oppressive. That is a pipe dream. Not all cultures lend themselves to such things.

Speaking of claiming credit, how often do politicians ask if you are better off than you were four years ago? It gets asked in different contexts, often as a negative against whoever was on the public payroll living in the White House at the time. Bunk!!!

I am better off than I was four years ago or three years ago, but it has absolutely nothing to do with government people. Not one thing. In other periods of my life when I was better off at the end than the beginning of some four year span, it had nothing to do with the president or his merry men and women. In this case I am certainly not financially better off, but I am better off.

So, anyway, this is shaping up to be the most embarrassing of campaign seasons. I guess the good thing is that both sides are now showing their elitist assumption that people will believe anything. I still think the republican thing is being forced and that, in reality, Mittens would not be on top had the nooz not continually titled him "front runner" even though he really wasn't. They've all but banned Paul from reasonable coverage and credit from the start, and now the assassinate Cain's character and chances assault is on.

I see Mitt, much like McCain was in 2008, as Obama lite. One day we will tire of allowing kings to run our lives, and tire of being useful pawns and idiots pleading our causes to them in hopes of forcing others to do our will.

Most people feel more comfortable believing a "good leader" is what we need. I tend to think we need to limit the power of such people so that, good or bad, they can't accomplish much harm to basic freedoms and rights.

Connectivity

2011-10-20T13:36:00.001-07:00

People up here on Ballistic Mountain don't have some of the easy options available to civilization down by the coast and elsewhere. Being even more out of the loop than most, I have fewer options.

I don't think regular cable is even available up here. People use satellite companies. I guess some get their internet that way. There is also a guy who offers a very expensive system which involves some kind of reception device and other costly equipment. I think his setup interferes with all other airwaves, but it is not supposed to.

Anyway, I've been using a cell system from an independent company, Millenicom, for almost four years. It is tied to the Sprint system but doesn't require a contract. It is also unlimited so that is good. The price has gone up but even if I had a sprint phone and wanted unlimited internet it would cost as much and require a lot more hassle, hooplah and obligation.

The trouble is, my modem is literally falling apart; coming unglued, and not working too well. I called to order a new one and they said my plan is no longer available. They now have a verizon plan that limits to 5 gigs or something. However, I am grandfathered in with this so I can keep going. I have to buy a new modem from them to replace this one and it is a different make. Michele says it will work well.

In the mean time I try to wiggle the other one so it connects and works but any small breeze makes it disconnect. For that reason it will be a great victory if this publishes.

I think this is all another wake up cal that I better get on the stick to organize life and be prepared to make money, and to be ready to make changes which will inevitably occur. The huse is still on the market and eventually the demand will come back up to real value. As it is the only offers are about half what the homeowners have in their property.

When I have no connection I get a little screwy because the computer is my ony source for tv music and it serves as my bill paying mechanism and primary method of communication with friends. My best friends tend to be scattered about the country, not just up the street. Although I do have friends here, too.

I can do this. It seems like I can't, but I know I can deal with the mess and move on. I wonder why I never feel like I am where I should put down roots and feel at home? Forever the orphan waif, I guess.

Occupied Failure

2011-10-19T23:34:00.000-07:00

Despite my best efforts at the Occupy Descanso, the ATM inside Perkins store still charges a fee. Filthy bourgeois oppressors.

I demand legislative action. It won't dispense cash if your account is temporarily short, but I know it has the money and could if it wanted. That ATM needs to be taken down!

It still seems like we'd have more success if I weren't the only occupier in this grass roots movement here in the back country.

Darn and Dang It

2011-10-19T21:39:00.000-07:00

The more I look at it, the more it looks like I'll not be making a Christmas road trip. I may have to get my major car service done here rather than at the best Subaru service department ever, in Dallas. And then I could fly south and be at the mercy of others for week, and fly back.

That lack of escape option bothers me. I like to be able to hit the road at will. It is easy for my family visits to run their course in just a few days. Flight prices are such that I would be there a week, should I choose to fly.

Due to our security regulations and the airlines bizarre practice of charging you if you bring luggage, I wouldn't have much there with me to pass the time should I need a mental escape. I guess I can bring my computer without issue, so there is that. Clothes-wise I'll have to travel rather light.

I suppose I should make up my mind soon. I don't think the tickets are going to drop in price and it looks like they are fairly booked up. Flights to Miami are already prohibitive. Ft Lauderdale is the only hope which means they have to drive a long way to pick me up and drop me off.

It is tempting to call the whole thing off, but I think I'll forever regret it if I do. This may be a last chance of some kind. It seems that way but I can't say why. Once in awhile my hunches pan out. Usually they are probably off. I don't know because I generally forget the hunch.

Won't You Donate to My Cause?

2011-10-19T20:49:00.000-07:00

My remaining family consists of a brother and his offspring, as well as an aunt and her off spring. I have other cousins on my father's side but they refuse to communicate. That was a huge surprise to me, but I get the idea that my father and his wife must have said some things which put me and my brother in a bad light. It is too bad because he would only have done that to cover his own abuses.

Then again, if people are dimwitted enough to go by hearsay and not find out for themselves when it comes to the character of others, I guess they deserve what they get, or don't get.

This Christmas is one in which all of my brother's brood, small though it is, will be together in Florida. They have encouraged me, more than they normally would, to show up. I think it is because this won't be a yearly gathering. Now that his sons are hooked up with good looking, splendid chicks, they will do the holidays with their sweethearts families at least every other year.

It used to be an annual gathering and my mother was there for most of those. I finally began showing up, too, and I rarely had a better time. Maybe I never had a better time. My sister in law's brother (not sure of correct syntax for that possessive, so this will do) is married to a good looking Cuban and they have the best party of all time on Dec 24th, the Buena Noche party, or something close to that name.

I've not been there for the last couple of years. Maybe three.

Somehow I am not sure if there will be more gatherings which have that same flair after this one. So, I think I should go. Besides I don't know what my future will bring, if anything. I feel more mortal than usual lately.

That is where you can help. This trip will cost plenty and if I am to see Texas cousins and my aunt, and make it to Tavernier in the Florida Keys (just south of Key Largo), then your contributions may be necessary. A few hundred from ten of you would be great, or just send me a few thousand or more. The sky's the limit!!

I'll work on ways to make it tax deductible. And you can rest easy knowing that I will plant things all along the way to offset your carbon footprint.

I'll send you a certificate which proves you are fighting climate change and making life better for mutant hermits. That's an offer no one could resist.

Thank you in advance for taking responsibility for my wanderlust and family ties.

Interesting Ideas Never Cease to Occur

2011-10-19T19:58:00.000-07:00

Whether you think the sky is falling or that we're all going to hell in a handbasket, people continue to create. Even if Al Gore or your local university guru suggests that there are only so many ways to do something, someone out there will prove them wrong.

That is the error of subsidizing chosen industries, especially in the field of energy production and conservation. You promote a narrow band of technology in doing so, when it is likely that other things which would survive the market suffer as a consequence. Time and money end up being wasted on things that are probably not the best approach. It happens.

An interesting reader who seems to know plenty about me sent me this link http://www.popsci.com/popsci/flat/bown/2007/innovator_2.html. The linked story tells the tale of a guy who has created a machine that uses microwave technology to extract fuels out of many every day objects, and it yields more energy producing gases and substances than it uses.

Here's a picture of the guy and his pal. He's lighting the torch off of fuel from the recycle device. You can throw tires in there and get all kinds of good things. This idea is an excellent one which doesn't involve screwing up land, taxing manufacturing companies for carbon footprint or any of that. It only makes sense that things like this would be developed. But does it please those who only see solutions in mandate, taxing, and controlling all? Doubtful.

It cheers me up to discover that people have created great new inventions or clever designs. I realize when those things come to my attention that life and being human is not about pain, suffering and jumping into causes formulated by those who will forever create, then combat such problems, but about the thrill of seeing a thought about something that improves life reach fruition, and about enjoying the good things which are in one's personal world. The collective hoopla is primarily a limiting factor when it comes to the good things.

But I guess the creators are not the bulk of humanity, and the majority will forever be confused by them. Of course some creative people do use the herd to lock out others when they lack the integrity to do otherwise, but that is very often not the case. Many and inventor has been too busy and focussed on his ideas to even comprehend the corruption which gets in the way.

There are some really cool things out there. Thank you Verbi for sending some of them to my attention.

Is This Man Insane?

2011-10-19T15:40:00.000-07:00

Or just evil...

"It's very clear that private-sector jobs have been doing just fine; it's the public-sector jobs where we've lost huge numbers, and that's what this legislation is all about," Reid said on the Senate floor.

Harry Reid, you are a whore who knows no shame, and you never cease to reach new depths in proving that you think citizens of this country are idiots. Your checks from the unions such as SEIU are in the mail.

Blazing on a sunny afternoon, in a summertime

It became summer again. I thought we'd slipped straight into winter, then we had some hot days over 85 degrees. No way to figure this climate.

Exciting Times With Magic Wax

2011-10-19T01:27:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time I was clueless about the finish on the Englishman's garage doors. Misinformation mixed with rare initiative led to a disaster which I feared might cost me thousands of dollars to make right.

I wrote about it at the time. I fretted and searched for answers, and fretted some more. Then I met Raul who had applied the magic finish in the first place. He kindly let me in on the secret. Making the doors right involved sacred rituals, culminating in the application of Raul's secret Santeria wax formula. It smelled a bit like gasoline, and looked like black shoe polish.

Those were the days; probably 100 hours hand sanding the textured wood, then performing the prescribed rites. The end result was stellar and saved my reputation. He told me to re-apply the stuff every six months or so, and to charge a lot. I still don't charge enough.

It has been more than six months, maybe more than I year--I lost track. I had some of the formula left over from before but it was pretty well solidified. To solid to brush onto anything. You brush this paste on then after awhile, wipe off the excess.

I do not possess a gas can and don't have a lawn mower and homeowner implements so I only keep gas in the car. It was my first choice for something to soften the dark glob of sacred material. Then I recalled that the person who revealed the elements which combine to make this stuff said "or diesel fuel" right after listing gasoline as final ingredient.

Being the clever one, I thought to myself, "mineral spirits is not so different from diesel fuel. That is what I used and it appears to have worked, although the behavior of the coating was a little different. I'm not sure it didn't work better. It dried more slowly so I treated larger areas before wiping it down. The ticket is for the dark stuff to remain in nooks, crannies, and crevices. It gives it a aged, rustic look while leaving a waxy soft feel to the wood.

Eight hours later I was done. These are big doors. Six of them.

Now I am an expert. And that makes me think it is time to find another source of income. It is nice to do something like that a couple of times, but in reality I am not Mr Home repair and maintenance. It is like the teak. OK. I learned, I experimented with ways to deal with a couple of different types of it and I did the maintenance. Now it is repetitive and not much for holding my attention.

But, until I get the alternative decided, and up and running I better keep this stuff going. It does give me the inside line on this administration, and some glimpse of how they live on the other side. People in some ritzy areas are no fun at all. That is clear. But you go to some other ritzy 'hoods and those people have fun. Even the trophy wives and trophy teens are more personable.

In Rancho Pricko their greatest fear is being caught smiling or being courteous if there is no obvious social or business advantage to be had. I guess you get thrown out for that, or they take away your sugar daddy or trophy wife. Or trophy gigalo, just to be PC. Truthfully you see very little of that. Tennis pros are the trophies of the trophies, but that is somewhat on the sly.

It is always interesting to see how people behave in certain settings though. That kind of thing has long been studied in my travels. The puzzling aspect is why that particular circle of people, or that town, has so many very wealthy people who seem so unhappy or angry. Rich people should be happy, even though it is considered evil to be rich if you listen to news.

Rude, polite, happy, or bitter, I whole heartedly approve of wealth. Wealthy people pay far better than poor folk, and they have more bizarre and interesting projects quite often. Do not hate the rich. Their wealth is not the reason for your lack of it. Not a zero sum situation.

Maybe They Make It All Up

2011-10-18T23:44:00.000-07:00

Being in the least is best school of public management and politics, I tend to favor most of Ron Paul's agenda. But even if I didn't I would find it transparently manipulative the way Romney and Perry keep getting shoved to the front of this republican debacle.

Hell, Cain is as much or more of a front runner than either of them. Just like always, two choices are being narrowed down for us through clever PR. What gets me is how the major media outlets are tools of whatever or whomever is orchestrating this farce.

It is hard to watch this game. Given my philosophy as hinted at above, it is obvious I am not at all on the same page with Obama. Allegedly this band of republicans is out to get one of their own elected in his place. Is it just me, or does it look like they are doing everything they can to ensure another term for the big O? And in the process pave the way for more Pelosi types.

You'd think the time is right for people who don't believe in the present economic policies, foreign policy, etc. to do well in elections. The trouble is, anyone like that is painted as a kook regardless of documented support.

It is impossible to know the truth of the Occupy events without being there, and I have no desire to go see for myself. But from what I hear it is not a ground swell of support for the present administration. That doesn't mean much. I suspect it is like many such events; people show up and say whatever doesn't rock the boat with their peers.

It is also reported that 15% are unemployed. That means the vast majority of them are not people frustrated because they don't have a job, if that statistic is correct. Not that I care. Still, it is bizarre that Obama, whose policies enriched those being villanized, is the one attempting to capitalize on whatever this movement is. Looks to me like it could have been hijacked by almost anyone.

Anyway, I can't believe the spectacle the supposed opposition to the current administration is making of themselves. At least the ones the news covers, insisting they are front runners. They insisted they were front runners before their numbers actually supported it. They forgot Dr. Paul was even around. He at least conducts himself in a civil manner and shows a bit of class. So does Cain. I think, given fair coverage, that Cain and Paul would be the front runners. And lately friggin Grinchgrinch (I know. I just like to make the name how I choose) is showing more class and savvy than the two appointees of the press and whoever pulls their strings.

Since the laws and structure make third party efforts almost impossible, I have to pay attention to this circus. Besides, I still tend to dig Paul. Especially because he's come out wanting to eliminate a slough of federal agencies. I haven't checked the list yet, but I doubt I'd mind if he got his way.

It just seems so staged, or surreal, or something. It just can't be real. I only caught bits and pieces of the latest debate which unfortunately stopped short of a cage fight between the Mittmeister and Ricko. I guess they figure any attention is better than none so they went for it. It is becoming obvious that the repubs will once again offer something I do not consider acceptable. Just like last time.

I don't think McCain would have been much better than Obama, or different. Not worse, most likely. So, I had to vote third party. People say that is throwing away the vote. I think not. I couldn't vote for the winner, and I prefer to have my vote count among those who want something akin to freedom.

But, putting what I think aside, does anyone believe the GOP is actually trying to set up for a win? I don't. I saw them insist on losing when Clinton bumped Bush 1 out of office. It became clear during the fray that he had no intention of winning.

If I didn't know better, and I don't, I would say forces are at play which would fit the criteria of a conspiracy. And that could give rise to a theory. Only I have no theory.

The other bit of news that is true but sounds too bizarre to be true involves a guy in Nevada whose jewel package weighs over 100 lbs. It only grew like that in the last few years and they don't know why. They ruled out diseases which can cause that. Seriously, to put it in G rated terms, I'm talking the family gems. 100 lbs. It has ruined his life. He has to wrap them up and can hardly get around. No love life for sure, and he can no longer work. They can do an operation but it will cost a million bucks. He's hoping the publicity will get him some kind of donations to get his junk back down manageable. All his junk hasn't blown up like that, just the two eggs. I don't think he can even see the remaining item in the package trio at this stage.

It makes one appreciate what he has without any thought that maybe he got shorted. Maybe someone said, "Why don't you grow a set!" and he took it too much to heart. No one would say that now. I hope he gets it fixed and lives happily ever after. It does confirm the notion that more trouble is generated from that part of the body than from all other sources in the universe combined. Usually the trouble is of a different nature, but trouble all the same.

On the other hand, if having cajones gives you the nerve to do great things, this guy should have no shortage of gall and initiative.

Truth Is, I'm Not Tempted

2011-10-18T01:07:00.000-07:00

Previously, I pretended to be tempted to take a side. The truth is that there isn't a side worth taking in most of the matters that enter the public media outlets.

My side is that what you do is not my business until you cross over into my world's limits. That is called freedom.

The other night I was listening to one of Art Bell's old shows. They play vintage Art Bell on Saturday nights. He was talking to a guy from PETA. I only listened for awhile, partly because I was driving, and partly because they were debating carnivore vs vegetarian. Both of them were out in left field somewhere.

Most people seem to assume that I have an agenda when they don't me, but find out I'm not a carnivore. I do not. If you don't try to cook me, then eat what you want. I support hunters and ranchers. They are exercising their choice, and serving the desires of others.

The bad part is when the people who decide I have some evangelical dietary agenda start arguing before I've said anything. I'm not going to defend my choice, and I don't care why you make your choices. It is highly annoying when it can't be left at that. I recently got lectured about enzymes and all manner of things which do not interest me. I do not plan to change because I already considered it and found I just couldn't do it willingly. Nurses can be the worst when it comes to things like that. They tend to believe everything the AMA puts out there. I don't, but I don't try to make anyone do it my way, either.

That must be the difference. Most people do not possess the self control or reasoning ability required not to try to make you do it their way, even though it in no way actually affects them. That is the crux of many conflicts and problems in the world.

That is what irked me about the PETA guy. He was pleasant but definitely wants the world to operate as he does. I figure if it really is more energy efficient and beneficial, then eventually that is what people will do, given that gangster groups in the form of lobbies and government don't get in the way. I am not expecting a change of everyone's tastes and desires, nor do I care if they change what they eat.

It offends me that Michele Obama goes around telling people how to eat. At least on public money, it offends me. We've got enough ridiculous discussion about obesity, all of it an excuse to dip into the taxpayer's pocket. So, take a side as to what and how you should eat? I'll pass. Don't eat me, and don't give me lectures about how unhealthy and unnatural I am, or must be.

But you see how easy it is to get a topic going which is really no one's business to push one way or the other, then define camps and go at it? That's one of the areas where I veer off from PETA and most nouveau vegetarians. I've always been this way, and it is not a political or public policy statement. It should not be with anyone. IDIOTS.

But my experience has been more from the other side; people constantly wanting to change me or argue my diet without the slightest suggestion from me that I am interested in their opinions or care what they do. Dare to stray from the herd and you will get fried. Or grilled, or roasted.

Some of that is human nature rooted in survival, but much of it is rooted in insecurity and a refusal to evolve to keep up with where we ought to be by now. The new push for tribalism and grouping in antagonistic ways is not a move forward, and feeds the petty pleasure of being part of a herd. It is not the best of human nature by any stretch of the imagination.

I suppose I could find solace if I were a transgendered lesbian vegetarian, and then if you hurt me it could be a hate crime. As it is I will leave the politics of what people eat, and of religion and color to the usual suspects.

Fighting, Sleeve Rolling, Shovels and Boots

2011-10-17T21:10:00.000-07:00

The longer I live, the more I'm amazed at the total nonsense highly paid officials speak, while on our dime, without shame, and without consequence.

The last couple of years have seen meaningless phrases like "boots on the ground" and "shovel ready". I say meaningless because in the context used, those phrases have proven to either mean the opposite of what you think, or nothing at all.

Why use a term like "shovel ready"? First off, shovels aren't always used, and rarely the tool of choice for meaningful ground breaking. We use front end loaders and other heavy equipment. Whatever the case, the money being played with in that shell game did not actually find its way to much that makes sense to anyone.

But, got to give credit where credit is due; when the going got tough--in politico terms that means they are having trouble pushing the paper they want to push---they "roll up their sleeves" and get to work!! That roll up the sleeves thing is used a lot, but what does that prove? Is the A/C on the blink in the Dirkson building?

But wait, "we're fighting for you"! What does that mean? Is it like Hoffa and the union guys who will club me with a stick if I choose to work at a place where they won"t? Fighting who and what, I wonder.

Do you think they roll up their sleeves and start punching out people in the Capitol? Maybe that is why they are always talking about things on the House floor. Lots of the boots on the ground in the congress chambers must be attached to people flat on their backs who've been fighting for money to spend on shovel ready jobs.

The boots thing just seems almost disrespectful. Usually, boots on the ground, as I understand it, refers to humans in the military "over there" possibly getting shot at. So to make it sound more pristine and to cloud the fact that we are involved in a skirmish, we call them "boots". If they are walking around in the crossfire I guess that constitutes on the ground. If they are doing some other thing then we just ignore that matter altogether.

I wonder if they issued moccasins and bedroom slippers to get around that boots snafu. I haven't noticed any less involvement, or any more success in the wars which have other names I can't keep track of.

There's been some bedroom slipper talk. "Time to take off the bedroom slippers and put on the marching shoes, we got work to do". Not sure what that means, but never do officials speak of work in the terms I do. They aren't sanding down teak furniture or running front end loaders, or chopping wood. What they mean is that they want others to do things they don't want to do, or buy things they do not want to buy. Work to the elected official, and appointees, is generally synonymous with extort. "We've got money to extort! Everyone, roll up your sleeves!!"

Work to do usually means make laws to somehow filter more money through them. That's always how it works.

This administration does seem to have thing about footwear; boots on the ground, take off the bedroom slippers, putting on your marching shoes. There may be other examples, but I only keep up so much. My stomach is strong, but I have my limits. I don't even remember what Bush talked about in the way of fashion items. I admit I rarely listened, much like now, except this guy does far more speech giving, so it is hard to miss entirely.

I think sleeves is a general fixation for all politicians. I've heard the thing of rolling up sleeves forever. Some official says he's going to roll his sleeves up, watch out! he means business.

The sad thing is that people think they are supposed to glean some meaning from the rhetoric of these clowns. I guess it is because reporters pretend it has meaning and spend hours analyzing it, discussing such things as "his mood", "forceful demeanor" and sometimes his clothes or shoes.

People who are lying, and know they are doing, or have done, something wrong, talk like that. Everyone has seen it in daily life, from their wayward sons and daughters, neighbors who ruin your lawn mower, crooked boss or coworker, sneaky customer, etc. You know in those cases you're being scammed and the issue is being smoke screened. We don't always do anything about it, but we know. In the case of these officials, the personal attachment is not even there, so why do we allow ourselves to be continually talked to like ripe marks by these con men/women?

Most likely because they tell us we'll somehow get paid and that none of our troubles are our fault or could possibly be remedied by anyone other than them. They offer to relieve us of responsibility, and even though anyone knows the language of liars, we pretend because it is easy.

Tomorrow, I am going to roll up my sleeves, with boots on the ground and fight to complete a shovel ready job involving Raul's secret santeria wood goo, and some shutter clips.

Secretariat

2011-10-16T23:49:00.000-07:00

I was able to see the movie on DVD. Someone involved with the ownership of the horse had a house near me in Miami. I never spoke to them but my mother did. What I recall is how they described the horse to her. That made the movie all the more interesting.

Back then, I had no idea what the Kentucky Derby was, but then came Secretariat and my mother's conversation with the people. I watched as the horse set records in all legs of the triple crown. Although his Preakness record wasn't granted, two independent sources clocked him as finishing in record time. The official clock got screwed up and one track guy hand clocked it slower, but it is likely that guy erred.

No horse ever won by such a margin or in the record time he set when he blasted through the Belmont Stakes course. The amazing thing was that the crazy horse was still accelerating at the end.

The actual name they called him was Big Red. It was news to me, but the reason you see such bizarre names in those races is that some committee has to approve the name you submit. I think the first ten names they sent in for Big Red were rejected.

In the movie and in the story told to my mother it was stressed how intelligent that horse was. And how much he wanted to win. I have no idea why I find something about great horses so appealing, but I do. I've hardly ever ridden, but I understand how people could get hooked on that world. It is often a hard life but there is something about it.

Secretariat was the coolest horse ever. And his owner has a story all her own. She went against all odds just to keep the farm, thanks to oppressive estate taxes. I'll never get why something which has been taxed forever has to be taxed again just because it is willed to a person. That is not right, and those who think you do not have a right to see your property go to whom you choose when you die are just mad because it doesn't go to them.

Anyway, I liked the movie. I'm not too critical of how it could have been done differently because I love seeing the race scenes re-enacting what actually happened, then seeing old footage of the real thing. There is no way they exaggerated. What that horse did was amazing enough that it would have seemed pure fantasy before he did it. Especially his Belmont win.

I did find out that the Derby is 1 1/4 miles, the Preakness is 1 3/16 and the Belmont, 1 1/2miles. All the hot shots thought he'd fade on the long race. What they did not know is that Secretariat's heart was actually over twice the size of a normal heart for a horse that size. And it was very healthy. I love it when the smug ones get their come-uppance.

Some people think it is a violation of animal rights to race horses. In the case of Secretariat, I think he liked to race and enjoyed it like a performer loves doing a show in front of a big crowd. Maybe that was one animal who didn't need a self appointed lawyer to speak for him. Save it for the bears and sharks.

When you consider the relationship between humans and horses, and dogs, it is clear that the development of civilization would have been far different without them. It's a strange thing, really; riding on the back of an animal. Somehow it does seem perfectly natural, though.

So Tempting to Pick a Side

2011-10-16T20:51:00.000-07:00

When you can name enemies and have plenty of company who will go along, it is hard not to vent frustration on the selected groups. The trouble is, the broad brush almost always leaves out important facts and ignores the real path of cause and effect.

There are always plenty of people who will spout facts and such so actually taking the time to tediously research every facet of thing is not necessary. Never mind that the story told is never all inclusive. That would be almost impossible to do anyway, like trying to control the behavior and choices of millions from some central planning committee. It's like trying to balance nature by decree.

When Tea Party stuff first came out, I was in agreement with most of it; contain governmental power and size, quit trying to spend money to fix problems which arose from spending too much and in places better left not in government hands. But then various people jumped to the front of the line and it became clear this movement broadened in scope and often the self appointed leaders espoused things I find irrelevant when speaking of what government ought do or not do. I still agree that it is good to have a constitution and eliminating things which violate the limits it placed on central power is fine.

I'm somewhat on board with a state's rights agenda, but I fully believe their powers ought to be severely limited as well. I give them the right to secede but if they are just wanting to limit individual freedom, bad news. It is a sticky thing.

If it is news to anyone that very wealthy interests have served to corrupt every process in which the government is involved, then you've been deaf, dumb and blind up until now. They've even used the military in ways which seem odd and not fair to the people who serve, let alone the people who just work, raise families and try to get by.

So, in some ways I agree with the Occupy crowd. Things should not be as they are. Beyond that, I doubt many would be in accord with my views. For one thing, I abhor mob actions which stop traffic or impede the daily lives of others. I think it was in Boston that there activities prevented the Food Bank's planned food drive. And the Brooklyn Bridge thing was out of bounds in my mind.

I've yet to see a sign which says "This Is What Respectful Individual Freedom Looks Like". Maybe because none of us have ever lived or known of a time when people resisted the temptation to curb the behavior of others, even when it was not a threat to them or others. The twentieth century was cluttered with rationalizations and weak arguments justifying dictating the choices of others in the name of cost to society or the greater good. Too bad. It has done the opposite of raise the level and character of civilization on most fronts.

What often happens in times like these is that one group pushes the buttons of other groups, who are equally loathe to figure out they are all being played in one way or another, and the next thing you know, someone goes home crying, or in a box. Then that is used to fan the fire even more. True reason and principle are so far lost that trying to find the root of the mess is impossible.

I do not know how things should be structured. My feeling is that minimal structure and minimal restraint on individual freedom is the place to start. All the best efforts in the other direction have led to amazing theories and rationalizations but not a more sane peaceful world. Instead of having a war every now and then with clear losers and winners who go home and relax for awhile, we have never ending "peace keeping" missions, nation building and reorganizing enterprises and police actions. Half the time we fight those we armed for some other vague purpose. I just can't buy the excuses, based on how the efforts are conducted.

And the results? Most of it is so foreign to anything we know, we aren't even sure what the results are. Someone is making money and achieving more and more control over the public. I think the broad title of Wall Street misses the mark by a mile. I would say I can't prove it, but I believe if I dedicated my life to it, I could prove it. But I admit, I have no desire to do that.

I just want to have a clean house and no complications before I die. And I hope to steer clear of all official authorities and mobs who may decide that I am the problem.

Occupy My House

2011-10-16T13:47:00.000-07:00

Wait, if I focus on my own banking practices and other habits, then I have to protest myself.

I take it back. I'm all for occupy everything else. Whatever it is, it is all their fault.

Maybe others do not notice, but I find that when people pile on to some movement such as this, especially the ones which appear to not respect private property and other rights of those not involved, it becomes less about ideals and more about senseless power.

I hope it doesn't end badly---I am sure those who funded this and are sitting in their mansions enjoying it are depending upon their "Kent State moment" emerging soon.

Remember, what pure democracy looks like is a lynch mob. It may not be the lofty goal its touted to be. Street mobs are more what the French revolution and things like that look like. It very rarely ends well, and almost always creates a cleanup and maintenance headache for others.

The world is such that I couldn't really improve my own lot significantly without some changes in the way everything else works. I blame too many people and institutions to list. I even blame you. I'm kidding. My demons are not something all the king's men can fix. I doubt they are even detectable by the TSA. I think that only I can fix my troubles.

To me it is not a move toward the sort of society I'd like when mobs gather in front of people houses. Of course it isn't the society I want when someone like Jimmy Hoffa is given the national stage and treated as respectable when everyone knows he's behind thuggery.

All of it is a tangled mess because there are very wealthy tricksters and it goes round and round. Glad I haven't borrowed anything lately and refused credit cards I knew I couldn't afford to use.

Metaphorically Speaking, I Suck

2011-10-14T21:47:00.000-07:00

It sometimes worries me that I don't offer elegant descriptive narrative full of poetic metaphors, similes, and whatever else falls in that realm of prose. Somehow describing my life as, "Like spring on a summer's day", just doesn't resonate with anyone.

I'd use phrases such as, "it's like taking a bath...in the nude". But I couldn't live with myself.

I remember way back in early post flower power years when the big thing was herbal shampoos and such. They had this young woman on an ad, being all woodsy in her woodsy hippy chick garb, saying, "I like the idea of nature, and all". I couldn't live with myself if I wrote that, either. She was cute, too.

The IDEA of nature? WTF? But, that is how it is seen. There is nature, and there is humanity; mutually exclusive sets. You can't possibly reason with that sort of thinking. It is to attempt to ride with Hells Angels, on a Suzuki 450, while reciting and explaining the Constitution, and pointing out why violating the rights of others is an affront to freedom.

See what I mean? That one hit the nail on the head. (<--a metaphor and cliche all in one, if I'm not mistaken. If I am please gently correct me)

I'm still trying to find out what the "bridge" in the "cross the bridge into the 21st century" represents. From the measures those people wanted to push, and are pushing, I'd think "herd you with bulldozers into the compound from which no one escapes" would have been more fitting.

What kind of fools need to be led from this day to the next day? Doesn't matter what you call it, a day is just a day whether it occurs at a point in time which coincides with 2100 years since the point at which they want to count or not. If you live through the night, you wake up and you are there. Just like yesterday and the day before.

But don't mind me, I'm but a lone wolf howling at the moon, hoping against hope** to get lucky before night's end.

**Does that phrase, "hoping against hope" make anyone else cringe like it does me? Friggin Dan Rather used to say that a lot. Those were the times when he most got on my nerves. He was a tick that this old hound couldn't get rid of. Much like the damned army of raccoons who make mischief here on Ballistic Mountain.

It is as if the night sky is falling and my only hope is to stand erect, head held high, as a towering lighthouse, piercing the heavy darkness as it weighs down upon me, finding home within its mysterious and stormy depths.

In A Vacuum

2011-10-13T21:08:00.000-07:00

That's OK 'cause you'll be sorry.

I miss the critic's misguided insights dammit. Maybe I complain too much.

Every once in awhile I realize how spoiled I must be-=-living in the spectacular western USA in an area where you can survive with only a fan and a space heater. The mountains and the ocean are close enough to go and come back in one day. The west, in general is just a different animal.

Despite the fact that too many people in CA are absolutely nuts, and would regulate whether you leave the toilet seat down or not if they could, something about "out west" has a different feel about it. As different as this is from Colorado, it still has a kindred aspect to it. No question, I find parts of Colorado to be beyond amazing. But, it does a body good to know the ocean is nearby.

Too bad it isn't the Atlantic. The east coast beach swimming conditions are far better but CA has many many miles of really good beach. If only this climate change thing would make the gulf stream run over here and swap the Atlantic and Pacific. And send these crazy monarchists and fans of totalitarianism back east as well. Leave the good looking wimmins here as long as they aren't trying to outlaw eating fish or bears or something.

You have to license your stupid dog every year here. Just like your car, they send you a bill to renew. I'm sure someone who loves regulation will explain why that is for the greater good, but I am not one who buys it. Even if the dog is not stupid you pay. Most of the time these supposed protections for the community are worse than the problem they claim to address.

Seems that little outburst of mine at the neighborhood craft fair/bake off/musical event made an interesting impression on some people. I suppose that is good.

At least more people now wave as they drive up or down the hill past me in their reckless abandon way. And from G2's wife who is all into ballistic mountain gossip, I understand I am a topic of discussion in some circles. I feel so important. I'm almost famous on Ballistic Mountain. Our group, Copper Creek is the celebrity band of Gaskill Peak.

You Can't Have It Both Ways

2011-10-12T23:14:00.000-07:00

It is a well known fact that if you disagree with, or do not support the administration of, Barack Obama, you are a racist.

Now the same people who pronounced the above immutable law of nature have decided that if you are, or support, Herman Cain, you are a racist.

The first law of Obama politics seems to assume that you are a racist in that you could only disagree with him if you are anti-Black, or anti-African-American, or anti-African---you choose. I still stand fast in my opposition to hyphenating nationalities or continents.

Since Herman Cain is black, I am not sure how his racism, and that of those who like him, is defined. We can only assume that Al Sharpton and others who make their living off of racial conflict are the arbiters of who and what is racist, and who is properly "Black enough". Of course, Herman Cain isn't because he is a capitalist and he is not a democrat.

Everyone knows that if you aren't a democrat, you cannot possibly be Black. (even though the first free Black members of congress were Republican, and the KKK used to be a very active part of the Democratic party---last of which was maybe Robert Byrd who was eulogized not long ago by democrats in Washington after he finally died and quit running for office)

Until people quit suckering for the politics of race and condition of birth, the Plantation will continue to grow, people will continue to be blinded to their own humanity, opportunity, and chance to enjoy life. The autonomy of the individual will continue to be eroded unless this philosophically unsound way of thinking is seen for what it is; a way to make money for a few, and a way to perpetuate hate and misery for many.

I don't care if it is the Congressional Black Caucus, the KKK, La Raza, or the Black Panthers--all such groups are purely motivated by a few who want to feel powerful and stand above those they lead by instilling the victim mentality, and treating ethnicity, gender and any other condition of birth as some sort of character value. Race, gender, none of that is a character value, idiots!! It is not relevant to the word "rights". Reason and logic, right and wrong, do not know color, so repent your crimes and shut up, Al, Jesse, KKK, Nazis, iota of a Black Panther.

It is not relevant to individual freedom, to anything that has to do ensuring maximum individual autonomy in a civil society. That is what government is for--protect the rights of the people, starting with the individual. That is why it is supposed to have limits and if our judges and politicians had ever read and adhered to the Constitution instead of raping the spirit and meaning to accomplish their own elitist ends, maybe I wouldn't be discussing this.

That would please some people. I think it would please me.

If someone told me I wasn't white enough because of my philosophy of how my country ought be governed, I'd have to laugh at them. Why does no one laugh when people debate whether Herman Cain is black enough? Why didn't they do something of the kind when all those self appointed gauges of blackness were questioning if Obama was black enough?

I cannot believe people don't speak up en masse to shout down so-called black leaders, hispanic leaders, and while they are at it, so-called business leaders and labor leaders. It is conditioning and Herman is right, most of us have been brainwashed, even though he did not say that exactly since he was focussing on questions about one "community". Most of us are brainwashed in a Pavlovian kind of way. Or bought off real cheap. How many decent union members turn a blind eye to the mob connections and gangster tactics? And they call Wall Street greedy?

At least the KKK gets laughed out of town quite often. It is time to do the same to all these other racists, Hispanic supremacists, and Black supremacists. That is what they are. Racist charlatans conning people, at worst, and serious racial chauvinists who believe their race is better and should rule others at best.

Although, I'm not sure which of those two choices is better or worse. I let it stand. At least in the second case they actually believe something. In the first case they are just fueling weaknesses in human nature and cashing in, knowing they are unjust and crooked.

It is hard for people not to latch on to the victim mentality--it eliminates the need to undergo that uncomfortable process known as introspection; self examination. The victim mentality not only causes people to suspend normal values and respect for others, it causes them to let go of reasoning to a dangerous degree.

Child Review: Offspring of Bureaucrats in High Positions

2011-10-12T22:13:00.000-07:00

OK. Mr. Morebucks, who owns the place where I do various jobs, is very well connected politically, clearly because he is very well set financially. He's one of the back seat drivers of things governmental, and believe me, things governmental are guided more by those you don't see, riding in the back seat, than those in front waving and honking the horn.

I think that was some sort of metaphorish statement, but probably is full of flaws any English major would note and find disquieting.

Whatever it was, I stand by by it.

So, people in high places sometimes vacation at Mr Morebucks SoCal resort home. He is rarely there; maybe three weeks out of the year divided among two or three visits. He hires a full time house manager to handle the bills, hire people like me and make sure his rowdy friends have whatever they want when they descend on the place. Most of his friends are in one way or another connected to politics or government, either nationally or in the land of dead voters. That reference allows the astute who remember what put Kennedy and others over the top to narrow it down to a city. Others will just have to assume it is irrelevant.

OK, a guy who is high enough up that government agents accompany the family on vacation came to stay with his hot wife and bratty kids. The kids broke the electric wooden gate in the first fifteen minutes. Somehow they managed to force the operating arm of the thing to pull out from its mount which meant two lag bolts were ripped out of the wood. Not the best lag bolt installation to begin with, but this took effort and persistence.

I did not find out how it happened until today. The maid saw them arrive. I was called to go fix it that day. I was able to do a temporary repair, then the next day the gang was to be gone all day so I returned and did my usual excellent work installing a permanent fix. I had to pick up some things based on the previous day's observations. That is how such things work--fiddle and fit. You have to go see what the problem is then hope you can find the right thing to fix it. This one worked out.

Today I went back to do the usual putting things away and covering things up that I do when the guests hit the road...or in most cases, the private jet.

Those kids must have a thing about doors on hinges. They managed to destroy the hinges on a cabinet door. It is a pretty good sized cabinet which houses some sound equipment. It is all operated by remote and there is no reason to even be in there. Finding the same type hinge is going to be a trick. What I did was trade out the top hinge for the bottom one of a smaller door with the same hardware. The cabinet has three different types of hinges for various reasons.

The door has to close or a light stays on; like a refrigerator door, except this one is de-energized by a button the door has to press against when closed. I barely got it to work, but it is not noticeably screwed up unless you are a cabinet nazi. In that case you'd notice that it is not perfect.

The thing is, the parents watched as their kids set out to mess up the big wooden driveway doors/gate, and did absolutely nothing. Judging from the spoiled and entitled behavior of guests at this place; they break things, leave trash laying around, etc. and never say to the "help", oh we busted this or that. They just go on their merry way and maybe complain about something like, "We couldn't get the windows in the hall to open". Of course those would be the only windows that do not open because they are panes of glass mounted in the wall and not intended to open.

Seriously these people are mentally deficient. But, they are in high places and buds with the President. Far be it from me to draw any conclusions from that.

Their kids are destructive little brats, and the parents do not take responsibility for their actions, or for guiding the kids away from abusing that which is not theirs.

Late era baby boomers. Really, when a baby boomer has decent kids or is a human being of character, it is always an exciting event, so what do I expect? I honestly think my generation is mostly dimwits and devoid of common courtesy and understanding of the rights of others. Many of them have spawned even more vile beings than themselves.

I know it sounds like I am being harsh, but I've found it is not only I who have experienced maybe one out of twenty self declared friends who would lift a finger when it mattered to you, and one out of fifty who would do so if it in any way was an inconvenience. It is the nature of our peers.

My only worry now is that the actuator which moves the wooden gate is so well fastened that they might destroy it next time if they go about things the same way. It is not a lightweight piece of hardware. The thing is substantial. We'll see. I charged about triple because it was an emergency call and I was on my way home. The house manager was all about paying me a premium for my prompt attention to the situation. For that I am grateful.

I should remain grateful for the work but, I have to say, I am getting a little bored and feel like I am stagnating. Time to create what has not been created. What would that be? Maybe a start would be an organized domicile.

So, from my limited experience, I have to give bureaucrats' kids two thumbs down. One star out of five. A 1, on a scale of 1 to 10---10 being best.

Who Knew?

2011-10-12T22:06:00.000-07:00

I had no idea that, for some reason, certain comments were stashed in a place waiting for me to approve them. Blogger calls that moderation. Since I rarely do anything in moderation, I had no idea that thing was there.

Too bad there were only three comments and on posts I forgot I wrote. The up side is that I often don't recall entries as recent as a few days back. Especially when I'm in one those periods where I post lots of entries in a short time.

Of course all the comments were very positive, noting that I am an unsung genius and a man far ahead of his time, and that my genius is only exceeded by my courage and good character.

I'll have to check the moderation bucket more often.

Kin

2011-10-11T00:33:00.000-07:00

They say my great grandfather, or maybe it was great great grandfather had a bit of the wanderlust in him. He was a rancher, farmer, and a bit of an adventurer. His main base was in the Kansas territory and upper Oklahoma.

I believe he was one of them in the second land rush in Oklahoma. I get a few of the facts confused. The part I know is correct is that he rode his horse out west, maybe checked out the gold rush as far as California.

Of course he carried a six gun side arm. When he returned to the family in Oklahoma, he had some notches on his gun. I'm thinking gramps may have been a tough hombre. Right or wrong, that makes me feel a little better about my particular gene pool.