Not Reacting, Not Much of an Opinion

Well, Jim, what does this mean for the USA?

That is the sort of news babble over the Osama take out.
The damned circus just won't leave town. One dazzling display after another.

My only real reaction is that I would much rather the Navy's SEAL Team 6 never be under the impression that I am a threat. If that target ever landed on my back, I guess I'd get a bunch of term life insurance and try to make some people better off than they are now.

Other than that, I am stunned by the reactions. None of it struck me like it did the people on the left or those on the right. Really, what info do I actually have? It is very limited and what I do know makes little sense.

So, I am trying to get things in quick order for a launch into the beautiful countryside very soon. I'll be communing with the bears, sending Joel to moon, and be on a great adventure very very soon. I'm counting the days and have plenty to do to make it happen. I've had some unexpected work come up which is good and helps me get things moving.

One thing I do not look forward to is the higher humidity in the southeast. It is way too easy to get spoiled here in San Diego county. But I enjoy being on the road with only a partial idea of what will happen next. I hope I can get it all done, and still be able to take my time and pass through some places where I am a stranger.

No telling. I am looking forward to this continuation of my search for the meaning of life, or whatever that represents in my mind. It may be code.

Joel [edited slightly]

My bass/harp playing NC friend expressed that he felt insulted that I did not list him here by name. He will soon be sorry, after I tell his story, and include insight and assessment.

One thing I decided not long ago: don't lose contact with the long time real sincere friendships. Re-connect and keep them alive. This Tour will include some of that. This is one of those. Few people have the ability to argue with my brilliant ideas and make me think about them. Joel would argue no matter what I said, just to see how wound up I'd get over it.

If you see a UFO go flying to moon next month, you will know Joel and I had a discussion in NC. He'll be the UFO.

I should point out that I met Joel at the wild and crazy jam bar, Somewhere Else Tavern in Greensboro back when the music scene was quite remarkable there. This was in the early '80s. Well over 25 years ago. Seems it was right about the time I had half way broken the ice and was somewhat the harp player of choice at the jams. At least I was rarely getting pushed off the stage by the in crowd.

Who knows, I was on a fast downhill spiral in other ways. Joel was the first straight forward honest person I'd talked to in ages, and he wanted to break into the jam clique. He asked the right guy for advice. I was always on the side of the new person who wanted to play, if they had any soul. And he did. We had many adventures related to jams and playing with bands around the area after that.

What we have in common is that we have, in our own ways, spent far too much energy tilting at windmills, both figuratively and literally. I can't prove the literal part, but I do suspect it. We both have fairly strong intellects, and find ourselves puzzled with the ways of the world at times. Misfits, and at the same time no real good reason for that. I've come to terms with that more than in the past. He's probably still in the dark. I said that just out of spite.

As a matter of fact he blames me for once placing us in a situation in which the odds were 18 plus a large, seasoned 175 pound female bartender vs the two of us. He claims it was his extraordinarily rigid code of honor and loyalty which prevented him from walking away or offering to help them thrash or/and maim me. He did comment at the time that if we escaped alive he was going to beat me up or some such nonsense.

In the end, we not only got out alive but got offered a regular gig playing there. We declined. I had experienced as much as I could take of the place. Besides, when you sort of challenge that many people, it is best to avoid doing it again. It often works the first time because it looks so stupid and they wonder if you are pitifully dimwitted, or maybe you know something and could really do a number on them using powers they can only imagine.

It is a one time only tactic at any given venue, and always a gamble. I've only been moved to engage in such foolishness while heavily under the influence, so I believe my days of challenging large groups to a duel have passed.

Anyway, Joel's integrity and loyalty are legendary. He's also somewhat of a badass, but not one to go around fighting. He has that Clint Eastwood thing going. If he didn't take himself too serious to act, I would think he could have done well in movies.

But that is the real crux of the matter. He thinks like I used too, that unless I made a notable mark on the world, and people knew about it, that my life would be a waste. That would be nice, I guess, but I no longer see that as the point.

I'm not sure Joel has let that perspective go. That is not to say that if I scheme a way to do some things that I have long dreamed, that I would not go for it. But most important is that I learn to do what is in front of me, treat people well, and put more positive out there than negative. I think if more people benefit than not from crossing my path, I've done OK.

My biggest problem is just taking care of my basic life. Plus there are some other uncertainties, but I have faith it will be OK. It is not too bad now.

I was thinking about the number of betrayals vs the number of people who have proven loyal throughout. I realized that I could probably list a huge number of betrayals of one sort or another, but I also realized I don't tend to think of those as often. Many are pretty much forgotten. I have to search my mind to find them. I'm glad of that.

When I think of the number of really good friends who would not throw me under the bus, I realize that there are more than I may even deserve. Considering that Joel has had to go out of his way more than once in the past, at crucial times, I have no idea why he remains a friend. Maybe I did not put his life in jeopardy that much.

I did do the driving sometimes and I was still drinking--a lot--so I guess he is lucky he survived. I may have never made it out of NC the first time, on my journey to live without alcohol had he not come over and forced me to get packed up. Actually he did a lot of the packing and that forced me to participate. He would have thrown it all out if I didn't man up.

So now, my goal is to help him step back in some way, forget what you can't change, and see how to work with what comes in. Everyone can't have the big Hawaiian waves, but they do find some they can ride, if they pay attention. Nifty metaphor, no?

Anyhow, it always pissed me off that if I was wiped out or whatever he'd blame it on the fact that I am not, and have never been a carnivore. He's one of those who can't let it go that I don't eat meat. Don't care what he eats, and if you count instances of being sick, I know he has more colds, flu etc than I. Most people do. I doubt diet is the reason, but the point is, who cares what I eat as long as I don't cook you or your belongings?

Joel was also there to help me move P and K in when I returned to NC, and that was a mess. She brought everything I specially asked to be left in the garage behind my mother's house, and she arrived with less than a team player, cheerful attitude. Lesson learned: maybe the child is great, but you might do yourself in playing hero if mom just wants the Jerry Springer show lifestyle.

OK. Deep down I knew it, but I thought there was a chance it would work. Joel knew it was hopeless but didn't push the point or even bring it up, I don't think. I had things to move and squeeze into a tiny upstairs apartment and he appeared to help because it was needed.

He also let me know before I stopped drinking that I'd lost my pride and self respect. I recall it clearly. That actually helped me finally give up and change.

So, as big of an egomaniac and whatnot as he is, I expect to see some places in NC that he insists I see. And he wants to personally introduce me to the places. I wonder if he'll round up some dancing girls for the occasion? I doubt and that is so politically incorrect. I guess we can rule out members of NOW and many other groups, after such a statement.

Anyway, Joel is a good harp player. I may have taught him cross harp and how to play the high end. He got me a little studio gig when I was up there with P and K. I'm more the slow simple rhythm type. He's like Mr Funky on bass, like Jocko and Stanley Clarke or whoever. Lots of slapping and complicated beats. Very complex, actually. He could do some stuff on harp that I'm not so sure I can do as well. I'm glad he has put more time into bass over the years.

I think the thing is-I like people but am not too comfortable around them very long. I am comfortable with short interaction then a bunch of solitary. It is kind of odd I guess because I like people more than most people do. And I do like it if a group I know well is together having a good time. But I doubt most of my friends would get along with one another. That is a bitch.

Possibly I have a compulsion to run if I get too included in people's lives. I good for watching pets, helping move, etc., but something seems to physically force me to keep it limited. Out here I forced myself out of that a time or two, but there was usually a project or something which served as excuse. I never quite realized this was guiding me so much until now.

I'm going to see if Joel will go chase the bears off my vertical plot of land in the NC mountains. If they eat him, I'll know not to hang out up there.

Neither of us drink now, which is a good thing for America and the universe. Well I don't, and guess he doesn't. No. That would be dumb and he ain't dumb.

Well, this did not really do Mr Ego justice, but I did mention him by name and threw in a few compliments. You have to be very careful with some people because praise so quickly goes to their head. I am not like that, of course. I am only made better by praise and it should be lavished on me thickly at all times.

Joel, on the other hand,...

Just Wondering What It Is Called

Pakistan. I always thought the way Americans, and maybe even Bits, referred to it was "pack-e-stan". (Short E. Stan as in Musiel or Clarke)

Tonight I've been hearing a bunch of "pockee-stahn". (stahn rhymes with John) I've heard it before, but thought it was like calling the Marine Corps, "Marine Corpse", one of those things that would pass.

That is all.

Now back to the ever evolving dog and pony show. New acts introduced daily, and sometimes hourly.

I'm sorry, but there are times I detect absolutely no emotion or sincerity in public officials at press conferences, or elsewhere.

Makes you wonder if the bearded nomad was ever even a real person, or just a manufactured face in this era of personalizing everything, as if one person does and should wield immense power. I tend to think no one wields power without cooperation and help.

Dog and Pony Show Continues

It gets to be far too bizarre to be believable. Manufactured drama in the world of the people who have the guns and the cages---government, (for the far too conditioned to reason folks).

No more than I care if anyone in professional baseball uses steroids or lies to lying congress hooligans, do I care about the president's alleged father or anything else of that nature. I do care about what he and his pals, and even his alleged enemies are doing to the illusion of freedom and justice for all.

But to think that any of the sides in this carnival act are true representations of some sincere philosophy is foolish. Just because you can't make good sense of this puzzle from the pieces given doesn't mean the projected picture is accurate. That part can be shot down with the info at hand.

Some people don't get that. They think that they have to know the real deal, so they buy whatever is thrown out there. The thinking is, "So, if this isn't true, then what is?". That is actually the reasoning process. It's like saying, "So, if you don't believe the sky is made of concrete, then what is the exact molecular composition of it?" That is too prove the concrete idea. You have to have the answer or that confirms the sky is made of concrete. Uh, I don't know, air and stuff, mostly.

At best, you get accused of believing B if you don't believe A. If I think Obama is the figurehead of an evil philosophy then I must love George Bush and old school Republican methods, and I am a racist if I agree with any Tea Party ideas. That's a bit more than just A and B. They do give a modified B these days.

It is all based on lies. And lies about the lies. For example, many who claim to be tea party come up with some lame assertions, but then they are represented in an even more distorted way. Often, Obama is painted in a distorted way. I find his policies radically weird, and more or less, on international matters, an unsupervised version of Bush foreign policy. That means highly irresponsible and cold blooded.

But the truth is, we have no idea from the info we get why our country is doing anything it is doing, domestically or internationally. If you actually look at facts and reasons given, they do not wash. All the medicare scare, etc. Lies on both sides. One side, in my view is preferable but that's an easy call when you want government out of medicine, education, food, and almost all else.

Spending money, tax money, to arrest an Amish guy for selling milk? As long as he did not represent it as pasteurized then forget it. We don't have the right to take our chances or follow our beliefs and choices?

I'm telling you, if the long arm, and the smug and smarmy arm, of government does not back off soon, this country is liable to blow. Kicking up food prices, killing the dollar and with gas prices going through the roof, things could go a couple of different ways. Maybe with the class warfare that has accelerated, post Obama, people will just act out against other races, the "rich", etc. There is a very small chance that enough people get it, or are motivated enough, to just quit contributing and cooperating with the dogs and ponies.

Kitchen Do's and Do Nots; part 52911

If you have a stove top espresso maker, and you think it needs cleaning, and maybe white vinegar is the way to go and you are working in dim light because the lamp at the back of the cabin is all that is on and you don't want to turn on the kitchen light because you worry about the landlord's electric bill, remember; the vinegar bottle under the sink looks exactly like the ammonia bottle and it could make for some very odd coffee.

Not to Be Ungrateful, BUT...

UPDATE: After considering the below mentioned people, I decided to do what the govt. does on freedom of information and blackout the name.
In one case, the person means well but is misguided. Let it go, but consider options.
In the other case, I think I resent myself for not taking initiative. I'd already resigned from life at that point, and it is not worth carrying the resentment. My idea, but that was it. I'd been so disillusioned and became so self medicated by then, I'd seriously given up on riding in the mainstream of civilization. It is done. Besides, his infant girl at the time liked me. She'd kick and smile whenever I came near--too little to walk then.

If you bother to skim this lengthy post, this will make sense

Today, I realized that the hardest and most challenging aspect of my job, aside from the PC part--to be explained--is the snapping of the snaps which dangle from cushions on outdoor furniture, You have to thread them between the slats and reach under to snap them. Hundreds of them. It is bend over work. And it is the most mentally challenging.

OK. I get paid, so who cares? Normally, no one. But when Ms Ecomania, the manager who writes my checks (on hello kitty check stock) is in an odd mood, one is reminded that he is merely hired help and his thoughts are probably inconsequential. This catches me off guard. I am used to little or no supervision. Leave me alone when I am doing my thing, please.

Apparently she has been listening to environmental horror stories and getting angry. I already knew she thought all plastic of any kind was evil. I once tried to explain that all plastic is not created equal and that many petro products have valuable use in many aspects of life. This did not go over very well. I even wondered out loud about the disposal of curly light bulbs, and the net cost of producing batteries, etc. for a Prius, and if it really resulted in a significantly reduced carbon footprint, although if the car was free I would love it. Good fuel economy hits me where I live.

Today, before guests were to arrive, the A/C guy was to come and change all the filters. It is a regularly scheduled thing. Considering the fire fiasco last month, and the fact that I can still detect a hint of the odor, I figured it was not being done any too soon.

In case he arrived before Ms E showed up, I was instructed to order him to only replace the obviously dirty filters and leave the others. This is because she did not think the discards looked that dirty last time and felt it was "wasteful" and bad for the environment. I resisted the urge to explain that it is not always that visible at a glance and that clean filters save energy.

Fortunately, she arrived before the A/C guy.

Don't get me wrong, I am not a guy who throws plastic bags into the sea or razes forests in my spare time. However, I often do not buy the talking points of half informed ecology nuts.

So, I was done with things and had a couple of things used in my glamorous job in the laundry room sink where I wash them out. I noticed the soap dispenser was inop. Of course it is pewter and is some sort of accessory a designer mandated along the way. Those things are everywhere, and they are not very functional without regular attention. Since it was plugged up, I was trying to loosen the clog by running hot water into it. And the other stuff was getting rinsed as a by-product of my effort.

No big deal. Ms Eco comes by and strikes up a conversation about something from the doorway to my left. I continue what I am doing but look at the speaker, as is my custom. Then I turn the spout part over to let the water go the other way. I had actually just begun and was wanting the hot water to arrive at max temp. That takes a minute in the laundry room.

She suddenly asks if I am unaware that there is a water shortage in this area(which there actually isn't any more). It caught me by surprise. I explained I was trying to deal with the malfunctioning dispenser. She then proceeds to lecture me about how she only uses the water when absolutely necessary, blablabla. Sometimes my emotions are not well hidden. She detected my annoyance and then went into a bigger lecture claiming I was just running water, my hands weren't even under it, blablabla. I was stunned.

So I just shut it off and said OK. I was too stunned and proud to explain myself. It was absolutely ridiculous. The little estate there is very energy and water intensive in so many ways. I always keep my usage of things to a minimum anyway, but come on.

That incident, coupled with the note from the landlord saying they are again going to try to sell the house--and I think they are really out to do it this time, caused me to think that this trip may be well timed, and that I most likely will be making some changes. Maybe I should get myself a logo and incorporate that in a slogan, "change I can live with".

People are suckers when they get caught up in everything green. They rarely know what the hell they are talking about. I was thinking green before they called it green. My motives for this lne of thought was economic and somewhat political, as well as practical. I saw no good reason why one would be dependent upon government controlled monopolies for power or water.

It is my bad that I didn't follow through and quickly went on a multi year bender, then never pursued the ideas. At least I know part of one concept was patent worthy because an old "friend" whom I had shown the plan patented it under his name and enjoyed a lucrative career off of that idea. I didn't find out for over a decade. I still had the original sketches but have no stomach to sue. I'll just defame him when I can and let it go.

If it ain't a lie, it is not libel. Here's the devil of which I speak: (bold is mine)
United States Patent 5,695,004
B+++++++ December 9, 1997

Air conditioning waste heat/reheat method and apparatus

Abstract
An air conditioning system comprising a compressor, condenser and evaporator as functioning components in a primary loop for moving a working fluid in a continuous and automatic cycle of operation between such components. The system includes a plurality of zones through which the air to be conditioned is moved. The zones each include stacked horizontal tubes in a single coil with vertical heat exchanging fins in a parallel array with the tubes of each stack extending through the fins. A wrap-around heat pipe with first parallel tubes adjacent to the input of such zones and with second parallel tubes adjacent to the output of such zones and parallel horizontal lines coupling the first and second parallel tubes.
Inventors: B*******; W++++++ R. (Tampa, FL)
Appl. No.: 08/159,669
Filed: November 30, 1993

The bold italic part is the meat of the matter. This part of the patent doesn't explain a lot in detail. That's how they work. I also had a patent for something unrelated under my name. The rest of the patent info goes on and on.

It was a way to help dehumidify the air by augmenting the process utilizing energy already available from the air handler. It saved energy costs in the dehumidifying process. My application of the identical process was part of something else but this was just one application. This operation was discussed, including the valves, restrictors, etc discussed in the body of the patent.

I might have even let him use it for free if he;d been straight up in the process.

Took him four years before it was awarded. Long time patent pending is a desirable thing. Apparently he started manufacturing a few years before he filed. Good for him, and not so good for him. I would have agreed to an arrangement if he had called and asked. Oh well

His gain did not cause my problems. It was my idea and it takes a very small man to claim credit for the work or ideas of others. I'd rather be me. No lawsuit could punish him worse than life already has by making him be who he is.

Anyway, I was into generated electric power at the source way back when it was still illegal. The same people who like massive regulation now used it then, too. It was based on the same idea as this healthcare thing. Force everyone to pay so it will be cheaper.

It is possible the emergence of Ms E as a full blown eco nazi is a sign from the universe that I need to think of some alternatives to my present situation. I guess the note from my land people is the same thing. They did include a thank you to me for being "such a great tenant and good neighbor". Gotta love those people.

They'll keep me updated, and doesn't mean I have to hit the road right away. But if they sell the place, it could be Adios, Ballistic Mountain. Finding another setup like this for anything close to what I now pay would be quite a task. This was an incredibly fortuitous find.

Life goes on, and I guess this means I better sort, organize and get this tour on the road, quickly.

*****other bottom line: don't be lecturing me about no dadgum Green. I'm way ahead of my time and most eco nazis too***

if they were expensive in various ways. The history there was not one in which I received much benefit from various episodes prior to this.

+++another after thought: Bill taught me some lessons. ++++

It's a Bless their hearts situation. Not a case in which I couldn't have done something else, especially in the big picture. Better to assess how I can fix my world than to stew in anger citing the faults of others. My trials and tribulations are often of my own doing. Certainly any change in scenario can be greatly influenced by my own actions.

Update on the View Point Entrepreneur

Earlier I mentioned a lengthy conversation with a young guy whose car needed a jump.

I decided to call because I knew he was going to pitch an idea he has regarding education and parents of autistic kids to someone in the field. The idea did seem to get a little traction and the right person showed interest and is helping him refine the presentation and direct him on it.

That is a good thing. I can't define the idea because I don't do that, and besides, I gave my word.

In Life, as in what we are told is Life

What we are told is life includes all the stuff of the news, especially the fear mongering aspect.

The common thread is that a problem is generally ignored or The Great Pretense prevents the acknowledgement of the issue as it grows and festers. Then, all of a sudden, people look around and exclaim, "Oh my God! How did that happen?"

In the public realm, the slicksters who promoted the application of the Great Pretense during the growth of the aberration, now come forward to point fingers at other slicksters, promising to fix the problem by applying the exact same "remedies" that created it.

I notice that this happens in real life as well. I do it. I let some thing go, hoping it will either go away, or that it is just my imagination in the first place; my own private version of the Great Pretense (which has governed public affairs for a very long time). Then when there is no way to ignore the issue, I think, Geez, why did this have to happen now? Bummer.

The reality is that it was happening for a long time, but I did not want to change anything, and that meant I would keep feeding the problem.

Some people do it more than others. It is easier to point it out in the lives of others because it is no fun identifying your own self defeating habits because the next thought is that you should change that habit and habits are a real bitch to change.

This has been a public service message, sponsored by the ballisticTour and the CAD council.

Coyote Afternoon

The other day, yesterday to be precise, I found myself harboring what may have been a border jumper. I was way out east, near Boulevard, CA, on Highway 80, no doubt THEE Eighty in local parlance. The naked Buddhist retreat is somewhere in that area but I forget where so I did not go check it out. In some places you can see the border fence between Mexico and the USA.

I was driving east and decided I'd gone plenty far enough.

A mile or two before turning around, I saw a guy walking on the side of the road. He looked pretty tired and like the heat was getting to him. I kept going--he was walking west.



After turning around I saw a border patrol jeep by the side of the road stopped--not an uncommon sight.

After traveling west another mile I caught up to the pedestrian mentioned previously. Thee Eighty is two lane and there is not much of anything out there. You hit a few tiny towns consisting of a few buildings and dwellings, but that is it. No stoplights. No nothing for the most part.

This time the pedestrian, who was walking on the left hand side of the road stuck his thumb high in the air. "Please give me a ride", was what he seemed to be thinking. My car was loaded with junk, laundry, all kinds of stuff, including on the front passenger seat. Who knows why I stopped. I guess I thought I'd hate to be walking out there and would appreciate a ride if I was the one hitch hiking.

By the time he got around to the passenger side and I opened the door, he seemed like he could hardly stand. Not drunk, just very thirsty and tired. I cleared the debris from the seat and he got in.

No luggage, no gun, no bundle of belongings. And no English. My Spanish is a bit rusty. It takes me some time before I am able to understand or communicate. I have to be around it awhile. Even so, I managed to get some information.

He wanted to go to LA. I think he had a friend or relative there. He had been walking for three days. From Mexico. The guy appeared to be rather clueless regarding immigration issues or the fact that if he kept going on that road, he would walk into a check point. If he jumped up to Thee Eight he would also walk into a checkpoint.

Soon enough I figured out that I was transporting an illegal alien. Why did you leave Mexico, I asked in something akin to Spanish. For work, was the reply in what was definitely Spanish. Oh boy. I hate to encourage the immigration problem, but something in me caused my first reaction to be how to get this guy past the MAN. Unbelievable.

He was not a thug, and probably had a relative or friend in LA who said, come here, Amigo. They pay money for work. Easy to get work here.

My view of the mess is that, number one; the 14th amendment was never intended to provide for the anchor baby loophole. That amendment came shortly after the Civil War to prevent the temptation to not recognize the citizenship of freed slaves or any other Black people living here. The bastardization of that amendment through faulty interpretation and application has caused much problem.

The other problem is that no one but US citizens or legal aliens should benefit from social security, welfare or public education. Anything other is just not sustainable.

And lastly, if we did away with the income tax debacle, going to a consumption tax, as described in the Fair Tax initiative, issues of tax and all that would be moot. It would make it easier to produce goods here and hire whoever will work.

Of course, you always run into various complications, but those things would improve the situation immensely, much to the chagrin of La Raza and other power hungry groups who are about their own desired tyranny, not the people they pretend to love.
Some of the la raza folks seem confused that La Raza began when an Aztec woman(some would say a traitor to her people) befriended the evil Spaniard Cortez, giving rise to The Race, unique to Mexico. There is a holiday there commemorating the event. Of course Aztec was only one ethnicity there, and Aztecs destroyed or conquered and incorporated many other groups, as well. But the race, La Raza was born, and to the pride of those who descended from its creation.


Anyway, I felt that I was in potential trouble if I carried my pal to a check point. If I didn't just throw him to the agents, then I'd be in trouble, I'm sure. In any case they would probably want to converse with me for a longer time than I desired. My guess was, I'd be fried for driving Mr Alien no matter what.

My decision was to go as far as I could without hitting a check point and drop him somewhere I thought safer than the side of a road traveled heavily by border patrol vehicles. I dropped him at Acorn Casino, a nice little facility in the middle of nowhere, adjacent to both Thee 8 and Thee 80, which is large enough that a savvy visitor could remain fairly unnoticed, grab a little food, and get out of the sun.

When he entered my car, I produced a gallon container of water because he was so dry he could hardly speak. He drank at least half the gallon in maybe twenty minutes. He never asked me for anything. He did call someone on his cell phone--a prepaid Mexican unit, I'm guessing. I caught bits and pieces. The person on the other end seemed worried that he was in the car with a stranger---"but the senor gave me water!" That part I did catch.

I tried to alert him about the checkpoints, suggested that there would be Spanish speaking people who worked in the casino, and good luck.

Then I checked out a country road for the heck of it. After a few minutes I decided it went nowhere so I turned around. As I passed the casino to continue west on Thee Eighty, I noticed a Border Patrol jeep heading up the drive to the casino complex. Then another.

I hope they just go there for fuel, or to get some coffee. There is nothing else nearby so that is a possibility. Oddly, I hope no one called them.

The guy was probably in his mid twenties, and little chubby and only had the clothes on his back. What is really nuts is that since he asked me for nothing, I asked if he had cash to buy himself some food. He had nothing, apparently, so I gave him some money. What am I doing? I have no money to burn. I'm pretty sure he was hungry and had not eaten in awhile. Dumb as it sounds, I had a good feeling about the guy and it seemed OK.

He was too far from the car when I realized he still had the bits of leaves and such on his back from sleeping on the ground. I regretted not being able to advise him to get the evidence knocked off of his shirt.

I'm opposed to sanctuary cities and all that stuff, but I guess, like charitable endeavors, I deal one on one, case by case. But I wouldn't force anyone else to do so based on my wish or judgement. That is where I am diametrically opposed to most of the people who use political and governmental power to exercise their benevolence. They are using resources which belong to others, claiming them as their own to dispose of as they see fit. Wrong thing to do in my book.

This is the sort of thing that has to go. I give no credence to complaining leeches and thugs. My pal is not like that


Anyway, we never even exchanged names. I thought if I got stopped and knew his name, claiming that I didn't understand anything he said and had no idea he was a wetback would be harder to sell.

How weird. I was coyote. Transporting an undocumented non-worker. I guess that is what you call an undocumented worker who has no work. The thug lobbyist groups hate the phrase, "illegal alien", but if you are from another country, you are considered an alien and if you aren't here by legal means, you are here illegally, hence the classification, illegal alien. It is neither racist, xenophobic nor demeaning. Just the way it is.

But, I still hold that changing some of the root issues which are problematic would do wonders. People rarely want to look at that, though. Crime pays better and eliminating the incentive doesn't fly. La Raza, the unions, and most politicians do not want to improve the world and promote freedom.

Decriminalizing drugs like marijuana might help as well, and then take a real good look at how inner cities and gangs are handled might be in order. It is not being handled effectively, but they at least have succeeded in perpetuating racial and class hatred. That is exactly how those groups want it. It is the livelihood of the LaRazas, the Jesse Jacksons, Al Sharptons, all race based groups and charlatans claiming to champion those they keep angry, not free thinking, envious, etc. They are the racists, and ones who think they are the elite.

I'm hoping my friend, whom I've dubbed Manny, is at least comfortable and not thirsty or being harmed in any way. As naive as he seemed, I see no way he made it out. Maybe he'll do someone some good in Mexico and be OK. LA is no place for nice people.

Everyone is, or was, A Friggin Genius

I was reading some comments elsewhere. Not a friend's place, so forget me promoting it. What got me was that at least three people had to say how they were in advanced high school before college, were encouraged to skip this or that, exempted this and that in college, etc. In other words they were claiming to be super geniuses. And that pisses me off.

Why?, you ask. I'm thinking it is because when you are the real deal and stylishly humble, such poor form hits a nerve.
Or it just annoys me because I see it as a way to scare off dissenters. Who wants to debate Leonardo DaVinci or Albert Einstein?

It could be I feel like it points me out to be a dimwit by implication. Whatever the case, if everyone was that smart, then I doubt we'd have wars and way too expensive gas, and Cuban coffee now at 6.99. So, not all those people are what they say.

I don't engage people at those places anyway. They might make me look stupid, and they might be nuts who would come hunt me down.

IT does get me sometimes, how many people seem to be so damned smart, according to them. I consider the smart people as the ones whose kids still speak to them and who have some semblance of security as well. The very smartest are those who have been married forever, still like their spouses, have offspring who speak to them, and who have a decent livelihood as well. If they did it honestly then I think they are brilliant. I never did figure out how to do those things. To me, that is true genius--a happy family unit.

The next best thing? A Ballistic Tour!!!

I guess I have finally committed myself to the road trip. I'm hitting it in a few weeks come hell or high water. Gas prices will be what they be and I hope it levels off.

If it gets bad enough, I'll sell the car and buy a motorcycle. Or not.

Anyway, I hope to get to all the places I need to go; AZ to see my long time Miami friend, TX for relatives, MS to meet Sugar Blue, NC to catch up with the Bass/harp man and to check out a place in the mountains, and hit the Outer Banks, maybe see if Bobby is up for letting me sit in up the coast in VA, then maybe get up to NY to see my old pal, and MA to see the other old pal, and NH just because.

There are other Sugar Blue Videos but this is the best. I like this band the best, too. They know how to bring it down and then back up.
This is a blues man. Maybe my favorite. Blues genius, since we were talking genius.


Maybe I won't get even to NC, but I hope so. I'm not sure about the rest. The farther away, the greater the chances that time and money will not work out.
It's been negative investment long enough--may as well use it and go from there.

I look out at these little mountains and hills and kind of think I will like coming back west. I just wish the west hadn't suckered for being so high priced and over regulated. I do like the wide open thing of points west in this country, and the giant mountains. With luck I can loop the return trip through CO and some of that.

I have 3 tents, one of which is a bit battered from the winds in Taos and Page, AZ from the big Tour to the unknown which landed me here. Hotels cost too much, and much as I hate to admit it, I kind of look forward to seeing if I can do it this way.

Been cooking on a hotplate for 2 years, so that's almost like camping. But this bed, with that memory foam on top is way comfortable. Not sure how to cope with missing that for a month or 6 weeks.