Private Gum Shoe, or ballistic Fife, or Private Ballistic Dick

My strange ballisticTour of a life lands me in unforeseen places, serving functions not commonly listed on my resume, assuming I have one. Tonight I am guarding a dwelling high on a hill overlooking San Diego bay, and downtown SD beyond.

In case no one remembers Barney Fife, I guess I should call this portion of my enterprise the private whatever. Or ballistic whatnot. I have a radio playing Mexican music downstairs to confuse the enemy. And I am armed with, um, arms. Two of them. I can always throw my shoes at any evil doers, should they be so foolish as to molest the premises on my watch.

The view is the sort I'd seen in Architectural Digest years ago. The spreads they did of houses with decks that overlooked hot shot cities. This is the very bay where they tested the America's Cup boat. It is not out there at this moment.

I left the lowest level dark with a metal chair precariously placed in the stairwell so that they'd either trip, make noise or be otherwise inconvenienced should the intruder try to come in from down there. Too bad good old fashioned, deadly man traps are frowned upon in the courts. I see nothing wrong with rigging a shotgun to go off if someone enters uninvited.

This is a phone pic, and it is night so it doesn't do much justice to the view. Just consider that this is how it would look if your eyesight was impaired with cataracts or something.


This is unrelated. Just another phone pice from a couple of days ago when I swung by the 6000 ft place to get some altitude on Mt Leguna, as the sun was setting behind me.


So, here I am. I broke out the inflatable Morgan bed, and my sleeping bag. I even brought the camp stove and an espresso maker, just in case. The walls are enclosed and some lights work. It is much less messy than my place and they are in the middle of construction. I wonder if that should make me worry.

Winter Olympics: part 3, or so

You know you are a winter olympics lunatic when you vow to despise NBC for life because you live way out in the coyote hills with only a rabbit ears driven TV which gets only ABC and CBS, and because NBC is a [expletive deleted], they only show bits of things on stupid video shorts online, and they have no taste in what they show, so you rarely get the good stuff, but on your long drives home from work, civilization, etc. you listen to the radio station which carries olympics, and being such a glutton for anything going on in Vancouver, you actually try to form a mental picture of the USA couple doing their ICE DANCE routine, puzzling over what is meant when the announcer says they moved into "a butterfly" at the finale of their program. I think he said "a perfect butterfly". Ice Dancing on the radio, and I listened intently because it was Live Winter Olympics. I wasn't even drunk.



My first awareness of winter Olympics was when Jean Claude Killy took a few medals in Grenoble, France. That's 42 years ago. Yikes. 1968.

Now, this was something I wished I could go for, but living in Miami, and being mired in other dysfunctional non-sense, not to mention the pressure of the draft, even seeing snow was out of reach, let alone skiing it. Somehow ice dancing and figure skating never stirred me to the point where I would say without qualification that I would absolutely do that with my life should I reincarnate in some appropriate form which would allow the chance. I do understand dedicating that sort of time and focus to figure skating or anything else of that nature.

Those people think they miss out on cool stuff, but they are actually not missing a thing. Only Hollywood and misguided ne'er-do-wells would make them believe that. I'd love to be in the right place at the right time to have such a single minded passion, but I believe snow boarding or downhill skiing would be more my choice.

Thanks AM 1700 San Diego for not being as screwed up as NBC. Good thing mental pictures come easily to me, accurate or not.
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Not exactly winter olympics, but one could argue it fits in with the topic of hitting the slopes. Or something. I found the brunette's gaze especially intriguing.

Jayne Mansfield. This was prior to the era of implants. At least they were uncommon, if done at all. Maybe reduction would have been wise. Or not.

Another Post bites the dust

More and more, I will write about a topic then figure it is too politically incorrect, liable to be misconstrued, not worth it. The way things go, half of my views are considered semi illegal anyway. I have been shocked that anyone who does not approve of certain long standing agencies of our government gets labeled as a right wing kook who is likely to be a trouble maker of the worst variety. That is unfortunate. Believing in freedom and seeing the way crossing certain lines doesn't justify ends, and in fact comes back around to be used in unexpected ways, is a far cry from any sort of ethnic bias or threat to polite society. The assault on free speech and the independent individual is a bizarre development, but has always been there in one form or another. Now it is becoming a little more broad and insidious.

Song of the South; part 2010

Another of the surprises which befell me after moving to SoCal is the general attitude toward the south. It comes out in off-handed comments on radio and TV, and elsewhere. Clearly, these people have not experienced much of that region.

Just like CA, it depends upon where you live whether you are surrounded by rednecks and ignorance and narrow mindedness, or not. CA is a beautiful place with a mostly nice attitude, but there is an abundance of what would be considered rednecks if we were in the South. Often people appear to be one dimensional, then when you know them one on one they prove to be intelligent and kind.

Most of my life has been spent in various parts of the South. I guess I get defensive when I hear an obviously uninformed slur which is born of a Hollywood construct. I lived in several parts of that region and I still consider parts of NC to be among the best places in the country.

I think it is the same mentality that suggests the public is too stupid to know how to govern themselves, that also assumes that people in the heartland and in the south are somehow too narrow to read or hold passports. I've heard rants to that affect on air America before it went belly up for the last time. It is often the stuff of the banter of smarmy political comic commentators.

Most people do not enjoy hearing their group lampooned or slammed, regardless of the basis of delineation; race, region, hair color, etc. When it is done from an obviously uninformed perspective it annoys. Most of us can laugh at ourselves, and do. But the humor comes from the knowing first hand of which we speak. When the outsider paints the picture based on hearsay and Hollywood stereotypes, then we don't laugh.

Wisdom From the 1930's

Even then advertising was aiming to press your buttons.

Fool, you probably thought smoking wasn't healthy and that she was faithful and telling you no lies.

Winter Olympics: part 2: Curling ROCKS !!!

Finally, I had a chance to watch some of the winter Olympics on a regular TV. A big one. I don't get NBC on my antenna driven box, so I've not seen much of it.

The flying tomato, Shaun White---clearly the best. I like that type of thing, always have. For some reason, almost anything to do with winter olympics holds my attention. Last night, after the spectacular stuff and speed races, all that was on was curling. You'd be surprised how engaging that can be when you pay attention. It was all women, and some were pretty. The skill and strategy are interesting to observe.

After awhile I was wanting to text the Canadian team, advising them on strategy. I didn't do it. It was late and I had work to do this morning so I forced myself to go to sleep without seeing how the matches ended. And without exerting influence on the teams.


They not only practiced curling at the 1924 Olympics, but they also knew how to dress for the occasion. Chamonix, France

Bears: have we given them too many rights?

One of the most surprising revelations from my experience on the BallisticTour was that everywhere you go in the west you are badgered about how to treat bears. No one seems to be asking the bears to be polite, only the people. Of course many people have fed and otherwise trained bears to know where junk food is, what coolers are for, and to seek human activity for free meals and vandalistic entertainment.

Even so, I hold that they need to observe at least a few rules themselves. Number one would be, don't mess with my stuff. Or eat my children. Well some children might not be missed, but most of them should be off limits. I think this is a real fear.

Just check out this evidence of a bear about to eat a cute child, then tell me this special bear treatment hasn't gone on too long. It is time our fellow mammals are taught manners, as well as those humans who appear to be witless.


case closed

Ooops!!! Maybe we were too late

Movie Review: Eli

Actually, it is called The Book of Eli. I won't spoil it but there is a twist to it here and there. The tough part is buying into the premise of the villain's motivation. Denzel's screen presence works regardless of story or script. The acting was good enough all the way through. Pretty much. Jennifer Beals and Mila Kunis were good just because they are naturally hot.

Much of the story uses the same technique some promos for local news teams use; slo-mo walking with camera angle shooting somewhat from the ground up to give that bigger than life effect. The NFL promos used to do some of that too. If you like slo-mo walkin', this is the flick for you.

It held my attention throughout and I would have stayed and watched the sequel had they kept going. It looks like one could happen, but I doubt it would work well unless they are more clever than I think they are.

It's set in a post massive war era. Must have been a nuke fest. This won't spoil anything, but the people who made cannibalism their main dinner habit all had very shaky hands. That's how people knew. You go into some strange place and they want to see your hands to be sure you won't filet them when they aren't looking.

Now I need to find out if a steady diet of human really does that. It could prove useful in avoiding cannibals down the road sometime. You never know. And since predators generally like herbivorous prey, I fear that normal omnivorous humans who turn cannibal might want to eat vegetarians first. Of course, I'd be happy to throw the obnoxious ones, who try to influence the diets of others, to the wolves, as it were.

I'm going to learn that slow motion power walk thing. People automatically think you are special, somewhat mystical, and tough when you can do it right. It is better for your image than even the moon walk.

I give the movie a solid B maybe a B+. Just solid B I think. Not bad. I actually wanted to see The Blind Side, but it wasn't playing there any more, and this was the movie that was playing in just a few minutes when I arrived at the theater.

A side note: the place is called Edward's Cinemas, however at night, since the neon is not working throughout the sign, it becomes "Edwar inemas". I never enter after dark--just in case.

This was a late birthday present to myself. One of many, I'm sure. It seems I've only seen one other movie there. I don't hit the theater much. A costly place. I wait for Hulu or Redbox. Or the library.

Winter Olympics: part 1

Since my boondock connection is spotty and slow tonight, I can only cover a bit at a time. So, rather than the usual marathon entry, bla bla bla

Tonight I want to know why sports like the following haven't been displayed since 1928. If they didn't want to use horses they could use fast running humans, or snowmobiles. I guess engine power is not in the spirit. Maybe some form of ice boat with a sail?


The good old days--

Random memories

A day from last big road trip. Montana, playing a little music with a bluegrass ace. Not bad on blues either. I liked playing with Bob.

Did I ever tell you about the phys ed coach at South Miami Junior High who took sips of Aqua Velva throughout the day? I suspect he substituted something in there for the after shave, or else he figured he'd smell good inside and out and no one would suspect he was a little drunk. I think half the faculty and administration of that school were perverts and un-convicted felons. They'd fry quickly in today's world, and should have probably fried back then.

There is a story my brother recently brought to my attention. Years ago in Miami, I was at a wedding and some strange girl decided I was approachable. She beamed as she announced, "I might be pregnant". I forgot my response, byt reportedly I replied that I may be happy for her. The girl was not quite right. I used to attract weirdos like a super charged magnet. I still do but not as powerfully. They used to travel miles, I'm convinced, just to drop little gems like that on me. It was supernatural.

I had a "67 MG sometime toward the last months or year of my drinking. That last couple of years was a blur. I do not have the slightest idea what happened to it. No clue whatsoever. I think I may have forgotten where it was parked, then forgot I owned it. That may have been when I ended up in the home for wayward musicians, siphoning heating oil from the abandoned house of the Cat Lady, who'd been institutionalized some month's prior to that. We had a big oil fired heater which I fixed so it would work We did not freeze. That is where I learned to wash clothes in a sink.

If you know what happened to my burgandy MGB, please advise. It ran well and the top did not leak. I remember putting new batteries in--two 6 volt batteries in tandem under that panel behind the seats. So, I know where I put the batteries but not the car.

This is not a story but I will advise with convinction that if any third parties ever try to interfere mediate or otherwise serve as some sort of agent between you and a love interest, boot them out, ignore them, do not explain anything to them, and if possible kick them within an inch of their lives.

Comedians often annoy me. Cheap shots on personalities which are borderline cruel get old quick, like years ago. I think the art of lampoon, satire, and that sort of thing has turned into something different. Sometimes it is still done cleverly and with style, but too often it is just thinly veiled cruelty or sadism. No examples given. It just happens.

A good combo for some entertaining ad lib is Rickles and Greg Ferguson.

A friend of mine was once murdered by a gangster and everyone knew who did it and that it was not self defense but he never even stood trial. Clearly much of Miami's law enforcement community and the attorney general of the state of Florida were corrupt. later the news caught that A.G. taking bribes on film, and he still did not suffer so much as a forced resignation. There was enough evidence and eye witness info that I wrote a letter to the state attorney general. Representatives came to the house while I was in school and grilled my mother about irrelevant info on me, assured her they'd 'look into it" and that was that. They knew I'd be in school. The letter included enough info on me and my relationship to the 17 year old that got shot on Christmas eve that past year.

A lot of people dream up reasons to support their belief that they are superior to the majority of the people they know. Unfortunately, I have had to listen to this while one of those sucked a relative into that conversation. They both concluded they were simply more evolved than losers like me. They did not mention me by name but every plus they analyzed was an achievement or outward reward that I did not possess. I felt like dirt that day, and I was visiting, and had flown in, broke, so there was no immediate escape. First time we came within spitting distance of the airport, I bolted. I took the earliest flight out. That visit still haunts me.

I don't know if one ever comes to grips with the lack of respect felt from flesh and blood, especially when it is not directly stated, just demonstrated. That is extremely difficult because it can't be hidden and probably not helped. But it would never be admitted. Lack of respect is pretty hard to hide and it stings in a way few things do. I suppose the source is what gives it weight or not. I regularly soak myself in motor oil hoping things like that will roll off, like water off a duck's back. No wonder some of my kin silently think I'm an idiot.

I probably think I'm not the brightest bulb in the chandelier myself. Or is it brightest bulb in the shed, or on the tree? See how this works?

Andy Roddick has one damned good looking wife.

I wish I did not have to do paperwork in order to live life. I'm behind on a lot of it. and I lose important documents regularly. It used to be that I was always losing my shoes somewhere in my dwelling or car. Now it is document loss. The trouble is I'll know there is some doc that needs attention but I'll forget which one or what it pertained to.

I'm going to save up so I can take another long winding road trip. Life keeps getting shorter. I'm pretty friggin old to be as young as I am. You can take that 2 ways. Only one is real. I want to parasail across the fruited plains. maybe catch some thermals and make it last for a hundred miles or so.

Astral projection

You have to wonder how I know it is snowing in Dallas and was able to bring back a picture of this snowman in that city without leaving home. I did not search and find it on the internet.

I put myself into a trance, tucked a camera in my shirt then mentally left my body, flying straight across the desert and other terrain until I reached Love Field. Dodging aircraft I made my way to the other side of town where I caught this snowman. By then it was time to come back home.

You can travel faster than planes when astral projecting. No sonic boom or anything because you don't actually bring that much mass along.
So, here's proof of the adventure, in case you doubt my story.

Conspiracy Theorist, Anarchist, Scofflaw, or reasonably sure we've been had from every angle

Recently I watched a documentary about the institution known as the corporation. Certain elements rang of truth, other parts were clearly skewed to elicit a predetermined conclusion. It was amusing to see cameos by Michael Moore in which he had to rant on about rich white men and how they are out of touch with real people and the world because a) they are white b) they are men and c) they are rich. He didn't add the pejorative "fat" this time.

Given that Moore is a rich white man, I am curious what separates him from those he hates? He even stretches the truth about his roots. He's from a small, rather stable town kind of like a Mayberry of the midwest which is not too far from Flint, but not Flint and not of the same situation. Who cares?

Anyway, from my own experience with a couple of corporations, one a giant, I found that they become almost indistinguishable from the government in many ways. They invariably have some political cause that they urge employees to support or fight. Always an obscure bit of legislation which applies specifically to that industry and the right or wrong of it is irrelevant.

I wondered how the culture of business grew to be what it is in the realm of heavily influential companies. Influential in the world of government. It irks me to hear the people who speak for or run such organizations claim the virtues of capitalism and free enterprise when their success and operation is nothing of the sort. Mini fiefdoms operating under protection of the King, using the booty confiscated from the serfs and subjects to further their aims. The set up is not proper.

The way it has gone, the ones hurt are the individual enterprises which are motivated to do a particular thing the best they can, not to use public resources to feed themselves at the expense of others. It is a big mess, actually.

People have been duped into believing that the choice is between unfettered activity by large companies which own other companies and ultimately no one can follow the trail of benefit and interest, or government control, oversight, permission, regulation, etc.

How anyone can assume that a body which praises one of their fallen members as "the King of earmarks" (Murtha---or as I liked to call him, Mothra. may he rest in peace and have no living twins ) is somehow just, altruistic and to be trusted with wealth and resources is beyond me.

The actual corporate structure in a legal sense developed from a very limited structure designed to serve a specified goal to what it is through legal actions which stretched constitutional amendments designed to ensure the free status of a people, post slavery.

Just about everyone knows that there is something wrong with the way the system has developed, but they assume that this is what has provided the standard of living we experience. I think that industry, initiative, free enterprise in a pure sense, and inventiveness provided this. Mass production and all that. Those things are not dependent upon despotic institutions which influence wars taxes, penalties for competition etc.

The only way these things get out of hand is to have full time life long agents in the government to do the dirty work. They have the guns on their side, and exercise increasing control over citizens. I wonder why, as controls have increased, people are less comfortable letting their kids go play outside without being guarded? It has not increased security or safety.

At this time, I have no real solution in mind. I do think the economic structure is screwed up on every level, from the FED to the stock system.

Much of it comes down to the fact that people in this country have totally forgotten that our structure was designed specifically to protect people from inevitable encroachment by government, and from the tyranny of the majority over the minority. That's why everything is not done by a majority vote of the people to implement whatever whim might be popular that day. I have heard many people tell me that the constitution is an old document and has to grow or bend with the times because things and people change. Few of these people have actually read it, or explored any background to see why things were structured as they were.

It was wrong to steal 500 years ago, and it is wrong now. No one has developed a better system for a country this size. It was designed to avoid the diminishing returns and resultant tyranny over centralization brings.

So, because we allowed two parties to dominate and be authorities over our lives we stupidly think we really are choosing between evil corporations or the "voice of the people". You are just choosing between puppets, and that ought to be obvious.

If there were a difference, one of the two would be moving to abolish the irs, the homeland security department, and would be fighting hard to undo various aberrations which allow search and seizure without probable cause, and any other number of laws which favor one group or style of company over another. If everyone is equal under the law, all the things based on condition of birth would be irrelevant.

I remember the phone company in Miami, and how small businesses would call up to have the bill explained and half the people in the company could not explain it. One charge which was usually falsely described as a tax which went to the FCC was, in fact, a charge which went directly to the phone company. They had managed to get a law passed which required them to charge this fee and to call it fcc access. It was supposed to compensate them for their losses when the big Bell was forced to break into smaller Bells--divestiture. I hated that company. It was as Orwellian as anything I've ever seen. But it did prepare me for the double talk of the airlines.

The point is, there is something wrong with the set up. It is the job f corporations to make money for the stockholders, ostensibly. But what happens is that you get the kind of mentality that pervades authoritarian institutions in which a guy may be detaining someone who he knows doesn't deserve it, but he is "just doing my job". It becomes a somewhat sociopathic environment.

That fact provides fertile ground for those who hate successful and wealthy people to play victim and demand that government take over. Of course they plan to be on the good end of that. That path just leads to a fascist or communistic type of tyranny and control. It does nothing to help and often makes it worse. Of course if misery loves company, then there is plenty of love before long because standard of living ultimately takes a dive. People get tired of seeing their freedom to choose go down the drain.

If those things work well, why were so many people from such countries scrambling to get to the USA for so long? As our actual freedoms erode, the character of immigration has changed. More and more people come here only to take what they can while despising the place. It is great for criminals and such. Our drug policies have done nothing more than enrich crime families here and abroad, promote violent crime, and distract people from seeing their rights go down the tubes. Terrorism has been used similarly. Citizens harassed while clearly psychotic religious nuts caught red handed murdering or attempting it get the best defense and benefit of the law; things often skimped on with the regular citizen.

Of course, then you get people who can't tell the difference between a terrorist and a restaurant owner who came here from lebanon in the 70's because he saw opportunity and loves freedom.

Got to have someone to hate so rather than really look at what's what, we can hate banks, white people, other people, Christians, Jews, Druids (no one hates druids), and of course, The Rich. It is off the mark. And it leads to people allowing themselves special treatment at the expense of others. Eventually the inequality comes back to bite. That is the cycle that has to be broken--accepting what is not rightfully yours, and allowing control over others which you wouldn't want applied to your own life.


One progression which is interesting seems to be due the need in people to believe in things greater than themselves. That has led to one form of middleman or another between the individual and his soul or creator forever. You could substitute "purpose" or "meaning" for soul, etc. First you get holy men or the most formidable at violence running things and controlling resources and fruits of labor. Usually there was an alliance between the two.

Eventually the governmental types decided they could cut out the religious leaders, except when it served their purpose, so now huge numbers of people look at government as a sort of god. They are clueless where the money and power come from, they just bow to it for crumbs and retribution against "the rich" or heterosexuals or who knows. It's like GOD, maybe vindictive in strange ways but beyond reproach because it is god. Lot of government worship going on.

Then there is the thing of assuming that all enterprise is good and that whatever a corporation does is OK. They become another type of deity, and often they provide a good deal of security, at least it appears so until that gig ends. The degree of loyalty takes faith and suspension of values far too often. People sell out cheap when it comes to right and wrong. It sucks not to have something powerful, that can put gas in the tank and bread on the table, to worship. Got to believe in something. Other manifestations of tribalism are somewhat taboo, particularly to white heterosexual men, so they do like Mike and try to get an honorarium into a tribe that has some teeth by renouncing what they are.

Too bad the tribe of philosophical basis which promotes choice and freedom regardless of irrelevant factors is minimal at best.

The business of victimization is still thriving and still clouding the knife thrown in the backs of those believing they are getting longed for strokes to ease their frustration. Sad.

Not sure how to fix it. Keeping petty greed in check is a start. Don't take that public money for something you know is pretty useless to the population. Taking public money to study bigfoot is less harmful than some tax expenditures but still a scam.

Thank You Mother Nature!!!

Unbelievably fantastic news. Talk about a silver lining in a dark cloud. I read that over 230,000 government workers in DC are having to stay home because of the snow. That is the best news I've heard in ages. I'm hoping enough legislators are out of the city to prevent a quorum. That would be icing on the cake.

If only this could happen every couple of weeks. Or maybe forever. I love it when the bureaucracy grinds to a halt.

These are wondrous times. Blizzards, which along with droughts, have been decided by deciders to be the result of farm animals, tractors and industry, have come to rescue the masses, if only for a moment. Nature is not as mean as she looks.

Just Cannot Help It: IQ and Hearts fit in with Obesity CRISIS!!!

Earlier I skimmed some stories about Michelle Obama and her discussion of the dangers of childhood obesity. It has become her cause, like Jackie O redecorating the white house, Lady Bird beautifying America, etc. (what was Hillary's? Laura Bush--was her gig, ironically, literacy?) {it's a risky business when you stray from simple government into the realm of knowing what's best for the dumb ass masses]
You can't fault that. They always have to have some trademark. Hers is children's health and I guess she zeroed in on the fat ones. That's been a big thing of government people for awhile.

Maybe it is a prelude to cutting school lunch in half to save money.

Anyway, while pondering people who often use the sound, "sh" in place of S, like Michelle, Geo. W. Bush, and I think one of those old time actresses, maybe Judy Garland, I stumbled upon this gem:
LONDON (Reuters) - Intelligence comes second only to smoking as a predictor of heart disease, scientists said on Wednesday, suggesting public health campaigns may need to be designed for people with lower IQs if they are to work.


If you ask me, most public service ads and government programs aimed at personal behavior have long targeted the brain dead. How would anyone else not find them so annoying that they just tune the idiotic, condescending, big brother noise out?
Of course they did not consider the fact that even some high IQ people love the excuse to look at and judge the behavior of others. The less it is their business the more they like it. It is a bonus if they get the excuse to actually influence the personal life of others.

That must be why they don't see that their advertisements for the public good already target the intelligence level they are after. Due to the flaw in intelligence that doesn't guarantee the willingness to let others be free of unnecessary control, it catches their blind side. They, being smart enough but not willing to resist running the lives of others.

So, if you have fat kids, dress them in dark colors and do not let them wear horizontal stripes. Otherwise they may get flagged by the state as health risks, and for their own good be placed under some sort of protective care. You could be cited as a Bad Parent by concerned professionals in their school. It will go on their Permanent Record and one day when you get a divorce (maybe you'll have to get married first--doesn't matter) it will be a matter of conflict in the custody battle. You, the parent who carted those tubby kids from place to place will now be blamed because the kids would have starved and never gone anywhere had you not taken responsibility.

But they are fat, and that means You Did It.

If you are accused of something you did not do, you'll be found guilty because Johnny Sutton will use your kids' permanent records against you, and your defense attorney will be caught off guard. They will pay the cafeteria lady to tell lies about you.

Keep your fat kids disguised as not too fat.



I suggest taking up smoking and dumbing down. It could mercifully shorten your life. And God knows, you aren't the only one who has considered the fast track option to the exit.

Getting Altitude

The other day, or week, I hit Mt Laguna to clear the cobwebs and noticed I could see snow. One day watching surfers and the next up in the snow. Lot of variety in a relatively short drive. Like going from South Miami to Ft Lauderdale, time wise, but far more diversity of environment.

Post Game Analysis

No one can say this game was the result of bad calls or one team beating themselves on penalties r foolish turnovers. The interception was a case of being outfoxed.

How can anyone be upset when you see the winning quarterback there with his baby boy being thrilled? I can't. Good for them even though I somewhat pulled for the Colts.

No money on the game. Nothing ventured, nothing lost. Halftime wasn't great. The game was exceptional.

OK. Now it is time to figure out my own game plan. There is work looming that I know I can do, but it is not really that easy, and I am beginning to think I am straying from whatever my strong points are. It seems like everything I see is somehow inspirational. What inspires one may be nothing to another. It is when I see people that fight through various types of adversity just because they see it as the only way. Dropping out isn't an option. To me, it usually is. That's no good.

Hey, that's not game related.

Bottom line: there can't be any sour grapes or complaining about this outcome. I hope the revelers survive Mardi Gras this year because it is going to be something else. It starts in a little over a week, I think, however I'd say it begins early this year.

Few people get to experience what Drew Brees is feeling tonight. At the top of his game, in front of millions, and able to share it with an infant son who hasn't a clue what's happening. He will carry the joy somewhere inside and that is pretty rare.

running superbowl commentary, real time

It's a lonely man who watches the super bowl alone while writing commentary to imaginary friends. Lone has become a habit and it is not an easy habit to give up. Oddly enough.

When I am around people much I figure I'm somehow disappointing them or letting them down or irking them in some way. At first I don't think that but in time I do. Mostly I know it is time to figure out a more long term plan. It comes slow, but compared to two years ago, good progress has been made. Not so much forward motion in the last year. Things are too pleasant and beautiful here so I forget to be ambitious and gutsy.

Pre-super bowl hooplah is entertaining and interesting to me, normally. Then all of a sudden we have a CBS special on right now with Katie Couric lobbing softball questions to Obama in the White House. What a way to politic to a huge captive audience. Now we get the President's opinion of the game and the players. I guess that's OK, but there comes a time when I really just want to see the game festivities without political spin. That was not a very classy move by CBS and the White House.

I expect any minute for them to butt in again with a Republican rebuttal. If it comes to that I will blow up the TV. I think I will just quit paying attention. What bothers me most is government control and intrusion into every facet of life. It only plays to the totalitarianists to let that annoyance occupy my mind. I will do what I wish millions would do---ignore and don't seek their favor or their stolen money.

OK some band with a percussionist and a drummer played, outside the stadium. Nice stage. Not sure who that band was. I think they are well known, just not to me. Old guys and a nice Latin beat but not so Latin tune. It works. Maybe we'll get the Queen's view of the game and the world next. CBS no doubt want3ed to boost Katie's numbers, kiss up to the president, and pull off a mutual PR coup. I found it transparently opportunistic and pushy. Others may have loved it. OK. Good for them.

I predicted the score as soon as we knew who'd made it to the big show. Colts 33 Saints 20. That could be way off. I figure now that it is an even bet who'll win. But, I made my call and I'll stick with it.

Now a guy in prison is being interviewed. Plaxico Burress. I don't know much about him, but he apparently made the game winning catch in a past super bowl. Then he did some odd thing like accidentally shot himself in a night club or some such thing. It sucks and he won't do it again, probably. They say he'd been a bit problematic before that. Unlicensed handgun, bla bla bla. I don't know the details but I don't think keeping him locked up too long is doing anyone any good. Some people disagree but lock ups rerach the point of diminishing returns very quickly in many cases. The system is just not quite right. Now, true nut case aberrant cases can't be let loose, but that is not everyone. OK. This is super bowl.

So, we've had bands, politics, and heart wrenching stories of going from glory to prison. His daughter was born after he was put away. Maybe Obama should spend as much time on a few cases of people locked up as he did with Katie, and pardon a few. That would be a weekly event if I were president. As if I'd last 3 seconds. I'd love to see one that used that power where they should.

OK. Now a golf equipment company had a sort of ad in which a guy hit to diverent drives, one with a ball marked Colts and one Saints. The Saints ball went the furthest, so he says they'll win.

An advertisement for who knows what with Manning cheering people pumping gas, making sandwiches, selling insurance. He's a funnier guy than most QBs.

It still rings of home when I see South Florida. It really was a place of much heartbreak and pain when I think of my family growing up, and the resultant confusion, but it is still my place of origin and the best place to get Cuban coffee. The water is warm, the bugs are big, and the driving is aggressively hostile and crazy. It is too populated for the level of heat and capacity of the roads. Get down to Key Largo and things are a little bit more alluring to me. A clear day this time of year is perfect for football. Slightly cool, sunny and bright.

I'm guessing the coin toss will be tails.

Quick local news blurb: a new law may mean a fine for the way you drive past a cop---on news blaa bla bla later.

Maybe a new fine for how you look at a cop. Nothing surprises me. That is the worst thing about the left coast---they love detailed stupid laws. OK there I go again.

Now teams are on the field jumping up and down, getting psyched. Just the usual ads on now; olive garden, Couples now on Blueray dvd with bonus delted scenes, wallmart clown steps on unicorn--the stuff that makes aliens seek out other planets to exploit.

NFL hyping the NFL. More fluff, CBS hypes CBS.
I'll publish then edit to continue this saga BRB (that's hip netspeak)

OK. Now Katie is profiling Drew Brees. The call him "the Patron Saint of New Orleans". Huricane scenes and discussion of how bad it all was.
Katie asks Drew's wife if she's up for a threesome. Drew ignores her and keeps talking about the city.
Katie makes another pass, Drew discusses the emotional attachment to the city and its resurrection.
She wanders New Orleans with Drew to see all the people giving him thanks and kudos.
Katie glows off contact high.

She goes to a school with him and asks about what they grow. A kid says, "mulberries", and Katie resonds, "Oh, I love rosemary". Dimwit.

More about Drew and his charity work and things that do make him well loved in the underwater party capital of the world.

Finally Katie's efforts at having the fame and appeal of the president and Drew Brees rub off on her have ended. For now. Actually she should have just stuck to stories like the one with Brees. It is when she pretended to be a regular reporter that she blew it because her objectivity was shown to be non-existent and that makes her lose appeal. Giving the due to feel good stories works better.

All the emotional tear jerking stuff in the Brees story and his involvement with the town make N.O. the sentimental favorite of many. I can't decide. I like Indy, and I like the new Saints. Never cared for them back in the old days, pre-Katrina.

Back to players jumping up and down shouting unintelligible chants to fire up the team.

A musical thing while showing football scenes. Black eyed Peas? Maybe not, part rap part music, have no idea what the guy is saying. Now the chick sings. They sound like they know what they are doing. OK. Jay Z and Rhiana or however that is spelled. I don't keep up that much with these things. If I were up on celebrity gossip I'd most likely know the scoop.

More yakking. Phil Simms and someone. Simms strikes me as zero personality. No real humor is evident there.

OK. Bets on who scores first. I think it depends on who gets the ball first. If N.O. gets it first and they score. they may win. If Colts get it first, They'll score. So, without knowing the toss yet, I say Indy puts first points up. Let's wait and see, shall we?

I am definitely nuts. Whether to embrace it or hang my head in shame, I don't know. Hell with it. Screw everyone, I'll embrace it.

Now we meet the NFC and AFC champs. just an aside, I believe a player was fined for cheap shots on Favre (Fah VRAY) in the afrc championship game. I thought they made some uncalled for hits. That causes me to be less sympathetic to that team, although they play fairly clean sometimes.

Now Queen Ltifa sings a rendition of Americ the Beautiful, obvious prob with in ear monitor, she pulls it off and does OK. Not a great rendition, no Ray Charles. B-. Carrie Underwood sings national anthem--PA probs, or else it is my TV. Intermittent cut outs, that finally stop. She gets through it. B. I admit it is very hard to sing anything under those conditions, but I have seen some heart stopping performances of it. Wish I remembered the names. As an objective critic, giving on the spot commentary, I have to say the pregame music was not very good. I gave them B grades for effort and because I am sure they are nice people, plus Queen is a remarkable force in her own right.

They use a differnt coin and it comes up heads. I was wrong N.O. called it. This could be crucial. I'm not sure how they determine who is considered home team, and who the visitor. Visitor calls, so NO is visitor. I don't know all the ins and outs, even of sports I played in the distant past. For example, I just recently familiarized myself with the full skinny on the Infield Fly Rule. I always just let others worry with it. Besides, when I played baseball I hit home runs and line drives to center.

OK. NO grinds it out. 3rd and 2, nope. They'll punt. Very crucial.

I cannot believe that Colt didn't call for a fair catch. The guy tackled him where he stood. Colts are 1st with a 1st down. They ran.

Heat's on but Manning is getting it to the somewhat open guy. Dumb off side against Colts, but they are primed for a field goal if they don't squeak out another 1st. He blew it. 42 year old kicker scores 3 for Indy. I was right. They scored first.

Great Snickers commercial with Betty White and Abe Vigoda(?). Playing footbal. She gets tackled hard.

Almost a Saint turnover. Guy fumbled on Kickoff return but a Saint got it. Here we go. I suspect Brees and company will make some headway this time. Very possibly a long play TD. Let's see if I'm psychic.
Almost. He finally hits Bush and gets a 1st. Bush is their real hope. When he gets loose it is all over. Holy smoke, wide open guy misses a ball that went through his hands and hit him in the face. 3 and out. I'm not psychic.

Saints punting team is demonic. Million yard punt downed by Saints, colts get it on the 4.
I'll only cover the commercials that really grab me. I like the dorito kid telling his mother's suitor to "keep your hands off my doritos and keep your hands off my mamma."

Manning taking some hits. Running game working well for them. Still moving it up the field. Looking much better than NO so far, but not really fault of NO defense. Just Indy's offense is that good. Joseph Addai running like crazy for big gains. The are getting close. In field goal range again. Touchdown, and a cheap hit way in the end zone by saint. It won't be called, but it was a cheap shot.

I think it is only 2nd penalty so far. NO for holding on kick return. That hurts. Right now they are down 10 nothing, but there is a long way to go. They'll figure out what's going wrong soon.

Good Monster ad with the fiddling beaver. Good Cars.com ad with the genius kid's saga into adulthood and buying a car.

Now we see a classic Brees completion for a 1st. Penalty Colts, out of bounds hit. not as cheap as that endzone hit.
Saints moving it now. This may prove to be interesting. NO may have spotted what was holding them up. Brees demonstrating why he is where he is, completes a pass while being beat up by two guys. OOps. Sackaroonie.

OK. Saints kick for 3. 10-3 Colts.

Great Bud commercial with town building human bridge after discovering bridge is out and beer truck on other side of the gulch.

A colt dropped a perfect pass and the guy was wide open. One for colts and one for saints in that regard. Things getting a little tougher now and only a touchdown separates the score. I expect it to open up a bit. You wait. I may yet be psychic. N.O. will somewhere crucial score on a big play, like maybe a 400 yard pass.

OK. 2nd period with maybe 7 min until half. I'll post and BRB to continue.

Saints are sailing. All of a sudden receivers are wide open A few good 1st downs. They're going to tie it up in a second. Down to the 3 or 4. Piece of cake. When the saints are hot, it is a work of art.
Well, 4th and 1. Maybe not a piece of cake. 3rd and 1 was a bust. Whoa. they went for it and Colts dropped them short.

Geez. Colts 3 and out. Saints make last sec field goal. 10 to 6 at half. Indy by 4. Low scoring which seems a little against expectation. That could change. The spread so far is about what the betting line was saying. I heard anything from 4 to 6 on the spread,.

Halftime with the Who. I guess it is good to see you can keep rocking into old age. Why should you ever have to stop doing what you love if you can still do it?
another BRB break. live coverage will continue.

Holy smoke. Saints do an onside kick and get it. Play of the game, without a doubt. Caught the Colts sleeping.

Illustrations I made to give artist's rendering of game soon to be included.
Half time review of who--vocals bit the big wahoo--sucked. Instrumentals--first class. B maybe B-.

Onside kick cal was brilliant. Brees is chewing them up. They are set for at least a field goal and should be a TD. Colts are playing as if they are behind and frustrated. TD Saints. I told you, when they get hot it is amazing.

VW commercial sucks. The one where everyone is punching and spilling and being obnoxious. Only good part is Stevie Wonder.

I will say, saints do get away with a lot of cheap shot defense. Can't see everything That is my main beef with them, they are a bit dirty beyond just playing hard.

OK. TD indy. Addai runs it in from short yardage out. 17-13 now. Colts. This could go back and forth. I just don't care for the cheap shot attitude so I am now officially cheering the Colts, but not with a lot of emotional investment.

etrade ad is pretty good. The baby trader has girl trouble now.

4:50 left 3rd quarter, Saints are rolling pretty well. Another long FG for 3 more. 17-16 Colts. New Orleans is too explosive and gutsy to be comfortable unless you have a 30 point lead at this point. I'd be very nervous if I were the Colts. And it looks like they are. Moreso than the Saints, I'd say. Dangerous psychology at work here, and it benefits the Saints.

OK almost 4th quarter. Colts moving it but now without getting beat up.



The artist's rendering of the play has now been uploaded into the post.
4th and 2 and going for it. Manning completes quick one for 7 or 8.



A friggin nail biter for either side.
BRB
Colts drive still alive. sort of. This is tough. They have to try a field goal. Wide left. Maybe God wants the saints to win. Often God is at odds with me. Not a very nice unit at times.
B R B
(again, that is hip netschmooze)

Saints playing like they know they will win. Brees is not letting it bother him if someone is hanging on to his head, he gets it completed anyway. In striking distance with 7 min to go. Saints about to score. TD. Big surprise. going for 2 ?? Nope. Missed it. New O. is up 22-17. What happened? lost a piece of the post.

They review and decide Saints did make the 2 point conversion. 24-17. No question about it, God is being mean to Indy today.

4+ minutes. This is do or die for Indy. They are moving it but they have to make a TD to tie and can't let N.O. score after that. Pressure is heavily on Colts. Payton may be choking a bit. He's avoided being intercepted but came close and has thrown stuff his guys can't catch.

Audi ad sucks.

It's over. Intercepted for a Saint's TD. Saw it coming. I had it backwards. Now it is Saints 31, Colts 17. All Indy has to do is make 2 TDs in three minutes. simple.

Done deal. Colts almost in but pass hit the guy in the hands and he couldn't catch it. I think he was shell shocked from the hits he'd taken and saw those guys on him again so he braced for the hit and forgot the catch. Even then Indy would have had to recover an on side kick and make another, just to tie.

Saints out played them. Good game. I was for Indy by the end of it, but there you go. All my predictions were wrong.

Some Things Add Up, Some Don't

Once again, Southern California is under assault from the environment. The sky is spitting rain on us. Almost as fierce as an average South Florida June afternoon. Horrors.

On my way home from the bizarro job in Paradise, I noticed that drivers were behaving as if they all took a hit of meth mixed with mushrooms. It was only misting a little at that point. So much of the driving made zero sense; People on highways cutting in between cars, with maybe a half car length to spare between the car in front and the one behind, into the next lane which wasn't going any faster. Then they'd cut back over and maybe move another lane over. It had nothing to do with making an exit or even making better time. Mass psychosis.

Now I realize that they were just practicing for when the roads got their first soaking which makes them quite slick here. It was as if it had snowed. Multi car bang ups, most of which could have avoided damage had they not been tailgating and outdriving the ability of the vehicle to maintain traction. I saw one chick interviewed on the news. She acted like she was in no way culpable because there just wasn't enough room between her and the car she hit for her to avoid the crash.

I don't get that.

I've heard bits and pieces of the Economy news. Unemployment is slightly down, but thousands more jobs have been lost? I believe this is a statistical batch of double talk. Most likely some factor that goes into the calculations was changed which redefined what is is. All that actually matters is whether one has work. They can call the economy anything. If you are losing money during an aleged boom phase, in your world the economy sucks.

Of course the reverse is true also. If I have regular income then the economy must be OK. Especially considering I don't beat the bushes much looking for work.

My friend, confidant and alter ego, Sparky

Constantly being told the same idea or opinion can influence your view of life and how you approach it. If They keep saying "there are no jobs out there", then people begin to think there is no way to earn a dollar. Someone makes jobs. I mean real jobs, stuff people need or want. I discount a large number of government jobs as neither needed nor wanted; much like the old mafia protection racket. You pay because they have the guns and make trouble if you don't.

Anyway, people make jobs. People create companies. It is not as if jobs are something dropped from the sky by the gods. You'd think so to hear the rhetoric because we are conditioned to believe that way. Who are you to create your own job? Think you are too good to be out unsuccessfully pitching companies about your worth? Or too good to hope for help from the new deity,. government?

I don't get it. What does "create jobs" mean when it is coming from a spokes-being for the government. just create them? I thought demand created jobs. Meeting demand, at any rate. More than not, government actually hinders the creation of jobs. It costs a fortune to run an above board business, and way more than the wage to hire an employee. You'd be surprised how few people realize that it costs roughly 40% more than what a person is being paid. That figure may be higher by now.

Now they are suggesting various breaks to businesses who hire those people who've been unemployed for more than 60 days. So, if you want to switch jobs, lie and say you have been out of work for months. Tell them "there are no jobs out there so no one would hire me".

I believe this is the problem when you give others so much power over so many facets of life---they screw it up worse than a newlywed taking marriage advice from the divorced alcoholic at the local sports bar. How about cutting taxes across the board, while we restructure the system so it is not an oppressive agency running outside of any real laws?

No, I don't get it. But I don't get how you spend your way out of debt. Or how you encourage commerce by increasing (the pc term is not increasing but returning to previous levels before taxes were cut years ago) taxes. Even if the RICH get a tax break it helps the not so rich. Those people buy stuff, hire people and break things that need fixing and replacing like you would not believe. That stimulates the economy and pays my rent.

Proportionately The Rich pay more taxes. I mean way more. If you check the portion the top 5% pay, it is staggering.

I want to go on record encouraging all who are able to fly, buy or lease private jets. It takes a damned village to build a jet, and that equals jobs. It takes even more to accommodate such jets, their passengers, maintenance, etc. The big PR campaign about private jets, categorizing them as somehow evil and an expense to John Q Public. If it is not a case of government officials using them needlessly, then this is just not the case.

I get the difference but lots of people don't. I'm not robbed at gunpoint to pay for some executive to fly around in a company jet. But when Nancy Pelosi flies her family around on one, it is paid by taxpayers whether they like it or not. Same for many of those people and their entourages. It is rare that there is legitimate reason for Congress Persons(?) and Senators to fly to China, Copenhagen, Fiji, etc. Yet many of the most insignificant travel and party on "fact finding missions. Happens all the time, and both parties have leeches who abuse power this way.

So, that whole routine, and the public's apparent acceptance of it--I don't get. Actually, I don't get how people can live with themselves knowing they are abusing such trust.

I think I get some of the theories around big bang and that. I don't get those who are so sure that one idea is absolutely it and explains all. Many who think they are evolutionists don't totally get that theory like they think. It appears to be partly valid but does not always hold like one would think. There are also jumps that don't explain the underlying why regarding life.
Anyway, either we exist or not and if anyone knows why, like I do, they aren't telling, just like I'm not telling. If you know the why, you can't tell. It's the Code.

Now, that is something I get. The Code. It is one of those things which needs no explanation.

Fascination with Coyotes; part 59

They've become vocal again. My nighttime pals, the coyotes, have been partying down the hill, again. It puzzles me that I've developed a bit of a fascination and affection for such a varmint. I'm supportive of ranchers and farmers nailing them on sight, and I understand why they would. Contrary to the views of some, people who live on farms, ranches, and out in the big country are not indiscriminate about what they shoot, for the most part.

At first I thought I'd heard that you can never tame a coyote, then I heard that some people have had hybrid dogs which were part coyote. Now I found out there is such a thing as raising one as a pet. It may not be the best idea in the world, but there are always circumstances.

This chick is raising one in Wyoming. Its parents got capped for killing livestock somewhere out on the range. I think she lives in a one room cabin. Somehow I got the idea she may have a boyfriend. The girl is a knockout. She also went cross country on a Vespa. That is what led her to WY instead of NYC. She was intending to move from San Francisco to New York, where I believe she originated, but after doing the trip on a Vespa she realized the stuff in the middle is amazing.

Anyhow, it is interesting, and I get the idea the canine is plenty skittish when it comes to other humans and some other creatures. There are some dog pals it likes to play with--probably pets of the suspected boyfriend (who I am sure is a despicable lad).

My guess is that the coyote will eventually kill the cat and demonstrate that it yearns to run with its kinfolk, killing livestock and keeping the neighbors awake. It has lasted a couple of years, so who knows.

Under similar circumstances I'd have raised the pup, too. It was fresh off the boat when she got it. Maybe coyotes are the future. Imagine having an entire pack covering your back. They run free but when you want them to do your bidding they are on it.