In Search of the Short Statement (Searching for Gato, etc.)

I've been trying to locate an old friend for a long time. He's harder to track than most. Finally I paid 1.50 to an online outfit to dish up the report. So far I have not used the addresses to contact him.
He was known as Gato Loco, and I was another sort of gato. Long story, and if you weren't versed in, and entertained by, spanglish in S FL it would mean nothing.

The stupid place has my phone number and now wants to give me $100 in gas vouchers for paying another dollar to test drive some service for two weeks. Of course there may be an issue with canceling it. There always is.

No, I said. No, no no. I wonder now what is next. I better monitor my bank statements closely.

This kind of thing is where people give capitalism a bad name. Semi-deceptive sales techniques which offer you something FREE and you don't have to do much of anything. They don't volunteer the issue of you being responsible to get the thing stopped if you don't want some recurring charge of who knows how much. That part is hidden in the background, in the fine print, the super fast spoken announcement.

It uses the old con man technique--bait 'em with something for nothing.

Some would say more regulation and government oversight is the answer. I think not. That is half the trouble. Enforce the standing laws against force and fraud. Splitting hairs gives rise to loopholes.

Yes, people should be vigilant, but really, this is not what trade and commerce ought to be. You knew I couldn't get through this without pointing out how our own government, on every level, plays the same game. That, I suggest, is part of the problem. Would people be so hard up for employment that they have to do the bidding of deceptive firms had government not taken over 40%, or whatever it is, of the work force? And the laws, control, and educational sytem, as well as the press, selling their nonsense at every turn in every aspect of life--geez.

There must be a better way, and it damned sure isn't along the lines of solidarinosc. Something else that doesn't require running in a pack, or playing tricks just because you can get away with it.

Sorry. It wasn't that short. I tried, I swear.

Tips for YoYos

Local spellcheck here on blogspot does not approve of my spelling of "yoyos" or of "blogspot" for that matter. If I were telling you this in person, don't worry, I wouldn't use air quotes. I only use air parentheses these days.

I'm a yoyo so the term is not meant so much in a derogatory manner, as it is merely describing a condition. Many are given to sudden waves of melancholy as well as sudden waves of euphoria. I'd say I fall in that camp. It probably doesn't hit me as hard as some, but most likely it hits me harder than most. Who knows?

There is no benefit in dwelling upon a condition as if the universe has somehow picked certain individuals to victimize. This just happen. Life is about how you deal with it. Compensation of one sort or another is very much the name of the game.

Anyone who has lived long enough to recognize their own history of highs and lows is at an advantage because they have enough information to wage the battle. It is not like you can make it stop completely but you can temper its effects. You know the extremes are not forever, even if they feel like it, and you know the resulting thought patterns are likely flawed.

It is especially useful in the down wave to avoid the temptation to believe you are a victim or that peace of mind will never return. Draw your attention to something you know you thought was beautiful or fun when you were not steeped in the blues. Take care not to form an opinion like, "Oh, I will never enjoy that again", "I could never do that now", etc. Just know you once got pleasure from whatever it is, and let it go.

Lie to yourself if need be. "In another mind frame I would have thought that sunset a work of art. Now I hate it and it makes me sad." There is where you have to tell yourself, OK, I know I don't really hate it, I just don't enjoy the way I feel at this moment. Do something, anything, that is unrelated to feeling good or bad. Eat a sandwich, drive to the store. Hunt down a homeless person or gimme dolla guy and give him fifty cents. If he asks for more, tell him it is in the mail, or ask for a refund.

If it is an obnoxious gimme dollah guy, ask him for a dollar. That has helped me in the past. I even made friends with one or two, like the helmet guy in Memphis.

Mostly, just know it will run its course and it is not the fault of other people. If you start festering resentment, or reviving old grudges, cut off that thinking then and there. Indulging what some call "justifiable anger" in that way does you no good whatsoever. I guess it helps if you do not have the sort of philosophy that assumes the good fortune of others is the cause of your misfortune. Sometimes it is, like when they steal your design, patent it, and enjoy a lucrative career, but that still is not the cause of the depression. Deep down you know that, or at least you should. It helps the cycling phenomenon be far less unpleasant--to yourself and others.

Others have difficulties too, and often they have troubles you can't see and would not want. So that bit of indulging resentful envy is not only often unfair, but it is self destructive.

Another good thing for the yoyo blues is popcorn, a movie but not something where the bad guys kill the dog, and sleep. But as soon as it lifts a little, if you can do something constructive, it really helps to do it. Usually the things that help are the things you put off or don't do because you have a faltering, weak belief in yourself. Just the attempt is a small victory. If you fail, all isn't lost, and some experience or knowledge is gained.

If you are riding the high, keep that in mind. You may not be the genius that feeling leads you to believe. Beware the crash that you know from experience will follow. The upswing is a good time to do nice things for friends who tolerate your madness, and to try to deal with any personal loose ends like unpacked boxes, unopened mail and the like.

Whatever the situation, there is much less pain and life mess if you resist the temptation to lash out during the tough times and to blame or try to make others endure some of your mopeyness. If you are like me, you have enough blues to go around a times. It really is inconsiderate to bring others down and spread the misery. Plus, you end up regretting the result it brings.

That's about it. Things change constantly, and you cannot know all the factors in the universe, so assuming nothing can get better is not really the fact based conclusion you might think.

Mostly it is good to understand that the mind will lie to you, especially when it is telling you to be miserable beyond hope or when it is telling you you are immortal and indestructible and a super genius.

***It is possible that some sort of prescribed drug will help. So, if you are really bonkers and have access to a good shrink, I say take advantage of your resources. That falls in the realm of not my business.

I do know that self medicating with alcohol or most recreational drugs actually worsens the problem, long term. For one thing, alcohol is a depressant, and though it may seem to help at first, overall it will do the opposite if you are really a true blues yoyo.

I'm undecided whether the right mushrooms with a talented sex therapist (amateur or not) would help in the long run. Unfortunately, I do not think it would do a lot of good for more than a day.

They Must Have All Settled or Plea Bargained

+++

Chances are I would have let them all walk, and not tolerated any sissy, frivolous, politically correct lawsuit. Torts, we in the trade call it. Torts aren't always BS, however they have grown to be that in way too many cases. Like the people who get a tax deductible non-profit because "The Earth Needs a Good Lawyer". Oh yea, like WTF? Is it because Japan and Haiti are suing for damages?

Anyway, my name wasn't called so I was able to leave at noon. Not many names were called. I guess it was luck of the draw.

I owe it to El Cajon to say that everyone running this operation was very good natured and competent, and the general facilities were better than expected. Most of the cops I saw were from the sheriff's dept., no Highway Patrol. Don't let that old, lame program CHiPs fool you. They are not that cool, or even that goofy. Hardened criminals.

What is with the entertainment industry that cops are considered neat-o? Does the public not realize that we have more people in prison than just about every other country? It makes no sense. Is it really thrilling to see cops manhandle down and out druggies, vagrants, and misfits? That is sick.

I took a photo (top of page+++) of the judge who gave a speech after our TV orientation show. At first I think many of the people thought he was joking. This guy was a piece of work. I'd have been freaked to be defending myself in his court. He moved like an aging robot, and spoke with a screech, kind of like a cross between Andy Devine and Gilbert Gottfried, with a touch of Walter Brennan thrown in.

If those references are too distant or unknown to you, picture a six foot 2x4 with a mustache, glasses, arms and legs, nailed to the floor so it is perfectly vertical screeching loudly into a microphone about how lucky we are to be in America, and how he has been in the legal system (on tax dollars) all of his life. He's been a judge for 20 years. I'm not disagreeing about being lucky to be here. He seemed to feel lucky because he was The Judge and had never had a private sector job. Prosecutor and judge. I feared he may have seen his job as being the guy to be sure jail space wasn't wasted. Who knows. I wasn't picked.

Talk about adding insult to injury--can you imagine being sentenced by a board wearing a suit, with the vocal chords of a rooster on steroids, blasting at you on a decibal level just shy of ear bleed?

Squawk squawk--you are sentenced-squawk squawk- to 90 years hard labor for painting your house without a permit-squawk squawk. Yikes!

I guess he got in the judge spot and at least knew not to run for senate or something. You think Ross Perot could have used some voice coaching. Seriously, he was like butter compared to judge Stiff-as-a-board.

Anyway they had paperbacks you could borrow or keep, so I am halfway through a Steven King novel I never heard of. It is not all scary and bizarre. I have never read him, so this is good. I wanted to experience his style. This is all dialogue, from one person. It is interesting enough. I take it back. It is a little bizarre. I like to see how people write who make big bucks, particularly if they hold my interest.

So, if you had a trial today, I am sorry they didn't pick me. I heard some girl at a nearby table in the courtyard, where I hung out for awhile, telling the two guys she was with, "Well the last time I got out of jail I was like seven months pregnant..." She went on to describe how she found a pipe and some kind of dope which sounded not like pot in a box in her stuff when she got home. I didn't catch the whole story or context. She was actually good looking, too.

The guys looked like jail hardened types. But they were not all punked out. There was a cold, kind of con man look to them. But nothing warm at all. They didn't seem angry or friendly or remorseful or scared. Just cold in a strange way.

Plenty of waddle pants punks waddling in and out of courtrooms. Why would you go to court with waddle pants and a sideways baseball cap? I might not have let them off even if they were innocent. OK. I would have, but I would have suggested someone beat them up just because.

Left handed Justice, or something

Tomorrow, I try again to get to jury duty at the appointed hour. I checked and double checked, triple, quadruple, etc. checked, to be sure I remember the right day this time.

I'm allergic to government buildings and especially prosecutors, police, and rules. Even so, I will do my best to be good. If they are crazy enough to actually pick me, then it means someone in the process has some sense. It would behoove a defense attorney whose client is innocent to put me on board. Lots of people are inclined to be as closed minded with presumption of guilt as the average El Cajon highway patrol officer.

Left handed has nothing to do with it.

I was wondering if most right handed people twist the lid off of a stubborn jar with their right hand while holding the body of the jar with their left hand, or not. I always use my left hand to turn the lid itself. I'm mostly right handed, but not in all things.

Playing harmonica, it is standard to hold the harp in the left hand and use the right to do the flutters and whatnot. I do that stuff with the left hand. But I don't really hold it correctly, or with one hand in the standard way. I do have left over right, instead of the standard, right over left.

So, I'm curious about the jar issue. You never know, this could have bearing on a case. What if they determine that the victim was attacked by a left hander, and the defendant is right handed but opens jars left handed? An over zealous prosecutor could send an innocent person up the river. I do not intend to let this happen.

Blues Union

Once again, I was thinking.

"Why would you do that?", you may ask. Often times, it is fun. That's why.

It started with pictures and video of people trudging around in a circle chanting in unison, with signs that said things like "solidarity" (nothing else, just that????), and "tax the rich" (again, WTF???)

It struck me that most of those things deal with high class problems like pensions, health insurance, more vacation, or possibly it is just a hobby for some people. The camaraderie and all that.

"These are not people who have the Blues", a voice inside my mind lamented. I had to agree. They got no idea bout the trouble I seen.

What about a Blues Union, I thought. What would the signs say and what would they chant?

The first thing that came to mind, which could be on a sign, and/or chanted, is the list of the basic essentials familiar to every bluesman. It is universal:

LOOSE SHOES
TIGHT P***Y
AN' A WARM PLACE TO S**T

Don't blame me. I am only one who's got the blues from time to time. I didn't invent the thing.
However it would be a most effective and natural chant for Blues Union members.

HEY HEY HO HO
THAT CHEATIN WOMAN GOTTA GO
-Another good blues chant. It's universal, and a bit of a double entendre, which is always fitting in Blues speak.

My Union could come up with plenty more.
Woke up this mornin
thought I was deaf
that screamin mama finally left

If we go with the megaphone call and response, it might go like this:

megaphone: what we been?
Union crowd: down so long
megaphone: how it look?
union crowd: like up to me

My personal story is a simple one. This picture, which I first saw at the Factotem's, tells my story quite elegantly, I think

I wondered what the blues union should be called?
In keeping with the tone and spirit of most unions I thought IBS would be appropriate International Bluesters in Solidarinosc

Weak, perhaps. Maybe WGBU, not catchy, We Got the Blues Union.

Don't assume that just because I use the term, "bluesman", that it excludes them wimmins--cheatin or not.

The wimmins maybe get blues too. Matter of fact, some play 'em like I know they got em. It's what we call a universal pronoun-bluesman. No one who is really living the blues is politically correct. Can't be done.
No blues men or wimmins are politically correct. So don't be listening to no NOW or PETA or other do-gooder group try to tell you different. Good sex and heartbreak just don't know no political corrections.

Great Thinkers of the Americas: Part 1-Al Gore Award for Deductivity

CARACAS (Reuters) - Capitalism may be to blame for the lack of life on the planet Mars, Venezuela's socialist President Hugo Chavez said on Tuesday.


Hugo Chavez, pictured above, thinking deep thoughts.

"I have always said, heard, that it would not be strange that there had been civilization on Mars, but maybe capitalism arrived there, imperialism arrived and finished off the planet,” Chavez said in speech to mark World Water Day.


The man is a friggin' genius. A great thinker.
I've seen the term "thinker" used on TV news when they did not know what else to label one of their pompous guests. I am pompous enough, if need be, to be called "thinker" and earn a few bucks for my unique and amazing insight.

Anyway, there is no disputing the fact that Hugo is an astro-biologist and thinker of Einsteinian proportion.

He is pictured, below, with some of his genius colleagues from foreign lands. They, too, are experts and great thinkers:
Even geniuses of science and the arts take time out to play. Above, the great man with fellow thinker Mua, as they cross the finish line of the annual three legged race to raise funds for the oppressed proletariate on Mars.

In this one he and fellow Hollywood genius swap banter (and back stage, spit) "Oh no, YOU are the greatest of thinkers. Oh no, YOU are. Please. Have my baby!"


---The thinker on the left is apparently in a gang, hence the gang sign in photo. You have to do that if you are a banger. She also raps.

We are so lucky to have him so near. If our thinkers need some of his thinking, they can call and be in the same time zone, or close to it. Is that cool or what?


{{{{if the UN saw the el cajon highway patrol in action, would an international consensus decide to bomb to get them off of civilians' backs?}}}}

Ever Wonder if it Was a Dream or a Daydream?

That has been happening lately. I wonder, did I dream that, or was it a daydream? I'm pretty sure it never happened because that would require very rapid changes in time and place for myself and others.

Then again, it could have been one of those alternate universe experiences. So, if you crossed my path under similar circumstances, then perhaps all that did happen. Just not here in this bubble.

Otherwise I bet it was in between a daydream and a dream. I live in that place way too much of the time. Or maybe, not enough.


ps: why is that lunatic eric holder, attorney general, answering press conference questions about Libya? Oh well. the scariest part is that many who don't approve of this group in the executive branch consider them too moderate or conservative. Many would love to see stalin, lenin or castro clones running our lives. and they'd be orgasmic if chairman mao had a second coming.....so to speak
so be careful what you wish for

Brief Message to Dems and Repubs--then back to real life

Actually, this is just to republicans.

As much as I am not in line with anything that the Obama, Pelosi, etc. wing of politics has wrought or has shown a desire to implement, I have to say their best friends are the powers that be in the republican party. For one thing, do you think the presidential election would have gone as it did had they put up a candidate who was a little more defined than McCain, and less of a target than Palin? I think they threw it, just like Bush #1 did against Clinton. Bush 1 looked like he was worried he might win so he pushed like crazy at the last to dork it up into a loss. That's how it looked to me.

The congressional aspect means little to the public. Clinton got good things done but the congress passing those things was republican. oops. That is not what people look at. Obama's America is in somewhat bad shape, especially if you live hand to mouth and like your mobility--transportation costs up, food way up, jobs not growing on trees. Tax paid employees are doing better than the rest, but the rest pay for them and are bled dry, so they are now threatened with less gravy. That's where the solidarinosc issues come up. You can bargain all you want, but sooner or later people refuse to live on the edge of poverty while paying you a healthy pension and permanent health care after you retire at age 50.

It doesn't matter though. Here's how republicans can guarantee that Obama wins in 2012. Run any of the people who have gained the press attention as candidates; Palin, Romney, Huckabee, all of them. Any of them are guaranteed to lose. Or if you really want to screw to pooch, run Donald Trump. He'll somehow make money off of it, but Obama wins huge in that scenario.

If republicans want to win run Allen West and Marco Rubio. I'm not sure it matters in which order; West/Rubio or Rubio/West. That is the best shot. I do not see any viable female candidates on that side. Nt being sexist. Palin is perpetually in a defensive position--damaged goods. It would take five years just to sift the myth from the reality in her case. Too many stories have been put out, then retracted, but people don't know about the retract. Just too much. Plus she is crazy to even go for that job. Just don't. Same with some others. Right or wrong, their reputations are in a state of defense.

West and Rubio would win. I put West up against anyone in debate. He needs no teleprompter, has an incredible memory for fact and shows no weakness. Repubs must hate that. They always have to run a total dork and it is annoying because dems run people who rape the economy in the name of helping people like me (who want to be left alone), and in the end they take away all kinds of freedom.
It is subtle but effective. Repubs take away other freedoms and go gung ho in other ways without analyzing it. Can't say either one is likely to fight more wars. They compete. I suppose if you look honestly at the record, dems have put us in more long term wars, and have yet to get us out. Odd since most who are on the pacifistic side tend to be dems. You been had, dupes.

Anyway, that is all the repubs have to do to win presidency. West/Rubio. Everything else I'ver heard mentioned is a slam dunk loss.

But, in some ways, it may be good to have a repub congress and a dem president. But some restraint has got to be put on one man directing war efforts without a single resolution from our own congress. Having international consensus or UN approval counts for zip. I thought that was illegal. People forget, Bush had support of congress, including Hilary, when he went into Iraq. So, it doesn't mean they make the right choice, but at least they had influence. Later they pretended they were duped but the case for that is weak. The real false premise was that even if Iraq was pursuing bad weapons, and you know saddam was, was it necessary to put the armed services there and use our resources that way? Only if you never planned to quit playing in that part of the world. Obviously neither Obama nor Bush ever thought of changing the policy of the last 60 years.

Damn. I went off on tangents. OK. Dems, if you want to win, just blame bush for all the bad stuff, and claim credit for any cuts in budget the repubs manage to put through, and wait until the repubs run a Palin or Romney, then play the race card again, even if there is no reason for it. Just by implication, you can get by with it.

Of course a West/Rubio ticket kills you on the race and ethnicity question, and both can hold their own in front of the camera. I doubt the repubs have sense enough to see that it just so happens that their two best hopes are a Black man and a man of Cuban lineage. I refuse to hyphenate, sorry. They are both Americans, and unless they have dual citizenship, which they don't, that is that.

Then there is the possibility that presidents are picked, not elected. I have come to believe there is truth in that more and more.
So. I've done my best to let the other party of power know how to win. I'll lay money out that they won't. And I will not invest any emotional energy in the matter.

Now to again reset my personal short term and medium term goals. Real life things. My life is my own journey and not something to be wasted with emotional upset over Big Brother's stage play and mind games. There really is more than that.
'Sunshine, ocean, mountains, wild women, music and hot fudge sundaes.

Yes We (I) Can [sorry. current event/political overtones]

The President does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation.
Senator Barack Obama, Dec. 20, 2007.

I agree. Although I am shocked to see that Obama admits any legal limit on what the president or Federal government can do. I haven't noticed too many fans of limiting power among his his pals. Or even many of his enemies for that matter.

The part that didn't get fully vocalized is what people tend to miss in everything this actor says. In this case it was, "...unless I happen to be president, in which case special rules apply, as I make them up"

Why not? It is not like we are setting a precedent here.

What to do re Libya? I do not know because I am not there, have no idea how much of what I hear is true, and tend to think international action and consensus are generally wrong and deceptive. I suspect it is a case of trading a lunatic dictator for fanatic religious leaders, like what ushered in the ayatolla komeni (I don't know how to spell his vile name. Like Quadhafi, it is spelled thirty two different ways, all of them wrong)

Would I put my life, or that of my relatives on the line for it? No, not with what information I have. No way. Like other people's money, other people's lives are easy to spend so you can feel good in your cause. How courageous and benevolent. I'll protect you--let me send a bunch of people I don't know over there to risk their lives. I'll be in Rio or somewhere if you need me.

If they want freedom, good. Somehow I seriously doubt freedom lovers comprise the bulk of these protests.

Wouldn't it have been smart to have extricated ourselves from that region over 40 years ago, promote our own oil exploration and drilling, and refining, not arm everyone in the world who eventually becomes an enemy, and not fight any limited police action anywhere, ever? And if we did sent our military in, we didn't put them in jail for doing their job? That would have been nice.

And there is not one single, legitimate true, non-corrupt reason why our foreign policy wasn't conducted on that basis.

I think the USA should confine its major focus to its 57 or so states, and to pretty much do the strategic strikes on its own agencies.

By some accounts, there are homeland security memos which zealously label libertarians, or people who think the irs is a horrid organization, as potential domestic terrorists.

If they were to ask me, I'd say the people who broadcast shows with laugh tracks are domestic terrorists. The laff track is probably one the biggest assaults on the dignity and intellect of our species ever. The next most insidious tool in mind control is probably the guilt inducing public service ad and general charity assault. Many PSAs are merely efforts to change your behavior or make you conform to some big brother concept of the better good. The majority of them are total insults to free people who believe they own their own lives. Really annoying propaganda.

Charity is good. But the idea that it is OK to attack and cross boundaries in its name, is not good. The idea that doing something unrelated to curing a disease is somehow curing that disease, is false. Sorry. I know this is like butchering a sacred cow, but so be it.

You do not have the right to use the workplace to harass employees to give up pay for your cause. Put your own damned money in. Look at all the multi-multi-millionaires who do guilt trip ads for some cause and maybe put in tens of thousands. If you are so big on it, put ten percent or more of your bread on the table. People who have not even 1/1000 th of what they have are far more generous on a percentage basis. They are just keeping their fame alive at your expense and maybe helping a little, always some government approved cause.

No tax deduction for just laying money on Sally down the street so she can get a better wheelchair for her kid that has Cerebral Palsy. No, it has to go through proper channels. That should tell you it is a bunch of BS right there. But that is the purpose of the IRS. In the name of progressive income tax with enlightened deductions, it scams the poor and those not in power, while feeding the crooked and sneaky. Don't think charities and churches do not often fall under that shadow.

I can walk forever and I in no way can say I am fighting cancer. I am walking. I can say I am participating in an event that I hope raises money, which I hope actually goes to people who know how to do research and find cures. But few want to look at that. If you are lucky, it may go to research, and then you have to hope it goes to a good scientist and not some ego bound bastard who would toss another's work out the window if it were to overshadow his own. There are such people.

Not to say there is anything wrong with doing whatever you can to contribute to whatever you want. Some good things do happen at the end of the filter which fuels money here there and everywhere else except the real purpose. That is not the point. The fact that you pay less tax if you let the government know your cause, and that it has to be on their list, is not acceptable. That is not how tax should work. The tax system is wrong altogether. But to say so puts you on Nepolitano's list of homeland threats. Yikes. How is that right?

Never be fooled into thinking the world of establishment scientists is above jealousy, corruption and ego driven sneakiness. The truth is that the world of academic establishment scientists is probably more prone to such pettiness and small mindedness than even the movie industry.

I've known a lot of those people and they would much rather you stand in awe of their brilliance than anything else, even if it is not deserved. I've also known a few exceptions. Very few.

Funny how they jump in to these frays like Libya, Bosnia, Iraq, without a clue, but when there is an obviously aberrant threat, understanding and patience, etc. is employed---like that creepy Islamic jihad guy who mass murdered on the army base. Oh, no, let's not jump to conclusions. Don't be islamophobic or even rush to judgement. So what he got caught red handed, no question, had to be shot by a chick to stop him, etc. In my mind it was dumb to give him treatment. I'd have let that one die then and there. Trials of this sort are absurd, and why pay to keep the guy alive?

I know, it is where you draw the line that gets sticky. Some cases are so far from the line, I have no worry about that.

Hopefully no one from the 'for us or agin us, if you ain't solidarinoscin' in your pants, we kill you', camp, will assume that having my doubts about Libya and motives, means I want to kill all babies, think CAIR is a legitimate organization or that I think anyone but potential parents have any right to speak for the unborn, and only the ones residing in them. I'm not in the above mentioned camp.

Either they accuse you of racism out of the blue, or accuse you of being against gun rights and the declaration of independence. There are those who just hate freedom. Most people do, regardless of the animal logo they use, although at least the dems are honest enough to use a jackass for theirs.

No Woman, No Cry

Just a Bob Marley tune than went through my mind. It does sometimes for reasons unknown, or at least undisclosed.

What I was really thinking was that I couldn't find Sparky, the Ferret. I still don't think he left the house, unless via drain pipe. It didn't sound like he was in the garbage disposer.

I gave things a quick check but no Spark. It could be he was dehydrated and tell tale odor might take a little longer to develop beyond the point of deniability.

It is possible he went outside and became owl food, or maybe got nailed by a cat. I suppose I could put up posters. In this land of trophy people they might mistake this for one their trophy kids or their trophy daddy.

You have to wonder how some of the Rancho Santa Fe crowd manages to procreate. If they greet one another with air kisses as they embrace in a way that doesn't wrinkle the clothes or put stress on the silicon, do they air ..uh ..mate? Hi, I'm Mr Big Buck Lawyer making trophy love to my trophy wife while being rude to people who don't even work for me. I am trophy happy.

Art of (trophy)War, and all that. No, put your head over here, my dear (trophy) Ornament With Attitude. Feng Shui and all that.

Caleeforneeya. Moonbeam is just Ahnold without the boots and obnoxious Ahnoldness. Same thing but coming from the typically overly spoiled, early trust fund baby boomer. Another proud political dynasty. Wonder if they are in on the illegal ferret smuggling. Gives a new image to the term "coyote". Much more fearsome in this instance. (For those not in the path of immigration madness, coyotes are the guys who smuggle people in, often stacked like cords of wood in a van or truck.)

What does that have to do with Sparky? I think he was taken by Black Ops. And Black Ops are run by Baby Boomers, and Baby Boomers are trouble. Crazy? Justy depends upon what "is" is, sort of thing. Connect the dots, follow the money, power, sex, drugs, and/or rock n roll, and you shall know the truth.

Maybe It Is Not Fate

She looks plenty cheerful, but I am not sure there is room enough in this cottage for the both of us, especially if she insists on bringing that robust textile entourage. Perhaps this was a false alarm.

UPDATE: the photo was not current. After seeing the current one, I am even more discouraged. Call me shallow, but...

Who Could Doubt That It Is Fate? Soulmate for sure

How could I be anything but thrilled to receive the lovely email, below, from a lovely, lonely Russian woman? She mentions seeing my profile "on a dating", which is a bit puzzling because I am not on any such sites that I recall. I was at one time, I guess.

But why trifle with details when she felt that unmistakable connection that comes from something beyond logic and the many senses? When you know, you know.

I'm so excited to write back and I've already been pricing tickets, selling off all things of value to pay for it, and washing the sheets to make her feel at home when we finally meet.

I think they eat a lot of potatoes in Russia, or drink them in the form of vodka. I'll stock up on spuds and maybe horse meat. Don't they eat that over there? So much to learn before my little bundle of Russian love shows up. I wonder if I should get one of those fur fez looking things?

With luck, she'll have mob connections and we can make big bucks with the Russian arms dealers or someone like that. This is so exciting.

Message copied below:


Hi, Dear!
I have seen your profile on a dating, and have decided to write to
you. There there were many good people. I do not know why to write to
you, something is probable inside has induced me to do it. I already
during long time wanted to find to me directly people, but not from
Russia. As in Russia very many bad people and are very difficult to
find such person, which will serve me as a fine half.
My best girlfriend has found to itself through Internet good people.
Which has invited her in the country, and now they live together 2 months.
And I also want to find to myself of the satellite of the partner in life.
Though actually it is very uneasy to find the love through the
Internet, but I shall hope for it up to the last.
Now, it is a little about me:
My name is Mariya.
I the simple Russian girl who search for a serious
the person from abroad for serious attitudes in the future for
creations of family.
I live the Russian city Izhevsk. It is very beautiful city.
It be far from our capital Moskow.
I am very brave to write to you and have written in hope which you
will write also to me. I hope for it, and I shall look forward to
answer from you.
P.S. If I though have slightly interested you, please write
to me the answer on mine E-mail: pociluychik2009@ymail.com
I shall hope, and I shall wait, that you nevertheless will answer it soon.
Please try to send your message on email.
As I was very bad to use the Internet. I shall send the image in the
following letter. With hope your new familiar Mariya.

mail: pociluychik2009@ymail.com
name: Mariya
age: January 22, 1979

Sparky The Ferret: MIA

As is par for the course in the resort home of this friend of a very high executive officer in the USA, a strange event came to light. The actual owner is rarely there. Instead we get periodic visits from his parents and their odd entourage, and some very crazy friends of his. Of course, certain people are weirder than others.

The last one to visit had the fireplace fiasco which is as of yet unexplained. Her version of events makes no sense, and for various reasons I know she is lying about one or more facts. That group trashed the place--food on the floor all over the place, everything in chaos.

So, a short time later we have a relatively sane couple, as near as I can tell, who were a little suprised to find a ferret running around in the place. This is not the sort of creature who would have just wandered in while cruising the neighborhood. We suspect the fireplace woman had it and lost it, and doesn't have the guts to own up. Of course, no one is calling her up to ask. That is not how it works.

I have not seen it so I can only go by the house manager's word that she is sure it is a ferret, and not a very large one. There are always pieces of the story missing when I come into the picture. It often sends me down the wrong path.

I was called to come in a set some kind of trap to catch it. The house manager had almost caught it but it hissed at her and tried to bite her leather glove so she got freaked and it fled. No one knows which way it went. My original info was that it was last seen in a particular room. That story changed later.

It just so happened that the TruValue hardware lady in Alpine, where I bought the havahart trap, is a ferret rescue person. She would provide it good care and lodging. Her information, plus what I researched on the net, gave me confidence that I could handle this venture into the world of wild animals.

I'm sure I did a good job with the trap but I avoided opening doors that were closed to rooms and such because I don't feel good intruding on privacy of people staying at the house. They were gone but had been told a big game hunter would be setting a trap. Since I had been told that the critter was last seen on the east wing, and the other part had been secured, I figured that was the case.

As always, the story was not quite accurate. Long story short, I think they have the poor thing locked in a room which he/she can't escape and my trap is not likely to do any good. Had I had all the facts beforehand, I would have checked the rooms and done what I could to chase it out into the house at large. One whiff of the bait and I have no doubt it would have checked into my little hotel.

It really frustrates me that I always get partial information. This case bothers me a lot. Ignoring the fact that ferret possession is against the law in CA (many things are against the law here--who can keep up?***), I would feel better if I could catch it and give it to the Alpine ferret lady. But for all I know it is a badger or weasel or mongoose. Satisfying my curiosity would also be a relief.

I suspect that when the people leave on Saturday, I will find a little dead animal who died of thirst and starvation. If not, then it would have managed to feed off of who knows what, and drink toilet water or something. Ferrets have a super quick metabolism and need to nibble frequently.

If we have to perform funeral rites, I will used the name "Sparky" on the marker because it is not gender specific, and it is a name anyone-man, woman, child, or other mammal-would be proud to own. I guess that goes without saying. duh.

So, I would request that any who read this observe a moment of silence for our furry friend, and pray that he/she/it somehow miraculously survives and doesn't bite me when we meet.

Thank you

If he is dead, it will be an outrage. Just the damned facts, lady, would have made all the difference. So, if I do find a stiff instead of a mischief making varmint, I plan to give it a good burial with an appropriate marker.

I want to put an appropriate epitaph which shows both respect for the unfortunate creature, and disdain for the bungling disrespectful people who contributed to his/her demise. Suggestions will be welcomed.

***Any licensed big game hunter, animal activist, or other person with credentials is required to execute the animal. It's the Law. So, that is where an illegal alien like myself comes into the picture. The house manager is an over the top PETA-enviro dramatist, which is great in this instance. Can be a little strange in some cases.

The Lesson

Hope for the best, be prepared for the worst. Don't loot and steal.

It is hard for people to ignore the obvious contrasts in light of Japan's behavior during one of the most powerful natural disasters and the resulting emergency with the power plants. It's remarkable how fond most Americans are of the Japanese. I think it is that they earned respect over time. And, contrary to high profile charlatans, when it comes down to it, we tend to place character above race more than most societies.

I have a friend whose father survived the Bataan death March, and I think they do not hold it against the people as a group. My friend swears by Honda. That is all he's driven for the last 20 years or so. And I only hear him sing the country's praises. Typical American. Many in the world would have generations of a blood feud going after what his father endured.

I hope nothing more happens there, and that the attempts to make political issues regarding energy and else out of this event simply fall flat.

Apple Knew I was iRight

Told you so!
iPhones decided to spring back instead of forward for the time change. That is because the Mac daddies knew I was right.
It's all explained in a couple of essays posted down from here.

I feel vindicated. Too bad the news reported this as an error in iPhone programming. It was the only right thing involved in this energy wasting time scheme we have blindly followed without question.

Oh well. I'll enjoy the hot evenings and late sunsets.

It Must Be My Fault [or I am the source and cause of all things]

I've been seeing little hints around that there are people who do not know that the earth is not a stagnant inert ball. They think every natural occurrence, change in weather, earthquake, volcano, you name it, must be due to either secret government experiments, evil oil companies, or the blight of the earth--human existence, itself.

There are various discussions regarding "Mother Nature is pissed off" and other related mother nature tales. Of course the implication is that mother nature is mad at the unnatural life form for being what it is; human. I get lost reading those things.

Who the hell is mother nature. Where does she live? And why is she always getting pissed off? Sounds like a shrew to me.

These same people would most likely say they believe in evolution and that we evolved from ooze and slime. So, why do they then think nature is somehow exclusive of the human race? Everything we have was derived from the stuff that was laying around in one way or another. Every species on the planet, and probably the whole big university, uses what it can to do what it thinks will make it feel better, safer, and sexier. Assuming that is how it works out in the big university.

You ever see the mess beavers make? Or alligators? They screw stuff up big time. And they don't leave things as they found them. Don't even get me started on elephants. Suffice to say, if they took a shortcut through your farm, the garden or grove would never be the same.

So, there is a big earthquake off of Japan's coast, and they get shaken up and suffer lots of damage from the tsunami. The reaction? Oh, Mother nature is fighting back. The drilling in the Dakotas did it. This is a good opportunity for Obama to reinforce the idea that he was born in Hawaii--according to Chris Matthews (I kid you not). It is karma from WWII. Unbelievable.

It takes very little general knowledge to be aware that the earth is full of hot stuff which screws with the pristine surface on a regular basis. It is not a beach ball filled with foam.

You'd think that nothing ever happened on earth before the industrial age. I think it is due to some hard wired resistance to letting go of superstition. We can't pretend that gods and dragons haul the sun and stars around, and throw lightening at us, and need virgins to appease their cantankerous moods, so new superstitions get invented. In this case it is the Mother Nature or Mother Earth scenario.

Another goddess who needs appeasing. I guess no one thinks sacrificing virgins or holding fun fertility rites will do the trick. They seem more inclined to sacrifice any creative, useful invention or endeavor of the species instead. Let's appease Mother Nature by not heating our homes and by not taking advantage of the mobility the fertile minds of our kind have provided us. At the very least, we should pretend to hate ourselves and feel guilty. But best to express this by somehow blaming the rich or some group that isn't us.

I suppose the westboro bonko church will blame "fags". It is all the same thing. Hard core superstition at work. "The earth has a fever".

I do not think things improve with an attitude of disdain for your own species. I'm more of the mind that all the racket being made in demonstrations and rallies was more than mother nature could take and she fought back to blunt out the shrill noise.

Not really, but that is as legitimate a theory as all the rest.

I'm Talking Saving the Bears and Earth and No One Cares?

Ingrates!!!
The last post clearly showed that the daylight savings time is backwards and that the earth and humanity, not to mention the cuddly polar bears, can be saved by springing forward in fall and falling back in spring.
No one cared.
Ingrates!!
I fry my brain conceiving ways to help humanity and what do I get?

Nothing!!

Why?

Because the world is peopled by Ingrates!!!

Oh well. Now I must devise a plan to convince the ingrates to pay me and serve my whims. Saving humanity is a thankless task. I'll find a way to turn this in my favor.

I Was Thinking; again, part311

Soon we have to spring forward with our clocks. Why? They have found that it may actually result in more energy usage; certainly no meaningful savings.

Another one of those meaningless things that we all* do because THEY say so. Nothing wrong with starting the day an hour earlier. It is nice to be a kid playing ball in Miami at 8PM while it is still daylight in May or June. I remember that. But we could have just started life earlier and accomplished the same thing.

There are other lifestyles that don't really get a big thrill out of it. I've had jobs that began early in the morning, before daylight. So, once I sprang forward, I just worked an extra hour in the dark, or in cases where it was outdoor work, we had to start an hour later--actually the same time, in reality.

People say that Ben Franklin invented this peculiar manipulation of society. I was quite relieved to discover this is not true. I'm not sure who railroaded this hoax or why, but it was not Ben. He did write an essay dealing with the subject, inspired by some country's workers in Europe (He spent years in Europe). He was being his typical self and being satirical, and funny (he thought). He was JOKING!! Ben did not seriously think people would set their clocks differently to fool themselves into getting up earlier. It was a joke about how to get even more work out of a group over there who already had the reputation for hard work, dawn to dusk.

Isn't it typical that it would filter down so that you are told it was Ben Franklin's grand idea? Ben was a prolific inventor, essayist, and accomplished statesman, and sometimes his ideas were out there. Way out there. This wasn't one of them.

What if we reverse everything? Fall back in Spring and spring forward in Fall. That way we can all feel guilty during the warmer months for not having time to take advantage of the nice weather. Get to work on the average job, hours after daylight, and get home after dark. Every day you'll wake up thinking you overslept.

I bet it saves energy. In the fall you get an even earlier start, and make use of more sunshine time while sleeping more of the dark time. Energy savings for sure. In many parts of the country you can get home in daylight--fewer traffic accidents and less heat required until you're under the bearskin quilts asleep.

They got it backwards, if this is to save energy and, hence, the earth. Therefore, it is clear that this present form of clock manipulation is actually harmful to the earth and probably causes global warming and many senseless deaths. Unless there is an advantage to National Security (in which case the collateral damage is the price paid for the greater good), it is inhumane to subject our citizens to this hazardous lifestyle.

Really, in many places, the last thing you need in the summer is more sunshine and daylight. In Miami it can kill you. That is why they invented A/C, and soon after, utility rate hikes.

Please write your honorable elected representative, or union boss, and insist that we fall back in spring and spring forward in fall from now on. Save the earth!

*I think Arizona ignores this ritual. It makes no difference there because the sun never sets in much of Arizona. Ever. Every day, every hour is high noon with a special magnifying layer over the state to amplify the sun's rays. It is rumored that the illuminati put that magnification layer there. I believe it, of course.

What is in the Water, WI?

I'm watching a live feed from Wisconsin Capitol. People swarmed in, opened winodws and doors, and for some reason, handcuffed other doors closed.

There is a big crowd in there and I guess the police finally decided to not let more in. So they are outside, and inside, chanting, "It's our house, Let us in."

If they all get in there, it would be a serious fire exit threat, and fertile ground for a stampede situation once it got rolling. This could result in some injuries. I'm unclear about why they think that is a useful plan.

They showed them dismantling windows to gain access. I would not want to be in that mob. It seems many that came down to protest are a little nervous now about lines being crossed, but what the heck, everyone else is doing it...

That's why I don't like big crowds all shouting the same thing and venting hatred at whoever. It rarely has the slightest thing to do with the whole truth. (what in politics does) I find it the height of hypocrisy for some of these people to complain that they feel the matter wasn't civilly debated. Shouting down others and mobbing a lawfully assembled body of lawfully elected representatives may be a bit over the line too. I don't know. Of course our elected national officials do illegal things daily. But how unions can play self righteous in the face of that is a mystery. I guess they only disapprove of corruption when they aren't getting a piece of it.

And Nancy Pelosi was upset because people quietly demonstrated when she was passing bills that no one could read or find copies of, and dismissing opposition with the phrase, "We Won the Election!!" Now she's all in solidarinosc with some state's unions just because they are democrats. I guarantee she hasn't read that bill either.

Oh, but Nancy is of the "pass the bill so we can see what's in it" school of lawmaking.

Other than a few who have that look that only grows on the faces of New Jersey and New York guys in the persuasion trade, the crowd appears fairly Wisconsinish, and pretty young. If it were somewhere else, I suspect people would be in big trouble. But as well mannered as people in that state usually are, it would surprise me if someone doesn't get hurt and go home crying.

So, That is Democracy. Yay

It has been said, not just by me, that pure democracy is mob rule. Now we hear that democracy indeed does look like a mob. A chanting in unison mob for the most part.

So, the ticket is to round up a bigger mob than the other guy, then you win. Just have to get the people who don't have other things to do to join your mob before they get scarfed up by competitors. In this way, the homeless and unemployed can run the world. OK. I admit, they may not do any worse than the other people who have assumed that the world needs running, and who have given it their best (or worse) shot.

I'm thinking I disagree with all kinds of things that come out of Sacramento, Washington DC, and elsewhere. If I could get some sizable mobs together we could just take over the legislative buildings through mob bullying tactics. Unfortunately I do not like unions at all. I need other muscle for my project. I'm thinking homeless, illegals, kids, dogs and wilderness dwellers. If I play my cards right they will chant meaningless slogans as directed and never thoroughly question or critique my wishes and plans.

After we take the capitol buildings, let's take the courthouses, too.

Why stop there? Let's take over the big houses those terrible rich own. Hell, let's take Wal-Mart and avail ourselves of cost free shopping.

If you pay it right, this kind of democracy enables a minority formed into a good mob to rule the majority. Noise, numbers and the time to meld into the teeming crowd win the day. Since the majority is spread out and unlikely to be hanging around capitol buildings or even Wal-Mart, a well organized minority can win a coup.

After all, that is what democracy looks like. I've heard it said many times lately, so it must be true.

Ever Notice The LOL Form Of Internet Debate?

There is a class of commenter/blogger which uses the old LOL thing to somehow secure their non-point. You see things like, "Oh, so you think slavery was OK? LOL", in response to something completely unrelated to slavery. Notice they don't address the point or reasonably debunk it. They jump to a conclusion, then add LOL as a form of personal attack.

For some reason when it is used in that way, I want to resort to non-reasoned debate by wishing I could punch them in the nose and steal their wallets. May as well get paid for my trouble, no?

"Oh my god, can you believe that idiot stumbled over the word "philanthropy" is his speech? LOL". Slap slap, punch, punch. Your wallet is now mine!

"LOL. You are just ignorant and probably never had to get your lily white hands(lol) dirty, you racist, sexist, impotent (LOL) moron LOL". That would be a zinger coming from a pudgy white person, male/and/or female, who had never left the university or other insulated job. The Mike Moore thing--a rich fat white guy complaining about rich fat white guys. LOL

Sadly, the net brings these things out in people. There are those who sound tough and violent because they can do it without getting clobbered. That JS guy smotlock was like that. Always talked as if he was cruising through jazz town beating the hell out of anyone who got in his way. It was a persona. Lots of people dug it. I thought the old pushing the envelope for shock value had seen its day long ago, so what he was doing was kind of a copy. That was his right so I never made it a point to rain on the parade. Too easy to get into a stupid battle. I have no use for that. Plenty of angry people who have to be badass online because it doesn't work well in life, and they know they would not last too long toting such open hostility around.

I've definitely noticed the LOL trend since the 2008 election. If you distilled all the debate, I'll bet you'd find the words, "idiot" and "moron" and the suffix, LOL top the list of argument content.

LOL often hits me wrong, that's for sure. Only when it is used to preclude real thought and to shut down the opposition through its implied ridicule. For one thing, I know you are not laughing or even smiling. But I know you wish you had the confidence that your intellect was that far above your opponent to feel a smile. Usually it is a case of thinking you are smart because those from whom you get your opinions tell you they are smart. To question them would risk revealing the truth. LOL*

Now I am not referring to the case in which people throw in an lol to lighten the tone or be sure you know they are expressing friendship and good wishes. That is a different thing altogether. Sometimes the do it to indicate they found something funny that was probably meant to be funny. This is not a context of ridicule and cheap shot.

*that was fake. I am not laughing. I'm thinking I may be thirsty, and should I have some of those peanuts to go with the beverage, or do I need to starve some more and get rid of this belly before it is too late? See. Sometimes there is just no time to LOL in real life.

I Guess Kool Aid Comes in More Than One Flavor

Every now then I can't help it; I comment on a political blog or two. And I catch little bits of video here and there.

Lately, it is a disheartening experience. On one side there is the idea that it is perfectly OK to bully with physical numbers and shout downs. My God, what if the opposition is allowed to speak? They may have some facts to back up a point. Or not.

If you are right and you have the numbers on your side in a town meeting or other forum, why do you feel the need to shout down the speakers with whom you disagree? Is it possible that you got your facts from an agitator's prescribed talking points and haven't studied the matter yourself? Or are you just too weak to resist the bully potential a mob provides?

Then there are those who get very upset at me because I suggest, as always that less government is best. It happens with those who claim to be for lower taxes, less government, etc. However it seems they only apply that to things that fit their personal preferences. If they don't like abortion or marijuana, then by Godtt you are a no good hippie who wants to do away with the second amendment and free enterprise!!

I actually had someone reply about like that when I suggested that the state not involve itself one way or the other in abortion. It matters not what I think of it, I'll never be pregnant. Besides there is a point at which the reasoning behind "protecting the rights of the unborn" opens more of a door toward intrusive authoritarianism which is not what I think is right.

I also pointed out that it is interesting that democrats tend to support freedom of choice in that realm, but in few other areas of life. Most nanny state measures are initiated by democrats. Yet republicans claim to be for individual liberty, etc. but the mainstream of them hold to that anti-abortion zeal. Trust me. In more cases than not, it is probably a good thing that they happen. Sounds cold, elitist and just plain wrong, but for now, that is how it is. And repubs are more likely to get wound up over marijuana legalization, although some of the more notable repubs in history came out for legalizing almost all illegal drugs. Wm F Buckley, for one. I agree. It is a waste fo tax money and an excuse to trash the 4th amendment--unreasonable search and seizure*.

The one who got wound up demonstrated to me how conditioned people are to believe that if you are opposed to one party's agenda on a particular issue then you must wholly embrace all facets of the other party's policies. I only wish it were true. The only reason I care is because I see the degree of freedom we have going down the tubes rapidly. I believe for various reasons my situation makes it more obvious to me than it is to most reasonably secure people, both on government checks and pensions, and in private life.

If only I had never read Brave New World, 1984, and Atlas Shrugged. It is as if they studied those books and decided to use them as a blue print for the evolution of our country for the last fifty years, at least. I think government people secretly take a page a day and see if they can implement it.

I do not find it surprising that the ex NPR guy said that the elite, well educated were too small a percentage of the population. The nasty unwashed masses just don't understand. Of course anyone who is not a well spoken idiot like him is obviously an ignorant, hateful racist. There really is a segment of the population which believes just that. I don't know why they complain--so far they have pretty much been getting their way. It just seems to upset them greatly that anyone disagrees or gets claustrophobic when their authority tightens a little too much.

I'm sure my democrat friends think I am a raving right winger. In some ways I am. And my republican friends fear I may be a granola variety liberal. In some ways I am. I agree with both when it comes to fewer laws and such. Neither party has shown much desire to reverse a self destructive foreign policy, and self destructive domestic policies--particularly in the realm of foolish limits on production and energy. Republicans have advantages at times, but never follow their talk. Democrats seem to believe that government control of all resources and choices is best for everyone. Except when it comes to abortion and gay marriage and things like that.

Republicans are all about individual freedom until it comes to 4th amendment matters. Then, hell, let's create homeland security and get busy. Both parties love that. It is as good a tool to terrorize citizens as the irs.

I'll speak up here. It is unlikely I'll demonstrate unless there are hot chicks who dig old men. I know that most people think it is stupid, boring and useless to think as I do, and even worse to admit to it.

I did not reply to the guy's stupid rant in response to my comment. He obviously has no significant level of reading comprehension or he'd have known it was odd to bring in things like the second amendment when I was talking about abortion and how dumb it is for republicans to bother with the topic. It takes a lot of nerve for a man to think he has a right to be involved in what a woman he doesn't even know does. I would agree that I see no reason to pay for these things with public money in most cases. But I wouldn't pay for much with public money.

That is the trap. If tax money is involved then they can dictate all kinds of regulations. That is why it is best to avoid many forms of aid, or be damned careful what you take. But, like the situation in the Arab world, it will come back to bite later. It was obvious for over 40 years that the policy and practices there would haunt us later. Few, if anyone, listened; "Well, John, you just don't understand. It's complex, blablabla".

So now I guess we pretend the mess is a big surprise like the national debt and all the states going belly up. Arming the enemy does not work in the long run. Stealing from the people does not work in the long run either. They go along because you have huge groups who sell out for crumbs and can't see they are selling out their own chances for doing better. Where are Adam Smith and Milton Friedman when you need them? We still have Thomas Sowell.

*after all the odd rules and such, I decided to keep a handy copy of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution nearby for reference. Personally, I cannot see how it has been interpreted so broadly. I would mostly have amended it to limit government powers even more strictly.

Yes, I Love My Bank

Actually my bank is a credit union, based in Georgia. It was once for employees of an airline, then became a community credit union.

I had a problem which involved having no money in the account, but there was another one with them which I was under a misconception about. I thought you could go online and just pull money as you chose. It requires filling out a form; some sort of federal tyranny thing.

So, in the mean time they covered a charge on the accounts and charged me a deadbeat fee. Fair enough. I know I should be on top f this stuff. I'm defective and I sometimes have to pay for that. No hard feelings.

Well, as I am on the phone after signing, scanning in and emailing the form, I call to see if they got it and how quick it can be processed. In the course of the conversation I explain my ignorant misconception and concern about the accounts. "Oh I see you've kept a nice account with us and never had any issues so I'll remove that charge from your account."

Holy smoke. My last bank would have found a way to up the fee to hundreds of dollars and then refused to even consider reducing it, even when the upcoming deposit amount which came in automatically was already showing and would be there in a day. I once had it showing the deposit was coming and I thought it was in and over a ten dollar debit charge, I ended up with about a hundred dollars in deadbeat penalties before it was over.

That's another thing, if the account has no money, why do they let a debit get approved? And if so, why do they not cover it when there is a pending deposit showing?

The credit union does that--covers it when they see money on the way. Or they won't approve the debit card if the system sees no source of funds. That is how I knew I'd screwed up. They covered one thing, charged a fee, then said no soap. Then they take the fee off when I get it all fixed, even though it was all my fault and they could have nailed me and I would not complain.

So that is why I do not bother to get a local bank. They are no good to deal with compared to the credit union. I make deposits at local C/Us which are full service and network with others. It is not that big a hassle. It is worth finding them. I hope the feds don't ruin that form of banking, although I would expect them to since it is not torture to deal with them. Anything that operates other than under the old USSR model appears to be on big brother's hit list.

I find it amazing that "Becky" so cheerfully and voluntarily refunded the deadbeat charge, even though I never denied being a deadbeat. I am thinking about paying attention and seeing if I can find a way to make some money and keep track. At least keep track.

The Trouble With Rallies and News

As it turned out, I wouldn't have made the powerlink protest anyway. But I was torn over it. Something about sign carrying and marching and all that is just not me. Can't put my finger on it, but even if I agree with a group I don't find myself moved to be a demonstrator. For one thing I usually agree for different reasons.

As I suspected, the message that came out of the downtown powerlink rally was incohesive and muddled. The one thing I saw that made the best point was a video of a commissioner speaking. She was on topic and kept it as simple and focussed as possible.

There were signs that made no sense, and ones that made sense. (I saw all this on someone's facebook) The news reports did the effort no good, as I figured would be the case. They presented it as "protesting the SDGE Powerlink, which will bring clean, renewable energy to over a half million people in San Diego". That makes it sound like you have to be nuts to argue with wonerful clean power. Would you take power away from half a million people? You Luddite!!!

Of course, the powerlink is not supplying San Diego, and it is not bringing in clean, happy face energy. And it will cost the rate payers more money than they are now paying, which is plenty.

I saw the clips from the various news stations and I can only believe it would not sway the undecided or uninformed citizen. If I did not already know the story I would have thought, "Oh great, now the global warming crowd is protesting clean energy. I guess baby boomers will protest anything. This is sad."

There was the obligatory sign that mentioned global warming and pollution in relation to the powerlink. That is sure to make enemies. I imagine it said the powerlink would kill seals and polar bears on the flip side.

That is a point I'm sure I cannot get across to my friends, and won't try. It is too bad they could all have got together on a single message--Higher Rates--fire hazard. Everything else may be even more important, but it is too hard to get the point across, and to get those, whose property and business won't be screwed up, to feel like it makes some difference to them.

That is the only way to get to people; how it will it affect them in some obvious way. Right and wrong do not motivate most people. Money in or out of the wallet is the big motivation. Doesn't matter how that part works as long as it is legal enough that they won't go to jail.

So, the judge hearing this particular lawsuit decided not to have a trial but to rule on written arguments. I guess on the stuff already submitted. I have no idea how that works. It could be a positive thing--who knows.

I still wonder how you combat a thing that is dishonest, involves a lot of unearned money and has other faults, without marching, picketing and all that. It doesn't seem like the best approach to me. Maybe I am wrong. I just can't define why it bothers me, and that bothers me a lot. I'd like to know why I feel this way, and what I think is a better way.

I guess the event kept those who have formed organizations and raised money to fight this boondoggle motivated and together.

This is one of those issues where the lockstep dems would normally be all for anything labelled green, and the lockstep repubs would be for anything that looks like industrial progress, and both are wrong. It is scheme which will serve some at the expense of others. The power will go north and SD will pay, and back country people will suffer higher fire risk, confiscated property, and other unpleasantries.

And there is no shortage of power here. Maybe it is the result of when people were duped into thinking they were short on power due to enron manipulation and such. Can't let a crisis, even a long gone crisis, go to waste.

Why I Heart Channel 10 News

Caught a few minutes of TV. This was great to hear:

"Why a flight attendant put a toddler in an overhead bin!!!, the full story at 11".


This is as good as the first time I noticed the National Enquirer way back when. It had a front page headline that read, "Ghost Eats Baby".

Oh, I see that both of these stories involve unusual baby experiences. What does this mean?

Sometimes the best place for a well deserved time-out is the overhead bin. More often than not, the parents are the ones who need to be put there.

Airline stories are the best.

Nonsense

You know, if those cartoon characters-Bugs Bunny, and the Coyote are examples-did not look down when they ran off a cliff, they could have kept on going. I wonder how come none of them thought not to look?

Songs of the South--part 36

Hayseed Dixie - Bohemian Rhapsody video


It is highly possible you just don't get this sort of thing if you haven't somehow been culturally southernized. Not sure.

By any standards these guys a pretty damned good. They remind me a lot of places and people I encountered in NC way back when. There were times, through means now forgotten, I spent a day or a week in some remote area playing music and partying with such as these.

Changed it All

blablabla

That was what the first post in this space was. Even changed the title.

So, I came back and changed it. I guess there is a delete somewhere on these things. I used to delete mass quantities at JS when I got really depressed. I wiped out entire months of stuff there in fits of despair. But when I figured out that deleting my drivel wouldn't delete myself, I gave it up. Those were difficult days. Most days are.

Why it works like that for me, I do not know. I guess life is a battle by nature, and with some people the battle takes on a different character. Probably some people fight well defined battles with a goal and definition, while others fight ongoing skirmishes, sort of like police actions which never end and have no clear objective. Not being other people, I can't say for sure what they do inside their minds.

I am reasonably confident that some people don't eye the delete button on a regular basis.

Much of the time I do this only for therapeutic reasons and in case I fall off the earth, someone might go by through and go , Oh geez, now I feel bad and we should really be sorry. Boy, did we miss the boat on that one!!
And that will show them. They'll be sorry, guilty, and full of shame.

Or they will never bother to look. Or they will look and say, tough break kid. I'm not sorry.
I like the first choice better.

fly away with you

It is what it is, which is sometimes much longer

Cliff Niman plays DarcyFarrow--Copper Creek Group-Alpine CA

Little jumpy because I had to use smaller format to allow upload w/my connection, and so I could send to Cliff's wife. They have a slower connection than I. Mine varies. Cell card in the Ballistic Valley. Mexican towers not far away, and who knows where our towers are.



These friends are a trip. I have been challenged since this is not anything like what I know. I enjoy their company and respect their talent.
Nicest people ever.

Cliff embodies long time multi generational California as much as anyone I can imagine.

Welcome to the people up on Ballistic Mountain. This is pretty close to a typical conversation when we are just sitting on the deck or practicing. It goes a lot like that.

This was a very sympathetic, enthusiastic crowd.

I wish my tropics song didn't get deleted. It went over really well.

as it should have !!!

lakesidehotel3-2-11

Here's one that GV1 wrote.
I particularly like the words.
I've been to the Lakeside Hotel and heard the stories. It is now a halfway house and recovery meeting place for drugs and alcohol, which makes the song and history that much more entertaining.



These are really nice people. The guy on the right ran a coffee shop kind of place in the sixties, and maybe later, where Steve Martin played when he had the arrow in his head. All kinds of history, Big Mama Thornton, and names I forgot but you'd recognize. One famous song writer/singer used to hang out there starting out as a 17 year old.

Unintuitive iMind

My isense seems to be lacking. I forgot how to burn dvd that will play on normal dvd player for a tv. I've done it before. I have a dvd of the trip from Amarillo to Taos. And others too. How did I do that?

Mac has an iDVD application but it wants to do all this other stuff to it. I tried to use that to make some avi files and mp4 files work. It is supposed to convert those files in its iway to something that plays on almost anything. After it processed for close to an hour it hit a point toward the end where it said it was sorry but an error of some kind occurred so it didn't work. I tried three different times in different ways.

I also did the straight burn thing but thAt only plays on my computer as near as I can tell. It didn't work on a friend's mac.

How am I going to be a film maker if I don't learn?

The movie program only seems to want to do stuff that you would put on the web or play on computer. I know there are ways to do this, but I am not catching it.

I thought the mac site would be helpful. It is merely a more smiley version of microsoft's less than helpful sites. Unless I want to buy the latest version of what I have, it is a bust. Even then it doesn't tell me what I want to know. I have no trouble editing video etc. But once it is done, getting it in the form and place I want is where I am stuck.

Being a moron is not the walk in the park you might think.

Report Abuse

I noticed a link at the top of the page that says Report Abuse. How perfect. You would not believe how abused I've been. The world hates me and no one understands. I tried to get satisfaction from that link but they don't care. They don't understand me either.

Just another cruel joke played by life, on me. Well, don't waste your time with that false hope of a link. Report abuse. They don't even listen to your tale of woe.

The gig was good, but the rest of life is not as good.

It was a fun show in which there were more unexpected screw ups than ever. But the actual show was much better than those in the past.

But I still feel abused, hated, forlorn, confused, angry and restless. And the report abuse sign is a big trick.

Did I mention that I'm misunderstood? Nobody knows...

Back To The Centralization Theory

This is the graph obtained from the Ballistic Think Tank committee for the analysis of all things.

I think this applies to most systems, if not all. That includes labor organizations.
In a single workplace, or a single company, an association of concerned workers motivated by wanting to do the best work while optimizing their returns can work well. They know their situation and their jobs.
When an organization based far away, run by people who do not do the daily job at that place decide to manage the labor in that organization, it can become detrimental in the long term to both the purpose of the company and the interests if the employees. Usually the carrot which leads many to go along is the promise of short term, short sighted gains. What tends to happen is that the organization seeks to ensure its own survival and power, with actual working conditions and realistic concerns of employees taking a back seat.

In some cases this has served to run companies into the ground, or overseas. Not to say some large concerns haven't embraced their share of short sighted corruption. More often than some believe the union and company management work together to play on or influence legislation which serves the executives of each organization and it does not serve the long term security of employees.

When government employees from different states have influence over matters outside their own community, it undermines the process of representative democracy and as is happening all over the country, it contributes to the financial demise of those locations where the public labor organizations are most entrenched.

The larger multistate and multi-national labor organizations use union dues, which are often not voluntary, to influence elections, support particular campaigns, etc. When a public employee does not have choice regarding membership, it provides a great opportunity for corruption and results in many employees paying to encourage policies with which they may not agree. The other tax payers, whose taxes pay the salaries and benefits are somewhat disenfranchised by this system.

Eventually a system such as this becomes self destructive because it can continue to drain resources until maintenance of their agreements become unsustainable. On a more localized level of organizing, employee associations would be much less likely to kill the golden goose in their negotiations.

When the bargaining unit becomes too large, and has various laws in place to favor its activities, the tendency to bulldoze the opposition to get their way becomes the path of least resistance for them. Intimidation, shouting down opposition rather than reasoned debate, and violence to employees who don't go along are the norm. That cannot result in long term benefit.

It is all part of how things work. The more centralization and consolidation of control, after a point, the less effective and efficient. It works with items of infrastructure, government, and almost any management situation. It works to a point and then it becomes too out of touch with the items under control to be beneficial. One error at the top and massive problems occur because so much is under control of that authority.

I've seen it work that way in large companies as well. If they go too far in removing responsibility from the local entities, they tend to screw the pooch; queer the deal; suck to work for.

It is a delicate balance between seeking a useful level of standardization and retaining the proper level of choice, decision making and responsibility at the level closest to the functions of the organization. A machine shop in North Carolina is going to have some variance in operation and needs from one in New York City or Boise. Just how it is.

Seeking Solidarinosc

So, I was in the coffee aisle trying to organize some grassroots action to protest the higher price they started charging for Cafe Bustelo. It jumped $2 all at once a couple of months ago. Now it is the same price the other stores in this area charge. For awhile there it was selling for South Florida prices. Down there many brands of Cuban coffee are available and perhaps competition does benefit the consumer.

But never mind that, I seek solidarinosc from my fellow oppressed grocery shoppers. What response do I get? "Well, Folgers is on sale."

Folgers? Madam, you insult my aesthetic integrity!! Have you never heard of solidarinosc? "Oh, I think I saw that on aisle six, next to the sugar."


Holy smoke, this online place where I got the photo wants over a buck more than Daniel's outrageous price. Bustelo consumers of the world unite!!! Solidarinosc, y'all.

What is the world coming to? I try to organize some collective bargaining to protect my right, as a consumer, not to go broke buying Cuban coffee and the masses are blind to their plight!! Try as I may, they just don't see how their right to food and beverage is being violated. Not a solidarinosc bone in their bodies.

Perhaps I should bring a bullhorn next time, and pen some catchy slogans designed to be chanted with group participation:
call:"What's highway robbery and red and yellow?"
response: "The overpriced can of Cafe Bustelo!!!"

Call: "Who's the racist with a heart of ice?"
Response: "The fascist manager who raised the price!!!"

Call: "What do we want?"
Response: "two bucks a can!!"
Call: "when do we want it?"
response: "yesterday!!"
Call: "If we don't get it?"
Response: "the racist manager dies dies dies!!"

It is all peaceful of course.

Maybe that will bring out the inner solidarinosc in the apathetic, downtrodden shoppers at the Alpine Daniel's Market.

I'm pretty sure my mistake was neglecting to bring in the megaphone. You have to have the megaphone guy at any protest if you want your brothers and sisters in pain to take you seriously and indulge that need to belong to a group; jump on the bandwagon.

Taking The Role Of Underdog Without The Fleas and such

I remember when the whole Solidarinosc thing got started. In Poland they have some letters than vary a bit from the ones in the English alphabet, so the closest thing I can write is spelled like that--solidarinosc.

The birth of that movement had a bit more in the way of actual oppression and lack of freedom to contend with than the latter day usurpers who took on the slogan. I think that was actually the name of the union Lech Walesa formed. It wasn't a public employee outfit but a trade union for people in the shipyard, if memory serves.

They had some tough times in Poland. Many many years of weird things. Germany, USSR, unkind jokes, etc. So, Lech names his club Solidarity, but uses the Polish word, and it caught on as well as Che T-shirts at Berkley. Compared to his risks, and the conditions he experienced, the current wave of solidarity fans live in luxury.

It is funny how a word or phrase will catch on. Or how one group of people tries to ride the coattails of another group, especially when being a victim is essential. It can work, but it often trivializes those who really knew hardship and tyranny. You can probably think of examples on your own if so inclined.

Ah, what do I know. I'm just a singer in a rock and roll band*, a rockstar.

*line from a Moody Blues song. It was Moody Blues wasn't it? Yea, I think it was

Let Wesley Snipes know, I am with you in solidarinosc, bro. And all the dissidents in Cuba and Iceland, got your back, my brothers and sisters. Solidarity out the yingyang

new spelling trap just caught; roll vs role