A Million Things

Heck with it.

I doubt my views are interesting. Right, maybe. Ahead of the curve. But inconvenient, and contrary to the opium dreams we've been fed for eons.

There's a difference between being oppositional by nature and refusing to condone any form of slavery. Many of those subjected don't even see it themselves. One hint would be to look twice at those who insist that unity and mass sacrifice are necessary in order for them to fix problems they created. When those who are flying high convince others their freedom is a selfish luxury, I tend to view them with suspicion, if not pure disdain.

When you think of all the possible sources of energy and possibilities for making it more of a building by building independent process, it is disheartening to find authorities insisting on their prescribed choices. It locks out all the unimagined choices. Both those not imagined by the mutant gangsters we know as career politicians (often arrogantly self titled "public servants"), and those unimagined systems that people might conceive who aren't on the subsidy list. Maybe ideas conceived by people who can't comprehend the idea of asking for permission and ransomed money for their idea in the form of government grants or other payout.

The possibilities go so far beyond the tripe that public funded Bolsheviks pretend is the last word in invention, it enthuses and nauseates me at the same time.

Thank God for rich people who can't stand natural teak that turns gray like old barn wood. No, they like it alive with that amber glow, and that is my saving grace at this moment.

I know I should be working on energy ideas I've toyed with since way back in the invention days. But I am having a tough time doing it. Back then after seeing how corrupt agencies and corrupt companies work together, and how that is how government works (and has for a very long time), I decided to quit and never bother again. It's been hard deciding to give it another try. I've not sincerely made the effort to restore that innocent passion for an idea. Besides, I like sanding teak, working in a place that is remote and secluded.

Morons. Cap and trade. Only those who hate people, or have the most incredibly limited view of possibilities would entertain such convoluted plans. What a lame unjustified means of punishment. Once again, it will put the honest companies, those not in bed with sick authoritarian bureaucrats, out of business, while the ones who are in a position to afford it will publicly bitch while privately insisting on it. It won't benefit anyone worth benefitting.

What Matters

Solitary thinking, or reacting to the barrage of information and misinformation, propaganda which assails us 24 hours a day, may be an addiction. Much as I sometimes believe I ultimately want constant company and other things which do not now characterize my existence, I wonder if I'd have to find ways to be left alone for hours at a time. It's kind of a need. But maybe it is the same sort of need that ice cream or opium would be, provided both were equally available to me.

In these times it is hard not to have a storming mind. A second rate newspaper prints a cartoon intended as a dig at Congress for writing a very expensive bill which they then passed without reading. The public and press are so ignorant that they think it was a racial slur against the most deprived person in the country, the racially handicapped and held back poster boy--Obama. Oh, I forgot, he's the president, and has the most sophisticated plane on earth for a company car. Maybe he isn't suffering from unfair discrimination. At any rate, professional instigators of racial hatred decided it was somehow a slur against him for being nominally black.

That wasn't enough. There are people upset because the stupid cartoonist(s) weren't fired. It was a takeoff on the pampered chimp gone wild. No one was talking race. This issue of freedom of speech is reaching a crisis point, I think. The most bizarre part is that the loudest outcry against such things is based on pure ignorance. Anything to drive home the message that we are now forbidden to lampoon certain elected officials. How can I help but think when I hear and see these things?

And we thought the murders and threats and riots over innocuous cartoons aimed at Islamic fanatic terrorists seemed the mark of a backward people incapable of grasping the tenets of freedom. At least some of us did. Apparently our own country has degenerated to the point that freedom and equality are interpreted according to an ever changing set of rules. You can express any view or criticism of government you want as long as you do it in ways that please the right people. Bluntly, the current president is off limits.

I hope it is merely the paranoia that comes from being me, but I honestly think we are being duped in ways which are so insidious and clever that we'll be the 21st century version of the USSR before we know it. Never was any truly free society, of which there have been maybe one (almost), predicated on the idea of collective pain, involuntary sacrifice of the individual for the better good, or any of the things that we are being fed, and accepting.

There are people, some in my own family, who would class what I say on these matters as pure fiction. If I think it, it must be wrong. That was my first postulate of logic when I was old enough to try to figure things out. The more I've encountered authority, the more true that has become.

Since I see what is being done on the legal authoritative front as 100% wrong, it follows that what I think is right is wrong in the eyes of the powers that be. Except now, I am unwilling to accept it just because of the immense resources and power at their command. It's mostly just stolen goods anyway.

But does that matter as much as a good day in a kayak out in the bay? I don't think so. To let these neo-Stalinists ruin one's personal world is a huge mistake. Take my money in the form of killing the market, maybe, but I think it is possible to find some shred of contentment regardless. I know I'd rather die of a minor ailment than accept their vision of universal health care, and I'd rather live like a bedouin in a tent than accept any government housing.

Damn. Ahnold has yet to learn how to speak English. He was just on saying something, and I swear, I could not understand any of it except when he said, "da people get...". I think it had to do with some sort of checks being sent to illegals or teachers or someone.

What if They Said We were Flying High?

I was wondering how many people would find their present view of life to be different if all we heard was how "robust" the economy is. A lot of us would assume we made bad investments, or assumed an unwise loan, or just don't fit in. When they were talking about how strong the economy was, I did not do much better. "The economy" has rarely been in sync with my prospects.

During periods in which it was supposed to be easy to get a job, I had trouble. When "they" said jobs were scarce, work was there to be had. I guess the lesson is that I am not a macro man.

The collective macro economic picture does me no good. It is tough not to think of it, have opinions and feel that a country is being, has been, sold out, but being personally affected too much, as far as believing I can't survive OK, is not the best move. I'm just glad I may be able to bring in as much as I spend because anything saved or invested is a liability. These are times when starting from scratch is not as penalized as being responsible and successful at accumulating some wealth over the last decade or so.

Why are the middle class and upper middle class being punished? It's an odd occurrence. The tone and reality of things does seem like a punishment.

I certainly don't blame the rich, if you define rich like Obama does--people who make over 250K. Those people spend money given the chance. They are the bread and butter of those who make less but want to survive, or do better. Try selling your widgets to the homeless.

Oh well, the king has no clothes but there is so much fog generated that people don't see it. Yet. I doubt they will anytime soon. Too much misinformation for people to think it through from the reasonable starting point. In light of the last 100 years, today is inevitable. None of the permitted schools of thought gave credence to those few who insisted that trouble was ahead over that period of nation dismantling.

Finessing It

The local neighborhood musicians have cranked up the rehearsal schedule because we're playing a coffee house in an area that has recently rebuilt or is rebuilding from a fire awhile back. It's mostly folkish sort of music. Since they sing so well, I find it kind of soothing. Playing with them is a challenge because it is not the sort of thing you wail on through an amp like I was doing in Memphis. Definitely an exercise in subtlety.

On another front, I'm finding that learning basic habits which make tennis more playable requires much the same restraint and precision. It's all about finesse. Maybe that is the right word. probably slightly not. Both endeavors ought to make me a little better and have implications which reach farther. Things which normally provide me a way to vent when frustrated now require that I just keep in focus and exercise restraint.

I'm probably in need of that. I've ventured far from good manners and my new environment is not conducive to such a lapse. Who would have thought it? Until I found myself here, I was unaware of my own edginess. Fortunately, edgy is not what I want or respect. As much as anger has been a blinding factor at times, I never considered myself an angry person or one who considered it a virtue. Some people pride themselves on their temper. I guess if it is channeled toward those who sorely deserve it, then good can come of it. A rare thing.

Imagining the Best

There is a theory that you can attract things you want, or don't want, in life by consciously picturing them. I can only guess that others, especially worriers, have a tendency to picture the worst. In most matters I'm not a big worrier. I do have my areas of paranoia or concern though.

It seems that the more I dwell on the worst of my condition, the more it perpetuates and becomes entrenched. I know that the big move across the universe was begun with the realization that it could be done. It took a lot of effort to make it happen. All part of the big picture goal which was to climb out of the pit. Vague as that may sound, that is exactly how it felt. A dark sticky tar ridden pit with steep slippery sides.

Now that phase one or so has been accomplished, I have discovered that continuity of effort is required in order to prevent falling into the new pit that stagnation brings. No way I want to deal with that again. Hell no, I won't go.

Anyway, now I want to formulate a clearer better picture of how I think things could be, and should be, for a healthier more stimulating life. Variations of the word stimulate have been so rampant lately, the word is nearly in the category of those which bring a gag reflex. Even so, that is the best term for this context. It works in concert with passion, I think. Passion tends to require an object. We're not just going for the typical significant other scenario here, although the proper love goddess has got to fit in there sooner or later.

Where I am, the kinds of friends I already have, and much else is uncannily close to what I imagined when I tried to visualize what circumstances I wanted to find at the end of my journey. Coincidence? I wonder. Actually, I think the friends are better and more understanding and inspiring than I imagined.

I'm only saying this to help me get away from thinking about unwanted views of my future self. If I imagine those, I will soon be that. I'd rather do better.

It's one thing to draw opportunities to yourself, but another to actually make something of them. Good things come my way frequently, and people tend to treat me really well. Better than average it seems. But I often find I drop the ball or get confused at that point. The result is I run and hide until I'm forgotten or reviled. I used to, anyway. That is a pattern that has to go.

So, settling on the scene I want for the future is important. It helps the actions of today which will bring it become easier to initiate. It involves work, setting, people, health, and more. There are plenty of things to be accomplished, many of which would benefit the lives of others, and could make me rich enough.

Feah Its Own Bad Self

What a brat I am in some ways of looking at it. There are mitigating circumstances I suppose. As much as I think our new dictator president is the enemy of my basic values and the freedom of the individual, I guess I am at the point where "Yes I can" should replace my feeling of "Oh sh..., I'm f....d". I know it is silly to bleep out my own expletives but I don't want to tinge tender children's outlook if they accidentally stumble on this. Maybe, if they are young enough not to be aware of the implication, the local adult will tell them it means "Oh shotguns, I'm fermented". I don't know. I figure some language should be kept kind of reserved. Like canned beans. In case of emergency.

Bobby was saying something about passion that hit a nerve and rang a bell. That triggered other thoughts about broken hearts, why, how, and what now.

All of what followed at this point has been deleted in one fell swoop. It was too maudlin and not productive. I think there is more sadness created by things not done than by action taken. I've not done too much serious damage. Except to myself. I suppose, in terms of what ifs, that constitutes a cost to society due to the withholding of more important contributions I could have made to my fellow ingrates. There's a bit of satisfaction in that.

Passion for life is worth cultivating when possible. I miss it. For a minute there in my adult life, it was white hot. That's a far cry from today's tepid existence. I'm not satisfied with that so I keep trying to get some fire burning. In a way, I've made progress. That lust for life was ice cold not so long ago. Little sparks flare up here and there. It must be annoying to others who know me. It's annoying to me. Oh well.

Who would have guessed there is a secret waterfall just off the dirt road to my cottage? I decided to hike/walk down to the bottom and back up today. What a scenic walk. On one of the curves up toward the top, I heard the sound. I followed it a short way off the road, and there it was in a bunch of huge boulders; a little waterfall rushing out of the rocks. Fair volume of water there, gpm-ly speaking.

Dogma is a bitch

More often than not when someone is wanting to make a new form of control over others materialize, arguments against the move are characterized as "outdated ideology", or some other form of ideology. I think they are confusing ideals with dogma. In this sense they are often classing a set of ideals as unfounded dogma, but using the term ideology.

Ideology in and of itself is not a bad thing. I tend to think in terms of the definition of ideology that suggests it is a system of beliefs. Or the study of ideas guiding beliefs and systems of behavior, etc.

Recent trends in discussion of matters which pick the pocket and dampen the spirit tend to lean toward the dogmatic while specifically eschewing anything that might be classed as ideological. It is really a splitting of hairs which begs the question. One example is the angry assertion that the cause, effect, and degree of global warming have been indisputably proven and that is that. It has been set forth from the realm of dogmatic dictate rather than honest analysis of scientific studies and discoveries which might temper or change the conclusions.

The same can be said of present economic discussion, as well as matters involving war and international charity (foreign aid). Tedious as it is to really grasp the problem, I think one would need to examine the process of our development, dispassionately, in detail, for the last 100 years or more. The trouble is that in the realm of business, commerce and monetary policy the various factions jump the gun in defense of either capitalism or socialism without considering the corrupt aspects which hide behind each of those ideologies.

Those, like myself, who favor somewhat unfettered capitalism, tend to ignore the process (unlike myself) by which self proclaimed capitalists became something other than that through changes in government structure which allowed them to control it, thereby reaping tax dollars. When you go too far in that direction, it is no longer what I would call capitalism because it is not a free market; those who pay you do not have a choice.

Socialism by definition removes the choice of an individual to spend his money as he chooses. It is a controlled market, if a market at all.

Both cases rely on dogmatic pronouncements regarding the better good. That is what makes it such a joke that Republicans call themselves capitalists. Their performance when in power proves that they are not. Democrats rarely class themselves as capitalists with any degree of sincerity. Those whom I have known in business tend to consider themselves realists, so they play those in power in order to gain from governmental policies, contracts, and preferences. As one owner of a large advertising firm once told me when I questioned the socialistic rhetoric of a candidate he was actively (monetarily) supporting, "What they say is irrelevant. You back the winner and he will look out for you. He owes you. It's all about who wins".

Never has it been clearer that dogma is being used to manipulate money behavior and the lives of individuals. The more you pronounce a thing to be true, the more people will believe it, with or without evidence. In the general population, global cooling could easily have been pushed as effectively as global warming. People would find that they could sense it themselves. Weather cycles of any significance span more years than most human lives.

The other side of that coin is that it doesn't do much good to ignore byproducts of what you do. Balance in the discussion is astoundingly absent. Hysteria is dangerously given the stamp of sanity.

All you have to do is consider what is an infringement of the rights of others, an assault, or a deception, use the law to prevent and prosecute such crimes, then back off. Let people be free. That requires that we go back to the idea of protecting the individual in the sense of ensuring the rights of the individual to decide his own fate. We now assume that it is best to let the government decide in the name of the collective.

The trouble is that what is set forth by those in power as for the better good is neither proven nor necessarily true, and rarely born of a real desire to promote the "better good". It is just a way to cloud the greed for power and wealth at the expense of those not in power. That would be most of us; not in power. We sorely need to get back to the idea that government is supposed to act only with permission of citizens, not the other way around.

The massive move toward citizens requiring permission from government for almost everything they do is not a good thing. We are continually required to prove innocence without provocation. All in the name of the better good or the security of society. I feel less secure under such a boot.

Although it may be considered idealistic to define right and wrong and the limits on what can be dictated by those with guns, it is a necessary thing. Either a person has a right to live in peace as he sees fit, not forcing others in any way, or he does not. There are naturally times when one's desires have to be tempered because they'd overlap the territory of another's rights, but a lot of freedom can be had without such line crossing. What has happened is that overreaching ideas of "cost to society" have been stretched as far as the "general welfare" clause of the preamble to the US constitution.

I'm curious how those, who discount criticism as steeped in ideology, class their own ideas and agenda. The thing that bothers me the most is that throughout the present turmoil in which many have lost most of their net worth, there seems to be a staunch refusal to look back to the first dominos that were toppled which may have finally led to this. The string of dominoes has been falling one by one for longer than I have been alive. That is true in monetary matters, international affairs and individual freedom.

What makes it so hard to see in this country is the racial history. The move toward racial equality tends to make it tougher to see the larger trend toward wholesale restriction and removal of rights in general. Most people of all races seem unaware of that, and I find that scary as hell. Racial preference in the way of legalizing second class status has changed. The fires are continually fueled but in reality you don't have to be a white male to be president or the secret rich guy whose dirty work I do. It is unfortunate that such a thing as letting everyone be free has somehow been played in the larger game of subjugating all of us to a point we only read about in sci-fi fiction only a few decades ago.

Don't Bring Me Down

That's what I keep having to tell myself over and over these days. I'm only a thread away from full tilt bozo, and I am trying to convince myself that it is best to stay this side of the line.

When TV works and I decide to watch it I'm able to keep up with the Jack in the box saga. Jack, the Ronald McDonald of Jack in the box, was hit by a bus and is in a coma. He/she/it is a humanoid figure with a giant ping pong ball head. It appears to have shattered like an egg. I'm concerned for his recovery and I never even set foot in one of his fast food emporiums, let alone ventured into the drive through. I've seen it in movies. Usually the drive through is the butt of a joke. Poor Jack.

So, helpless as I am to cure the comatose Jack, I contemplate locating his fictitious hospital so I can camp out holding a candle in pious vigil. It would give meaning to my life. Perhaps Jack is but a metaphor for my own existence. Or something.

Ties that Blind

Recently, a friend unloaded a nice tie on me. The original person of intent parted ways before receiving his gift, so she decided I'd be a good recipient since I was in the 'hood. The most bizarre part was that it shocked her how easily I could tie the thing properly. No mirror, no second try. Her reaction indicated that she was surprised I even knew what it was.

When people, not acquainted with the south, hear that you moved from Tennessee, they often conclude that you:
must be illiterate, are unfamiliar with hot and cold running water, are astounded by "cement ponds", are way too fond of your sister, if you have one, are inbred, and are generally not so refined as the city folk of the northeast and pacific states. Certainly, a guy from the South would never know how to wear and tie a tie. It was a nice tie, but that reaction offended and worried me at the same time.

Perhaps I give the impression of being a very narrow and unworldly handiman. If one were to conduct a thorough canvassing of the country, my bet is that the results would show densely populated cities outside the South would yield more instances of illiteracy, more cases of incest, more bigotry and narrow mindedness, more violence and crime, and more outright stupidity. Not to say elsewhere is peopled by congenial geniuses, just saying.

Regardless of the state of a place outside the South, if they get a hint of your southern history, often that stigma is tagged on you regardless. I don't get it except there have been some visible creatures in the past who did make the place look pretty bad. Then there is the entertainment industry. Even though a great many of the the best writers and performers are from the south, the entertainment crowd pushes the stereotype. These things catch me by surprise.

I'm actually from Miami. That's hardly the cultural south. I did spend a long time in NC, so it may have rubbed off some. Parts of NC where I lived were definitely more civilized and sane than Miami. There were times I used the southern thing to my advantage; cases in which I wanted them to think I was just a dumb guy from the south. I managed to play it to my benefit one time when selling hard core, mobster/union boss types some equipment for their new building near DC. Now there's a stereotype. New Jersey union thugs. I would not want to be anywhere around the kind of neck tie they might offer.

Must be the Season of the Witch

It may be that humans are hard wired to seek and serve shamans, witch doctors, priests, psychics, holy men of any sort cloaked in various disguises. We seem to love ritual, superstition, and the idea that certain others have inside knowledge we could never understand. Perhaps it is because it is part of the state of being alive and human to feel like there is more to the picture than meets the eye. Many things in our lives point to that concept. At least it is so in my life.

A certain defensiveness goes with that. What I consider to be misguided use of the Bible, Koran or even the Constitution is to some grounds for a fight. Usually these things cannot be reasoned out because the book or document itself becomes a talisman by many, and usually they know nothing of the history of the item, or its contents.

How many have sworn to uphold and protect the Constitution of the United States who have never read it, and don't grasp its intent? Or don't agree with its intent? Two of the last two presidents, without a doubt.

People have been ruled by these things throughout history, although some of those who wrote our constitution were attempting to break that spell. Their work was monumental and extremely clever, but as far as it ever really taking hold in a durable fashion, I'm afraid they failed. Even at the outset, compromises which were completely against the philosophical basis of the document were made which haunted us ever since.

Over time, people have become even less ready for such a radical departure from rule over their lives by charlatans and thieves chanting gibberish, wearing impressive robes, and claiming special powers or knowledge. Even the civilizations of ancient Mexico and Central America were run by rulers who were in league with mystics and priests. No one dared question too much in Aztec related civilizations any more than in the lands of the Inquisition.

Although times have supposedly changed, they really haven't. Probably more people are radically religious than they were in much of the early United States. If they aren't hard core in one church or another they are largely in superstitious awe of science. The way the words "scientist" and "science" are bandied about, they've lost much of their meaning.

When politicians use the terms "science" and "scientists" they tend to cast a mystic twist on it. I don't really know what constitutes a scientist as opposed to someone simply trying to figure something out, unless it is that a scientist must have some connection to government and supply an excuse for robbing citizens.

Since those scientists who dispute the findings of scientists who provide those in power with excuses to grab more power are shut up, and dismissed as quacks or non-existent, regardless of reason or documentation, one can only assume that their dissension disqualifies them to be called "scientists".

Part of that hard wiring seems to include a need for words which identify nebulous, larger than life, things not understood by the masses. Yet the masses will believe whatever is said about such things. The economy for example. No one knows what that is any more. We just know it needs fixing, jump starting, stimulating, and some kind of vague sacrifice that we all must make in order to appease the angry forces which control it.

I was an econ major (among other things) and I can't say any more what constitutes the economy. Well, I guess I could, and have, but I could not say in terms that take into account a world run by thugs. Free market economics, contrary to popular (fallacious) belief, is not predicated upon thievery, dishonesty, or force. The system which has evolved is largely based upon those things. That and the old trick of the mystic shamans in impressive robes casting spells and incantations.

Today, in America, those charlatans have titles like secretary of the treasury, chairman of the Fed, etc. And people sincerely look to them as supernatural beings who will make it all better, ignoring the fact that those are really the people who made it what it is.

I keep hearing news people say things like, "the greed in the banking industry that created this crisis". It was not so much the greed in the banking industry as it was the corruption and abuse of power in government. And the incredible belief on the part of many in the public that they could live well beyond their means and that it was their right to do so. It's hard to con an honest person. One who is not expecting something for nothing.

We do not have an economic crisis so much as we have a philosophical crisis. When society ceased to build upon the idea of maximizing the freedom of, and protecting the rights of the individual in favor of making the individual subject to the whims and wishes of the collective, the die was cast.

That necessitated an increase in the power of a ruling class to decide what was for the "higher good". Goodbye limits which were so carefully and strictly placed on the central government. Some people like it and enjoy fitting in. They don't mind all the intrusion into everyday life. Those are the same ones who aren't troubled by random roadblocks in the name of the better good, or licenses for everything from doing business of any kind to fishing.

The fastest growing religion in the country is collectivism. It's a sort of worship of government. Very little thought is given to the wasted time and money spent on things which, given the choice, few would be willing to reach into their pockets to fund. I'd rather no relative of mine be a prostitute, but I'd not pay to arrest someone who chose to do that. I'd kick her off my street if she was parading and soliciting but that's another issue. Same for much in the realm of drugs.

I'd not willingly pay a dime to support any other country. Certainly not to bring in lunatics from the fanatic groups of the mid east. All the money from us which has gone into building up the power of religious fanatics and religious states is baffling. Most of what is done with tax money I'd not pay for given a choice. Roads and DEFENSE, not the evangelical spread of "democracy" (whatever that even means when coming from the puppets in DC) Selling bullets is big business. Maybe it is a gift to some new modern gods.

Government has done far more to promote drug trade than to stop it, yet they've used it as an excuse to infringe on the rights of all.

I'm not one of those who goes along with that line about not being bothered by searches if I have nothing to hide. I don't recognize the right of the government to make me prove innocence or ask permission to live free. Of course, there are those who love to play devil's advocate when a statement like that is made, because they do not grasp what freedom means. They assume that means you step on the rights of others. It doesn't. Just the opposite.

But being free means you may not choose to worship the larger than life spectacle which assures us we are in crisis if they don't do something very stupid with our money and our lives. The smokescreens todays shamans use to avoid being seen for what they are astound me. Like the latest one with the guy who is attorney general trying to stir racial animosity. If race shouldn't be an issue then don't insist on making it one.

I figure that was just payback to Jesse and Al for supporting Obama's candidacy. His victory could have potentially hurt their business tremendously had he played it straight. But he isn't. His cabinet reflects his agenda, so he bears responsibility. I do not hold him responsible for the idiocy of Congress, but his philosophy is of the same totalitarian bent.

No need to worry. If we all just hope and believe, spending by an institution which creates and produces nothing will reduce its debt and make it worth more, and that will make it better for all the people who have nothing whatsoever to do with the "public sector". Who first came up with that BS of public sector and private sector in economics. Was it Keynes? Maybe Galbraith or possibly Stalin. The only sector that creates is private unless you nationalize all producers. And then you stifle true growth, innovation, and motivation. It doesn't entirely eliminate it, but enough to make some people go underground.

One example is the green energy bit that these thieves are blubbering about. No question there is energy to be had in the wind for example. Also no question that current designs suck. But GE makes those things and stands to benefit by federal programs designed to keep the same basic technology, just more of it. It's voodoo engineering.

We got voodoo science, voodoo engineering, and voodoo economics. It's definitely the season of the witch.