What is With Facebook

So, I see that Jetblue is doing a live free or fly promotion. You can win a free trip out of the country if the election doesn't go your way. So I go to sign up.

First you have to vote by clicking on a picture of an elephant or a jack ass. Then it gives but one option, "log in using facebook". What if I do not want to? I see no options, so I gave up.

I hate that. Facebook is great if you want people in your business, or if you want to make it look like your business is something other than what it is, and you want people all in that. I see it as an accident waiting to happen. You hit a few wrong clicks and no telling what might go out to all your "friends".

I've discovered that errant tap and click probability is increased exponentially on a smart phone. Those things seem useful and clever, but therein may reside the devil. It's a hard life.

By the way, no one has 7500 friends, or even 750. I'm suspect of even 75 friends with whom you feel great sharing private info. They are not your friends. You lie, and facebook has helped you become a liar. They encouraged it. You are weak and dishonest. I'm sorry.

I,too,lied. My name is not exactly what I told facebook it is. But, like the government, I feel they have no business pushing it and that they don't deserve anything more than what I care to share with them about myself.

It is the prevalence of things on unrelated sites that I find annoying. I want to go to St Maartens or somewhere if this thug gets another term. Or if the other guy gets his first four. But I can't bet both ways so, you vote for the loser on the airline contest. And maybe hope he wins.

But who cares? I see no way to just sign up to make my bet. Step two goes through facebook. "log in using Facebook!" No no no.

I have a bad feeling about this. I think we are acquiescing to a type of slavery by cooperating with the over use of 'cookies' and the ubiquitous facebook presence.

Great technology, but people based in California invariably do not know when to just leave well enough alone. Intrusive bunch of bastards, and google and facebook are the vanguard of this assault. Between facebook and google, they'll directly or indirectly queer the whole freedom on the internet deal.

I guess that applies elsewhere, too, but I'm on one of those 'California bastards' kicks. Geez, they love to mind your business. Makes me want to buy cigars and go downtown blowing smoke in their faces.

Amateur Nights

I guess it is a compliment when people ask if your group would come play in order to add zest and gravitas to their open mic events.  Then again, it's a frigging open mic.  Just about anyone can play, and the do.  Even those who really ought to learn something before sitting in front of people losing their time while they try to read the page in front of them on a music stand.

There is a whole lot of that music stand stuff in SoCal, even among regularly gigging groups and bands.  I understand it, but I am totally opposed to doing it myself or to being in a group who does that. It is fine if you are the San Diego symphony or similar outfit.  But for original music or stuff that is more emotion than technical, the pages tend to inhibit that organic spontaneity.  At least that is how it is in My Book.  It's a pretty big book so I don't carry it around.

I have to say, though, the group here on the mountain could be close to great if we all the the will and the time.  It has something.

The other group I'm practicing with does have a little more time and will.  That one is 90% or more original music, and it is not bad.  Whether the nature of it is what will grab people remains to be seen.

I think the addition of the bass and me has influenced the overall sound much to the good, and I always feel great after one of those practices.  I expect we'll be doing some good gigs before long.  The vocals are very tight--two males and one female.

Both these groups have excellent vocals.  That is new for me.  I miss the harder driving electric guitar centered stuff with good drummers and the whole bit, but I do not miss their tendency toward prohibitive decibel levels.



This is from Feb 2012. I've reduced the belly since then, but this makes me look much more bellyish than I am. Really. Either way, that was the second time I'd heard that version of this song. He played it for me at his house but neither of us knew all the words so I was no help. It is usually a blast to play with Cliff. He is not your average Joe. He's worked on it some since then and I've played it once or twice with him and other people were sitting in too. Maybe I'll get an updated recording of it which ought to be better.


My CA playing has been more of a challenge in some ways.  And less in others.  These people listen better, but what I have to do to fit properly, playing-wise, is more difficult.  It has to have improved my overall skill considerably.

In this circuit I seem to have developed a reputation for being good to have up there.  Probably also a rep for being a little temperamental, or just mental.   That's OK.  I still get requests and positive reinforcement, which makes me try harder.  I do poorly without that.

It has become clear that I'm not that much of a real blues player but I do add some soul to things which otherwise might not be very soulful.  But the harp players whose sound I like the best are Lee Oskar, Mickey Raphael, Greg Taylor and John Popper.  I marvel at the skill and cutting edge virtuosity of Jason Ricci, and I like blues guys like Musselwhite, Cotton, Sugar Blue and Little Walter.

Most harp players rarely would even mention my top four, but they play on things I enjoy listening to more than anyone else.  My tastes alone would get me kicked off a lot of purely bluesharp forums.

That tells me that maybe I am of a different ilk than many players.  And that is OK.  I can't or don't do what a lot of good blues players do, but they don't do what I do, as far as I know.  I'm almost beginning to be comfortable with that.  It is amazing that after all this time I am still finding new little nuances and ways of changing the sound and delivery of the same chords or notes.  I'm working the chords in ways I never used to, and it is effective for what I'm after.

No one has kicked me out of their group yet, and more people keep making minor inquiries, so OK.  It is unlikely to make me rich but it gets me invited to parties, and as of late some single wimmin within the age envelope have been hitting on me--I think.  I'm not to quick on the uptake in that realm.  Working on it.

I suspect the place where I work is being used for somewhat secret strategy and fund raising meetings.  That is good.  Much less trashing of the place when people come down to stay below the radar and use it as a base while they head out to nearby rich people towns to make deals.

I tried to vote in Venezuela but they wanted ID.  Maybe they just don't like My Kind.  It is none of my business, however if Chavez loses, I'll celebrate.

Why I'm Not One

Besides the fact that my beliefs just do not fall in line with any of the over ritualistic creeds,  my aversion to crowds would probably put me off of this outfit anyway.  Some religions think that you are damned if you are not one of them.  Or that you still are damned if you aren't baptized, or don't make it to some pilgrimage, or don't do any number of rituals as prescribed by the holy ones and their holy texts.

I'd go nuts if I were in the middle of that crowd.  This is one reason I'm no good for demonstrations--do not enjoy being part of a mob.  Besides, I find most demonstrations to be obnoxious, and something about that form of expression doesn't sit well.  One day, I'll have it reasoned out.  Anyway, how can mob people hack it?  You couldn't easily get out of the middle of that mob.

I think they are wrong, if not entirely annoying.  But here's the deal.  How many sick, sneezy people would it take to make this bunch of pilgrims go home sick?  Flu season.  This kind of mob is a virus's wet dream.

Fair Play Hunting in SoCal

This is from the LA Times:

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Jerry Brown signed a new law that will allow hundreds of thousands of young illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses and vetoed another that would have restricted sheriffs from helping federal authorities detain undocumented Californians for potential deportation.

So, the way I interpret this is that for whatever political pandering reasons, Jerry and the CA legislature have OK'd a license to run away in motor vehicles for illegals, and Jerry has blocked attempts to thwart the local sheriff from chasing them down to help the feds deport the illegal visitors.

I remember when he was running for president, and he would arrive somewhere and walk down the steps of the aircraft to a mini-press conference, so obviously stoned to the gills.  That was in his Linda Rhonstadt days. She was hot. Then. Wonder if he's still blitzed?  He didn't do much in legalization effort.  But the crime lobby doesn't want it legal here.  Jer-bear is very sensitive to the needs and feelings of lobbyists.  Sometimes, like the illegal driver's license thing, he can play both sides.

That's kind of like going bow hunting and giving Bambi a head start, I guess.  Seems fair.  "We can still send you back to El Jefe's hacienda in Guadalajara, but you can legally run away in a US Chevy with a CA driver's license, and half the big cities are "sanctuary cities" so have at it.  (just another phrase for, "we need more crime in our town").   Maybe you can vote, too.  You can get the license but those people won't rat you out to immigration, is my impression.  Maybe two hours after you leave they tell the sheriff who then chases you around.

California and Governor Moonbeam.   The only consistency here is inconsistency.


I understand this is all based on the Obama bit of pandering which, to me, is highly discriminatory based on age.  If you are young and beautiful, and here illegally, the president and others want you.  Bad.  They ache for you.  If you are over 30, too bad, Pablo and Pabla, you go home and eat dirt!  I think I see the motive now.  It is scandalous, but illegals are less likely to go to authorities to report perverted authorities.  See what's up here?   

Tell you one thing, if Moonbeam's around and I drop the soap, I ain't picking it up.

Socal doing what they won't

Little bit of nothing on experiment recording and uploading from phone where I work--with phone connecting to their wifi.   This thing is pretty cool in ways.  

***Not an obamaphone (extrapolation of a program begun under Reagan for emergency landlines, and now cell phones), but exploited to convince the imbeciles of big cities that Obama is giving them a phone. Sorry.     I guess compared to some people and things my phone is smart.

Aldous Huxley predicted people would welcome their own enslavement, and they have.  Not everyone sees it yet. **** my apologies for ranting.  Can't help it 

Last video is later at the newest open mic place.  Cliff out the window warming up to play next.  I played harp on his tunes but didn't record it.  Didn't do too bad on a couple of them.  Norwegian Wood, with a mandolin joining us threw me a little.  I told him no ride for me because I never play the song.  He found the mandolin confusing--wasn't sure where that guy was in the scheme of things---so he turned to me.  I faked something but got thrown off myself.  People no doubt figured we were just stupid at arranging and planned it like that.  

Sound was better than indicated here.  The Star Wars/American Pie guy ran it, and does well with sound.  I think he may be the whitest white boy I know, in regard to some musical elements and such.  That's OK.  I'm one of those harp players who has no guilt or shame about being white.  Some would claim this is racist, but that is due to the fact that they can't think critically.  I expect no one to be guilty or ashamed of their involuntary make-up--ethnicity, sex, ability to roll one's tongue, etc. Note the high cheek bones--I must be Cherokee, as well.  OK, Harvard, here I come!

Doing the work that citizens and uninvited workers in CA won't do.  We keep the US economy going, such as it is.

   

Snowball In Paradise

Decided to get away further out in the country than even ballistic mountain.   Not that far away, really.

So, there I was on a pull-out place along the sunrise parkway or whatever it is.  Then, just as I was searching for vehicles or occupants to pelt with snowballs, I spotted this warning from The State.

Holy smoke!!  If I couldn't read, I might be doing time!  Of course, I didn't see any vehicles or occupants for about twenty minutes, but you never know; if I were totally illiterate, I might make up for it by being patient.

I was able to send the photo from my allegedly smart phone to my computer via bluetooth once I was back home.  I'm still wondering about the phone, but it may be useful if I start an independent money making enterprises, or hit the road.  I'll have to ditch it if I become a fugitive because I think They can track these things.  Google may do no evil, but they sure enable a lot of it.

I made a video but I don't like it so I'll have to do another smarty phone video.  It is rather good quality.  Makes sense.  The typical phone is just a handheld computer.

I'm mildly surprised that the sign didn't have fine print explaining that in California snowballs have been shown to be a carcinogen and that they contribute to global warming.  Lots of items and substances ignored by others are flagged on products here with the "in California" caveat.  That is because no one else subscribes to the degree of junk science which is used by special interests and politicians here.

Anyway, I certainly dodged a bullet on that one.

smarty pants

So, my phone died and appeared to be too lifeless to revive.  That did not bode well for retrieving the contacts stored in the well beaten, trusty communication device.

At the verizon store, the "took it to the back" to do some secret thing in an effort to make it show some life.  No luck.  "It's like a piece of rock".

Along with my phone I brought my charger for some reason.  I don't recall what prompted it but I asked the lady to try plugging in my charger and hooking it to the phone.  At home I'd had no luck.

It worked.  The phone came on, but the view was that after all this time, it may be on its way out, so I opted for a new one.  I was eligible for the upgrade anyhow.

I did not want to go the iphone route because I don't do well with virtual keyboards or the money I'm guessing they cost.  And I don't want something very large which makes me feel like I'm holding a tv up to my ear.  My ended up with something made by samsung, a stratosphere.  Great.  I wonder if I should have looked for one called ionosphere or dark matter.

It has a keyboard, and it has all the online stuff, apps and apps.  I don't do that much with such things but it can be handy when on the road, I guess, and if there is wifi around, you can hook into that and not worry about bandwith. 

I don't know how to use it.  Like most google influenced things they have tried to go so far with the idiot friendly stuff that it is a bigger pain for things like texting than the simple, unintelligent phone it replaced.

I did not invent the term smartypants phone referring to smart phones.  I got that from CF.  It strikes me as the right term. 

Soon I will test the ability to take video and send it to youtube.   Lots of people use these things to play games for hours and hours.  I can't do that.  I waste my time in other ways.

I realize now that if people read things like blogs from their phones then anything over a paragraph and a half is way too much for a post. 

In order to keep up with work and various musical things, it is best I have a phone.  I suppose I could have remained with the minimum, but in my situation the additional cost is minimal.  Less than two packs of cigarettes per month. 

And I have no contract because I'm on a larger plan of others and they could either add me or not but still be paying the same per user.  Win win.  I can quit and it won't mess them up.  But I pay them three to six months in advance just because I don't want to stiff them and because what if I wound up without the money later but needed to call my bookie?

Strange how these things evolve. TV screens are larger and larger, but computers fit in the palm of your hand and millions are addicted to everything their devilish phones have to offer.   There are better things I can think of that I should have my hands on.

New Interface, Like Monarchy, Sucks

Other than the whole royalty concept, I dislike this new interface more than almost anything.  No longer can I find a way to get back to the old interface.  I prefer choice whenever possible.  I abhor lack of choice.  

Perhaps that is part of my problem with the new healthcare law, put in place by professional bureaucrats and money bundlers.   I guess people have no clue how politicians serve as front men in elaborate con games which take money from you and funnel it to their pals, then in turn their pals funnel some back to the ego person fronting the scam to help with the campaign, the house purchase, college for the kids--you name it.  

That's the chick who was topless in France, I think.  Could you sit on a chair like that and be carted around by a bunch of people carrying you for no good reason?   I'd seriously be embarrassed and feel creepy doing that.  But I doubt I could ever address someone as "your highness", nor could I stomach insisting others address me that way.  

I would ride around the block on that stupid chair if it would bring back the old blogger interface.   She should be showing some hoots.  Really.  She's now famous for being topless, TAKE IT OFF!!! n Maybe someone will throw the lady a string of beads.  What if someone tripped all the people on one side of that thing?   The old Humpty Dumpty deal. 

Bet you anything there's a crowd out of the frame with signs, shouting, "show us your tits!!"   

Hey, she's a Brit.  They get in all sorts of pickles in exotic foreign lands.  I'll bet those are cannibals taking her to dinner.  Her only way out is to lift the shirt and proclaim, "Let me fatten up and I'll be back later".

Not understanding English, the cannibals assumed she was casting spells or pointing out some white lady plague, so they played it safe and let her go.  I've done that before--dodged the plague of a white lady by letting her run away. 

Out of Touch; the DRAFT--whew, girls still safe

Quite sad and ironic that those protesting the tyranny of the draft embraced images and philosophies of the most brutal systems and states on earth. It still goes on today, except more of the slave state lingo and spill over has come to be accepted as democracy. The too cool and the too stupid seem to unite in this insanity.


So, I was thinking, "I don't even know what this Jay-Z, that Obama thinks is so cool, does--other than Beyonce. I know who she is. She can sing. Is JZ just a coattail rider? I guess he's a rapper who got where he is by getting Beyonce. I'm so out of touch with popular culture, and presidential attempts at street cred. So out of touch that what is aimed to impress goes right by without notice."

Then I wondered, "Since they are so big on everyone serving in the military these days, are women still exempt from the draft?"

I know some people couldn't fathom my reasoning when I said that gays got the worst of doing away with "Don't Ask Don't Tell" because they gave up their out should the draft come back in force.

There was a time when the draft hung over the heads of teenaged boys like a random prison sentence. You could not plan life how you chose. You did not know if you'd be forced into "service" for some bizarre skirmish formulated by equally bizarre "leaders". You waited for your birth year's lottery drawing to find out what number your birthday would be. If they were drafting up to 150 you hoped to be drawn higher than that. 365 was everyone's dream.

My number was 92. For awhile I had a college deferment but got out of phase. They were drafting up to 200 or thereabouts when I got the college deferment, and only up to 125 when I lost it.

They suspended the draft while I was in AirForce basic training, and going into the Florida air guard. Yep. Like W. Nothing wrong with the guard. There is something wrong with sending them overseas. They are supposed to be for defense and domestic purposes. It came at a time when I was just getting a toehold on turning my life around, and my academic career.

I let it get the better of me, and quit trying in school and just generally floundered like a falling leaf. I had just got straightened out somewhat, was taking a fairly ful load of classes and through midterms was acing all of them. Then the news came that I had been re-classified 1A, and at the same time the guard called and said they'd just got to me on the list and it was now or never.

What to do? I did not know. Would it be more honorable to just get drafted? Should I join the guard and work my way into pilot training? I was unsure and felt I had to do something. I started just getting blitzed and cutting classes again. I gave up out of confusion. I even called my father for advice. "I can't really tell you. It's your decision." Thanks. Now I would know how to weigh the options against my goals and against various odds. Not then.

What an idiot. I forgot I did not really have freedom.
I needed rehab or something. Or to be left alone. I was majoring in physics, minoring in math and econ. And I was loving it and very insistent on acing it all---for once in my life. I was trying to learn how to try.

That whole time period was one big lie; from the hippies to the so-called hawks. Total lies and hypocrisy ruled like never before. Even more than now, but not quite as universally police state-ish as now. Those who worship the 60s are, mercifully for them, incapable of viewing the larger picture. It was the gateway to serfdom

I should have ignored it because I'd have skated by without being nabbed. Or chances are that I would have. I was appalled by the thought of actually dodging the draft, but now I feel otherwise. Then I thought there was an off chance that VietNam made sense and I was too dumb to see it clearly.

Even then I could see how purveyors of world slavery in one form or another used this to their ends, as they fueled protests and such. Just goes to show you how even the devil can be right and seem like your pal sometimes.


It was a sick thing and not only did many people die, but those sent to fight were in a war in which those who ran it did not do so to win or to minimize American casualties. It was criminal, just like the way they are doing it now.

But, the question was, have women done the insane thing, like gays, and given themselves no out? By "women", I mean those who pretend to speak for all females, but obviously don't.

I looked up the requirements for selective service registration. Why should I care? I'm too old now. Because, like many political leaders, I wake up wondering, "How can I make everyone else's life better?" OK. I lied. So do those creeps we pay to rob us. I wanted to reduce my overall ignorance quotient by knowing the selective service rules overview.

I'm happy to see that only males have to register for selective service. What a creepy name, Selective Service. What is quite laughable is that illegal aliens who are male and between 18 and 25 also have to register. Oh I bet they hop the border and run straight to the draft board, right after they vote.

I'm surprised NOW hasn't insisted that women be included in this pool of slaves on call. Gays used to be able to just get out by saying, oops, forgot to tell you I'm gay. Now they are screwed. Gay or not, if the US decides to draft soldiers to fight their own people or gets into a stupid war you hate, you go or else. Just like getting health insurance, Buy or die.

If they never planned to draft anyone, they wouldn't continue forcing registration. Something tells me that the illegal alien requirement is tough to enforce.

So, ladies, please do not get fooled into being required to submit life and limb to the whims of the police state. They will entice you by claiming people with my view are at war against you and such nonsense. However, I see no way out of it if women are to be equal in combat roles and all else in the military. But, then we'll all be more equal. The more of us eligible for legal slavery the better.

It is nothing to me if a person volunteers for whatever. If a woman can do it, and wants to, fine. I'm just looking at the other edge of that sword. It is a door to requiring tough girls and girlie girls alike to register for the draft should the government decide they want to conscript you. And the actual purpose, goal, and conduct of every war in my lifetime have been highly suspect, or so vague, no one actually knew what was happening. Few, if any, of them have resolved all that well.

Maybe women would be they key to eliminating selective service registration altogether. Interesting prospect. Volunteer if you want, but you have a choice.

All We Are Saying...

...is give peace a chance


right

So, people everywhere are all alike. You really think Ivy League lawyers can talk this all away? Boy I'd love to go do business there