Dog and Pony Show Glut

I'm pretty sure that will bring spam comments for livestock and pet products.   Although, spammers have become my best and only fans.  I understand that.  I've become repetitious and possibly boring.  I'm  not sure why.  Since the Journalspace days, I've gone downhill in many ways.  Uphill in others.

If you do not see the futility of the grandstanding and pure demagoguery resulting from the Connecticut school shooting, then I doubt a logical approach to the discussion would be fruitless.  

But do take a minute to remember that the US government has been known to massacre people who were not threatening them with force.   Waco.  Kent State.  I guess Kent was the Ohio Guard.  I believe someone else triggered the gunfire there, but either way, it was wrong.  Other cases have happened, but those slaughtered were uncooperative and not good at conforming.

Those who are publicly arguing this thing are doing a piss poor job.  At least the ones who are close to my beliefs on this non-issue.  Or it should be a non issue.

In short, there is no shortage of entertainment these days if you are a fan of dog and pony shows.  Unfortunately, animal theater has never been my favorite genre.

It is hard to even talk to people these days, especially if they OD'd on the koolaid.  A friend in NYC was asking me about the place where I work, knowing that the owner is close her Lord and Master.   She gets dreamy and swoons at the mere mention of the president's name.

Yet she had to bring up "the 1%" in the discussion.    In reality, like Ed Asner and other limousine Luddites and neo-bolsheviks of that ilk, she is probably in the top 1%, financially.  This is not a person who is easy to please or who suffers reduction in standard of living gladly.  If were under the Castro/Chavez style of state that they applaud, I wonder if they realize that they may not be a part of the inner circle of elites running the show.

They think they are compassionate and cool.   Maintaining that chic edge requires looking down upon people who build companies that produce anything requiring natural resources.  Except farmers, as long as they are organic and greenish.

You've heard it before, maybe.  The 2nd amendment has nothing to do with hunting.  Never did.    The argument that all they had was muskets back then is also flawed.  That's mostly what the state had as well.  It says arms not muskets, etc.

Enough of that.  You are not any more going to reduce crime ad make people safer by blindly acting on flawed reasoning and incorrect descriptions of hardware than allowing cops to stop and search people at will served to reduce drug use.

We have new people to hate since that is easier than actually discussing the matter and using reason.  Democracy is tyranny without limits and rules.  Our limits were supposedly codified in the Constitution.  Clearly, this concept eludes most people, especially professional politicians and presidents.

That is because the lifers benefit most by continually increasing their power.   And people still love to act like the neck tie party mobs of old westerns.  Screaming and cussing at any who disagree.  No offense, but many modern union rallies, ad political rallies peopled by them, provide stark examples of this group-think phenomenon  which induces people to act according to the collective emotion of the mob without respect for life, liberty or property of others.  Not to mention rights of association, movement, etc.

That is why I shy away from demonstrations, even when I may be on their side.  I do not stop traffic or heckle individuals or shout people down.  I think it is wrong, that's why.

Someone must be buying the grandstanding.  They've been buying it forever.  Geez.  If regulation worked, people wouldn't do a lot of things they tend to do on a regular basis.

I could make the argument that I trust John Q Public with weapons more than I do government employees, on a per capita basis.  I base this upon my experience with police, some of whom were people I know.  Friends.  I also base it on the fact that out of many millions of people, it is very rare to encounter a seriously deranged maniac, though there are too many.

In government, I find every other person to show signs of a thirst to abuse power, or they simply enjoy not handling what you need.  And they often don't leave you alone when they ought.

I'm not sure that 50% estimate is accurate or not.  Because I am not sure in which direction I err, I settle for the balance point.

The tone and inflection in which "the one percent" was introduced into the conversation, mentioned above, took me aback.  It was as if I was being cued to respond in a similar tone of disdain for this hypothetical group.

I stopped cold momentarily, then tried to get back on subject.  She caught my lack of lockstep, and the entire tone of the conversation plainly changed.  We were talking things going on with us, nothing political.  We already know better than that.  But, I've noticed that if you don't ridicule who is chic to ridicule, and parrot platitudes, and love Obama, she is torn because her programming tells her to hate you, label you racist, etc.

Oh man, and I'm a white male.  She doesn't put those labels on me because she knows better, but she is perplexed by my lack of hip politics.  Not perplexed enough to discuss it rationally.   Some people make a good case for their man, even though I usually disagree with certain basic premises in their argument.  Mostly it comes down to function and scope of governments on every level; individual, local, state, federal---in order of legitimate importance and authority, from most to least.  

See? Right there, those who love to find a way to disagree, will find a way.  And those who simply don't agree for whatever reason, will have their way, as well.

Do people now pepper everything in their thoughts with political code?  I bet they have me programmed too or we wouldn't be discussing this.  We'd be profiling various musicians or discussing something cool.

Smart vs Intelligent

In my own life and in the world around me I see mounting evidence that pure intelligence does not necessarily equate to smart action and decision.   It is like having a computer with impressive capacity and power, but using it for worthless ends.  Someone else may have a computer of modest capabilities yet uses it to good purpose and profit.

At one time I could listen to talk radio, to get different angles on what is supposedly being done in the world of laws and spending public money.  When Air America was around I tried to listen to that but found it so full of angry rants which cloaked whatever kernels of fact there were in over the top hostility and violent self righteousness that I had to give it up.

The stuff that is out there now often contains material with which I agree, but presented in such a way that discredits the message, and often contains additional, irrelevant tenets with which I disagree.  Or I do not see it as a suitable matter for the forums they seek to influence.

It is hardly worth weighing in on current public debates.  Mostly what we have circulating constitutes an odd pop news phenomenon.  What wins is the caricature that has the air of being cool and trendy.  Often, when one sees some delineation between the approved sides as they go to battle, he might easily image he is watching the GlobeTrotters play the Washington Senators.

To actually be a big fan of either team, one must suspend disbelief and embrace the world of fantasy.

Glad I don't live in LaJolla.  They have a huge stink problem because they can't legally clean the bird poop off the cliffs, and they have seal issues which are rather misanthropic.

Public policy arguments invariably stray from the principles invoved and devolve into personal attacks and/or hysterical hyperbole.

This is where labels like "the 1%" tend to lose me.  For one thing not all the wealthiest 1% think the same, accumulate their wealth similarly, or interact equally with the public treasury.  It is a label because people flock to causes with some one or some group to hate.  Suggesting they be killed, shot, etc. is OK because it is righteous indignation.  Or self righteous, easily grabbed vanity.

I'm no fan of the feudal system, kings, and elitism in law making.  The controlled and directed hatred, and the fueling of base and petty qualities is the business of such systems.  People only strengthen the power of these tyrants when they fall into the trap of personal attack and studied ignorance of fact.

These are times when I prefer to ignore some nagging personal questions and assessments.   Those people who thrive do, rather than worry.  That is how it appears to me.

.

Water water everywhere

perhaps a drop I'll drink.

I find myself forming New Year resolves.   It doesn't seem as if I did that last year, although I may have.  Wouldn't it be unique if I brought these plans to fruition.

Statistics; still the debate is pandering pablum for the public

According to the FBI annual crime statistics, the number of murders committed annually with hammers and clubs far outnumbers the number of murders committed with a rifle.

I guess that includes assault weapons, whatever they are.  Rifles, I think.   Seems like any weapon used in, or intended for the purpose of, assault would be an assault weapon.  Billy club, throwing knife, pepper spray, etc.

Quit controlling everything from diet to health care by force and threat of force, and let people defend themselves and their property legally, and the overall troubles may decrease.  Keep looking to the same gangster creeps, who take and use your resources for their personal gain, for solutions to theft and violence and you will get nothing but more theft and violence. 

How can people in NY listen to Chuck Schumer for 10 sec or more and not know he is crooked, creepy and most likely connected to every crime outfit in the country?  But he is in solidarinosc with the union!   Are people just outright nuts?  Or is the last shred of hope gone and they just threw in the towel, saying screw it, if it ain't nailed down I'm taking it--gonna get mine!

Rationale of Optimism

I may complain about the state of the state, but I realize that in the history of people that we know, there is not much in the way of role models that are actually healthy and functional.  The common thread that screws up everything is force in one form or another.

Often, dysfunctional systems spin off equally dysfunctional systems.  People who grew up in a household in which the marriage was a cruel game played by people who didn't know better often find it difficult to create something healthy and lasting.

Or such is my theory.

BUT, if my brother could be married over 40 years, and he got married young, and be happy with successful grown kids who actually enjoy and seek his company, then I think it is possible for people to eventually figure out a natural order which isn't reliant on force in some form.

If a company is in bed with government and gets regulations, contracts, etc. in place so that their competitor is artificially handicapped, that is a form of force. Just to clarify...

Really, he had little to go by, as far as I know.  And his wife's situation was a little squirrelly, too.  I do know that they consciously did whatever they could to break unhealthy patterns.  I'm proud of him because it was secretly my influence.  Only I know that.

Bottom line, if you can imagine it, it is probably possible.

Subris

That is the term for Subaru drivers who over estimate the power of all wheel drive.   I had been thinking to myself, the other day, how common it is for people to forget that everyone has 4 wheel brakes, and they do little good on a frictionless, or nearly so, surface.

I made a post office run a day or so after Christmas.   It was a dark and stormy day.  Just getting dark.  Descanso had a pretty good dusting of snow.

As I was heading back home on the long, winding, elevation changing, out in the sticks, 2 lane, dark road, it started snowing like crazy.  It wasn't all snow; a wintry mix.

So, I drove slowly enough.  No problem.  Then there was no precip at all.  Fine.  Until I entered the spot with the downhill multiple S-curves.  The curves are such that you can't look down or ahead and glimpse the future; not like switchbacks.

All of a sudden the road is covered with a layer of snow and ice.  And I'm head for a ninety degree left on a downhill grade.  I touched the brakes and nothing, and the car was wanting to slide a little sideways with no brakes.

The one like a woman who yearns to be tamed was front wheel drive.  No comment.  That's mine in the Keys last year.  It's 4wd.

I was wondering if I'd fall off the edge.  I downshifted.  The rear wheels took enough of the load that I could make the turn.  It would have been very bad if a car was coming around the turn because I was sliding in the left lane and then almost off the right side of the curve.  I was on the wrong side for awhile.

Afterwards I thought it was a fun thing.  Once is enough and it was a lucky break.  Still, I am not so sure that I'd have made the turn if I'd only had front or only rear drive.  I could be wrong.  I've very rarely been in a situation that a front wheel drive car wouldn't have worked just fine.

Let Them Eat Organic Arugula

The only certain thing about the future is that it will require a few adjustments on my part.  I'm not going to panic or rush into action without a plan.

Often, when the bulk of the population is riding on a particularly large wave of mass idiocy, money can be made.  That is what I will be thinking about.

It is surprising how often very smart people can be duped, and in the most straight forward and simple terms.  You just wouldn't think it possible, considering the stakes.

So, am I alone in my disbelief, and disgust, at the whole "fiscal cliff" debacle?   Someone coined the term and demagogues swarmed in like flies on shit.   Sorry, I am not going to be polite this year.

There was no real debate, just absurd discussion which meant nothing.  The government gets into trouble when it spends more than it has.  That is a pure and simple fact.

It tends to spend more than it has when people get to vote on the use of the resources of others; when I can vote for you to subsidize me.  Politicians know that votes can be bought cheaply, and often can be bought by merely saying gifts will be forthcoming--even though they never pay up.

They consistently ignore and re-interpret the limits of the power which were spelled out in the Constitution.  But the fools nod in agreement when those limits are berated as outdated, etc.  People fear freedom and are so small and mean spirited that they smile when the rights of others, of whom they disapprove, are violated.

So, another bit of total fiction is rammed down the throats of citizens, and a pretend argument provides entertainment while more rights are abridged, and more money is sucked out of everyone's wallets; even the idiots who think they are safe and "the rich" will at last get theirs.  Geez, talk about medieval mentality.

As always, the real problems and causes are not clearly identified.  Only the short sighted out of context analysis is allowed.

There seems to be no viable alternative, but I have to say, I am absolutely sick of democrats and their insistence on making everyone be happy on their backhanded plantation.  I don't want to work on Maggie's Farm no more.  But we will take such good care of you!  All you gotta do is sign up and play the game.

I may die younger than I ought, but I swear I think will exit the planet before I allow myself to become a ward of the state, or under the state's control of my medical choices.  I'll be one of those who goes down unnoticed with his middle finger raised.

I'm not even sure I get the motive of totalitarianists, but I know the under class of that group really enjoys sticking it to those with whom they disagree, or simply don't get along.  I do see the groups who separate themselves in political and legal environments by race, sexual preference, woman vs man, etc., as complete idiots who are useful to those who would enslave them.  Useful idiots.  Not useful to me or my philosophy, but very much a force in The Big Pretense.

So, this year, screw you to every thief, liar, self righteous destroyer of property, violator of personal privacy, thug, mob activist and demagogue.   Let's get it out of the way ahead of time--you suck.

I'm sick of thug unionism, pubic employee unions being confused with private sector unions.  Sick of conservatives acting like dorks when their argument may have been valid.  But then we have to make marriage a federal issue.  Forget all of that.  Marriage and much else has no business under federal purview or any government jurisdiction.

Democrats have become Stalinists.  Republicans have become theocrats with a twist of socialist lite.  Both are dishonest and not good.  If you hate people, there is plenty of room for you in either camp.  Big trap, and big money making scam.

Why do republicans care if democrats have abortions?  I encourage them.  Democrats, religious zealots, gang members, code pink, 99%, 1%, and all those who label themselves and their beliefs according to race, sex, and where they stick their junk, all should have abortions at every opportunity.  Don't multiply.  Be noisy and unfruitful.

Let's discuss stupid, stupid subjects which do not personal affect us while we let a few in power regulate us out of business, steal our money for wars of no clear cause, and generally make rules that don't need making.  Worry about whether some totally useless moron is going to abort her baby while your 4th amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure go out the window.

I see random roadblocks on major thoroughfares as more of an evil, and a threat, than a stranger opting to end a pregnancy.  Their pregnancy does not affect me.  Being stopped to prove innocence does.  

Sucker plays abound. It is sick, sad, and macabre.  The truth is, there is not more murder recently than there was 20 years ago.   Due to the exploitation of things by press, government, and demented people who just have to claim tragedy for themselves whenever possible, it seems as if there are more random acts of mass violence.  Apparently that is not true.

It is another excuse to try to further bundle the living into the slave package of over regulation.  I think I do see the grand plan of the very few who are above the fray, calling the shots.  You'd never believe me.  In any case, so many things can go either way and still serve the purpose.  Many of the so-called debates actually avoid the real question at hand.

Maybe this year I will go hang out around L.A.  Drink the water, take before and after notes and pictures.  Maybe something in the air or water causes these people to blindly jump on total idiot causes. Half the time there is an obvious element of hypocrisy in their crusades.  They don't seem like actual morons, so there must be a reason they come out for such totally stupid things, and seem to be buoyed in their quests by peer  pressure.

Ed Asner is a jewel of the useful Hollywood idiot world.  He hates the rich, although he's rich, and he thinks people like Castro are just the bee's knees.    He and Sean Penn have been bitten by the same bug.  I know I'm somewhat of a Miami redneck still because I always want to punch them whenever I see them say anything.

This year.  No more Mr. PC Nice Guy.  I don't feel like being polite any longer.

Nice Way to Welcome the Year; 2 good sets

So, because I have a tire with a slow leak, and because I despise roadblocks, even if I have nothing to hide, as far as I know.  The party was in the vicinity of roadblockland.  I ended up riding in with Kevin and Lauren, and out with Cliff and Linda.  Fiscal Cliff, I call him.

The party took up the bulk of the restaurant.  The back half is the main dining area, I guess.  Nice enough area for stage and such, and maybe 50 or 60 people.

[photos are bound to show up. I'll put one here to make the post look less boring.  There may be video. If I like it I'll post it]

The guy throwing the party scheduled a few different people to play.  He either gave them 15 or 30 min set.  Plus he had some of his old band mates in, so he and his crew played plenty.

We, the Coppercreek crew from Ballistic Mountain, played a thirty minute set.  Then played again for maybe twenty minutes or so.  Time flew, because I was having fun.

Prior to playing, my ears were plugged up and I could not hear well.  Someone gave me an allergy pill and it gave a little relief.  It was only an issue when I had to sing a verse of a song.  I adapted.

It was an appreciative crowd.  I didn't know the majority of people there, just a core group who play.  That is good because they only react if they like what the hear.  The usual musician crowd applauds for everyone.  It's California, we all get a prize.

They only ran the party from 6 pm to 10 pm.  After that some of us went to a lady's house and played until after two.   They had all the alcohol that you could want, but those driving pretty much refrained, and no one got psycho drunk.

I had no intention of being out so late.  I chose to go to that party because it is part of a long term strategy in my goal of mingling with non-hideous single women who may fall into the age envelope as I see it.  That is not an envelope made of iron or cement. It is highly elastic these days.

At any rate, it is very rare that I enjoy playing as much as I did last night playing with our mountain group.  We had a few people sit in the 2nd set who really did well.  Some of the video has to be good, assuming they got it all.  I think the party house lady and her pal have video of the who thing.

Everyone who played was on their game last night.   One note on the A harped choked, but I think I was able to slur it so that it sounded intentional.  Other than that, I'm not aware of landing on a note I didn't like.

You never know because it trying bluff your way out of trouble you can convince yourself in a nano second that you really did like it and that it was exactly what you wanted.  When I get to play some extended thing in those settings, it reminds me of when I was a kid playing football in the neighborhood.

The yards were good for it.   When I was between the age of 7 and 15, I loved nothing more than running with a football.  Started to go out for it and canned the idea for various reasons.

But the feeling of time changing pace, and of knowing where you are headed but not for sure how to get there.  And the process of navigating through a bunch of older bigger people becomes an artful moment.

Nothing ever gave me that feeling until I started playing at Somewhere Else Tavern way back when.  The hint of that was there or I wouldn't have played so much on my own and with a guitar player here and there.

So, that is why I still play; because, sometimes, it feels like running with the football, reacting before you even register it.  It's really a remarkable thing when you hit that zone.  Not something that is always achievable.  And it may not sound right or do a thing for anyone else.  That's the danger.

Most of the time people tend to like it when I like it, so I don't get banned from playing with others in pubic.  Please limit yourself to the meaning of "playing" in the context in which it was intended.
Thank you

Name Dropping

So, I'm over at Jonathan's (the 12 string guy) and we were talking about opportunities ignored or declined, and the varying reasons for the bad call.  We were discussing past instances in which we fell into company with what turned out to be major players.

Anyway, such discussions can take on the character of fishing tales at the local tavern on the waterfront.  You can usually tell after awhile.  J tends to embellish when telling some stories, but not the ones involving name dropping.  I've concluded those are legit.  And his skill on 12 string is obviously on a level, and has a style, that good players might want.

During the discussion the name of a guy that is not famous, and who played a major role in offering me an opportunity which I didn't take.  At the time I was more clueless than now.

OK, so I was explaining how I still remember the guy's name and that it was XYZ.  J says, that name rings a bell.  I go on about how this guy chose, wisely, to fly jets for the FL Air Guard, declining a chance to tour with a name group.  But he still jammed with them when the were home.

The guy was reputed to be a monster guitar player.  Super nice guy, totally humble, no affectation whatsoever.  I mentioned those things to J and he said he met him in Nashville, that he had something to do with a music production outfit.  He went on to give a physical description, which I had not done.

He's hear XYZ play.  So, is this coincidence?

All of Copper Creek is playing a set at this New Year's party.  I hope I play like I did at practice.  Either I'm delusional or I was finally playing like the real deal.  It's cool and disconcerting when you feel like you hit a new level and enjoy the confidence attendant to that.  Invariably, a little period of confusion and over thinking follows.

I have no idea why I sometimes can do well on anything thrown my way, excluding Orange Blossom Special, and other times everything except the simplest thing throws me.  Lately I have not only felt comfortably free, but I think I've been paying more attention to the timbre and quality of notes and chords.  I also pay attention to everyone else who is playing.

For me, that is what makes it enjoyable to play with this group.  I like listening to them.  Same goes for some other players, but I think this combination of people is special.  I'd love to add a bass and drums or percussion.

I figured out that everyone brings some appeal, but what grabs the crowd is when L is the lead vocal.  She does one semi-blues tune and people notice.  There is something to the quality of her voice that I like.  Vocals that grab you aren't necessarily those that can hit the most octaves and notes.

Not everyone likes him, but enough to make him mega successful.  That's Willie Nelson.  I like him, and I like his voice.  He won't be doing opera soon, but his sound grabs a lot of people.  Doesn't hurt that his harmonica player is one of my favorites.

Anyway, maybe I'll make more effort to motivate these guys.  I'm pretty much in two bands that are practicing and not gigging much, if at all.  J may have a gig later this month. If that includes me, then good.  I'm almost certain it does.  Not sure if this gig will include everyone.  If it does, that is better.

Whatever the case, if I'm going to spend so much time playing, I may as well work it out to start getting paid.  I liked it when we were playing frequently in Memphis.  It didn't usually pay much, but it paid.

I've got to quit playtime someday and figure out how to pull a serious income.   First you get the idea, then you get the nerve, then you have to make the right moves.  People do it.

Everything is a Cult

Instead of to the usual Saturday gathering I chose to go to Poway for various reasons.  That should be no issue, or so one would think.

This resulted in phone messages, and online harassment.  Mild harassment, I should add.  Nothing which might require a high powered legal team, and bending laws in a Supreme Court decision.

Even so, it is creepy when you can feel the flack because you didn't remain in lockstep with a clique.  It is like what happens when a Black politician is not on board with the Sharpton/Jackson line of thinking. They suddenly become "cornball brothers" or worse.  Not "Black enough".

The message?  Do not buck the cult.  Any deviation from cult mores and rules constitutes a horrible crime.

We have plenty of cultish insanity sweeping the country and the world in various forms.  And the rules of engagement tend to be whatever serves the perverse pleasure of the group.

For example, the increasingly popular union tactic of demonstrating in front of people's homes.  It is clear harassment, not legitimate exercise of free speech.  Oh well, ends justifies the means, and in true union/cult fashion, the terrorist defines himself as victim, thereby excusing all crimes he commits in destroying his enemy.

Not sure how the paper which publishes the names and addresses of conceal carry people, or those who otherwise register weapons, justifies its actions.  It is a bit of a stretch to blame the fools* who register their guns for murders they did not commit.   Very few crimes of that nature are committed by registered, legal gun carriers.  Very few.  So harassing them is an odd choice of reactions.

But the victim thing kicks in when the crusade gets rolling and facts are ignored except when they are convenient.  There are those who find extreme happiness in causes which have little to do with solving a particular problem.  They enjoy naming enemies and having a focus for their hatred and tears.  Truly a mental illness.

That seems to be the case of the newspaper.   Although I totally understand the emotion behind those retaliating by publishing the addresses and such of the news reporters and editors, I can't condone it.

Wars waged through the abuse of personal privacy cannot end well.   I don't care what your numbers are or if you think you are the 99.99999999 to infinity percent, that bit of harassing families and residences is wrong and I would support the home owner in chasing you off with firehoses or shotguns.

So, I detect this weak form of human behavior and thought leaking into realms of life I once considered safe.  That which is not the business of others too often is considered information  to which they are entitled.  They think they have right to know, when I think not.

And I do see it as a kind of cultish by-product.  The only reason such aberrant behavior has power and acceptance is due to the hold of the cult.  The cult uses peer pressure and/or mob action.  Few people will stand up to that because they either cannot think for themselves or they crave acceptance on any basis more than they care to live by a code of values.

This year I plan to make more waves, more enemies, and throw up the finger when appropriate with much less hesitation.


*I said fools only because it is increasingly clear that registering guns and being all legal and on the government's approved list sets one up for easy targeting should mandatory buy-backs or confiscation of guns occur.   I suppose you have to trust someone in life, but I think finding someone with a better track record than the current authorities would be desirable.