Saturday, September 30, 2017

Sports & Politics

Gee, who ever thought those two might be associated?

I was following a link, and found this, filled with information about Sterling's downfall. Might it have neatly be engineered by some mysterious person with some interest in getting the franchise?

Nah, that's silly - people NEVER engineer conspiracies for money, do they?

Check out the last 3-4 paragraphs.

More from that site - VERY good, worth reading. Not a sports nut (I prefer participatory sports, not spectator sports), but - I'm going to bookmark the site.

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Friday, September 29, 2017

By the Pricking of my Thumbs...

...something twisted this way comes. (Macbeth, Shakespeare)

FBI - what did they know, and when did they know it? Call in Director Wray for a Come-to-Jesus moment.

It's time We, the People, reigned in the would-be overlords in the 'intelligence' sectors. The HOW of their control is laid out here.

Why now? Because, for the first time in years, we have a President whose middle name could be I-Don't-Give-A-F*** - which puts him at a YUGE advantage with a cabal who modus operandi is: if you cross us, we will release every fact, dirty secret, smear, rumor, and out-right lie we have in our arsenal (the term arsenal is deliberate - they are an armed enemy of the rest of us).

OFF-TOPIC: Read this link about the Magnitsky Act - it is NOT about orphans, it is more complicated than that (as are many stories about Russia - still one of the most tortuously complex and intertwined political/social/cultural/familial systems on the planet).

NOTE: If you want to see topics trending, a very important part of that is the hashtags and labels. I'm going to start using them on every post, and, particularly when posting to Google+ and Twitter, I'm gong to make sure to use some selected ones, including:

#ObamaCorruption
#ObamaScandals
#HRCLies
#ClintonScandals

If we start marking them, it should have an effect on the likelihood of them being circulated.

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Wednesday, September 27, 2017

Disengaging From Media

Am I a Luddite? Am I suggesting a move to Amish country (which is beautiful, although unbelievably pungent with animal smells)?

No.

I'm suggesting that we detach from media amusements. Jettison the cable, detach from watching the news (try reading the print edition online - it's faster, and you can skip the boring parts).

Although I do actually like Lebron James, I do not look to him to provide me with moral guidance. His comments about Trump are fair - both of them are entitled to their opinions, which are, for the most part, derived from their very different experiences and relationships.

I just don't like injecting political stances into a game. So, I've made a decision not to watch - not that I did much.

That Kneeling Thing - it started, I believe, because sitting was seen for what it was - blatant disrespect.

The Kneeling Thing is an attempt to use the religious-associated stance to deflect criticism. For that reason, I reject it - it's a hijacking of religious imagery for secular benefit.

Not acceptable. Unless you're her.


Not her.



I'm really hoping - praying - that MLB doesn't get all on the bandwagon of Signaling Virtue. I'd hate to have to turn off the tube on the Cleveland Indians.

Go Tribe!

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Not-So Civil War

It's about fanaticism. About not just disagreeing with someone, and talking to them, in an effort to understand their thinking, and - perhaps - change their mind on issues.

It's about demonization. When your opponents are not merely wrong, but the Essence of Evil.

The South had one thing right - there was nothing civil about The Civil War. It was a War Between the States.

If this continues, it will become a War Between the Cities and Not-Cities (suburbs, rural areas, and small towns).

The Declination has an old post addressing this, from January, 2016. Such a long time ago.

How might we survive, both individually and as a nation? Hunker down, pay off debt, and detach yourself as much as you can from dependency.

Failing that, try to diversify your income sources - yes, that means part-time work, freelance work, and under-the-table work/bartering.

If the powerful can control whether or not you have access to money/income/daily needs, they own you. The peasant, who does NOT control his income, is most at risk.

Don't be a peasant.
Debt is their weapon. Serfs were tied to the land, forced to work for their masters and give up the fruits of their harvests. They were in bondage. If you have debt, you are also in bondage. You are also a serf. The only difference is that you consented to become a serf. This is intentional. They are resurrecting serfdom and using debt to do it. At some point this may become involuntary, but for now it is still an opt-in process. Don’t turn on the TV and become enamored with beautiful cars. HGTV is bullshit; you don’t need granite countertops and hand-scraped wood floors. Certainly, you don’t need 5000 square feet of McMansion for a family of three. If you buy these things with debt, by assured that your descendants will till the land as slaves.
More on why you should avoid debt.

And, while I'm at it, I need to warn you - choose your friends carefully. At the end of the movie Sneakers, the antagonist says to Redford's character, "I cannot kill my friend."

Redford's team is relieved.

Then the villain says, "Kill my friend."

Make, and keep, ONLY those friends who are stand-up. A lukewarm 'friend' is not only worthless, but actually dangerous.

Those who support - or, at least, allow - the social media sites to censor right-of-center opinion, deserve the narrow world they are making.

So, how should Conservatives and other Outlaws battle the SJWs?

Think like a pirate - swoop in, hack away, take away the prize, and leave quickly.

When you see something that needs to be commented on, spread the word (you can comment on a popular blog, and ask for re-Tweets and Likes). Make your pithy point. Jab away the trolls - take screen shots for future attacks. Nothing embarrasses them more than having their own stupid words given wide publicity.

Then, leave quickly. Each time, have a different Pirate lead the way, followed by the rest of the scurvy crew.

Arr-arr!

Another part of this plan would be to use the Dark Web - set up our Outlaw organization on that, and dart from the Shadows for these strategic forays.

LATE UPDATE: Wired seems to see this situation as a bad thing. I see it as a positive good - a way that Americans can use these temp jobs as a way to re-start their lives.

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Monday, September 25, 2017

Inconvenient Principles

I'm fine with people who hold an opinion on principle. One example is those who believe that ALL businesses must serve the public, even those they disagree with. If held sincerely, they would serve, not only LGBT+, but also Christians, Muslims, Atheists, and those holding firm for Traditional Marriage.

That doesn't often happen. What does happen is that these 'principled' people will fight for the rights of those they agree with, and conveniently ignore the rights of those whose opinions they oppose.

One such person, whose rights are being trampled - with impunity - is Trey Trainor. His case is detailed here.

IF you value 1st Amendment rights, you have to champion all who seek to use them - EVEN those with whom you disagree.



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Bringing Down the Left

From the Inside.

This may not be as easy as it might seem - Leftists really ARE different from us.

So.

What CAN we do?

This - warning - NSFW. Play at your own risk.



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Saturday, September 23, 2017

Why the Polls Are Cr@p

Progressives/Leftists/Liberals have kept themselves from imploding by checking the polls and crying out:
Look, Look - NOBODY likes Trump - both Obama and HRC are more popular than he is. Just keep screaming, and, when we click our heels together, we'll be back in power.
Or, something like that. It's just about all that keeps them from OD'ing on Xanax and Chardonnay.

Didja ever wonder how those stats came about? Why they are so at variance with your personal experience?

Wonder no more.

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Friday, September 22, 2017

An Oldie, But...

... a Goodie.

(Actually not that old - from 9/12/17, but - in Internet Dating, it's a lifetime).

Also, something that has driven me nuts for years. Leftists saying/writing something outrageous, then pretending that they were just kidding when confronted with it. But, not being able to handle even slightly 'triggering' words.

Also, a new way of looking at political divisions - not as simple as it seems. Go there, the explanation is worth it.

Just one more - some good pictures/memes.

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You Never Want to Go Full ---------

I'm posting twice today - I thought about scheduling it, but decided to get this out there.

Ace of Spades is a regular stop for me, each day.

They epitomize the best of blogging. They've developed a hard-core group of commenters - some of them commenting just to be able to write FIRST. You could learn a lot from how they do it:

  • Regular posting - in their case, every day. But, that's not absolutely necessary. Just start using a schedule. 
    • If you run across an idea that can't wait, OK, ignore the schedule and post it right then.
    • Then, the next post should be back on schedule.
  • Use of guest bloggers. If someone is permitted to post on your blog, they will likely visit it, even when they don't have a post - it's human nature.
  • Themes for the day/week.
    • Pet thread - with pictures.
    • Chess day.
    • ONT - the Overnight Thread. Basically, Ace throws it open to all comers, and the commenters run it.
    • Gardening.
    • Painting.
    • Food.
    • Anniversaries - 9/11, but also military or historical.
  • A free-wheeling atmosphere. No Triggly-Puffs shutting down comments through outrage.
  • Little, if any, censorship of ideas/language shows. There may be some behind the scenes, but it isn't obvious.
  • Trolls are made fun of, then - if continuing, banned.
  • Copious use of links. AoS doesn't try to provide all the writing, but points to where you'll find it. 

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Wednesday, September 20, 2017

Draining the Swamp, Part II

An essential part of getting rid of corruption, influence-peddling, and bureaucratic over-regulation lies in reducing the size of government.

For some background information on HOW the federal government grabbed all of that power, see the link here.

The real questions are:
  • What should we do? and
  • How should we do it
The first question can be answered simply - 10% less.

Cut department budgets by 10%. Challenge every Secretary to examine budgets for the last 5-10 years, and eliminate any program, grant, or increase since that time. Give incentives to people who identify places to cut in their departments - perhaps a substantial bonus, or paid vacation time, or a bump to their retirement savings?

What? Employees don't have retirement savings? They depend completely on government pensions?

Offer a match for any employee setting up an account - for every dollar you save, we'll add $1 the first year (or two). Get them to set up regular payments through payroll deduction. Use the idea of Nudge, which says that people are lazy (well, many are), and will likely keep the deduction going even after you stop the matching.

We need to gradually move government employees from dependency on pensions, to taking control of their own future.

Back to cuts - if the management DOESN'T successfully hit the target, their own pay gets cut, by the same percentage.

Eliminate 'bumps' to retirement payouts. If an employee is fired for not doing their job (are you listening, Lois Lerner and others?), the ONLY way to reduce jail time would be to give up their pension rights. They can have back any money that they personally contributed, but have to walk away from the rest.

Privatize anything that can be. Eliminate whole departments:
  • Energy
  • Education
  • EPA
  • Labor
  • ATF
  • Consumer Agency
  • Farm/Agriculture
There should be a wholesale removal of any vestige of the above. If you get rid of it completely, they can't just come back later and re-build.

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Monday, September 18, 2017

Beyond Theory - Practical Applications

The Right has a lot of people making cogent, thoughtful, well-researched analyses of the theory of political action.

They do a piss-poor job of actual putting that theory into action. You really need to read the article at the previous link - it will give you a lot to think about.

One thing that will help is to read more on the Left's many political analysts' writings. One such is:


How can you find out more about how the Left thinks without sending some money their way (by buying books)?

  1. Borrow from libraries
  2. Buy ONE copy (preferably at a discount), and share among members of your group
  3. Use Kindle Unlimited for these purchases
Now, that doesn't completely eliminate the profit to the (spit!) Leftist, but it does reduce it - a lot.

But, for serious thinkers, there is little substitute for getting into the actual writings of people, in order to learn from their tactics and strategies, and come up with effective ways to counter them.

Knowledge is Power.


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Sunday, September 17, 2017

Pushing Back Against the Culture

I've been reading Jacobite - an online magazine dedicated to: philosophy, cultural analysis, exit, and post-politics. It has interesting content, and is worth looking at.

One article that caught my eye - it has to do with the idea that the Right can't merely be non-Left. They have to embody a way of living that is more than just an angry anti-whatever. Felix Miller, the author, also pushes against the idea of The Red Pill Moment - that conversion to Right Thinking comes as a bolt of enlightenment. 



Instead, he argues, living the Right Life is a process, rooted in a way of living that cherishes, and takes delight in, the underlying cultural foundations.

Another article explains a phenomenon I've long wondered about - why on Earth would someone engage in actions that have a low likelihood of success, and a high likelihood of jail time?

Wonder no more. And, there are some practical suggestions for activities for Would-Be Hardcore.

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Ikea Humans - Are YOU One of Them?

I have to admit, some of this piece hit a little too close to home. I recognized the extent to which I have become 'commoditized' - stripped from my roots, and willing/able to fit in anywhere, without regard to culture.

And, yet, compared to my kids, and grandkids, I have connections to my older, cultural heritage. I actually remember those relatives that were born in the 19th century, listened to their stories, and picked up the flavor of their lives.

And, yet, thanks to a father who left WV at a young age, and re-located in Cleveland, OH, I retain only a tenuous connection to that part of my family. My mother's parents moved to FL when I was about 10, for good, and only returned for occasional visits. My memories of them are still strong and vivid, unlike my younger brothers and sisters, who knew them primarily through photos.

America has always had its share of people with wanderlust - the unrooted folks, who pushed across the country, restlessly moving into new environments, only to leave again once the place acquired permanence.

Some of them were escaping legal or other accountability, disinclined to follow social restrictions on behavior, men with PTSD after wars or other calamities, or those used to hustling the unsuspecting for a quick buck - then scooting out of reach before being caught.

Others tried a move west, hoping for opportunity. Some succeeded, making good in their fresh start. Others, bringing with them the factors that were responsible for their earlier lack of success, failed once again.

Once in that new location, these Western settlers were able to jettison many of the traditional restraints on social behaviors. They mingled freely with the new neighbors - mixing cultures, social classes, and religious traditions. Eventually, that new culture developed around their new combined heritage.

Other settlers, those that landed in less accessible terrain (such as the Appalachians), didn't experience that cultural mix. They retained a deep connection to their family/kin heritage, and resisted influences that weakened those ties. In those cultures, the cosmopolitan influences failed to permeate until the spread of television, and the bland media culture crept in. It may not be a coincidence that the so-called hillbilly community began to disintegrate rapidly as the mass media drove a wedge between the generations. Current generations are more influenced by Duck Dynasty and other shows than Granny and Paw-Paw.

Conversely, although the new media, and the internet, COULD allow people to connect across cultures, perhaps surprisingly - they largely DON'T. Instead, the majority of connections are:

  • To the distant past - Ancestry.com (one of the fastest growing trends is use of DNA relation matches to re-connect with long-lost branches of the family tree)
  • To the recent past - friends from childhood, school, old sweethearts
  • FaceTime and other live-video media - to those separated from home/family/friends - an opportunity to re-fresh that connection, despite distance
  • Instagram, SnapChat - using pictures to retain that connection, even when in other company
  • LinkedIn - business connections with those known in the past
  • Matchmaking sites - for those from cultures that arrange marriages, these provide the ability to widen the pool of choices, yet satisfy the desire to guide the young into appropriate cultural connections
  • Classmates.com - whether far from home, or just want to re-visit the past, this is your site
I don't really know what all this means for America's future. I do know that the hunger for connection, and a dogged willingness to spend large amounts of time finding and retaining those connections, is a major driving force for people of all ages.


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Friday, September 15, 2017

We Need to Reform Flood and Hurricane Insurance

We don't currently charge those in flood/hurricane-prone locations sufficiently. And, that makes the rest of the USA pay for cheaper housing in those areas.

 The National Flood Program is in the hole, financially. This has to stop. A really bad season can wipe out disaster relief for years to come.

Let's start phasing in the changes - at the end of the next 10 years, ALL locations in the USA must have their residents charged according to what their actual risks are. What will that likely mean?

  • In some locations, housing will become absolutely unaffordable. Housing, for all but the very rich, will be higher than can be paid for.
  • Some weather-disaster-prone locations will experience less growth, even shrinkage.
  • Other areas will find that they are advantaged, as they seldom have catastrophic events happen.
  • Individuals will try to go without insurance. Some will be wiped out.
  • Bankers, on the hook for much of the money, will refuse loans for those not having high enough levels of insurance.
  • NGO's will start screaming 'RACISM' - cuz' that's what they do.
The approach mentioned here, is wrong-headed. I'm in favor of Tough Love - for the next 5 years, those wiped out by flood damage can EITHER:
  • Get a check, OR
  • Rebuild in the same place
It's a relatively gentle boot in the butt to locate in a NON-flood-prone area. It's a ONE-TIME payout, for the lowest-cost housing ONLY. Those with homes above some set amount will receive NOTHING. If you can afford a pricey home, you can afford to insure it properly.

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Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Managing Harvey

Some ideas for managing the mess of recovery - I'm thinking Triage, which uses the following categories:
First responders using START evaluate victims and assign them to one of the following four categories:
    1. Immediate (red)
    2. Delayed (yellow)
    3. Walking wounded/minor (green)
    4. Deceased/expectant (black)
    Immediate 

    This category is the one that gets immediate attention. In medical patients, it's the person who, without immediate assistance, would die.

    For disaster victims, this would be business/hospitals/gas stations/restaurants/insurance agencies, etc., that provide vital resources, and whose facilities can be cleared out relatively quickly. Get those businesses back on their feet, and, they will not only provide services, relieving the rescue groups, but also provide employment and cash flow.

    Local businesses should get the most help; the nationally-affiliated companies should get involved with their local businesses in need.

    Delayed

    Here I would group the bars/clothing stores/office supply stores, etc. - they are important, but the economy could survive without their quick resuscitation.

    Walking Wounded

    They are in need of help, but can provide most of it themselves. They can clean out their own business, contact the insurance companies, provide for their own equipment needs, security, etc. They might occasionally need a question answered, but can mostly function on their own.

    Deceased/Expectant

    Not gonna come back - pull the plug. They will need to work with their insurance company for a payout, but they are not going to re-build.

    If any business is under-insured, that's their problem. Direct them to a lending source, and leave them alone.

    That's the business side of things. But, individuals follow the same pattern.

    Immediate

    Here, the issue is focused on getting those individuals who have lost everything out of your hair.

    You are NOT going to solve all their problems. You cannot restore them to where they were, without massive infusions of cash. For this group, they will continue to call upon your resources for years to come, if you let them.

    Who are they?
    1. The long-term unemployed. I'm going to separate those that are not disabled from the rest. If that person did not have a job before Harvey, but is not disabled, they should be offered a job in a clean-up crew for their keep in a shelter. No work, no shelter - and, I'm talking 8-12 hour days. Pay them for their work, but let them know - this is TEMPORARY work. It will pay for the shelter costs, and a little bit more, which they can save to get back on their feet. NOT a 'Living Wage" - it should make them uncomfortable enough to find other means to support themselves.
    2. Women with kids - bring in child care workers, but get those women working. Other than those with under 6 month-old kids, EVERYBODY works (at least 1 adult per household - so, the more traditional families can have the father/husband be the worker). If they are not working at something else, they do child care, cleaning, cooking, etc. - 8 - 10 hours a day, just like the workers.
    3. Give a one-time bonus payment, IF they get the hell out. Move to another city - locate in some other place where they can get back on their feet. No more than $5000. NOT to be repeated. NOT to be combined with other aid. Don't come back and don't let the door hit you.
    4. It should not need to be stated, but NO money for illegal aliens. If the adults in the family are not legal, they need to go. If they have American citizens as their children, they may take them with them, and - as an incentive to go away - each American-born kid gets them $2000 cash. Just don't come back. Take their fingerprints, eyeprints, blood for DNA testing - if they are caught again, jail time. They will NOT be eligible for immigration later, even as the parent of an American citizen.
    Once those people are gone, the problems are reduced. You can deal with those who have roots in the city, and have reasonable expectations of getting back on their feet, with a little help.



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    Tuesday, September 12, 2017

    Big Mistake! HUGE!

    My university, Cleveland State, made a boneheaded, and over-reaching move this weekend.
    Tiffany Roberts, chapter president of CSU’s Turning Point USA club, told The College Fix that members of the chapter gathered around 6 p.m. Sunday evening to chalk a 9/11 tribute onto the sidewalks of the public university to honor those killed in the terrorist attacks. Roberts said that around 7:45 a.m. Monday morning, a university employee arrived at the memorial with a power washer and removed the memorial.
    Like many, Cleveland State University’s Turning Point USA chapter wanted to recognize the 16th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. So members of the pro-capitalist student group gathered Sunday evening to chalk a memorial onto the sidewalks of the public university’s campus, an exhibit that included an American flag with the words “No day shall erase you from the memory of time” under it.
    However, the artistic memorial didn’t last long. Hours after it was created, the university removed it. An image tweeted by Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, shows a maintenance employee washing away the memorial with a power washer this morning.
    That employee had been directed by his boss, the university’s Director of Facilities Maintenance, Shehadeh Abdelkarim. Make of that what you will.

    This is likely to bite CSU in the butt.

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    Monday, September 11, 2017

    This is the Quietest Day for Me

    It was the defining moment of my adult life. It was a sharp break between The Way I Thought It Was, and The Actual Reality.

    Up to that point, I'd always been a Liberal, Democrat-Voting, Accept that the Left is ON THE "RIGHT" SIDE OF HISTORY kind of girl.

    It really was a beautiful morning. I was quietly working in my classroom when my husband came in, tears in his eyes.

    Then, he told me what had happened.

    This blogger gets it - and expresses it so much better than I.

    Check out the difference between the Google.com page, and Bing.com - Google has NONE of the doodles it uses for less important days. Bing's page is low-key, and lovely.

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    Tats, Again

    I've made no secret about my general dislike of tats. They're expensive (which is a concern mostly because most of the people getting them are not over-flush with cash), potentially health-threatening, and, to many other than the possessor - ugly.

     


    They may not be compatible with many jobs, even today, when so many people visibly have them.
    In a recent study in which participants were asked to rate the employment suitability of people with and without tattoos based on photographs, the findings revealed that there is “still bias toward tattoos in the workplace,” says Michael J. Tews, an associate professor in the School of Hospitality Management at Penn State University, who conducted the research.
    Tews also found a correlation between those with a higher number of tattoos and counterproductive behavior at work, such as tardiness, being argumentative and theft, so “there may be a grain of truth to the deviant stereotype,” says Tews.
    Imagine that! A stereotype might be based, in part, on experiences with those possessing that trait.

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    Friday, September 08, 2017

    Love & Marriage

    Sex and marriage are - shall we say - intimately entwined.


    The share of Americans ages 25-34 who are married dropped 13 percentage points from 2000 to 2014. A new book by sociologist Mark Regnerus blames this declining rate on how easy it is for men to get off.

    Today's American norms show that very few people need to marry to achieve their goal of having as much sex as they want.
    Self-love for men and women is at an all-time high. A 1992 study found that 29 percent of men (and 9 percent of women) masturbated at least once a week. In 2014, 49 percent of men (and 32 percent of women) confessed to doing it at least once in the previous six days. Unsurprisingly, “as frequency of [watching] porn increased, so did masturbation.”
    That's sex. Not love.

    Love remains elusive for many, if not most, of the American population.

    Ironically, the things that drive men to marry aren't what you'd think - the Top 4, according to Match.com:
    1. Someone who treats them with respect
    2. Someone who they can trust and confide in
    3. Someone comfortable with communicating their wants and needs
    4. Someone with a sense of humor who can make them laugh
    So, since scarcity of sex is not what drives marriage, perhaps we can work on teaching our young women the Art of Being a Wife:

    • Being agreeable - disagreeing without needing to tear your mate down
    • NOT complaining about him to family, girlfriends, or on FB to a few thousand (or more) people
    • Listening to their needs
    • Finding the funny in everyday life - not shutting down their attempts to get you out of a bad mood - even if (as is probable) that remark is not that funny
    • Focusing on the good that they do - once, early in their marriage, my mother decided to file for divorce. The attorney knew her family well, and said:
      • You're entitle to X amount
      • Let's take all that we can get
      • Let's make him suffer
    • After she heard that, she was on the fence (his intention) - she didn't think he was that bad. The attorney told her to go home, and - for one month - think ONLY of his good points. If she still wanted a divorce, he would file.
    • Of course, after a month of changing her focus, my mother realized that she needed to make some changes herself. Most attorneys today wouldn't have the perception to realize that this was a temporary feeling, not a complete collapse of the union.
    My own husband refers to me as his Partner. We are a team, dedicated to what is good for both of us. Sometimes, the scales lean one way, sometimes, the other. But, the good of the TEAM is the focus.


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    Wednesday, September 06, 2017

    Big Brother is HERE!

    Talking Points Memo has a long, but very comprehensive post about the dangers of monopolies like Google.

    Other Things of Interest:

    Hamilton was NOT a fan of unrestricted immigration. Oh, NO! Will the musical be boycotted, due to unacceptable veneration of a HATER?




    Hamilton - The Musical.

    ALL attempts at biography get some things wrong. In part, this can be influenced by biases of the writer.

    However, a more dominant impact is wielded by the fashionable cultural/social/political trends at the time. Biographies during the 50s tended to view subjects through an American lens - hence, Winston Churchill was analyzed via his connections to America - FDR, Jennie Churchill (his mother, an American), and other people in his life that might have influenced his life.

    In the 60s, opposition to 'the Establishment' was the theme of several biographies, which played up those aspects of Jefferson's term that opposed a prior president's actions - The Alien Act, The Sedition Act - and downplayed those parts of his life that marked him as an Elitist, a slaveowner, and a traditionalist.

    So, too, are the attempts to shoehorn Hamilton (an absolutely fascinating figure, literally a self-made man who came out of nowhere by sheer force of personality and intellect) into the current idea of a 'good person'.

    People are more complex than that. Their motivations, beliefs, and actions may be, in part, explained by their heritage/ethnicity/culture.

    But, not all. We are all capable of acting in unexpected ways, counter to what might be perceived to be our personal interests.

    Speaking of Personal Interests, here is the Social Media for Those Unfortunate Few Who Can't Face Reality.



    Just for fun, I went to Verrit, found a post related to Protecting Our Children (did you know it's one of their Core Values - unlike those EVIL Deplorables, who eat children whole). I posted this:

    Let's see if it manages to survive moderation. BTW, Verrit has a process before you can enter, allegedly meant to protect against DDOS attacks. Let's test it out for a few weeks, and see if it starts keeping us Deplorables out.

    Views of the Proletariat




    Hurricane Irma - barring a miracle, this will affect us in several possible ways. I would prefer these solutions:

    • Puerto Rico, the Florida Keys, the Gulf, or the Carolinas get hit - this would require direct action by FEMA. Those places are our responsibility. Coming on top of Harvey, this will stress the emergency response systems.
    • Other Caribbean islands - let the big disaster organizations assist with this. IF the CDC is not too busy, cut loose some of the staff to work with the local response forces. Otherwise, no action.
    • Cuba - other than praying for the dictators and their helpers to die, do nothing. Do not accept escapees or refugees under any circumstances (other than enemies of that state).
    IF we have ships in the area, they MIGHT provide some medical/logistical help, if they are near and able.

    In the event of landfall in the Carolinas, I'm likely to be VERY wet for a few days. I've experienced hurricanes hitting areas nearby, and I've learned that the water continues dumping along the path even after it loses hurricane velocity. My first year in SC was 2005 (you remember that year, don't you?), and my whole yard looked like a swamp for ages.

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    Monday, September 04, 2017

    Springtime for ------

    This is the proper response to people parading around with Nazi symbols. Not screaming. Not violence.

    Laughter.

    (It's VERY hard to find a clip of the part where the silly Hitler is shown. Springtime for Hitler, easy. The clip where the audience finds the Hitler character funny - not).

    The over-the-top, hysterical response to a handful of pseudo-Nazis (in the link, they are referred to - I think fairly - as Nazi LARPers - Live Action Role Players) is ridiculous.

    Yes, I said Ridiculous. The Nazi Party, and their leader, have been so demonized that they cannot, will not, gain a foothold in our lifetime. Just about every civilized person in the Western World recoils in disgust at the thought of encountering one (well, except for most of the Middle East - the Arab World - who both supported Hitler and also sell the most copies of Mein Kamp every day). So, to sob hysterically at the THOUGHT of them is - Ridiculous.

    Worthy of Ridicule.

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    Zuckerberg for President?!

    This is wrong, in so many ways, that I can only BEGIN to list them (Boldface are direct quotes from the article):

    1. He’ll be able to play the political outsider card harder and heavier than Trump.
      1. Are you Freaking Kidding Me?
      2. A political outsider, by definition, is one whose only connection with politicians is to lobby to make his job easier. Or, vote.
        1. Zuckerberg is a HEAVY contributor PACs affiliated with Democrats.
        2. He is pretty even-handed in contributing to politicians, but he has vocally endorsed mostly Democrats.
      3. His main business, Facebook, has been manipulated by Leftists to skew the socialization to the Left.
    2. Zuckerberg doesn’t need a dime of anyone else’s money.
      1. According to the author, he can ignore the donor class. From what I've seen of rich guys running for President, they NEVER use their own money when other people can be tapped for cash.
      2. Whether or not he hustles the big-money donors doesn't matter - his interests are identical to theirs.
    3. Zuckerberg is the most effective tech CEO in America.
      1. I'm not so sure. He spent a LOT of OPM (Other People's Money), and only in the last few years has the COMPANY been all that profitable.
      2. He has benefited from the willingness of people and other companies to work with him. Long-term, that will only work if THEY get more out of the relationship.
      3. What makes him most effective is what I think will concern the voters - he has intrusive data on a sizable portion of the American public. I think the privacy concerns will make this into a major issue.
    4. He understands the media ecosystem. Hell, at this point, he basically owns the media ecosystem.
      1. To OWN a dying ecosystem is not that terrific an accomplishment. Hollywood just had its worst summer box office in years. Broadcast TV is losing out to food shows, guys in trucks in wilderness areas, and other media. The newspapers and magazines are DEAD already - NYT, Newsweek, Time - ALL are zombies. If it weren't for school subscriptions, they would have already turned their toes up.
      2. I'm not so sure that he understands the disruptive effects of independent media producers. I don't think that the scope of the independent media has been tapped, even at the most basic level. For Zuckerberg, the arrogance of his attempt to steamroller independence and monopolize the media market lead me to say - "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve." Be afraid, Mark - be VERY afraid.
    5.  Zuckerberg’s a family man—with a family that is the Modern Family to his opponent’s Real Housewives.
      1. Is this writer clueless, or what?
      2. I certainly didn't vote for Trump because he embodied all of my social values. Most of his outrageous behavior, however, came during that period when he was having a midlife crisis, in full view of a very gossipy public. He's tamed down to his normal behavior - still occasionally over-the-top, but not more than most of us have seen in other celebrities.
    6. He will reject all the tropes, traps, and talking points that have led Democrats into trouble. (In other words, adios Nancy Pelosi!)
      1. Oh, Honey! I think you overestimate the smarts of a 1st-time Presidential candidate, fresh from successes in other fields. He's gonna overrule his advisors, let his inner thoughts out, and respond to press (not always friendly and inclined to overlook gauchery) as though they were employees.
      2. He's already on board with SSM (Same-Sex Marriage), Transphilia, and censorship. He is directly opposed to a sizable percentage of the voting public, and they will NOT believe him if he tries to soft-pedal his opinions.
    7. Kamala who?
      1. Never underestimate the ferocity of feminist women who sense another opportunity slipping out of their hands - they will go into the KILL mode if another White Male is nominated.
      2. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Joe Biden - The Bernie Bros will NOT abandon their guy, unless he is convicted (and maybe not even then). Liz is a joke, but one that is bland and appealing to the 'We Wanted Hill" crowd. Joe - I'm not willing to bet against another White Male Democrat with a - HANDS-ON approach to the voters, lots of baggage, and a snide viciousness when challenged.
      3. Cory Booker - another Black guy about whom too little is known, whose politics are burnished with "Amaze-Glow!" - that product that allows Democrats to be dumbfounded by the reality of a Black Guy who is - what was that phrase? - "sort of mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a story-book, man"
      4. Also-Rans - Deval Patrick, Martin O'Malley - come on, they are SO last-campaign!
    Lots more blah-blah bull$hit back at the link. That person HAD to have been paid by the Pre-Campaign Campaign organization.

    Sunday, September 03, 2017

    The Quality of Mercy

    I'm working to make Sundays the day I DON'T comment on politics, but rather use as an opportunity to reflect on the place of my faith in my life. To that end, I'm starting with

    A Reflection on Mercy

    2447. "The works of mercy are charitable actions by which we come to the aid of our neighbor in his spiritual and bodily necessities. Instructing, advising, consoling, comforting are spiritual works of mercy, as are forgiving and bearing wrongs patiently. The corporal works of mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead. Among all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to God.
    2448. "In its various forms—material deprivation, unjust oppression, physical and psychological illness and death—human misery is the obvious sign of the inherited condition of frailty and need for salvation in which man finds himself as a consequence of original sin. This misery elicited the compassion of Christ the Savior, who willingly took it upon himself and identified himself with the least of his brethren. Hence, those who are oppressed by poverty are the object of a preferential love on the part of the Church which, since her origin and in spite of the failings of many of her members, has not ceased to work for their relief, defense, and liberation through numerous works of charity which remain indispensable always and everywhere." 
    The Catholic Church differentiates between Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy.

    Corporal Works of Mercy


    1. To feed the hungry
    2. To give drink to the thirsty
    3. To clothe the naked
    4. To shelter the homeless
    5. To care for the sick
    6. To visit the imprisoned
    7. To bury the dead  

    1. Various hunger groups - Meals on Wheels, Food Banks, Free Lunch programs (schools, churches).
    2. In the case of Hurricane Harvey, Anheiser-Busch stopped producing beer, and switched to canned water. Relief organizations put a priority on getting clean water to the affected people.
    3. Clothing Drives, Coats for Kids, Buy 1, Donate 1 (Tom's).
    4. Joel Osteen took a lot of grief for his church not opening its doors to the flood-affected. Whether or not he had good reasons for his decision, its interested that even those who decry public shaming of people's moral choices had NO hesitation about slamming him, publicly. In general, most of the businesses/churches/public facilities have been generous in taking in anyone who needed it.
    5. The very word 'hospital' comes from the term "Hostel of God" - a place where the ill would be cared for by those dedicated to God. For many years, hospitals were found in monasteries and other religious centers.
    6. If there is a place where most Christians have fallen down, it would be in spending time with prisoners. Few of us put this on our 'To-Do' list. Some who have distinguished themselves are: Chuck Colson - after his own release from prison, he founded the Prison Fellowship Ministry. There is Catholic Prison Ministry, Dismas Ministry, providing services to inmates, and a few others, such as Sr. Helen Prejean, who has dedicated her life to eliminating capital punishment.
    7. Burial is one of the many works that have been largely taken over by professionals. If you are one in this industry, your life can be dedicated to God through your work.

    Almost all of the above are addressed by the various Relief Organizations - Red Cross, Catholic Charities, etc. Many of those Corporal Works have been institutionalized:


    Spiritual
    These are harder to manage, if you are a Catholic layman. For many of us, these works have been voluntarily relinquished to the religious workers.


    1. To counsel the doubtful
    2. To instruct the ignorant
    3. To admonish the sinner
    4. To comfort the sorrowful
    5. To forgive all injuries
    6. To bear wrongs patiently
    7. To pray for the living and the dead 

    1. Counseling the doubtful and instructing the ignorant can be thought of as two parts of a single function. This can be prepared for by spending time in learning about Church doctrine, dogma, and how it applies in modern life.
    2. So, to both ends, adults in the church need to manage to enrich their spiritual understanding. This can be accomplished through online education, formal coursework through a college, or cathechism classes (either as a participant in adult groups, or as a catechism leader - nothing teaches you more about a subject as having to teach it).
    3. The 3rd work always seems to bring up the image of a scold - shaking a finger at those not living up to her standards. Would it help to think of them as someone who asks questions, for the purpose of helping themselves - and others - to examine their actions and thinking about sin? Maybe we could use one of the many memes on social media, not to brag like a Pharisee, but to humbly mention our own failing in that regard, and gently prod others to also examine their own behavior?
    4. Comforting the sorrowful is tough. At funerals, we are often awkward in expressing our sympathy, and negligent in the months after. One thing I have done is to write to those left behind, AFTER the immediate 'grief period', when life has largely returned to normal, to bring up memories of that person.
    5. Boy, this is tough! We want to hold onto our sense of injustice. We want to distance ourselves from those who have wronged us. Keep in mind, forgiveness does NOT mean that the person who caused you pain should "skate". They can be prosecuted. They can be avoided. They can suffer, due to public condemnation. But, in your heart, forgive them. Holding onto your anger is bad for you - it can literally shorten your life.
    6. Life, as my mom used to say, isn't fair. Sometimes, you get hit with major injustices. At other times, it's the little things that so annoy you. In either case, you often don't 'deserve' the bad things that have hit you. Sometimes, you will get justice - it may be years later. Sometimes, the person who wronged you doesn't seem to suffer. Patience. In God's time, you will be rewarded for your willingness to suffer, in this life or the next. Sometimes, that suffering can be used to develop spiritually. Other times, you can 'offer it up'.
    7. Most of us pray, formally or informally. A great deal of my prayer amounts to an internal conversation with God. Don't knock the spoken prayer - it can be powerful. Also, the group prayer can bind together the group, and focus their purpose. If you have not developed the habit of prayer, try one of the many resources:
      1. The Jesuit 3 Minute Retreat
      2. Daily Meditations from the Vatican
      3. Our Catholic Prayers - a nice site with some ideas, reasons why prayer is important, and other things
      4. If you want to try a traditional Catholic prayer, here is a site for Rosaries. Some very nice and not expensive ones.
      5. Online Rosary - requires Flash.
      6. The Rosary Army (Not military, more like the Salvation Army for rosaries) - offers free rosaries. Every Catholic should really have at least one.
      7. Remember candles in churches? Light a Virtual Candle for a specific intention.
      8. Some free resources to help you in your prayer life.
      9. The Daily Prayer - some nice resources.
      10. And, last, a worldwide, virtual rosary.




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    Friday, September 01, 2017

    Missed a Day - Sorry

    I've been trying to hold to a schedule with this blog - every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, there would be a new post. If a topic is especially timely, I might add to that schedule, but, even so, I've been working for almost 3 months to keep on track.

    Last Wednesday, I blew it. I have been organizing and cleaning my house, and just plain forgot. Rather than try to write a make-up post, I'm just going to get back to the schedule with this Friday post.

    I've been looking for some blogs that are fresher - a lot of the bloggers I follow are being harassed, threatened, overwhelmed with life/family/work issues, and - just plain tired. So, below are some new blogs that I've been looking at:
    • Another blogger gets dumped by her hosting service - for no reason that she can determine, but the ever-popular excuse TOS - violation of the Terms of Service. She managed, with the help of friends, to get the site back up at another host, but, she makes a good case for using an off-shore entity that cannot be bullied by SJWs. 
      • For those that care about these things, Ann is a Catholic.
    • Adrienne (another Catholic!) does a very thorough take-down on the woman who shamed Melania for her shoes. Please, DO go all the way down on this - there are pictures you will NOT believe!
    • Some terrific cartoons here.



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    Lies of the Left

    This COULD be a lengthy post. But, I'll try to winnow it down to a reasonable length. The CA Parent Bribery 'Scandal' - the 1...