Hello...
If you are one of the few readers of this blog, I have bad news.
I am relocating it to a new site. My own site.
www.samuraimarineblog.com is now up and running, and this will be my last post to the Blogger site. They have been great, but I wanted more customization...
Please join me in the new location.
Monday, September 10, 2007
Sunday, September 02, 2007
Stupid Questions
I was watching one of those "Global Disaster" shows on Discovery tonight, and how the east coast of the United States may be wiped out by the collapse of part of the La Palma island in the Canary's.
Anyway... Listening to the show, more than actually watching it, I was reminded of a person I went to school with. For the sake of his privacy, I will give him the name Dick... which is oddly what he is, and another version of his name.
This person was the odd member of the group I hung out with. We all belonged to cliques when we were in school... Nowadays they are considered more like gangs, and some schools try to prevent people from gathering too much.
We were a group of nerds... Pretty much all of us, except Dick, were pretty good at what we did. Most of our time that was not spent in class, was spent in the computer room working on programs... except Dick... who spent most of his time, looking back in retrospect, playing games and bothering us.
He used to have these ideas he would pursue us about, and ask us for our input on... and these had to be, quite possibly, the stupidest or most irrelevant ideas that one could possibly think of.
One that stands out to me the most was this work of cerebral artwork:
"Hey... if you looked up and saw a nuclear missile coming right at you, what would you do?"
OK... Let us look at the deep and troubling philosophical nature of this question... Alright, Bullshit, there it is. Lets look at the reality of the question in the hopes that Dick ever wanders into this site.
1. Even if you were lucky enough to happen to glance up and see the device approaching, then you would only have seconds to really think about anything before you became incinerated, or at the very least blinded... at which time the only thing you will be thinking is "Damn I wish I was dead."
2. Who Cares? You can think of what ever you wanted, but what good would it do? It reminds me of the poor whale that was created, along with the bowl of petunias, as a result of the Infinite Improbability drive over the planet Magrathea in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. You can think anything you want, and come up with what ever opinions you want, but but after a few moments, you will meet the same fate as the Whale and the petunias.
3. And finally... it's just the dumbest question you can ask and does not deserve an answer. If you could look up a Thesaurus listing for dumb questions like this, you might find the following:
a. What would you do if you saw the sun go Nova?
b. Where would you go if you had nowhere to go fast?
c. What happens to all the missing socks that disappear in the dryer?
In closing, I need to add the following.
Dick was, at one time, a good friend... but as times changed and the rest of the group grew up and moved on in our lives, he stayed in his world... not moving and not growing up or taking the responsibilities that life and age cast upon him. Because of this, and only because of his own short sightedness, did he lose those who were his friends.
Anyway... Listening to the show, more than actually watching it, I was reminded of a person I went to school with. For the sake of his privacy, I will give him the name Dick... which is oddly what he is, and another version of his name.
This person was the odd member of the group I hung out with. We all belonged to cliques when we were in school... Nowadays they are considered more like gangs, and some schools try to prevent people from gathering too much.
We were a group of nerds... Pretty much all of us, except Dick, were pretty good at what we did. Most of our time that was not spent in class, was spent in the computer room working on programs... except Dick... who spent most of his time, looking back in retrospect, playing games and bothering us.
He used to have these ideas he would pursue us about, and ask us for our input on... and these had to be, quite possibly, the stupidest or most irrelevant ideas that one could possibly think of.
One that stands out to me the most was this work of cerebral artwork:
"Hey... if you looked up and saw a nuclear missile coming right at you, what would you do?"
OK... Let us look at the deep and troubling philosophical nature of this question... Alright, Bullshit, there it is. Lets look at the reality of the question in the hopes that Dick ever wanders into this site.
1. Even if you were lucky enough to happen to glance up and see the device approaching, then you would only have seconds to really think about anything before you became incinerated, or at the very least blinded... at which time the only thing you will be thinking is "Damn I wish I was dead."
2. Who Cares? You can think of what ever you wanted, but what good would it do? It reminds me of the poor whale that was created, along with the bowl of petunias, as a result of the Infinite Improbability drive over the planet Magrathea in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. You can think anything you want, and come up with what ever opinions you want, but but after a few moments, you will meet the same fate as the Whale and the petunias.
3. And finally... it's just the dumbest question you can ask and does not deserve an answer. If you could look up a Thesaurus listing for dumb questions like this, you might find the following:
a. What would you do if you saw the sun go Nova?
b. Where would you go if you had nowhere to go fast?
c. What happens to all the missing socks that disappear in the dryer?
In closing, I need to add the following.
Dick was, at one time, a good friend... but as times changed and the rest of the group grew up and moved on in our lives, he stayed in his world... not moving and not growing up or taking the responsibilities that life and age cast upon him. Because of this, and only because of his own short sightedness, did he lose those who were his friends.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Charity
Let's face it... We have all given to a charity. It gives us that "warm fuzzy" that lets us feel like we have done our part for (insert global/geopolitical/cultural/religious need here.)
The problem with these charities is that we are not always sure what the money will actually do for the people that it is going to. We give... and yes, we all know that a certain percentage does not get to the needy, but what does the money actually do?
Personally, I am very hesitant to give money to any group or organization for the simple fact that charity, in most cases, breeds further need. It solves nothing if not done right. Why would anyone want to give money to a group that feeds children in a foreign country, only to watch them grow and have more children that need to be fed? I see this as nothing more than watering the "need tree" and sowing the seeds for the next generation of people with extended hands.
Have we not learned that simply feeding a person accomplishes nothing, and in reality, without education, creates a growing needy base?
If we are to be truely charitable, then more of the groups that we give money to would dedicate themselves to educating the needy instead of just feeding them, giving them medicine and sending them on their way. This is not to say that there are not groups that do educate... there are. But there needs to be more.
These groups should band together and move into these communities and countries and educate the people, or build schools for the people that live in that area. The creates another form of propagation that spreads knowledge to help the next generation, and so on.
The purpose of Charitable groups SHOULD be to work themselves out of a job by making people more self-supportive... but see... there is the problem. Many of these groups realize that. Why would a person want to work at a job that they know when it was done, they would be out of work? Likewise why would you work at a job that the primary sign of your success was that you needed less and less money in the form of government hand outs or donations?
While many will not admit it, especially the Charitable groups that are out there, they do not want to see that money dry up, so they really do not WANT to see an end to poverty, famine, or need. Because the money you and I donate does not just go to the people that need it... it also goes to the employees that work in the offices, do the marketing, create the advertisements, and the actors that go out and walk among the kids to create the sharp contrast between them in their clean clothes and nice shoes, and the kids who are usually very dirty and living in filth.
If I seem like I have a problem with Charity... No... I do not. I have a problem with its abuse. By both the people that use it and those that offer it. I do have some clue what it is like, because when my mother and I first moved to Bakersfield, we lived on Welfare for some time, until my mother could get back on her feet, then we left it. We used it for what it was intended... a helping hand until she could get a job and get back on her feet.
Too often you find people that live on welfare or some other form of assistance for their entire lives, and if you approach them about it, they say stuff like "It's my right." or they point to some problem they have that they feel qualifies them for the assistance. Perhaps my favorite of the abusers are the people that have done drugs all their lives, and are now almost completely handicapped because of the affects. I have met several of these people that now live on permanent disability or welfare... and three of these people have never held much more than a burger-flipping job, and even then got fired or quit.
This moves me into my last topic before closing out...
How is it that people who have never held a job for any length of time, and have a history of abusing drugs, qualify for, in some cases, better benefits than members of the Armed forces who served with honor? I am not going to point out examples, because in almost every community we have heard of some poor veteran that is having problems with their medical coverage, or how the VA is not helping this person or that one, or like the incident in my community where an official in the VA was taking money from the coffers that were meant for the Vets in my area.
It is really sad. America celebrates the welfare state... we do not do enough to penalize people that abuse it, and we really do not give people enough incentive to get off of the welfare programs and support programs that are out there. Until we do, things will just get worse. Here are some ideas that I would love to see in place:
These are just ideas... I am not a politician, nor a planner... so there may be gaps... so just bare with the results and try and understand the point I am making.
Local Groups
1. Mandatory job training and placement for people who are no more than 50% disabled and received assistance.
2. Limited coverage for people that are disabled do to drug abuse.
3. 100% Med. Coverage for Veterans of the Armed Forces that were injured in action.
4. 80% Med Coverage for all Veterans, regardless of service during a conflict.
5. Mandatory GED training and Job Skills training and job placement for Welfare Recips. who have not graduated.
6. Organizations must provide accountability reports to a non-government based, volunteer committee to demonstrate that they are making a difference.
Overseas:
1. Must not go into a country without an action plan and statement showing when they will be able to pull out after creating a self-sustaining infrastructure to let the people help themselves.
2. All donors would receive quarterly statements explaining where their money is going (no pictures of "a child you are helping.")
3. Facilities based overseas would be assigned a military or private security attache and a security force to protect it's workers and stock from attack or theft.
4. When possible, they group should make use of local citizens to be trained in areas that will support the facilities and reduce the need for foreign support.
5. As the training moves forward the charitable group will reduce the amount they will help slowly, until the majority of the work is being done by the local inhabitants, thus setting the ground work for the removal of all foreign support.
The problem with these charities is that we are not always sure what the money will actually do for the people that it is going to. We give... and yes, we all know that a certain percentage does not get to the needy, but what does the money actually do?
Personally, I am very hesitant to give money to any group or organization for the simple fact that charity, in most cases, breeds further need. It solves nothing if not done right. Why would anyone want to give money to a group that feeds children in a foreign country, only to watch them grow and have more children that need to be fed? I see this as nothing more than watering the "need tree" and sowing the seeds for the next generation of people with extended hands.
Have we not learned that simply feeding a person accomplishes nothing, and in reality, without education, creates a growing needy base?
If we are to be truely charitable, then more of the groups that we give money to would dedicate themselves to educating the needy instead of just feeding them, giving them medicine and sending them on their way. This is not to say that there are not groups that do educate... there are. But there needs to be more.
These groups should band together and move into these communities and countries and educate the people, or build schools for the people that live in that area. The creates another form of propagation that spreads knowledge to help the next generation, and so on.
The purpose of Charitable groups SHOULD be to work themselves out of a job by making people more self-supportive... but see... there is the problem. Many of these groups realize that. Why would a person want to work at a job that they know when it was done, they would be out of work? Likewise why would you work at a job that the primary sign of your success was that you needed less and less money in the form of government hand outs or donations?
While many will not admit it, especially the Charitable groups that are out there, they do not want to see that money dry up, so they really do not WANT to see an end to poverty, famine, or need. Because the money you and I donate does not just go to the people that need it... it also goes to the employees that work in the offices, do the marketing, create the advertisements, and the actors that go out and walk among the kids to create the sharp contrast between them in their clean clothes and nice shoes, and the kids who are usually very dirty and living in filth.
If I seem like I have a problem with Charity... No... I do not. I have a problem with its abuse. By both the people that use it and those that offer it. I do have some clue what it is like, because when my mother and I first moved to Bakersfield, we lived on Welfare for some time, until my mother could get back on her feet, then we left it. We used it for what it was intended... a helping hand until she could get a job and get back on her feet.
Too often you find people that live on welfare or some other form of assistance for their entire lives, and if you approach them about it, they say stuff like "It's my right." or they point to some problem they have that they feel qualifies them for the assistance. Perhaps my favorite of the abusers are the people that have done drugs all their lives, and are now almost completely handicapped because of the affects. I have met several of these people that now live on permanent disability or welfare... and three of these people have never held much more than a burger-flipping job, and even then got fired or quit.
This moves me into my last topic before closing out...
How is it that people who have never held a job for any length of time, and have a history of abusing drugs, qualify for, in some cases, better benefits than members of the Armed forces who served with honor? I am not going to point out examples, because in almost every community we have heard of some poor veteran that is having problems with their medical coverage, or how the VA is not helping this person or that one, or like the incident in my community where an official in the VA was taking money from the coffers that were meant for the Vets in my area.
It is really sad. America celebrates the welfare state... we do not do enough to penalize people that abuse it, and we really do not give people enough incentive to get off of the welfare programs and support programs that are out there. Until we do, things will just get worse. Here are some ideas that I would love to see in place:
These are just ideas... I am not a politician, nor a planner... so there may be gaps... so just bare with the results and try and understand the point I am making.
Local Groups
1. Mandatory job training and placement for people who are no more than 50% disabled and received assistance.
2. Limited coverage for people that are disabled do to drug abuse.
3. 100% Med. Coverage for Veterans of the Armed Forces that were injured in action.
4. 80% Med Coverage for all Veterans, regardless of service during a conflict.
5. Mandatory GED training and Job Skills training and job placement for Welfare Recips. who have not graduated.
6. Organizations must provide accountability reports to a non-government based, volunteer committee to demonstrate that they are making a difference.
Overseas:
1. Must not go into a country without an action plan and statement showing when they will be able to pull out after creating a self-sustaining infrastructure to let the people help themselves.
2. All donors would receive quarterly statements explaining where their money is going (no pictures of "a child you are helping.")
3. Facilities based overseas would be assigned a military or private security attache and a security force to protect it's workers and stock from attack or theft.
4. When possible, they group should make use of local citizens to be trained in areas that will support the facilities and reduce the need for foreign support.
5. As the training moves forward the charitable group will reduce the amount they will help slowly, until the majority of the work is being done by the local inhabitants, thus setting the ground work for the removal of all foreign support.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Do not waste it
Along with other things, wisdom is something that we acquire as we age. Always learning what is right and wrong, what is good and bad, etc. We add these to the other things we pick up with age. Among these are weight, hair in places that it should not be, bad knees and a plethora of other gifts that nature bestows upon us.
One thing that I have learned that is important is that we need to make sure that our relationships are in good standing. It is important that we take the extra steps to make sure that we are on good or civil terms with those that mean the most in our lives.
Recently I had a co-worker pass away. While I would not call us the best of friends, I would say we were on good terms. I worked with him on an almost daily basis, as part of my job, and I knew that he had issues in his life.
The last time I spoke with him, we had there was a little friction, and while we did not hang up angry, I knew there was tension. It was a couple months later that he passed away. I had never gotten the chance to speak to this person again.
In 1991, when my father passed away, there was much the same situation, except in this case I was encouraged not to tell my father all the demons that I had built up about his and my relationship. And when he died, there was all these things that I never had a chance to tell him.
These are things that we carry with us. The things not said, the resolutions not made, the fences not mended. You never know when it will be too late to do something that could make a difference. Maybe my father was waiting for me to open up and tell him how I felt, so that he too could have that final bit of closure. Maybe my coworker would have been a little bit happier if I was able to tell him that what I said was nothing personal, and to take it with a grain of salt.
The problem is that now we will never know.
We need to make sure that we part our friends and acquaintances on good or civil terms. Never walk away angry or mad. You never know when the last words or actions you share with a person are truly going to be the LAST ones. There is no way to predict the event that might cause you or your friends to no longer be there for one another.
I make it a point to never walk away from my wife angry. We have our arguments, and some of them can be pretty interesting, but we always make up.
So... Next time you walk away from your friends, wife, husband, etc... ask yourself one important question. Do I want those to be the last words that they remember me by, or are those the last words I want to have said to that person?
Most of us will live good, long and healthy lives... and for some, this is not a question you need to ask yourself, but sometimes we say things that we regret... that is what we should watch out for. Nothing is worse than to tell a person something hurtful, then something happens and you never have the chance to take it back.
One thing that I have learned that is important is that we need to make sure that our relationships are in good standing. It is important that we take the extra steps to make sure that we are on good or civil terms with those that mean the most in our lives.
Recently I had a co-worker pass away. While I would not call us the best of friends, I would say we were on good terms. I worked with him on an almost daily basis, as part of my job, and I knew that he had issues in his life.
The last time I spoke with him, we had there was a little friction, and while we did not hang up angry, I knew there was tension. It was a couple months later that he passed away. I had never gotten the chance to speak to this person again.
In 1991, when my father passed away, there was much the same situation, except in this case I was encouraged not to tell my father all the demons that I had built up about his and my relationship. And when he died, there was all these things that I never had a chance to tell him.
These are things that we carry with us. The things not said, the resolutions not made, the fences not mended. You never know when it will be too late to do something that could make a difference. Maybe my father was waiting for me to open up and tell him how I felt, so that he too could have that final bit of closure. Maybe my coworker would have been a little bit happier if I was able to tell him that what I said was nothing personal, and to take it with a grain of salt.
The problem is that now we will never know.
We need to make sure that we part our friends and acquaintances on good or civil terms. Never walk away angry or mad. You never know when the last words or actions you share with a person are truly going to be the LAST ones. There is no way to predict the event that might cause you or your friends to no longer be there for one another.
I make it a point to never walk away from my wife angry. We have our arguments, and some of them can be pretty interesting, but we always make up.
So... Next time you walk away from your friends, wife, husband, etc... ask yourself one important question. Do I want those to be the last words that they remember me by, or are those the last words I want to have said to that person?
Most of us will live good, long and healthy lives... and for some, this is not a question you need to ask yourself, but sometimes we say things that we regret... that is what we should watch out for. Nothing is worse than to tell a person something hurtful, then something happens and you never have the chance to take it back.
Monday, March 19, 2007
A Movie to watch
This is not really a movie.
It is a documentary about a little school in Whitwell, Tennessee.
The movie is called "Paper Clips" and is about the a small middle school that took on a challenge to create a visual representation of the six million Jews that were murdered in Hitler's "Final Solution."
In watching this movie for the second time, I was reminded of how I felt when was young, and I first started to grasp the sheer scope of what happened during the Holocaust. Not understanding the volume of people... men, women, and children... that lost their lives to the ideals of a ethnically pure race that Hitler wanted to create... yet in which he did not even live up to.
Paper Clips is inspiring in that you see the amount of support that pours out to this group of kids as they go further and further in to the project, and not only do they learn about the Holocaust, but they learn about themselves as well.
I feel that it is important that people watch movies like this. It is important that people feel the pain of seeing the gaunt, almost lifeless faces of the people that came out of the camps as survivors, as well as the pictures of the people lying in the trenches getting ready to be buried.
It is also fair, and I would be closed minded not to mention, the several million non-jews that were "exterminated" in this campaign. The Gays, the Gypsies, and all the other people that lost their lives for no reason more important than they were not Arian.
It is important that these pictures be burned into our minds, and that they evoke tears and pain when we see them. That is a sign that we are compassionate humans, and that we understand that what was done, cannot and should not happen again.
There are many people out there, maybe you reading this are one of them, that claim that the Holocaust never happened, and that it is all an elaborate hoax. You are free to your opinion, but when there is this must proof to the contrary, then how can you buy that? Look at the survivors, look at the US, British and Russian soldiers that liberated the camps as they pushed through to beat the Nazis down. The stories they tell, and the sights they saw were not in their own imagination, they were real. So if you are one of the people that does not think that the Holocaust took place, then my advise to you is to stop listening to the talking heads that feed it to you, and go back to school, if for no other reason than to take a history class. Better yet, take a trip to Germany or Poland, and visit places like Auschwitz.
I encourage everyone to watch Paper Clips. It will make you cry, make you laugh, and in the end, it will give you a good feeling. You will see kids that are learning about something that helped to make them responsible people, and, hopefully, more compassionate adults.
It is a documentary about a little school in Whitwell, Tennessee.
The movie is called "Paper Clips" and is about the a small middle school that took on a challenge to create a visual representation of the six million Jews that were murdered in Hitler's "Final Solution."
In watching this movie for the second time, I was reminded of how I felt when was young, and I first started to grasp the sheer scope of what happened during the Holocaust. Not understanding the volume of people... men, women, and children... that lost their lives to the ideals of a ethnically pure race that Hitler wanted to create... yet in which he did not even live up to.
Paper Clips is inspiring in that you see the amount of support that pours out to this group of kids as they go further and further in to the project, and not only do they learn about the Holocaust, but they learn about themselves as well.
I feel that it is important that people watch movies like this. It is important that people feel the pain of seeing the gaunt, almost lifeless faces of the people that came out of the camps as survivors, as well as the pictures of the people lying in the trenches getting ready to be buried.
It is also fair, and I would be closed minded not to mention, the several million non-jews that were "exterminated" in this campaign. The Gays, the Gypsies, and all the other people that lost their lives for no reason more important than they were not Arian.
It is important that these pictures be burned into our minds, and that they evoke tears and pain when we see them. That is a sign that we are compassionate humans, and that we understand that what was done, cannot and should not happen again.
There are many people out there, maybe you reading this are one of them, that claim that the Holocaust never happened, and that it is all an elaborate hoax. You are free to your opinion, but when there is this must proof to the contrary, then how can you buy that? Look at the survivors, look at the US, British and Russian soldiers that liberated the camps as they pushed through to beat the Nazis down. The stories they tell, and the sights they saw were not in their own imagination, they were real. So if you are one of the people that does not think that the Holocaust took place, then my advise to you is to stop listening to the talking heads that feed it to you, and go back to school, if for no other reason than to take a history class. Better yet, take a trip to Germany or Poland, and visit places like Auschwitz.
I encourage everyone to watch Paper Clips. It will make you cry, make you laugh, and in the end, it will give you a good feeling. You will see kids that are learning about something that helped to make them responsible people, and, hopefully, more compassionate adults.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Mistakes that strengthen us
Nietzsche told us that "That which does not kill us, makes us stronger."
As I have aged I have seen that is more than true. Not that there have been many attempts on my life, which there have not, at least not that I am aware of.
I think of this more in the philosophical and emotional sense.
I have been thinking about the past a lot lately, not sure why, but I have been really thinking about all that has happened to me, and where I am now. The question that I come up with is would I still be where I am now, and doing what I am doing, if the bad things in my life had not occurred? Were my failings actually just small parts that made up my success?
I would say that this is the case.
We learn at a very young age that when we do something wrong, it has consequences. Then, as we get older, we learn that those consequences can have greater repercussions. Trust me, I could write a book on my mistakes, and maybe even have enough for two volumes. Some of them I would not be willing to share, but if I were to have removed them from my life, then I think that I would not be quite the person I am today.
Mistakes help us keep perspective and remind us that we are not as good or as hot as we would always like to think we are. Should we ever start getting a little too cocky or full of ourselves, then there is that little laughing gremlin sitting somewhere ready to knock us down a few pegs. If you are a follower of any faith, then you understand that this is probably God reminding you that there are things that are greater than yourself.
Personally I think that this is something slightly akin to Karma. Karma is simply a spiritual version of Newtonian law. For everything you do, there is a reaction... maybe not always an opposite, but certainly an equal reaction. I have learned that the more good I do and the more positive outlook I have, then the more good happens to me, or me or for those around me.
We will keep making mistakes, and we will keep learning from them, or at least I hope we do, and people will continue to not listen to our learned advice and experience. This will, in turn, help the next generation and the generations after that learn how to be who they will be. There is nothing wrong with this, and it is expected.
Look at your life... how often did you listen to a person say not to do something because of certain possible consequences, then you do it anyway thinking that you can do it better? We all have... and most of the time we realize that we they were, at least in part, right.
That's all... Just some insight.
Thanks for your time, and we'll leave the light on for ya!
As I have aged I have seen that is more than true. Not that there have been many attempts on my life, which there have not, at least not that I am aware of.
I think of this more in the philosophical and emotional sense.
I have been thinking about the past a lot lately, not sure why, but I have been really thinking about all that has happened to me, and where I am now. The question that I come up with is would I still be where I am now, and doing what I am doing, if the bad things in my life had not occurred? Were my failings actually just small parts that made up my success?
I would say that this is the case.
We learn at a very young age that when we do something wrong, it has consequences. Then, as we get older, we learn that those consequences can have greater repercussions. Trust me, I could write a book on my mistakes, and maybe even have enough for two volumes. Some of them I would not be willing to share, but if I were to have removed them from my life, then I think that I would not be quite the person I am today.
Mistakes help us keep perspective and remind us that we are not as good or as hot as we would always like to think we are. Should we ever start getting a little too cocky or full of ourselves, then there is that little laughing gremlin sitting somewhere ready to knock us down a few pegs. If you are a follower of any faith, then you understand that this is probably God reminding you that there are things that are greater than yourself.
Personally I think that this is something slightly akin to Karma. Karma is simply a spiritual version of Newtonian law. For everything you do, there is a reaction... maybe not always an opposite, but certainly an equal reaction. I have learned that the more good I do and the more positive outlook I have, then the more good happens to me, or me or for those around me.
We will keep making mistakes, and we will keep learning from them, or at least I hope we do, and people will continue to not listen to our learned advice and experience. This will, in turn, help the next generation and the generations after that learn how to be who they will be. There is nothing wrong with this, and it is expected.
Look at your life... how often did you listen to a person say not to do something because of certain possible consequences, then you do it anyway thinking that you can do it better? We all have... and most of the time we realize that we they were, at least in part, right.
That's all... Just some insight.
Thanks for your time, and we'll leave the light on for ya!
Monday, March 12, 2007
In search of... ME!
Ok...
So if you are a regular reader of mine, then you have no life, and you may have also noticed that I have not written in some time.
For that, I am sorry. I have been suffering a combination of the lazies, depression and business... all at the same time.
Unfortunately I doubt that there are any really regular readers of my work. If you are out there, then I would appreciate it if you at least said hi to me.
So if you are a regular reader of mine, then you have no life, and you may have also noticed that I have not written in some time.
For that, I am sorry. I have been suffering a combination of the lazies, depression and business... all at the same time.
Unfortunately I doubt that there are any really regular readers of my work. If you are out there, then I would appreciate it if you at least said hi to me.
In memory of the path not traveled
As I reach the five year mark with my present position, I have had a chance to reflect on many things.
When I was very young, I was undecided on what I wanted to do with my life. I went through the usual stages of wanting to be a Fireman, a Policeman, a Doctor, etc... But under it all I had always had a love for animals.
Nowadays I can honestly say that I have one regret, and that is that I did not become a Veterinarian. That is not to say that I do not like what I do, because I do enjoy my job, but I do not think that it gives me the same sense of accomplishment that being a Vet.
I know that at almost 40, someone with more drive could probably still go to school and become a vet with several years left to practice, but I guess I am a wimp.
I know that there is really no way for me to go back to school now, for two reasons. 1. Money... While I would not consider myself poor, I have no way of going to school and supporting myself and my wife if I were to return to school full time. 2. Location... my town really has no place to go to school to become a Vet... I would have to relocate or commute in order to go to school. Needless to say, it is not happening any time soon.
So... not being able to become a Vet, I do what I can otherwise. I donate money to worthy causes that can help animals. In fact my wife and I have three dogs, and all of them are rescue dogs. They all came to us as homeless or needy dogs.
If you are a vet, or are becoming one, then you have my respect. You provide a service that is second only to that of Doctors that practice human medicine. In reality there is not much difference between the two, but with animals, you are helping something that cannot communicate what hurts and why.
For those of you who are not vets, but would like to help other programs, then please follow the attached links:
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
Hearts United for Animals
When I was very young, I was undecided on what I wanted to do with my life. I went through the usual stages of wanting to be a Fireman, a Policeman, a Doctor, etc... But under it all I had always had a love for animals.
Nowadays I can honestly say that I have one regret, and that is that I did not become a Veterinarian. That is not to say that I do not like what I do, because I do enjoy my job, but I do not think that it gives me the same sense of accomplishment that being a Vet.
I know that at almost 40, someone with more drive could probably still go to school and become a vet with several years left to practice, but I guess I am a wimp.
I know that there is really no way for me to go back to school now, for two reasons. 1. Money... While I would not consider myself poor, I have no way of going to school and supporting myself and my wife if I were to return to school full time. 2. Location... my town really has no place to go to school to become a Vet... I would have to relocate or commute in order to go to school. Needless to say, it is not happening any time soon.
So... not being able to become a Vet, I do what I can otherwise. I donate money to worthy causes that can help animals. In fact my wife and I have three dogs, and all of them are rescue dogs. They all came to us as homeless or needy dogs.
If you are a vet, or are becoming one, then you have my respect. You provide a service that is second only to that of Doctors that practice human medicine. In reality there is not much difference between the two, but with animals, you are helping something that cannot communicate what hurts and why.
For those of you who are not vets, but would like to help other programs, then please follow the attached links:
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
Hearts United for Animals
Sunday, December 03, 2006
California Legal System
I write this as an opinion... I am in no way versed in the California legal system, and do not represent myself as an expert on anything legal... except that I like to take notes on legal paper, which is 8.5 by 14 inches. I know that with certainty.
I also cringe as I write this, as I have recently met up with a person that I fell out of touch with some years ago, who happens to be an attorney. I will not hold that against him, but if he reads this, I hope he will accept my point.
When did it happen? I missed it, and I think many of us did. Somewhere over the years the election system became a joke and minority rule took over.
I am referring, of course, to this habit that seems to have come up in California of the people voting a law into effect, only to have it shot down by the people that voted against it in the first place. Tell me... If the proposition was illegal or infringed on people's rights that much, then how did it ever get to the ballot?
I would think that there are people out there whose job is to review these things before they ever see the light of day, to verify that they are not what others would call into question as being illegal or improper. Worse yet, there are attorneys that sit in wait for these minority special interest groups to show there faces, and then come crawling out of the woodwork to capitalize on them for their own interest. I say this because I cannot think that all of them actually believe what they are defending. I more so believe that they are probably defending themselves a nice retainer and a payment on a new house or boat.
It may not seem like it, but I really do not have a problem with lawyers. They are working for a paycheck. What I have a problem with is the fact that there are many of them that hold the appearance of manipulating the system to their own needs or desires. It is, in some cases as far I am concerned, as if they are showing up for a play, and putting on the best show they can. I already know that there are a few lawyers I have met that would agree with that assessment as well.
Many years ago, I heard a little joke. Lawyers should have a piece of their fingers clipped off for every case they lose. That way when you are looking for an attorney, all you have to do is look at their hands to see how good they are. If you meet one with no fingers left, get out... and run like hell if you meet one with no fingers or toes!
If you are a lawyer, please take no offense to this. I am venting. I know that if you look at California with an open mind, then you know that there is a certain amount of truth to what I say. But the question stands... what are we going to do about it?
When can a be myself at work and not worry about offending a person and getting sued or fired?
When can I tell a person I work with that she looks nice, without having to worry about sexual harassment?
Why can a person defending their home, shoot someone breaking into their home, and then be sued for it?
Why are certain inexcusable crimes even tried, if the evidence is overwhelming or there are enough witnesses to prove that a person did something? In cases like that, the person should just flat out be put in jail for a predetermined period of time... no trial... no jury... nothing.
The California Legal System can be summed up in the immortal word of Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood, from "Paint Your Wagon":
"...Where am I going? I don't know... When will I get there? I ain't certain... all that I know is I am on my way."
I also cringe as I write this, as I have recently met up with a person that I fell out of touch with some years ago, who happens to be an attorney. I will not hold that against him, but if he reads this, I hope he will accept my point.
When did it happen? I missed it, and I think many of us did. Somewhere over the years the election system became a joke and minority rule took over.
I am referring, of course, to this habit that seems to have come up in California of the people voting a law into effect, only to have it shot down by the people that voted against it in the first place. Tell me... If the proposition was illegal or infringed on people's rights that much, then how did it ever get to the ballot?
I would think that there are people out there whose job is to review these things before they ever see the light of day, to verify that they are not what others would call into question as being illegal or improper. Worse yet, there are attorneys that sit in wait for these minority special interest groups to show there faces, and then come crawling out of the woodwork to capitalize on them for their own interest. I say this because I cannot think that all of them actually believe what they are defending. I more so believe that they are probably defending themselves a nice retainer and a payment on a new house or boat.
It may not seem like it, but I really do not have a problem with lawyers. They are working for a paycheck. What I have a problem with is the fact that there are many of them that hold the appearance of manipulating the system to their own needs or desires. It is, in some cases as far I am concerned, as if they are showing up for a play, and putting on the best show they can. I already know that there are a few lawyers I have met that would agree with that assessment as well.
Many years ago, I heard a little joke. Lawyers should have a piece of their fingers clipped off for every case they lose. That way when you are looking for an attorney, all you have to do is look at their hands to see how good they are. If you meet one with no fingers left, get out... and run like hell if you meet one with no fingers or toes!
If you are a lawyer, please take no offense to this. I am venting. I know that if you look at California with an open mind, then you know that there is a certain amount of truth to what I say. But the question stands... what are we going to do about it?
When can a be myself at work and not worry about offending a person and getting sued or fired?
When can I tell a person I work with that she looks nice, without having to worry about sexual harassment?
Why can a person defending their home, shoot someone breaking into their home, and then be sued for it?
Why are certain inexcusable crimes even tried, if the evidence is overwhelming or there are enough witnesses to prove that a person did something? In cases like that, the person should just flat out be put in jail for a predetermined period of time... no trial... no jury... nothing.
The California Legal System can be summed up in the immortal word of Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood, from "Paint Your Wagon":
"...Where am I going? I don't know... When will I get there? I ain't certain... all that I know is I am on my way."
Thursday, November 09, 2006
Me? Lazy? ... Uh, Yeah!
Ok... I admit it.
I have been remiss in my responsibilities as your humble host.
I have not written anything new in quite some time, and for that, for those few of you who keep track of these things, I am sorry.
This has been a rather exciting time in my life. I went to Boston and then took a seven day cruise of New England and things are going rather nicely at work.
I have a lot I need to write about, and add to that the always interesting stories that can come out of the elections. I could write the better part of a year on that alone.
Anyway... things you can expect from me in the near future?
Writings on:
* The California Legal system (or "Send in the Clowns")
* Politician, Elections and Voting... Oh My.
* Boston and the north east coast.
* Things I like about Reno.
* 10 Sexual positions that require a wrench and a blender.
Stay tuned...
I have been remiss in my responsibilities as your humble host.
I have not written anything new in quite some time, and for that, for those few of you who keep track of these things, I am sorry.
This has been a rather exciting time in my life. I went to Boston and then took a seven day cruise of New England and things are going rather nicely at work.
I have a lot I need to write about, and add to that the always interesting stories that can come out of the elections. I could write the better part of a year on that alone.
Anyway... things you can expect from me in the near future?
Writings on:
* The California Legal system (or "Send in the Clowns")
* Politician, Elections and Voting... Oh My.
* Boston and the north east coast.
* Things I like about Reno.
* 10 Sexual positions that require a wrench and a blender.
Stay tuned...
Monday, September 11, 2006
A wound that should not heal...
Five years...
Like all deep wounds, this is one that will hurt for the remainder of our lives. But I think that while a certain amount of healing should be allowed, there is also a certain amount that should not.
When something like 9/11 happens, it is important that we not only do not forget the event, but we also need to remeber the pain. There are some that will never be able to forget the pain, because of the people that the lost in the various events of that day, but there are many more of us that will push the pain aside, or convince ourselves that it did not happen to us, and distance ourselves from it in a disconnected way.
Even if you did not lose a loved one in the towers, or the planes, you should still feel the pain of loss just as much as those that did. You should still feel the pain, or the pang of tears when they list the names of those lost, or who gave everything for those that they were trying to save.
We are all brothers and sisters in this Nation. Perhaps this comment sounds a little to wishy washy, or idealistic... but it is true.
As I sit here and listen to the names being recited at the site of the towers, I feel a dull ache in my chest and stomach when I think of the magnitude of the loss. All those children that will never see their parents, and folks that will never see their spouses again. The pain is that which I know will never go away... but when you think of the scope of the events of 9/11, then maybe that pain should NOT ever go away.
We are shaped, as a people, by the events in our lives. Both the good and the bad sculpt us into what we are and what we will be. We need to make sure that the lives that were lost, were not lost in vain. We need to remember that this is a learning experience and make ourselve and our world a better place. Sometimes this requires force of arms, and other times this requires a compasionate should to rest the heads of the wounded on... what will define us is when we know how and when to offer one or the other.
Blessings to you all... and the hopes for a brighter future.
Like all deep wounds, this is one that will hurt for the remainder of our lives. But I think that while a certain amount of healing should be allowed, there is also a certain amount that should not.
When something like 9/11 happens, it is important that we not only do not forget the event, but we also need to remeber the pain. There are some that will never be able to forget the pain, because of the people that the lost in the various events of that day, but there are many more of us that will push the pain aside, or convince ourselves that it did not happen to us, and distance ourselves from it in a disconnected way.
Even if you did not lose a loved one in the towers, or the planes, you should still feel the pain of loss just as much as those that did. You should still feel the pain, or the pang of tears when they list the names of those lost, or who gave everything for those that they were trying to save.
We are all brothers and sisters in this Nation. Perhaps this comment sounds a little to wishy washy, or idealistic... but it is true.
As I sit here and listen to the names being recited at the site of the towers, I feel a dull ache in my chest and stomach when I think of the magnitude of the loss. All those children that will never see their parents, and folks that will never see their spouses again. The pain is that which I know will never go away... but when you think of the scope of the events of 9/11, then maybe that pain should NOT ever go away.
We are shaped, as a people, by the events in our lives. Both the good and the bad sculpt us into what we are and what we will be. We need to make sure that the lives that were lost, were not lost in vain. We need to remember that this is a learning experience and make ourselve and our world a better place. Sometimes this requires force of arms, and other times this requires a compasionate should to rest the heads of the wounded on... what will define us is when we know how and when to offer one or the other.
Blessings to you all... and the hopes for a brighter future.
Monday, September 04, 2006
A News Junkie Darkly
I have become a news junkie.
Yes… I have found myself doing what I could never understand in my Father and Mother. I will sit through the day and Listen, Read or Watch news in some fashion or another.
Most of the time this is restricted to listening to the news, as it is easier to do when I am working, though I am willing to bet that several people at my work are plotting to have me committed soon. This is due to the fact that I have been caught arguing with the radio (or online stream) from time to time, and that never looks good to others.
I try and read as much of my local rag as I can, though I am continually saddened by the moderate to extreme liberal slant of the news they publish. I will not even go into the numerous typographical and grammatical errors that I find in this glorified toilet paper each day.
No… Somewhere down the line I have become addicted to knowing what is going on every day. Not that I can do much about it, as I am sure that no one of great political where-with-all reads this blog… but this IS my space, and as long as it is, I will do my part.
What I find the most troubling about the news these days is its dependence on bad news. I know that this has been said countless times, and many people see it as just another catchphrase in the arena, but it is true.
How often do you see “good news” stories on page one, above the fold in your local paper? Not often… and do you know whose fault this is? Ours.
How interesting is a paper whose head line is: “Local man save three and puts out fire himself!” No… do not go looking for that one… I made it up. Now, put that article in one paper dispenser and this one in another: “Local man kills 10 Nuns, has sex with a pig and burns down a school.” Yeah… you guessed it… people are more interested in a Murderous, Heretic, arsonist who practices bestiality than in a Hero.
Personally, I will take the Hero… we need as many heroes as we can get these days, and there are very few people that are qualified. Let’s face it; if there were a real Superman today, he would get sued out of existence for violating various civil rights all over the US and maybe other countries. If you have ever seen the animated movie “The Incredibles”, they might not be too far off the mark.
News is the lifeblood of our world these days. There are so many news and information channels and websites, that we are literally suffering from information overload. What ever happened to the good old days when the news you watched on TV was already three or four days old? When you read the paper and the people that were writing could actually spell and practiced good grammar? When columnists actually had either a degree or experience?
I can remember when I was a kid, watching the news reports from Vietnam come on TV, and they were, by the time they were being shown, several days old. Likewise most other news, once you saw it on TV or read it in the paper, it was long-since over.
Nowadays it is almost like the people know something is going to happen before it does. News teams are standing by, waiting to catch the action as it occurs. God forbid they try and prevent it, just go out there and get the story.
It is amazing how sensationalism and the Macabre have won out over sense and sensibility.
Sunday, September 03, 2006
A Disturbing Trend
You know something… we are raising a generation of rude people.
My wife and I were sitting, eating breakfast this morning, and I watched as a man came in and sat down in the waiting area… waiting to be seated.
Well… This being Sunday, it was not long before the usual Church crowd started wandering in, and the place started to fill up. While this man sat there, a couple elderly women came in, one of them having a noticeably hard time both walking and just standing there.
The afore mentioned young man looked at them, and instead of offering his seat to them, he did something that completely miffed me. He not only stayed seated, but he picked up his back pack and placed it on the seat next to him, thusly taking up two seats. All the while he kept looking at the two old women standing there.
After a could minutes, a man who was not much younger than the women, and directly across from the young man that would not give up the two seats he was taking up, stood, with some effort, and gave his seat to the eldest of the two women. Watching this the whole time, the younger man made no effort to follow suit and surrender his seat to the remaining woman.
My issue here is why could he have not given his seat up? I would have in a heartbeat, because that is the way I was raised. From the time I was very young, I was taught to respect my elders.
I think that if we took a good, hard, look at what we see going on around us today, we would see that many of the things that are happening with gangs and the trouble in our schools, can be attributed to two things; Lack of discipline and disrespect of our elders.
Face it… the laws that are in place these days and the way they prevent us from punishing our children by almost making it a crime to raise our hands against them, have made parents the familial representation of a Lame Duck. If a person does spank their kid, when they get to school all they have to do is say that their parents hit them. In some cases, that is all it takes to get the parent in trouble.
What kind of society are we creating when we cannot or will not discipline our children? NOT disciplining them is only creating a fantasy world in which they will be mislead into thinking that they will always get their way. This will create a dysfunctional and impotent society.
If we continue in this direction, we will not have to worry about threats from outside the country… the terrorist and Anti-American groups can just sit back and watch us get stupider and lazier, then make their move when we are too dumb and lazy to do anything about it.
If you are thinking I have gotten off my original thought, no… I have not. It all starts with discipline and respect. You have to respect those that came before you and that which they have to teach us… some of the information may become dated, but the core teaching will still be there. Our prior generations are our greatest natural resource, we need to learn as much as we can from it. It is also important that we, as adults, be allowed to punish out children as we need to. Punishment should be harsh… it should teach us a lesson, and in some cases, it should shame or embarrass us.
There is nothing quite as educational as a good paddling by your mother in front a your friends.
Only when we bring discipline and respect back into our homes and schools will we get back on the road to a great nation.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
A Stirring of Memories
This last weekend I went to my High School reunion.
When I first planned on attending, I stopped at some point, I could not tell you when, and asked myself why I was going. The question itself sort of surprised me, as occasionally happens when I challenge my own thought process. So I delved into the reason by not looking at the reunion, but looking back... At High School.
I went to South High School in Bakersfield California. I started in 1982 and finished that sentence off in 1986. I was not a great student; frankly I was a very poor student, but not because I was dumb, High School bored me to tears, and except for a very few people, I got along with no one.
In fact, I would be willing to lay odds on the possibility that it is as a result of South High that I developed, and later overcame, a fear of confrontation. High school was all about confrontation, every day. I was not a popular person, nor was I very outgoing or part of one of the many cliques that form in high school.
I was part of the Computer Nerd clique... This was neither the favored nor popular clique and immediately opened any member up to potential assault by others. I can even recall a couple occasions that a person or two that I new, and had gotten along with before high school, would come over and talk to me, usually in the library or class, but would immediately end the conversation as soon as their friends came by or showed up. This duality taught me much more than some of my classes did about people, and I still carry that lesson with me to this day.
I cannot say that I entirely disliked high school, though. My favorite parts of school were my science classes and most of the teachers I had throughout school. Teachers that made the biggest impression on my life were people like Mrs. Prior, Mr. Peck, Mr. Stricker, Mr. Wright, Mr. Gates, Mrs. Porter and Mrs. Sullivan. Some of these teachers are no longer with us, but this is a result of the passage of time. Their legacy lives on, and will continue to do so, through their students. We will carry a part of them with us no matter what we do in life, and that will, in turn, affect others.
I also cannot say that I did not have friends in high school. I had several friends, and this includes the ones that would not admit they were my friends in front of their friends. My true friends, are the ones that are still with me today. The ones that, even though I have done some stupid things in life, and a few things that really tested the strength of the friendship, are still my friends today, and I would even go so far as to say that they are family.
So... Why did I want to go to my reunion? I am not sure. Maybe it was for revenge, to show everyone that I was not the screw up that they expected... Maybe it was in the hopes to see a lost object of my desires, or maybe to quell some hidden demons that needed to be exercised so that my life would be fuller.
No... I think it was none of these. What I think it was, was the effort to reach back and make contact with people that I knew from my childhood and adolescence in the hopes that I would recapture the parts of my childhood that I had forgotten about. To see people that I grew up with, both friend and foe, and see that in the end, we were all really running the same race, and no one of us was better than the other. To see that, when all was said and done, we were all just kids learning how to be, and what to be.
I went to my reunion feeling nervous, worried that I would still be the outcast that I was in high school, I left feeling that I was no different that anyone else in there. Yes, there were people that had traveled more, seen more and made more money than I had, but is that really the point? No... We all still had the same concerns and worries... fears and desires. We had all lost things and gained things... We have all grown up.
When I first planned on attending, I stopped at some point, I could not tell you when, and asked myself why I was going. The question itself sort of surprised me, as occasionally happens when I challenge my own thought process. So I delved into the reason by not looking at the reunion, but looking back... At High School.
I went to South High School in Bakersfield California. I started in 1982 and finished that sentence off in 1986. I was not a great student; frankly I was a very poor student, but not because I was dumb, High School bored me to tears, and except for a very few people, I got along with no one.
In fact, I would be willing to lay odds on the possibility that it is as a result of South High that I developed, and later overcame, a fear of confrontation. High school was all about confrontation, every day. I was not a popular person, nor was I very outgoing or part of one of the many cliques that form in high school.
I was part of the Computer Nerd clique... This was neither the favored nor popular clique and immediately opened any member up to potential assault by others. I can even recall a couple occasions that a person or two that I new, and had gotten along with before high school, would come over and talk to me, usually in the library or class, but would immediately end the conversation as soon as their friends came by or showed up. This duality taught me much more than some of my classes did about people, and I still carry that lesson with me to this day.
I cannot say that I entirely disliked high school, though. My favorite parts of school were my science classes and most of the teachers I had throughout school. Teachers that made the biggest impression on my life were people like Mrs. Prior, Mr. Peck, Mr. Stricker, Mr. Wright, Mr. Gates, Mrs. Porter and Mrs. Sullivan. Some of these teachers are no longer with us, but this is a result of the passage of time. Their legacy lives on, and will continue to do so, through their students. We will carry a part of them with us no matter what we do in life, and that will, in turn, affect others.
I also cannot say that I did not have friends in high school. I had several friends, and this includes the ones that would not admit they were my friends in front of their friends. My true friends, are the ones that are still with me today. The ones that, even though I have done some stupid things in life, and a few things that really tested the strength of the friendship, are still my friends today, and I would even go so far as to say that they are family.
So... Why did I want to go to my reunion? I am not sure. Maybe it was for revenge, to show everyone that I was not the screw up that they expected... Maybe it was in the hopes to see a lost object of my desires, or maybe to quell some hidden demons that needed to be exercised so that my life would be fuller.
No... I think it was none of these. What I think it was, was the effort to reach back and make contact with people that I knew from my childhood and adolescence in the hopes that I would recapture the parts of my childhood that I had forgotten about. To see people that I grew up with, both friend and foe, and see that in the end, we were all really running the same race, and no one of us was better than the other. To see that, when all was said and done, we were all just kids learning how to be, and what to be.
I went to my reunion feeling nervous, worried that I would still be the outcast that I was in high school, I left feeling that I was no different that anyone else in there. Yes, there were people that had traveled more, seen more and made more money than I had, but is that really the point? No... We all still had the same concerns and worries... fears and desires. We had all lost things and gained things... We have all grown up.
Monday, July 17, 2006
How is religion helping us?
Religion.
I look around, especially these days, and I have to ask... How is religion helping us?
Yes... I know that there are just as many ideas about the Historic, Geopolitical and ideological notions about religion as there are people that follow the many different flavors that are out there. But the question stands... How is it helping us?
Personally I see religion as a powerful tool. It has the power to shape nations, control people and cultures, destroy civilizations, shape law, destroy law, and a host of other negative things. Religion, as a whole, is responsible for more death and destruction throughout the course of human evolution that any other human creation.
Now that you are probably thinking that I am a anti-religious freak... Let me continue.
Religion also has the power of great good. It has the ability to guide people from nothing to greatness, to lift the sad and lonely to happiness and prosperity. Again, I could go on and on.
But is it REALLY about the religion itself, or just that the potentials of a person whom otherwise would have no direction can be shown clarity through a belief such as a religion. That a person can use their faith, no matter what that faith may be, as a lens to focus their good intentions on others? Could it be that anyone that TRULY practices, with all their heart, can use religion as their catalyst to carry out their desires?
Religion is truly an enigma, in my minds eye. While I am not a very religious person, I see the good and the bad that it can do, and I respect both immensely. Likewise I respect those that do follow with all their heart and use that for the good. Likewise, I also respect those that use their religious presence for the bad. By respect, I mean in the same way that people respected Hitler's ability to do evil and Norman Mailers ability to blow his ego out of proportion.
With everything that is going on in the world today, I have to think back on a line from a movie... I cannot recall the name of the movie right now, but I remember the line. "We are capable of such great beauty and such incredible destruction... " We have an escalation in fighting in the mid-east that we have not seen in many years. We are very close to seeing a war between Korea and Japan, add to that that there are several nuclear missiles from the former Soviet Union that are not accounted for. To quote a line from one of my favorite plays: "No one can deny that these are very difficult and dangerous times."
Do I think that theses are the ever-so-prophecized "End of Times". Yes... but only if we let it. Unfortunately, as with most religiously based wars, there may not be an easy end to it. Would the destruction of Jerusalem end these wars, since that is the focal point of many prophecies? What about the fall of Israel? Maybe the start of an all out nuclear exchange? Who can say... Maybe none of them are right, maybe they all are... but I think that truth be told, there is no one that seems to be truly willing to find out... and let's hope it stays that way.
Then again... Would we be better off if there was no religion at all... nothing to act as just another way to divide us into separate groups. Maybe John Lennon was onto something with his song "Imagine". Then again... who knows. I am merely a passenger on this boat... just like the rest of us. As such, we really should watch how hard we rock the boat... there is nowhere to swim to if we fall off.
How is religion helping us? It has the potential of helping all of us or none of us. It is what we want it to be and what we make of it. I think, once again, of a fitting quote by the great philosopher George Carlin: "Religion is like a shoe that fits you just right. Your shoe might not fit me,l so do not force me to wear it and I will not push mine on you." I will as one thing to that. Will people please stop beating each other with their shoes!!!
I look around, especially these days, and I have to ask... How is religion helping us?
Yes... I know that there are just as many ideas about the Historic, Geopolitical and ideological notions about religion as there are people that follow the many different flavors that are out there. But the question stands... How is it helping us?
Personally I see religion as a powerful tool. It has the power to shape nations, control people and cultures, destroy civilizations, shape law, destroy law, and a host of other negative things. Religion, as a whole, is responsible for more death and destruction throughout the course of human evolution that any other human creation.
Now that you are probably thinking that I am a anti-religious freak... Let me continue.
Religion also has the power of great good. It has the ability to guide people from nothing to greatness, to lift the sad and lonely to happiness and prosperity. Again, I could go on and on.
But is it REALLY about the religion itself, or just that the potentials of a person whom otherwise would have no direction can be shown clarity through a belief such as a religion. That a person can use their faith, no matter what that faith may be, as a lens to focus their good intentions on others? Could it be that anyone that TRULY practices, with all their heart, can use religion as their catalyst to carry out their desires?
Religion is truly an enigma, in my minds eye. While I am not a very religious person, I see the good and the bad that it can do, and I respect both immensely. Likewise I respect those that do follow with all their heart and use that for the good. Likewise, I also respect those that use their religious presence for the bad. By respect, I mean in the same way that people respected Hitler's ability to do evil and Norman Mailers ability to blow his ego out of proportion.
With everything that is going on in the world today, I have to think back on a line from a movie... I cannot recall the name of the movie right now, but I remember the line. "We are capable of such great beauty and such incredible destruction... " We have an escalation in fighting in the mid-east that we have not seen in many years. We are very close to seeing a war between Korea and Japan, add to that that there are several nuclear missiles from the former Soviet Union that are not accounted for. To quote a line from one of my favorite plays: "No one can deny that these are very difficult and dangerous times."
Do I think that theses are the ever-so-prophecized "End of Times". Yes... but only if we let it. Unfortunately, as with most religiously based wars, there may not be an easy end to it. Would the destruction of Jerusalem end these wars, since that is the focal point of many prophecies? What about the fall of Israel? Maybe the start of an all out nuclear exchange? Who can say... Maybe none of them are right, maybe they all are... but I think that truth be told, there is no one that seems to be truly willing to find out... and let's hope it stays that way.
Then again... Would we be better off if there was no religion at all... nothing to act as just another way to divide us into separate groups. Maybe John Lennon was onto something with his song "Imagine". Then again... who knows. I am merely a passenger on this boat... just like the rest of us. As such, we really should watch how hard we rock the boat... there is nowhere to swim to if we fall off.
How is religion helping us? It has the potential of helping all of us or none of us. It is what we want it to be and what we make of it. I think, once again, of a fitting quote by the great philosopher George Carlin: "Religion is like a shoe that fits you just right. Your shoe might not fit me,l so do not force me to wear it and I will not push mine on you." I will as one thing to that. Will people please stop beating each other with their shoes!!!
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Dreams and Memories
This is more of a search for knowledge than my usual posts. I am breaking this into two distinct questions that I would like to see an answer to.
Dreams.
How do you dream?
I am one of those people that has a quite high retention rate for my dreams. I can usually recall about 90% of any previous night's dream.
In a majority of my dreams I see color, and I have always had full sensory acuity. I smell, taste and feel the stimulus of the dream. This has, in fact, woke me up on more occasions than I like.
Most of the time, in my dreams, I have no control over the dream... in some cases, even though I know what the outcome or result of something is going to be, I still cannot do anything to stop it. This has happened many times, and give one the feeling like you have when you are watching a movie you have seen several times, and you know that the person should not open the door to let the killer in, yet they do anyway.
Of my dreams, and this is the first time I have shared this with anyone but my wife, there is one that stands out.
In the dream, I am about the same age I am now. I learn that I have cancer. The rest of the dream covers about a full year as I fight the cancer and follow the treatments. At several points in the dream I look in a mirror, and I actually do see myself, as I would probably look while going through Chemo and Radio therapy, complete with weight and hair loss. In the end of my dream, I am lying in me bed at home, with machines attached to me, and I look around to see all my friends gathered around me, some touching me, others just looking. My wife is standing next to me crying and holding my hand. My thought at this point was "This is the best way to go, with all my friends to help me through." I closed my eyes and I heard the heart monitor go flat.
I remember very vividly waking up and gasping for air, sweating to the point that the sheets were completely soaked. I then went in and proceeded to sit on the couch and cry. From that point on, my opinion of death and dying have been completely altered. I really am no longer afraid of either any more. Not that I WANT to die, but I almost feel like I have been there, or at least very close to it.
Here are my questions:
1. How do you dream?
2. Can something as simple as a dream change our lives so dramatically that it can alter who we are and how we think?
3. Can we learn from our dreams?
Here is the second section.
Memories
When you think about yourself or something that has happened to you in the past, how do you see yourself or the incident?
When I recall something that happened in the past, whether it was ten minutes ago or ten years ago, I always see it in the third person. It is as though I am seeing it from the point of view of a camera boom that was following me that day. I see myself and the event in question, but I never see things through my own eyes.
The questions:
1. When you recall something from your past, how do you see it... from 1st or 3rd person? If you see it from the 2nd person, then you are more talented than I.
2. Do you occasionally dwell on a memory to the point that it becomes an issue?
Thanks for humoring me in this little quest. Unfortunately I cannot say that I am doing this for school or and particular paper. I am doing this mostly from curiosity.
Thanks.
Dreams.
How do you dream?
I am one of those people that has a quite high retention rate for my dreams. I can usually recall about 90% of any previous night's dream.
In a majority of my dreams I see color, and I have always had full sensory acuity. I smell, taste and feel the stimulus of the dream. This has, in fact, woke me up on more occasions than I like.
Most of the time, in my dreams, I have no control over the dream... in some cases, even though I know what the outcome or result of something is going to be, I still cannot do anything to stop it. This has happened many times, and give one the feeling like you have when you are watching a movie you have seen several times, and you know that the person should not open the door to let the killer in, yet they do anyway.
Of my dreams, and this is the first time I have shared this with anyone but my wife, there is one that stands out.
In the dream, I am about the same age I am now. I learn that I have cancer. The rest of the dream covers about a full year as I fight the cancer and follow the treatments. At several points in the dream I look in a mirror, and I actually do see myself, as I would probably look while going through Chemo and Radio therapy, complete with weight and hair loss. In the end of my dream, I am lying in me bed at home, with machines attached to me, and I look around to see all my friends gathered around me, some touching me, others just looking. My wife is standing next to me crying and holding my hand. My thought at this point was "This is the best way to go, with all my friends to help me through." I closed my eyes and I heard the heart monitor go flat.
I remember very vividly waking up and gasping for air, sweating to the point that the sheets were completely soaked. I then went in and proceeded to sit on the couch and cry. From that point on, my opinion of death and dying have been completely altered. I really am no longer afraid of either any more. Not that I WANT to die, but I almost feel like I have been there, or at least very close to it.
Here are my questions:
1. How do you dream?
2. Can something as simple as a dream change our lives so dramatically that it can alter who we are and how we think?
3. Can we learn from our dreams?
Here is the second section.
Memories
When you think about yourself or something that has happened to you in the past, how do you see yourself or the incident?
When I recall something that happened in the past, whether it was ten minutes ago or ten years ago, I always see it in the third person. It is as though I am seeing it from the point of view of a camera boom that was following me that day. I see myself and the event in question, but I never see things through my own eyes.
The questions:
1. When you recall something from your past, how do you see it... from 1st or 3rd person? If you see it from the 2nd person, then you are more talented than I.
2. Do you occasionally dwell on a memory to the point that it becomes an issue?
Thanks for humoring me in this little quest. Unfortunately I cannot say that I am doing this for school or and particular paper. I am doing this mostly from curiosity.
Thanks.
Monday, May 01, 2006
What is the problem?
WARNING... This article is fueled by anger... Please read with this in mind.
I am an American.
Our system is not perfect, and some of our politicians could be replaced by trained monkeys (or are already) but I love this country none-the-less.
As you may have notice through reading some of my other entries, my opinion of immigration is not a problem. I am, as I have said many times before, Pro-Legal Immigration, but all the recent hype and the "Walk-out" planned for today has me angry in ways that I just cannot put into words without severe editing.
How is it that people think that they have the right to sneak into a country, work "off the books" and in some cases not contribute to the country's wellbeing? What makes this worse is that some of the supporters of these illegal immigrants are people that made it to the country legally... ones that worked to get into the country through the proper channels. I am truely mystified as to where their logic comes from.
Why is it that people in Mexico are complaining about us wanting to close our borders, and threatening to boycot American owned business' in Mexico because we want to? And it seems that they are not even getting that right. Some of the business' that they are boycotting are actually Mexican owned.
Personally, if I owned a business, and I had an employee Walk out for this joke of a protest, then I would be hppy to let that person go... as long as they took all their personal belonging with them... because they would have no job to come back to. I hope that employers take that step, because this should not be tolerated at all.
Now, to explain, I feel the same way about it if the situation was different. If this was a day of protest for any group, and people walked off their job, then they should still get the axe. Fire them, on the spot. Not because they are protesting, but because of what they are doing... it's called Job Abandonment, and it is not only wrong, but it is unfair to the other employees that are not protesting and to the people to which your company provides a service.
Why do I feel this way? Because I am an American. I believe that as an American, you are willing to put the needs of the country above the needs of yourself. I believe that we are all part of a whole, not senveral million individual parts working for our own goal. I am willing to lay down my life to protect this country, and have volunteered to do so once already. I feel that any act that promotes illegal entry into this country is an act that will potentially support Terrorism.
So my question to you who enter this country illegally is this: What have you done for America lately?
In reality, all of us, as citizens, should keep in mind that we are not only acting for ourselves. We are truely part of a global community, and our actions are being watched. Not only by those outside the USA, but by those closer to home... our neighbors and our children. If we continue to live our lives for ourselves alone, then we truely are seeing the end of a great nation, and SHOULD just let the Mexicans, and anyone else, cross the border.
The illegal immigration is not just about the people that come into the country, either. It is also about what they do to get here. These people are a walking environmental disaster. In the process of crossing the border, they are leaving tons of garbage at various points along the border. Please visit the Desert Invasion web site to see pictures and video of this problem... my question after seeing this was Where are all the crybaby environmentalists? and why are they not also getting their backs up about this. These illegals are trashing National Parks and public lands, not to mention the private land on the borders that they are trashing.
So, in closing, not only is illegal immigration becoming a political and economic issue, it is also an ecologic issue.
This saddens me and makes me angry. No one should stand by and LET this happen and still consider themselves proud to be an American. The people who stand by and let this happen without trying to do something are no better than the people helping the illegals into the country. Yes... INACTION is wrong, this is not "Someone else's problem." In addition, the people on the borders that are assisting the illegals cross the border should also be rounded up and sent down to Mexico.
The US Border Patrol cannot do it alone, so I encourage you to help. You can start by contacting the Minuteman Project... they can show you what you can do to help.
Thanks for reading this, and I apologize for and grammar or spelling errors.
I am an American.
Our system is not perfect, and some of our politicians could be replaced by trained monkeys (or are already) but I love this country none-the-less.
As you may have notice through reading some of my other entries, my opinion of immigration is not a problem. I am, as I have said many times before, Pro-Legal Immigration, but all the recent hype and the "Walk-out" planned for today has me angry in ways that I just cannot put into words without severe editing.
How is it that people think that they have the right to sneak into a country, work "off the books" and in some cases not contribute to the country's wellbeing? What makes this worse is that some of the supporters of these illegal immigrants are people that made it to the country legally... ones that worked to get into the country through the proper channels. I am truely mystified as to where their logic comes from.
Why is it that people in Mexico are complaining about us wanting to close our borders, and threatening to boycot American owned business' in Mexico because we want to? And it seems that they are not even getting that right. Some of the business' that they are boycotting are actually Mexican owned.
Personally, if I owned a business, and I had an employee Walk out for this joke of a protest, then I would be hppy to let that person go... as long as they took all their personal belonging with them... because they would have no job to come back to. I hope that employers take that step, because this should not be tolerated at all.
Now, to explain, I feel the same way about it if the situation was different. If this was a day of protest for any group, and people walked off their job, then they should still get the axe. Fire them, on the spot. Not because they are protesting, but because of what they are doing... it's called Job Abandonment, and it is not only wrong, but it is unfair to the other employees that are not protesting and to the people to which your company provides a service.
Why do I feel this way? Because I am an American. I believe that as an American, you are willing to put the needs of the country above the needs of yourself. I believe that we are all part of a whole, not senveral million individual parts working for our own goal. I am willing to lay down my life to protect this country, and have volunteered to do so once already. I feel that any act that promotes illegal entry into this country is an act that will potentially support Terrorism.
So my question to you who enter this country illegally is this: What have you done for America lately?
In reality, all of us, as citizens, should keep in mind that we are not only acting for ourselves. We are truely part of a global community, and our actions are being watched. Not only by those outside the USA, but by those closer to home... our neighbors and our children. If we continue to live our lives for ourselves alone, then we truely are seeing the end of a great nation, and SHOULD just let the Mexicans, and anyone else, cross the border.
The illegal immigration is not just about the people that come into the country, either. It is also about what they do to get here. These people are a walking environmental disaster. In the process of crossing the border, they are leaving tons of garbage at various points along the border. Please visit the Desert Invasion web site to see pictures and video of this problem... my question after seeing this was Where are all the crybaby environmentalists? and why are they not also getting their backs up about this. These illegals are trashing National Parks and public lands, not to mention the private land on the borders that they are trashing.
So, in closing, not only is illegal immigration becoming a political and economic issue, it is also an ecologic issue.
This saddens me and makes me angry. No one should stand by and LET this happen and still consider themselves proud to be an American. The people who stand by and let this happen without trying to do something are no better than the people helping the illegals into the country. Yes... INACTION is wrong, this is not "Someone else's problem." In addition, the people on the borders that are assisting the illegals cross the border should also be rounded up and sent down to Mexico.
The US Border Patrol cannot do it alone, so I encourage you to help. You can start by contacting the Minuteman Project... they can show you what you can do to help.
Thanks for reading this, and I apologize for and grammar or spelling errors.
Tuesday, April 18, 2006
An Addiction Divine
What is your addiction??
There once was a time when coffee was old hat. It is what your mother and father drank at the morning breakfast table, or after dinner.
These days, with the help of such storefronts as Starbucks, Supreme Bean and the like, coffee is as popular as soda and tea. It is not just the drink of choice for adults anymore either, you see all sorta of people ordering drinks there from all ages.
One occasion that stands out for me is when I was in Monterey on business, I went to a Starbucks... the one in the Del Monte Center, for those of you that know the area, and I saw a kid... maybe about 10 or 12 years old, and order a Cafe Mocha with an extra shot. This floored me... I was not aware that coffee drinks like this were that popular with kids. So... being the kind of guy I am... I went and asked the "Barista" about this. She told me that there are several kids that come in.
What do you think? Should kids be allowed to order coffee drinks? I mean, when I was a kid, I would never have considered ordering a coffee. I had tasted it once, but at the time I thought it was disgusting. Yet my father and mother could always be found with a cup of coffee and a cigarette after dinner and pretty much the same for breakfast... but I did not care for coffee at all... that is until I joined the Marine Corps. In addition to various other things, they trained me to like Coffee. I especially enjoyed the coffee at the end of the day, when the big urn had been sitting all day and that last little bit of coffee was in the bottom of the urn... you had to tilt the urn a little to get that last little bit out. Oooh Yeah!
Me? When I order my coffee at Starbucks, I ordered something called the Triple Red-eye... This is basically a very strong coffee and three shots of espresso. Let me put an amendment to that... I DID order this until just recently when my doctor politely told me to lay off the coffee... especially after a blood pressure of 140/110. So these days I am ordering decaf... and I am almost through the withdrawals.
So, again, what is your take on children being allowed to order these coffee drinks, and what do YOU order when you order coffee?
There once was a time when coffee was old hat. It is what your mother and father drank at the morning breakfast table, or after dinner.
These days, with the help of such storefronts as Starbucks, Supreme Bean and the like, coffee is as popular as soda and tea. It is not just the drink of choice for adults anymore either, you see all sorta of people ordering drinks there from all ages.
One occasion that stands out for me is when I was in Monterey on business, I went to a Starbucks... the one in the Del Monte Center, for those of you that know the area, and I saw a kid... maybe about 10 or 12 years old, and order a Cafe Mocha with an extra shot. This floored me... I was not aware that coffee drinks like this were that popular with kids. So... being the kind of guy I am... I went and asked the "Barista" about this. She told me that there are several kids that come in.
What do you think? Should kids be allowed to order coffee drinks? I mean, when I was a kid, I would never have considered ordering a coffee. I had tasted it once, but at the time I thought it was disgusting. Yet my father and mother could always be found with a cup of coffee and a cigarette after dinner and pretty much the same for breakfast... but I did not care for coffee at all... that is until I joined the Marine Corps. In addition to various other things, they trained me to like Coffee. I especially enjoyed the coffee at the end of the day, when the big urn had been sitting all day and that last little bit of coffee was in the bottom of the urn... you had to tilt the urn a little to get that last little bit out. Oooh Yeah!
Me? When I order my coffee at Starbucks, I ordered something called the Triple Red-eye... This is basically a very strong coffee and three shots of espresso. Let me put an amendment to that... I DID order this until just recently when my doctor politely told me to lay off the coffee... especially after a blood pressure of 140/110. So these days I am ordering decaf... and I am almost through the withdrawals.
So, again, what is your take on children being allowed to order these coffee drinks, and what do YOU order when you order coffee?
Friday, April 14, 2006
The fall of Heros
Face it... there is no Superman, Batman, Aquaman or the like. We live in a world where we look for Heros in life. People that we can look up to and admire or even aspire to be. For some people that is a scientist or doctor, for others it can be a Rap star or athlete. Which brings me to my topic.
When I was young, I followed such sports stars as Bruce Jenner, Steve Garvey, Reggie Jackson and Pete Rose. I will be the first to admit that they were no saints, and they had their issues, but compared to the things we are seeing from today's players... they were pearls.
I consider myself to be a pretty good judge of character, and fairly knowledgeable in the way people think; which is why I am truly perplexed when I see people like Darrell Strawberry, Barry Bonds... etc, who think nothing of pumping crap into their system, then get mad when they are caught.
Let's go back and do some comparison... and we will start with my Childhood hero... Steve Garvey.
Steve is one of the many of the "boys of summer" that NEEDS to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Just look at his record by clicking here, he is truly one of the greats. He was not perfect, though. He later had some issues pop up regarding messing around with women other than his wife. There was also a suit regarding a diet program that he hyped, but this is probably as bad as it got.
Now to Pete Rose.
Every time I think of this guy I just feel sick. Here is a guy who has been up to bat more than 14,000 times, and raked up 4,256 hits... and because he gambled, he was kicked out. Talk about your raw deals. Because of his involvement with gambling, he is not eligible for the Hall of Fame. When I think about this, it makes me wonder how gambling is so much worse than using drugs... Because unless I missed something in my research, were he even have as good a player, Darryl Strawberry would still be eligible for the Hall of Fame. Now THAT is sad.
I love baseball... and I am dedicated to two teams. Saint Louis Cardinals and the Toronto Blue Jays. I watch them as often as I can. But Baseball as a whole is disappointing me these days. I look at the book that Jose Conseco wrote, and cannot help but wonder if it was a blessing or curse for those of us who are baseball "truists". We learned about something that most of us really did not want to know about, and that many players did not WANT us to know about. Suddenly the baseball great of the modern time, are not so great. They are teaching us that a little hard work to get that extra edge is no longer required, just a friend that can provide you with some steroids. How is this NOT cheating? How is this NOT giving yourself an unfair advantage? Can anyone out there tell me that what they are doing is creating a positive image of themselves?
If we look back, knowing what we know now, to the "Challenge" between Sammy Sosa and Mark McGuire, back in 1998, we cannot think about it without a little bit of skepticism. Was the incredible feat they created that year them or was it the needle? In fact, this question was answered. Sammy may have actually answered the question by not answering it in this interview with Rick O'Reilly. To make matters worse, Conseco's book reports that McGwire used steroids in 1998 as well. So this Home Run race was a farce.
Baseball has long been the "Great American Pastime". Players were respected, lauded over and considered American icons. They made people, youths especially, feel that with hard work and keeping you eye on the prize, you too could be one of them. Today? What once were Heros and inspirations for the kids are now walking advertisements for cheating. They carry with them the advertisement that if you are obnoxious enough, do drugs or use steroids, you too can be the next Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire or, god forbid, Darrell Strawberry.
While it probably does not make headlines as much, I am sure that this goes on in other sports, but they just do not seem to be as visible.
If I had some say... Testing would be mandatory... all players in all sports would be tested. If you are found to have Steroids or other drugs in your system, you would be given a one year suspension... at the end of that year, if you still test positive then you are banned for life. No "third chances."
When I was young, I followed such sports stars as Bruce Jenner, Steve Garvey, Reggie Jackson and Pete Rose. I will be the first to admit that they were no saints, and they had their issues, but compared to the things we are seeing from today's players... they were pearls.
I consider myself to be a pretty good judge of character, and fairly knowledgeable in the way people think; which is why I am truly perplexed when I see people like Darrell Strawberry, Barry Bonds... etc, who think nothing of pumping crap into their system, then get mad when they are caught.
Let's go back and do some comparison... and we will start with my Childhood hero... Steve Garvey.
Steve is one of the many of the "boys of summer" that NEEDS to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Just look at his record by clicking here, he is truly one of the greats. He was not perfect, though. He later had some issues pop up regarding messing around with women other than his wife. There was also a suit regarding a diet program that he hyped, but this is probably as bad as it got.
Now to Pete Rose.
Every time I think of this guy I just feel sick. Here is a guy who has been up to bat more than 14,000 times, and raked up 4,256 hits... and because he gambled, he was kicked out. Talk about your raw deals. Because of his involvement with gambling, he is not eligible for the Hall of Fame. When I think about this, it makes me wonder how gambling is so much worse than using drugs... Because unless I missed something in my research, were he even have as good a player, Darryl Strawberry would still be eligible for the Hall of Fame. Now THAT is sad.
I love baseball... and I am dedicated to two teams. Saint Louis Cardinals and the Toronto Blue Jays. I watch them as often as I can. But Baseball as a whole is disappointing me these days. I look at the book that Jose Conseco wrote, and cannot help but wonder if it was a blessing or curse for those of us who are baseball "truists". We learned about something that most of us really did not want to know about, and that many players did not WANT us to know about. Suddenly the baseball great of the modern time, are not so great. They are teaching us that a little hard work to get that extra edge is no longer required, just a friend that can provide you with some steroids. How is this NOT cheating? How is this NOT giving yourself an unfair advantage? Can anyone out there tell me that what they are doing is creating a positive image of themselves?
If we look back, knowing what we know now, to the "Challenge" between Sammy Sosa and Mark McGuire, back in 1998, we cannot think about it without a little bit of skepticism. Was the incredible feat they created that year them or was it the needle? In fact, this question was answered. Sammy may have actually answered the question by not answering it in this interview with Rick O'Reilly. To make matters worse, Conseco's book reports that McGwire used steroids in 1998 as well. So this Home Run race was a farce.
Baseball has long been the "Great American Pastime". Players were respected, lauded over and considered American icons. They made people, youths especially, feel that with hard work and keeping you eye on the prize, you too could be one of them. Today? What once were Heros and inspirations for the kids are now walking advertisements for cheating. They carry with them the advertisement that if you are obnoxious enough, do drugs or use steroids, you too can be the next Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire or, god forbid, Darrell Strawberry.
While it probably does not make headlines as much, I am sure that this goes on in other sports, but they just do not seem to be as visible.
If I had some say... Testing would be mandatory... all players in all sports would be tested. If you are found to have Steroids or other drugs in your system, you would be given a one year suspension... at the end of that year, if you still test positive then you are banned for life. No "third chances."
Monday, April 10, 2006
Mind your mouth...
When I was a child, I was forbidden to use fowl language.
Our house, though that means just my mother and I, was very strict in that sense. In fact, I was so well trained that I never even cussed outside of the house, for fear that somehow my mother would know that I had done it.
By today's standards, so I have been told by some, I was abused. I think not. See, when I was growing up, my mother led the house with a set of rules that were rigidly enforced, and they were enforced with a belt or spatula that was always in easy reach of my mother. But she never hit me for anything other than a well deserved reason... like the time I stabbed a fellow classmate in first or second grade with a pencil.
That being said, and now you, the reader, understanding my upbringing, I can continue.
Up until the time I joined the Marine Corps, I never cussed. However, if there is anything that the Corps taught me, it was how, when and where to cuss. You will find very few Marines, or many other soldiers for that matter, that do not use their fair share of foul language.
Now a days, though, I am noticing a sad trend. More and more children are cussing, and in public, not caring who hears.
I have two major questions about this...
1. Why are these kids so free with their language?
2. Why are their parents not doing anything about it?
I feel that part of the reason there is so little control over what kids do and do not do these days is that parents either will not or cannot discipline their kids. I have met both of these types of people, and they simply amaze me. Here is what I see, in a nutshell.
Will not discipline -
A good example of this is a person I used to work with. You go to their house and the kids are running crazy. No control, yelling, throwing thing, etc... I am trying to talk to this person about a problem we are having at work, and can barely get a sentence out before one of the kids runs up and interrupts us. At one point a toy, and not even a small one, flew over and hit him in the head then broke a glass. At this point I could not contain myself, and asked why he did not do anything. His response sticks with me today... "They are just kids, what am I supposed to do?" Now for the bomb. These "Kids" were about 11 and 12 respectively. Old enough to know better, but with parents that are either too lazy or too irresponsible to discipline them. At that age though, even if the parents decided to start, the kids are too far along to do anything about.
Too affraid to discipline -
One of the things that prevents a lot of parents, these days, from turning junior over their knee and giving them a good paddling are two things... 1. Well meaning but nosey teachers that think that any time a child says that they were paddled means that they are abused, and 2. Kids that play the system and report that they were beaten when in reality they were not and are just trying to retaliate for the fact that they were punished.
In California especially, it is too easy to be arrested for child abuse, and there have been several cases where parents are questioned for and even detained for child abuse, when all they did was punish their child. The system is TOO quick to go after a parent for potential abuse, and not investigate the claim carefully first.
This is not to say that there are very valid claims out there, but spanking your child in not abuse, not even close. There is nothing wrong with a good spanking, as long as the person giving the spanking is not doing it out of anger... then it CAN go to far.
Maybe a child might think twice about uttering some colorful language if the next time they drop that f-bomb or s-bomb, they get popped really good in the mouth, or maybe have to take a teaspoon of Dawn (Dishwashing liquid).
I said earlier that I did not cuss when I was a kid... well, that was not entirely true. See, when I was about 14 years old, and was begining to think I was smarter that my mom... like most 14 year olds do, I told my mother to "Go F*** yourself." Next thing I know I was on the floor, holding the side of my face. Yes... I learned my lesson, and NO... I never said it, or anything remotely like it to her again.
I have nothing against the use of OCCASIONAL use of some foul language... it is a good was to vent, but there are places and times for it. It should not be a regular part of your vocabulary.
So to the people who do use foul language as a regular part of their daily dialogue, try to act like you have some education, even if you do not. Find a better way to express your opinions.
Our house, though that means just my mother and I, was very strict in that sense. In fact, I was so well trained that I never even cussed outside of the house, for fear that somehow my mother would know that I had done it.
By today's standards, so I have been told by some, I was abused. I think not. See, when I was growing up, my mother led the house with a set of rules that were rigidly enforced, and they were enforced with a belt or spatula that was always in easy reach of my mother. But she never hit me for anything other than a well deserved reason... like the time I stabbed a fellow classmate in first or second grade with a pencil.
That being said, and now you, the reader, understanding my upbringing, I can continue.
Up until the time I joined the Marine Corps, I never cussed. However, if there is anything that the Corps taught me, it was how, when and where to cuss. You will find very few Marines, or many other soldiers for that matter, that do not use their fair share of foul language.
Now a days, though, I am noticing a sad trend. More and more children are cussing, and in public, not caring who hears.
I have two major questions about this...
1. Why are these kids so free with their language?
2. Why are their parents not doing anything about it?
I feel that part of the reason there is so little control over what kids do and do not do these days is that parents either will not or cannot discipline their kids. I have met both of these types of people, and they simply amaze me. Here is what I see, in a nutshell.
Will not discipline -
A good example of this is a person I used to work with. You go to their house and the kids are running crazy. No control, yelling, throwing thing, etc... I am trying to talk to this person about a problem we are having at work, and can barely get a sentence out before one of the kids runs up and interrupts us. At one point a toy, and not even a small one, flew over and hit him in the head then broke a glass. At this point I could not contain myself, and asked why he did not do anything. His response sticks with me today... "They are just kids, what am I supposed to do?" Now for the bomb. These "Kids" were about 11 and 12 respectively. Old enough to know better, but with parents that are either too lazy or too irresponsible to discipline them. At that age though, even if the parents decided to start, the kids are too far along to do anything about.
Too affraid to discipline -
One of the things that prevents a lot of parents, these days, from turning junior over their knee and giving them a good paddling are two things... 1. Well meaning but nosey teachers that think that any time a child says that they were paddled means that they are abused, and 2. Kids that play the system and report that they were beaten when in reality they were not and are just trying to retaliate for the fact that they were punished.
In California especially, it is too easy to be arrested for child abuse, and there have been several cases where parents are questioned for and even detained for child abuse, when all they did was punish their child. The system is TOO quick to go after a parent for potential abuse, and not investigate the claim carefully first.
This is not to say that there are very valid claims out there, but spanking your child in not abuse, not even close. There is nothing wrong with a good spanking, as long as the person giving the spanking is not doing it out of anger... then it CAN go to far.
Maybe a child might think twice about uttering some colorful language if the next time they drop that f-bomb or s-bomb, they get popped really good in the mouth, or maybe have to take a teaspoon of Dawn (Dishwashing liquid).
I said earlier that I did not cuss when I was a kid... well, that was not entirely true. See, when I was about 14 years old, and was begining to think I was smarter that my mom... like most 14 year olds do, I told my mother to "Go F*** yourself." Next thing I know I was on the floor, holding the side of my face. Yes... I learned my lesson, and NO... I never said it, or anything remotely like it to her again.
I have nothing against the use of OCCASIONAL use of some foul language... it is a good was to vent, but there are places and times for it. It should not be a regular part of your vocabulary.
So to the people who do use foul language as a regular part of their daily dialogue, try to act like you have some education, even if you do not. Find a better way to express your opinions.
Monday, April 03, 2006
Wash your hands!!!
This is a litle different than my usual posts, but enjoy.
I pay attention to things, little things and big things. I also tend to dwell on things that bother me. That being said, I will vent a little here about something I noticed some time ago, and then started taking a mental score of.
How often do you wash your hands?
I am not so much talking about washing up before meals or after spending the afternoon working on the Ford. Moreso I am talking about washing your hands after you have used the toilet.
Being a regular user of toilets myself, and having been so for most of my life, I have noticed that this number is surprising low. Myself? I am rather anal about this topic, I turn the water to hot (if hot water is available) then wash my hands in near scalding water with lots of soap, then on my way out of the facility I use a paper towel to open the door.
What my rant covers is how many times I have used public restrooms and listened to people come in, do their business, then leave... WITHOUT washing their hands.
Now... What a person does regarding their own health is none of my business, in fact there are some people that I could really care less what they do to themselves, however washing your hands after using the restroom is not about personal hygene as much as it is about courtesy and PUBLIC health.
Who knows what problems a person might have that they could be sharing with others through their own lack of forethought? Imagine someone using the toilet, not washing up, then grabbing a doorknob with their hand... now another person, say maybe YOU walk through that SAME door on your way out... you may have washed your hands, but now that you grabbed that same knob, you now may be sharing some of the same funk that was on the other person's hand.
Now you go out and enjoy a hot dog or Hamburger, or and other food that requires use of your hands to eat... but you are not just eating that food, you are also enjoying any of the funk that came off the other person's genitals.
Yes, I know that this is disgusting, and probably many of you have already stopped reading at this point. Yes, I also know that there are not many diseases or illnesses that can be transmitted this way... but that is not the point.
The point is that not washing your hands after you have visited the toilet is a disgusting habit that you should break yourself of, quickly.
When you think about it, you might not even want to know how many times a day you shake hands with, are touched by, patted or even served food by someone who may have just finished wiping their ass and decided that washing their hand was a little too time consuming.
Think about that for a while, then be polite to yourself and to others and wash your hands the next time you visit the toilet.
This has been another Public Service Announcement by....
I pay attention to things, little things and big things. I also tend to dwell on things that bother me. That being said, I will vent a little here about something I noticed some time ago, and then started taking a mental score of.
How often do you wash your hands?
I am not so much talking about washing up before meals or after spending the afternoon working on the Ford. Moreso I am talking about washing your hands after you have used the toilet.
Being a regular user of toilets myself, and having been so for most of my life, I have noticed that this number is surprising low. Myself? I am rather anal about this topic, I turn the water to hot (if hot water is available) then wash my hands in near scalding water with lots of soap, then on my way out of the facility I use a paper towel to open the door.
What my rant covers is how many times I have used public restrooms and listened to people come in, do their business, then leave... WITHOUT washing their hands.
Now... What a person does regarding their own health is none of my business, in fact there are some people that I could really care less what they do to themselves, however washing your hands after using the restroom is not about personal hygene as much as it is about courtesy and PUBLIC health.
Who knows what problems a person might have that they could be sharing with others through their own lack of forethought? Imagine someone using the toilet, not washing up, then grabbing a doorknob with their hand... now another person, say maybe YOU walk through that SAME door on your way out... you may have washed your hands, but now that you grabbed that same knob, you now may be sharing some of the same funk that was on the other person's hand.
Now you go out and enjoy a hot dog or Hamburger, or and other food that requires use of your hands to eat... but you are not just eating that food, you are also enjoying any of the funk that came off the other person's genitals.
Yes, I know that this is disgusting, and probably many of you have already stopped reading at this point. Yes, I also know that there are not many diseases or illnesses that can be transmitted this way... but that is not the point.
The point is that not washing your hands after you have visited the toilet is a disgusting habit that you should break yourself of, quickly.
When you think about it, you might not even want to know how many times a day you shake hands with, are touched by, patted or even served food by someone who may have just finished wiping their ass and decided that washing their hand was a little too time consuming.
Think about that for a while, then be polite to yourself and to others and wash your hands the next time you visit the toilet.
This has been another Public Service Announcement by....
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Where does it End?
OK... To start this off, I am Pro-Immigration... LEGAL Immigration.
I am listening to the debates over the various proposals regarding the immigration laws, and I am just in awe. In awe of two things... The stupidity of the people arguing against it and in awe of the lack of backbone that the government is showing to defend the borders.
One of the arguments I heard today on NRP radio was that of a young lady that ditched school to go out and protest. Her enlightening statement was that she did not want her parents and her to be deported. She is a perfect example of why you should STAY in school, because had she spent some time with a teacher or picked up a book to study the legal information regarding immigrants, she would know that IF she was born in the US, then SHE has nothing to worry about. She goes on to state that her parents wanted her to have a better life... well then why did her parents break the law to do so. My parents wanted me to have a better life than they had, so if they rob a bank or another person to do so, does that make what they did right?
The answer is NO! Entering the United States (and many other countries) to live or stay for an extended period, without proper documentation (think Visas) is illegal. Why is that so hard to accept? If what they are doing was legal, then why are they crossing the borders through the rivers, deserts, and in the back of trucks? If they feel they have the RIGHT to just come across and start living here, then why not just cross the boarders at the checkpoints and highways?
Now... the other think that sticks in my craw. Prop 187 was passed with flying colors, pretty much a landslide victory. Then the legal idiots got a hold of it and beat it down. This tells me that illegal aliens have more rights in California than do I. How is this right? These are people that do not even have the right to VOTE in this country, why can a person who comes to this country illegally, does not (in MOST cases) pay taxes and has no LEGAL right to be here, have the right to override my vote? There is no doubt that they do work hard, I will not even TRY and argue that fact. Illegals do work that I honestly would not do willingly... though I have done a lot of manual labor, it is not my first choice.
This whole thing leaves me with a bitter taste in my mouth regarding several things, but the main one is our Government's stance on this whole thing. There should be no question about what needs to be done. The borders need to be shut... period. This is especially true since we are presently in a conflict with a foreign power. We cannot stand around with this "We want to be fair to everyone" attitude and allow people to just wander in. We need a lot of people on the border... if someone tries to cross, fire a warning shot, if they keep coming, fire a shot into their head. If their family sues us, there should be NO grounds and it should not even make it to court. They had no legal right to cross the border without going through the proper channels.
Those of you who happen upon this are probably going to argue with me, and condemn me for my opinion, but you know... that is the beautiful part about being an American... I can have my opinion and you can have yours... and as long as you do not break the law to express yours.
Now... If you want to know my opinions on foreign Labor, I encouraged you to read my article titled "An alternative to Illegal Immigration", because I have no intention of rewriting it here.
If there is any sign of common sense left in this country, then the bill put forth by the Senate Judiciary Committee will be the best bet. Let's just hope that this does happen.
In closing, let me say this. There is nothing wrong with folks coming into the states and working. Most of these jobs are jobs that a majority of us would not want to do. I have worked a couple of seasons digging trenches in the California sun... and it is not fun, so I do have respect for the work they do. But it needs to be done legally, both to protect us as Americans and them as potential "Guest Workers."
Thanks.
I am listening to the debates over the various proposals regarding the immigration laws, and I am just in awe. In awe of two things... The stupidity of the people arguing against it and in awe of the lack of backbone that the government is showing to defend the borders.
One of the arguments I heard today on NRP radio was that of a young lady that ditched school to go out and protest. Her enlightening statement was that she did not want her parents and her to be deported. She is a perfect example of why you should STAY in school, because had she spent some time with a teacher or picked up a book to study the legal information regarding immigrants, she would know that IF she was born in the US, then SHE has nothing to worry about. She goes on to state that her parents wanted her to have a better life... well then why did her parents break the law to do so. My parents wanted me to have a better life than they had, so if they rob a bank or another person to do so, does that make what they did right?
The answer is NO! Entering the United States (and many other countries) to live or stay for an extended period, without proper documentation (think Visas) is illegal. Why is that so hard to accept? If what they are doing was legal, then why are they crossing the borders through the rivers, deserts, and in the back of trucks? If they feel they have the RIGHT to just come across and start living here, then why not just cross the boarders at the checkpoints and highways?
Now... the other think that sticks in my craw. Prop 187 was passed with flying colors, pretty much a landslide victory. Then the legal idiots got a hold of it and beat it down. This tells me that illegal aliens have more rights in California than do I. How is this right? These are people that do not even have the right to VOTE in this country, why can a person who comes to this country illegally, does not (in MOST cases) pay taxes and has no LEGAL right to be here, have the right to override my vote? There is no doubt that they do work hard, I will not even TRY and argue that fact. Illegals do work that I honestly would not do willingly... though I have done a lot of manual labor, it is not my first choice.
This whole thing leaves me with a bitter taste in my mouth regarding several things, but the main one is our Government's stance on this whole thing. There should be no question about what needs to be done. The borders need to be shut... period. This is especially true since we are presently in a conflict with a foreign power. We cannot stand around with this "We want to be fair to everyone" attitude and allow people to just wander in. We need a lot of people on the border... if someone tries to cross, fire a warning shot, if they keep coming, fire a shot into their head. If their family sues us, there should be NO grounds and it should not even make it to court. They had no legal right to cross the border without going through the proper channels.
Those of you who happen upon this are probably going to argue with me, and condemn me for my opinion, but you know... that is the beautiful part about being an American... I can have my opinion and you can have yours... and as long as you do not break the law to express yours.
Now... If you want to know my opinions on foreign Labor, I encouraged you to read my article titled "An alternative to Illegal Immigration", because I have no intention of rewriting it here.
If there is any sign of common sense left in this country, then the bill put forth by the Senate Judiciary Committee will be the best bet. Let's just hope that this does happen.
In closing, let me say this. There is nothing wrong with folks coming into the states and working. Most of these jobs are jobs that a majority of us would not want to do. I have worked a couple of seasons digging trenches in the California sun... and it is not fun, so I do have respect for the work they do. But it needs to be done legally, both to protect us as Americans and them as potential "Guest Workers."
Thanks.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)