Friday, June 2, 2017

The Paris Climate Accord


I think Trump may be right to pull out. I see two alternatives.

One, we continue buying oil from terrorists and criminal states. They will give us a haircut. They are colluding right now to raise the price of oil to make the U.S. pay more. Russia is an evil, war-mongering kleptocracy, pure and simple. Saudi Arabia finances global terrorism, Islamic fanaticism, and religious intolerance, as do many other oil-producing nations. That results in more crime, more war, and trillions spent overseas bombing towel-heads. Global warming drastically increases as bombs and intentional destruction release carbon into the atmosphere, and the people on the ground obviously don't give a hoot about emissions.

The second alternative is the one I prefer: the U.S. produces the carbon-based fuels we need, and we quit transferring so much of our wealth into the hands of criminals and terrorists. This will, in the long term, reduce global warming, because there will be less crime and less conflict in the world, as the criminals and fanatics lose funding. The only reason ISIS was ever a problem was because the Arabs had too much money in their hands, and they don't know what to do with it. Cause trouble is the only thing they know how to do. Same with Russia. More money, more trouble.

Anything that keeps wealth in these United States and out of the hands of the ne'er-do-wells of the world is a good thing. Saudi Arabia in a thousand years has not freed women from slavery, and Russia, given a hundred years, still has a greedy tyrant at the top who starts wars of aggression to acquire territory. Anything to starve those nations and their fellow-travelers is, on balance, good for the world, and will help to stop global warming.

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Party's Over, Blitches


I moved my money from stocks to balanced funds, only because a part of me still hates bonds with their lousy < 3% rate. But party's over for stocks. I was warned, now you are too. This is the high water mark. Tide comes in, tide recedes.

Hay hay hay! In May, go away, baybay!

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Iran and Rouhani


I'm pleased Rouhani, the supposed "liberal, women's rights reformist" in Iran, won. But he's held back by the same forces that hold back the U.S. in the thrall of Trump and the Republicans. Conservative, ignorant, lazy, do-nothing, learn-nothing, never-crack-a-book folks opposed to education, opposed to ideas, opposed to thinking, opposed to anything that does not involve delusional religion, alcohol, sex, or sugar. These people just want to kill, maim, torture their perceived "enemies", and if they win, then America and Iran will go to war at some point in the future.

Whenever I get down about the U.S., I just browse the information we have on Iran, and that scenario is far more depressing. In Iran, suicide is justifiable, even rational, given the prognosis, a nuclear holocaust, and the current state of affairs, a police state where torture is the norm. To procreate in Iran is evil, and only an evil person would want to have children there. Death is moral and ethical in Iran.

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Automation Nation


Driverless cars, driverless trucks? Pilotless planes? There aren't going to be many jobs left for our ever-increasing population. Which means warfare must decimate the people. We are going to have to kill every third person, some way, some how, in order to maintain the standard of living. Perhaps the government can mandate a cyanide pill lottery. If Americans can't stomach forcible birth control, then people are going to have to die anyway. The Republicans have signaled at every turn, they're for people dying, so that's probably where we are going to go. Can't pay a minimum level of taxes? Cyanide pill for you. Either that or forcible organ donation and medical experimentation on the one thing left with any value--the human body. In the end, we will just be livestock for the rich, the Trumps and Trump-wannabes of the world.

Ubuntu Going Public


Understanding arrived for "Rocketvalue" that he doesn't really know what he's doing, based on Unity's flop, Mir's crash, and the mobile phone fiasco. That's what happens when you close your mind against those that have seen a thing or two in their day and go off half-cocked thinking you're going to change the world. Change nothing, except your bank account for the worse. Sure, with today's overheated stock market, cash out. You're guaranteed to claw back those losses, because there are fools a-plenty buying stocks these days, with about 40-to-1 being the average P/E ratio among the Mid- and Small- cap U.S. stocks, as though disaster never occurs in human history.

You may be too late, though. A crash could happen any day now, with Trump's amateur hour, and you're still not public. Should have done this months ago. I completed my migration from 100% stocks into balanced, 60-40 funds, but feel that bonds might even be the better choice. I'm just not sure the moment is right for bonds, with their low rates. Maybe in late 2018?

Sunday, May 14, 2017

Prescience


When we arrived at T.J. Maxx, a thought formed of a crystal ball. Sure, I had seen them there before. Soon I found a really nice big one, perfect really, at a mere $30. Now it lies covered upon a blue table with other artifacts for proof against dust.

It is beautiful, beside its utilitarian features, and even if were never used for anything in particular, it makes a good shelf piece. I intend to use it, but not now. Later, maybe even many years from now.

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Indonesia


Indonesia is a sorry fanatical Muslim country, which sentenced a Christian governor to two years for merely giving an opinion on a passage in the Koran. No immigration should be allowed from Indonesia. Goods from Indonesia should be taxed at a rate of no less than 100% to reflect the cost of terrorism, which Indonesia exports. Trump is definitely right about the need to wise up about hostile foreign countries. A large number of Muslims have committed their lives to murdering or converting all non-Muslims. To pretend otherwise is willful ignorance, in the face of a stream of media reports that prove the intent to do harm. Indonesia is by no means the most radical Islamic regime, it is merely the one with the least excuse for being so, because it is outside the Middle East.

Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Four Things About Me


1. I believe that sex is O.K. and also "no big deal," which means, we should not make a big deal out of it. Homosexuality, heterosexuality--neither is very important in the grand scheme of things, and the gods do not care. We can take it or leave it. In the future, it is likely that the human species, barring some catastrophe, if Progress continues and the Zombie Apocalypse is averted, will procreate in the laboratory rather than the womb. Romantics shudder, but realists rejoice. Sex is rather inefficient and problematic, if one is honest.

2. I believe that it is possible to love and understand most, if not all, human beings, and to pity those that one does not understand nor wish to understand.

3. I believe that kindness is a better policy than cruelty, even for pragmatic reasons, let alone ethics.

4. I believe in the System, but realize that it goes berserk sometimes, like any machine. It is berserk against marijuana and prostitution. It is berserk against the Middle East. We have no truck with the Middle East. We have truck with North America and, to a much lesser extent, South America. Our interests are in the New World. Our leaders need to glue their eyeballs to a globe and ponder the wisdom therein. This is the United States of America, not of Afghanistan, thank you not at all. So why did we blow a trillion dollars in that dump?

Sunday, April 23, 2017

The Failure of the Establishment


Putin-aligned governments arise in the West due to two key failures of asinine establishment governments. In a spasm of Kumbaya loving-thy-neighbor myopia, they opened up their national borders to hostile outsiders from alien cultures, inviting trouble, and neglected to take meaningful action on jobs. They had to do only two things. Close the borders and expel the Islamists by any means necessary. Stop importing cheap stuff from Asia, and start employing your own workers. It really is as simple as that. Due to the failure of the establishment to grasp these political necessities, Putin's dark star ascends.

In the final analysis, evil intelligence will triumph over good incompetence, ten times out of ten. The only reason good prevails is that is the only way that does not lead to self-destruction. Evil vanquishes itself--intelligent or not. The very nature of evil works against it.

If mankind is, on balance, evil, then the next conclusion is self-evident.

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Love Versus Despair


Do I gloat over bombs dropped, souls lost? I acknowledge the blood of my ancestors and don't fight it because I think they were right in some wise, because I am here.

What I want is universal love in the final outcome, as conflicts cease and nations unite to resolve the real problems facing mankind: global warming, disease, poverty, pollution. Kim Jong Un barks up the wrong tree, lives in the 1950s, does not live in the same time we do. Whether he goes or not is irrelevant, but he must cease disturbing geopolitics and shut the hell up. When global media cease trumpeting his nonsense, then his prognosis for continued breath improves. That is my advice for the regime of N. Korea, and I hope they don't take it.

Universal love is not such a far-fetched hippy notion; it is achievable, even now, with Putin and Xi and Trump dominating the headlines. There is yet hope.

The Mother of All Bombs


I am rather pleased Trump permitted our military to bomb the hell out of ISIS. An 11,000 pound bomb sounds like perfect medicine for Islamic fanatics. Let them incinerate. That is what they crave, deserve, are destined for: annihilation. Worshippers of Thanatos, whom you name Allah, meet your god! If there is a representative of absolute evil in the world, then that is ISIS, which tortures and slays the innocent out of depravity. And compounding their evil is their usurping the name of an Egyptian goddess. I hope the ISIS bases get completely obliterated, with no survivors at all. The main imperative will be that there are no survivors and all of their equipment and infrastructure is reduced to rubble. It is the only way to eradicate a disease. Perhaps sending a strong message to North Korea is helpful as well. Kim Jong Un deserves death a thousand times over. The very stars sing for his death. Even if Kim did manage to lob a nuclear bomb, it may be worth the fallout to get rid of his regime forever and leave nothing to take its place, because North Korea will no longer exist as a habitable land, for the next thousand years. North Korea is the sorriest country in the world and a long-term threat to peace and stability in the world.

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Hope for the Best, Prepare for the Worst


I hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. I hope that the U.S. economy improves, that the world improves, that humankind enjoy peace and prosperity. In the brooding hours of the late evening, I suspect otherwise, and am reminded of the old slogan, "what fools these mortals be." Look at Syria, North Korea, Iran, China, Russia, and even our beloved United States. There are many problems, and some problems are beyond our capacity, morally and intellectually, to deal with, such as global warming. We are neither intelligent nor ethical enough, collectively, to deal with global warming. What will happen, will happen. That, I feel, is a given. Also, nuclear weapons--I think that in my lifetime, the mushroom cloud will arise once more over a major metropolitan area. It strikes me as unrealistic, given our history, to suppose that feeble Man, given a mighty weapon, will refrain, out of mere reason, or ethics, from using it. We use the tools at our disposal, all the time, for a variety of reasons, with barely a thought to the consequences; such has been our history. Thus, Earth is going to be a pretty hostile place for living creatures at some point in the future, and I see that as a given, again based upon history. To know history is to gain the ability to predict the future. Earth's end as a happy, pleasant breeding ground for humans saddens me, because good planets like this are depressingly scarce. We can't just up and move to Mars, now can we?

Tuesday, April 11, 2017

Oldcastle is Oldfashioned


I'm going to single out Oldcastle, but they are by no means the worst offenders to incur my wrath.

I am talking about companies that torture the job-seeker/hunter/browser with endless questionnaires and tests, and topping it off by forcing the applicant to regurgitate the entire contents of his painstakingly crafted resume.

Dear Mr. Corporation. If you make applying for a job a fool's errand, you will employ fools.

I opted against Oldcastle because they want me to perform long thankless arduous work for free just to apply for a job. Make it easy, and I might grant you twenty-five seconds of my time. If you're lucky. Otherwise, I really don't see the point in applying for a job with a company run by fools.

Saturday, April 8, 2017

Stockholm


The incident in Stockholm, where a man from Uzbekistan used a heavy truck to murder random Swedes, reminds me of the Muslim problem. The politicians that let them come over need to reconsider. Why is it the duty of Europe? How about the wide open spaces in Africa? Why is Africa not good enough for all these refugees? Why do the crowded cities of the West need to take on more people that do not share the language, culture or history? Certainly, the right in Europe is enjoying a resurgence due to the idiocy of the left's open door policy when it comes to all these Islamists that hate the West and want to kill the maximum possible number of Westerners. Every incident like this plays into the hands of the right and the nationalists. A single incident is enough to sway hundreds of thousands of voters, depending on the proximity of the election.

Ugh, Syria


I hate to say that there is an area of agreement between myself and the alt-right. I really don't want the U.S. getting tangled up in more Middle East shenanigans. It seems to me we have had our fill of that rot, ad nauseum. A trillion-plus down the road, and what do we have to show for it? I would rather stay the Hell out of the Middle East. If that means finding alternatives for fossil fuels, so be it. If that means developing fossil fuel production in the New World and elsewhere, so be it. I think that the countries in the Middle East are a mess, and we are not going to be able to make them any better.

Let's say we did overthrow Assad. Would the next guy be better? I doubt it. There is always going to be problems over in that neck of the woods, and it is unlikely that those people are going to love us. The best we can hope for is they forget us, after we stay out of their hair for about a hundred years, if our leaders learn wisdom, which I hope they do.

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Prime Minister Theresa May is O.K.


How come the U.S. can't have Theresa May as President? She is well-spoken. Instead we get saddled with that ignoramus, Trump, the "businessman" who can't pitch deals, can't turn a profit, can't manage, can't lead, and does not understand the economy. One thing he can do is bankruptcy, and that's probably what we are looking at not too far down the road.

Monday, March 27, 2017

Low Expectations


The way to never be disappointed is to never expect much out of other people. That way, they can never let you down, because you're already there.

Thursday, March 23, 2017

401(k)


We had a lunch-n-learn conference out at work explaining all the wonderful advantages of letting a bank nursemaid us through our 401(k) mutual fund investments.

No thank you, Mr. Bank, you charge 1% for the dubious privilege of your pedestrian expertise, consisting of what is the difference between a stock and a bond, and your mutual fund selection is full of funds with expense ratios through the roof, an astronomical 1 - 2%. I will stick with my IRA and the only good mutual fund family, VANGUARD, thank you not at all, except for the free lunch, which was basically junk food, by the way, just like your entire product offering. What, are you trying to give us a heart attack with the food?

Some doofus raised his hand asking what the expense ratios were. The saleslady replied they were what the bank pays the mutual funds, which was a bald-faced lie, because the customer pays the mutual funds out of his principal. Nothing but lies in this meeting. They were telling us 401(k) was the only tax shelter, ignoring IRAs altogether, because they don't make money from that. After the meeting, I considered calling up Johnny to let him know the real scoop. I know my way around investing. But then I remembered back when I first started at the company. One day, when I was green on the job, Johnny sneered at me because I carried a heavy toolbox to fix a little problem that required just a single cable. Well, hey, you know what, expense ratios are Johnny's toolbox. The expense ratio's on him. That's his heavy toolbox he's lugging around, looking like a fool. Me, I'm with Vanguard. Let him pay that 1-2% for the next ten years.

Sunday, March 19, 2017

Maybe I'm All Wrong


Perhaps I am impudent, but I dissent from Tyson and Duquette. I know, they are learned occultists with ump-ixty years of experience compared to my rather limited background, but I just don't like the numerological, Hebrew-centric approach. My blood rebels against Hebrew letters. I feel there is a better way, aside from cramming textbooks and following precise formulae based upon ancient culture that lacks relevance in today's world. If indeed, as Tyson and DuQuette appear to concur, magic is all in your head, then there are no rules, and they are self-confessed charlatans. Their books retain value, because they offer experience and guidance, but I think the solitary practitioner may, if he so chooses, forge his own way. The masters have already granted permission and left the door open, so I see no reason not to open it.

And I see no reason to add a "k" to the word "magic." Shakespeare didn't, so why should we?

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Trump Would Rather Be Bombing A-rabs


Trump would rather be bombing A-rabs than paying for any medical care for the poor. Billions more for bombs, on top of and above the billions we already spend, but "Let 'em die!" seems to be the Republican motto when it comes to low-income citizens. Now, instead of Obamacare, the poor will discover that Trump-Doesn't-Care. I saw this one coming a mile away. What's interesting is that a lot of people that voted for Trump will be losing their health insurance. Contrary to Reason, I think Trump supporters will be O.K. with suffering and dying due to Trump, because he is a white man, and better yet of their own tribe. All they want is a white man of proper pedigree to call the shots, even if they and all their loved ones suffer and die. They will vote Republican in the next election as well, and this time they want to lose Social Security and everything else and hopefully get a world war out of the bargain. I recognize that Thanatos is a profound human need; people crave death, suffering, and resent those that want to forestall the inevitable. "Gxx-Damn Liberals" is what we are, communists, traitors, what-have-you. Thanatos indeed is the overriding impulse in some people. Human history is outlined by wars for a reason. Humans procreate and at the same time, find ways that they and all their kin might be annihilated; so the circle achieves completion. Reason ain't in it, only spiritual mumbo-jumbo that is hard to fathom.

As for Trump's increase of defense spending, although that sounds good in principle--we all want to be safe--the ugly truth about defense spending is that a huge amount goes to waste, up in smoke due to pure negligence, corruption, schmoozing, parties, kickbacks, gifts, you name it. Generals retire to become salesmen for the very firms they used to purchase from. In any case, this is the real reason that Trump wants to increase defense spending--to enrich his cronies the easy way. They don't have to work hard or think at all. They just collect checks from the government. Welfare for the rich.

Sunday, March 5, 2017

I Didn't Approve of Stephen King


When I was growing up, horror was just becoming a thing. It was wildly popular, and Stephen King dominated the bookstores. He was described as a young rebel, an upstart taking over the bestseller list. My friends read his stuff. I was appalled. It seemed, well, horrible, all this talk of the supernatural and worse, the evil supernatural. But that is where my world went, and in time, I followed, although I was one of the late adopters. I later learned King drank mouthwash to get drunk. He was a chronic alcoholic, ready to down a case to finish a book. Perhaps, indeed, it is how he managed channeling the spirits that wrote his books; but that is speculation on my part. I do think King is a good man, probably a very good man, and a very gifted writer. His presence among the canon can be undisputed; no library would be complete without him. I have read most, though not all, of his books. Besides his tendency to dwell upon the negative, another thing I dislike about him is repetition. His books do seem the same. I think any author, after a time, repeats himself, because being human, he has a finite number of thoughts and ideas. In summary, I wish to clarify that I do approve of Stephen King, now; I didn't, when he first came out, because I'm a biological conservative, that is, conservative in nature, if not politics, or at least modern politics.

Saturday, March 4, 2017

To Be Old in America


Did I ever imagine, in my wildest dreams, that a United States President, a right-wing, conservative Republican at that, would play the Manchurian Candidate? No... not even while under the influence of cannabis. In their totality and simplicity, the signs are damning, to anyone that watches and listens, to anyone that is not blinded by partisan fervor. No matter the outcome, there will remain a stench of corruption around Trump's dealings with Russia. It may well fall upon patriotic conservative Republicans, of which there are many, to impeach a conservative Republican President, only for the good of the country. If his whole Administration has to go, as indeed it may, the rot extending from the roof to the floor, including Pence and all the others, then perhaps we will have Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) as President.

One thing is sure. These United States cannot ally with Putin. Then we would be evil and so much worse for this poor old world.

Friday, March 3, 2017

Hypocrisy


Now that the Republicans are in power in Washington, D.C., it is plain as day they are total hypocrites. All the little things they criticized the Democrats for, they have already done. Republicans are just hypocrites that want to get their way any which way they can. "The ends justify the means"--except in this case they really don't. The Republicans are going to pile up additional debt increasing an already over-sized military and giving tax breaks to corporations, while at the same time depriving people of health care and ignoring the environment. The reason they want to expand the military is simple and clear--they want a war with Iran.

Saturday, February 18, 2017

Goodness and Strength


Goodness alone is insufficient in this wicked world. A middle ground lies between Goodness and Strength, their Union being superior to either. This world needs Silver Dragons, sons of Light that breathe fire and have armor to withstand the swords and arrows of wicked men.

Who can define a dragon? I know one when I see one.

Thursday, February 16, 2017

Amicability


It is true that I do--at this juncture in my life, although it was not true in my younger years--find myself capable of liking everyone, every living human being, in some form or fashion, even if only by virtue of their being in the same world that I am in and observing the same things. I find that they don't resent my promiscuity in liking everyone, but are rather relieved to discover that I am not one of the many hostiles, for this world can be such a hostile place. I wish people would place greater value upon cooperation, because it is only through teamwork that we can resolve the problems of today and tomorrow. Do I sound like a politician? Nay, I am a corpse, a skull snapping its jaws for anyone that will listen. And if no one listens, so be it. All threads are equal in length and lead to the same result.

Saturday, February 4, 2017

Unleash the Stereotypes


In the fashion of Trump, here are my stereotypes:

The problem with gays is alcohol. Drinking stops thinking.

The problem with blacks is crime. Solve crime, and the blacks will be better off.

The problem with whites is war. An obsession with war between nations has reduced the white race more than anything else.

The problem with the Middle East is religion. Atheism, which is shunned, offers an antidote for the muttering puppets of dark powers.

The problem with Chinese is corruption. Everything gets sacrificed for money: environment, aesthetics, freedom.

The problem with racists is group-think. Your group doesn't even like you that much, and wishes you were in another group.

The problem with homophobes is they are homosexual. Straight men really don't think about gays and appreciate not having to compete with gays for women.

The problem with Jews is fear. They are afraid of being the last Jew standing and of Judaism disappearing from the world.

The problem with atheists is boredom. They are missing out on a lot of fun that the believers are in on.

The problem with Christians is they owe everything to a Jew, and the Muslims believe similar things they do.

The problem with women is men. Men are horrible.

The problem with men is other men.

The problem with Republicans is they have to operate in the real world of today, not their fantasy world of 1950 television sit-com.

The problem with Democrats is business as usual. The party bosses think they can just arrange everything without taking into account the voters.

The problem with the Greens and other minority parties is they don't understand winner-takes-all and what it means.

The problem with people that don't vote is they want to complain, but not do anything about it.

The problem with North Korea is Kim Jong-Un.

The problem with Trump is Twitter can't solve every problem in the world.

The problem with religious people is gullibility.

The problem with people that believe in magic is gullibility.

Is that enough problems for you?

The problem with human beings is that they are human beings!

Thursday, February 2, 2017

Trump the Grump


The trouble with Trump is he is an intellectual lightweight. He surrounds himself with sycophants because he is insecure. Such a narcissistic man as Trump has a fragile ego, always harassed by enemies, real or perceived. His ideology may even have some good points, but flawed execution dooms his Presidency, like his raid in Yemen based upon "inadequate intelligence" (such an apt phrase). I am not sure how much damage Trump will do to the U.S. economy. It all depends on whether he starts a war and with whom. His Republican predecessors all waged war, so I suppose he feels obliged to follow through to "Stand Tall" and "Show Strength" ([C]opyright G.O.P.) If he picks Iran, there is going to be a strong feeling of deja vu in this country. If he picks China, then I suspect the U.S. will be in for a rude awakening on many fronts.

The U.S. needs about ten years to recover from its addiction to crack cocaine outsourcing. All those jobs and factories left the U.S. for China, and now China really has more manufacturing capacity. My bets are on China winning any kind of war in the long run, although the U.S. would likely score some short-term victories. Trump needs to stop talking and get to work. He spends all his time criticizing the media, and that is not going to produce any results.

Probably Trump is going to wage war in Yemen, because that would please Saudi Arabia, an old Republican ally, and seems a safe bet and a way to get back at Iran.

I am parking money in a money market fund, because although inflation is cranking back up as I expected, Trump seems unfocused, unprepared and unprofessional, and he has hatched some major goofballs. Amateur hour all around with Trump in office. He is still campaigning. I don't think he ever stopped being a candidate. He does not know how to be President. I keep wondering when he is going to shut up and start thinking things through before he acts.

Monday, January 30, 2017

Astrology and All That


I listened to the learned wizard DuQuette in a video. He seems good, and I like him. He yammered on about the Qaballah, Tarot, Archangels, and Crowley. I just about dropped out of my chair. He's actually a great speaker, with humor and energy, but I find all that numerology business a hard slog, always have. Pretty bland stuff, numbers and diagrams and tetragrams and pentagrams. I don't know how Ducky could possibly spice it up. I appreciate math, but associating cosmic forces and energies with numbers and geometry seems suspect, like slanted science, ghetto science, a dilution and perversion of science. I just don't get it. I don't like it. Something doesn't seem right.

Maybe Qaballah is too ancient Hebrew for my tastes. I remember that I wrote a long time ago, before I knew what Qaballah was, that I was a spirit of fire, then changed to one of air. Well, per Ducky, per the Qaballah, my astrological sign corresponds to Mutable Fire, which is open to change to another element. Also, one my nyms from long ago coincided with one of the planets in my zodiac. Well, all of that could be coincidence or was it prescience?

I shall continue with his video series because I like watching Adorable Ducky, even if what he is talking about flies over my head. I rather wish Ducky had cast a fireball or two, or changed someone into a frog, or forecast the near future. Now, that is what I call real magic. That is what I want a proper wizard to show me. But he sat there, in his coat and tie, and just seemed a dear old professor, lively and vivacious and huggable.

Saturday, January 28, 2017

John McWhorter @ CNN


I really liked McWhorter's piece on Trump and Chicago crime. It may be a good thing for Trump to send the Feds in to Chicago. Stop the gang violence, by martial law if necessary. Ordinary citizens have a right to live their lives without the threat of crime and violence.

I feel the same way McWhorter does about Trump: "Even a stopped clock is right twice a day." Trump spouts so many words that a man is bound to agree with some. He is like a shotgun. Yeah, a couple pellets are going to hit the mark.

Trump talks too much, for one thing, and engages his mouth more than his brain. He is not the ideal leader. He is going to make a lot of horrible and costly blunders with that angry mouth and hot head of his. The best that I hope for is that he corrects at least some of the blunders of his predecessors, and that his blunders prove to be correctable by his successor.

Due to Trump, Putin, and Xi, I do not have any hope that humanity will do anything to reverse climate change. Anyone living on the coast anywhere in the world is in for a rude shock, and those in the interior are also in for neat experiments like desertification, violent storms, flooding and violent and hungry refugees from the coast. Trump can be wrong, but ninety-nine per cent of world scientists can't be wrong.

On the other hand, is it right that the U.S. and Europe make all the sacrifices in an effort to reverse global warming, while India, China and Russia pump out maximum carbon emissions? If climate change is really inevitable anyway, and it probably is, given the geopolitical reality, then the U.S. might as well do whatever is expedient, because Russia and China represent evil in our world, and must not be permitted any advantages. Putin and Xi are evil incarnate and will never do anything that is good. If the U.S. committed suicide en masse, resulting in the elimination of all man-made carbon emissions, then China and Russia would continue with business as usual, and colonize our space and replace the lost carbon emissions with their own. Therefore, global warming is truly inevitable. It is impossible that China and Russia should cooperate with the U.S. They prefer global catastrophe and large-scale reduction of the world population to cooperation. Perhaps a reduction in global population is the real solution to global warming. There is not as much need for people nowadays, with automation in so many facets of business. The world could get by quite well with a million, let alone the seven billion currently in existence. This is the sobering reality foreseen by the elite, such as Trump, Putin, and Xi. It is my grim prediction for the future. I do not see a future with populous countries, but a future of war and strife, nuclear exchanges, massive pollution (including radioactive), dictatorships, and overall a long-term reduction in the global population. A "Mad Max" future.

Zero Sympathy for Google, Microsoft


Microsoft and Google appear uncomfortable with Trump's order restricting immigration from the terrorist-producing regions of the world. Seems they feel that their foreign eggheads will be impacted by the order.

My view is, tough titty. They can hire a bright young fellow from Iowa, train him, and keep their workforce 100% American. There is nothing a foreigner can do that an American can't do ten times better. We have a country with 300 million people, a well-educated workforce with a high number of college students, and these tech companies say they can't find enough eggheads? Hogwash!

Personally, I hope that treacherous Microsoft and Google lose a couple billion for depriving Americans of jobs. If they don't employ Americans, they are better off going bankrupt. Executives need to learn that what comes around, goes around. They enjoy the safety and comfort of living in America, yet transfer most of the jobs overseas. Is it a big surprise that American workers are not sympathetic?

Friday, January 20, 2017

Nomi Marks


I dreamt about the above character in Sense8, a great Netflix sci-fi show. I did not associate her with the show and could not place who she was. She was this highly-placed, important woman at a company that I also worked for and was very busy, just like in the show. She may have worked in HR or R&D or been an executive. She seemed nice and helpful to me and gave me water, followed later by grapefruit juice. I can't remember much that is specific to the dream other than a pleasant exchange, not a conversation exactly, but some kind of shared understanding. What we actually said to each other, if anything, is lost. The esoteric writer DuQuette opines that drinking in a dream is like drinking the waters of Lethe, but what is true for him may not be the same for me. The Nomi Marks entity was good, trying to recharge my batteries through these beverages. Offering drinks was a kindness, nothing more.

Through Wikipedia, I learned Nomi Marks is played by Jamie Clayton, a transgender woman. I like Clayton's work in Sense8. She appears interesting and genuine somehow. That is why my mind has incorporated the character in my dreams.

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

The Feds' Sense of Humor


With Obama departing the White House, Snowden remains "snowed-in" in Russia.

Thursday, January 12, 2017

I'm a Stakeholder


If I weren't a stakeholder in the U.S. and in the world, I'd be politically ambivalent, above it all. There is great amusement in the spectacle of Trump and the Republicans. One thing I like is how Trump has played all the Republicans like a violin. He even got his former Republican critics to lavish praise upon him, making them look like lap-dogs while he sits drinking his tea and smiling like a fox, his expression so easy to read. He has exposed many prominent Republicans for what they are. All their talk of principles take a backseat to Power. I could laugh, but then Trump makes mean, petty remarks that reflect poorly upon him--and upon us. The sobering thought arises, oh damn, this is my country we're talking about, and bad things may happen, like war. Trump seems a child in many ways. His ideology is of less concern to me than his temperament. We can certainly endure a conservative Republican administration like Bush, Bush Jr., or Reagan. This has been proven to my satisfaction. Those administrations were costly, adding to our national debt, but at least they kept things together. Will Trump keep things together? What sort of blunders, gaffes, and indiscretions must we expect?

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Poor World


The billionaire boys club runs the world: Trump, Xi, and Putin. How those bozos are going to deal with global climate change, I don't know.

Sunday, January 8, 2017

Skull Sweat


If something is not thought through ten times ten times, then it is not right.

Not just sometimes, but all the time.

This is the law of Creation and cannot be repealed.

The only reason we have electricity is men burning the midnight oil with sweat pouring down their forehead worrying the details through to completion.

Genius is ninety-nine per cent perspiration and only one per cent inspiration.

Friday, January 6, 2017

L.A. Times and Pot


The Los Angeles Times has been down on pot since time began. Their argument is dope makes people stupid. Well, all right. No one says pot is health food. It impairs the Reasoning mind, same as alcohol. The L.A. Times has zip to say about alcohol, because of the alkies in charge advertisers.

A greedy beer, wine or liquor tycoon fears pot as a competitor, because pot is better for people than alcohol. People might wise up and stop drinking his poison. So he buys a rag like the L.A. Times and tells them what to print in their little editorials and "news" articles.

The L.A. Times not only says marijuana is bad, but they want to lock all the pot smokers up. Hard time for high times! Let us examine this evil logic. Lock the potheads up, and just maybe, they will embrace a new path in life, the demonic. For what sort do we find in prison, but the violent and maladjusted? What better mentors? Pot smoking is but a feeble half-measure, and Blood is the final--and inevitable--product. Convert the passive do-nothings into do-somethings. The something is unspecified. Pesky details. Always and forever, no one wants to get into the details, to the detriment of mankind.

In this world, men take a simple thing that is on balance good, like marijuana, and through wickedness, twist it into something horrible, associated with crime and violence. An intelligent creature of higher moral standards could exist in large numbers on this planet and not have any problem whatsoever with the herb, but use it for its [intended purposes].

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Trump is Refreshing


I actually find some of Trump's tweets refreshing, and I hope he is not just full of BS. The American people have been let down so many times. I like when he calls out companies for screwing the American worker by building plants overseas. I like when he calls out U.S. companies for screwing the government, which they do far too often. I wish he would keep focused on that, and especially target waste and corruption in Washington, D.C. If he did those things, then that would forgive an awful lot of bad karma he has generated with his less virtuous remarks. He needs to keep the peace, focus on jobs, and strive to be compassionate to minorities. The Angels will record his good works on the same ledger as his bad, and if he does enough good, then it might just possibly cancel out the bad. But he had better keep busy, night and day, and keep an eye affixed on some of his less than savory associates.

Here is hoping that Trump is really a Heart. A blind hope, at this point in time, but nonetheless. Why does a billionaire want to be President? Does he really, is he really so insanely driven that he wants more money through corruption, or is he, could he be... genuine, in some shape or form? Let us all hope Trump is a Heart, for the sake of the country.

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Republicans Say, "Make it Rain!"


The House Republicans decided they need free reign to indulge in an extended four-year orgy of cheating, sexual harassment and stealing, so they gutted the ethics oversight watchdog, which they considered a damned nuisance. Now that crooked Trump is in, let the good times roll! Forty-eight per cent of the electorate can't be wrong. Stealing is in! I expect trillions of dollars to get diverted to corruption on a massive scale never seen before.

It's always amusing when people vote against their own interests. The low-income folks that voted for the Republicans or did not vote at all or sent in a stupid protest vote or voted for the Green Party nitwit need to to learn how to deal with untreated disease. Take some Bufferin to ease your sufferin. There certainly is not going to be any Obamacare to help you in this world. Got cancer? Take Bufferin. Heart disease? Bufferin. Mental illness? Bufferin. Remember to say "Thank you!" to the Republicans for denying you medical care.



The reason the poor won't have medical care is Republicans need to steal all that money to get richer. Instead of being millionaires, they need to become billionaires. The Republicans say, "Make it rain!"

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

The Daily Stormer


The ugly troll behind the Daily Stormer, a Trump cheerleader, imagines he has a monopoly on ultra-violence, hate and psychological warfare. The truth is, everyone keeps the full enchilada in reserve. The only thing keeping the masses from indulging their base instincts is a noble aspiration for a higher state of existence. We do not wish to live as base animals. It is commendable aspiration and was difficult to achieve. He argues we should revert to insects. To see the world in terms of skin color is stupid. He thinks his words are impressive because they are extreme. The reality is, the majority of mankind could say and do all the horrid things he thinks he has the sole rights to. The majority could do far worse than him. Want to be like ISIL, worse than dogs? Want to be worse than ISIL? If he were on the receiving end of what he advocates, he would change his tune in a few seconds, reverting back to the Noam Chomsky-reading liberal he said he used to be. All his hatemongering blather is just a smokescreen for his insecurities. Not impressed.

Back in the day, there were similar creatures in Europe. Some committed suicide, while others were shot or hung, after the war. There is meticulous documentation about their activities. He is parroting them. The forces he draws upon are not congenial for human beings. It is in their nature to betray the summoner.

Tuesday, December 27, 2016

Stocks are the Only Investment Vehicle with Wheels


I just don't see any future in bonds right now. I doubt whether they will even outpace inflation. Not with Trump. Stocks, maybe, and money market or, just maybe, an ultra-short term bond fund. There are going to be gyrations in the stock market with Trump. He drops clunkers all the time. Just doesn't sit down and think about things long or deeply. I'm not really sure he will keep us out of war, either. He seems pretty gung-ho about racking up another ten to twenty trillion in national debt. Basically that's what our overseas adventures are, another way to transfer wealth from the U.S. to China. We should have gotten free oil for a century from Iraq, but instead all we get is gimme more, gimme more, gimme more, and blame, derision and disrespect all around. War sucks as foreign policy. I hope somebody on Trump's team secretly understands that, because from the way they talk, seems like they hit a lot of trees in the Stupid Forest.

Sunday, December 25, 2016

Dungeon Crawl Script, Two Years Later


I haven't touched the Dungeon Crawl script in two years, until now. It still works like a charm. I am quite pleased with it. Perhaps others are as well. It remains one of the most popular pages on my blog. I play in Linux now. The game works great in Linux. And if you aren't using Linux, my question to you is, why not? It's free. It does not require an anti-virus or much of anything else. It will run fine on a Pentium 4 with a gigabyte of RAM--or less. Again, why not? Download Linux Mint today and see what you think.

As for the new Stone Soup team, well, I like what they've done. Gozag is my "go-to" God for Mummies. The devs have made some rather controversial changes. I do wish that they would do something besides adding a new God every other release. Polytheism is cool, but you know, new content is best, in particular for the higher levels. Let us expand the divine astral realms and allow the player to contend with the gods themselves. Also, there are more Hells to conquer, more demons and devils. What about Lovecraft's mythos? Nyarlhotep, oh my, and Cthulu! These would be interesting challenges to place before the high-level player. Do note that Lovecraft is long since dead, and copyright issues should be null, but of course, I am not a lawyer, and publishers are greedy. In my opinion, there are enough gods as it is, and some gods, such as Sif Muna, cry out to the gods for an overhaul. I can't think of any reason anyone would want to worship Sif Muna when Vehumut offers so much more to the spellcasting faithful.

My Dungeon Crawl Cheat page is laden with dust. Frequent references to Windows XP betray its antiquity. I could edit and add guidance for Windows 10, but why? I like the patina. I will never use Windows XP in this life. I tossed my last Windows XP install DVD. XP is best buried. It was good in its day, but its day is past. There are too many limitations and vulnerabilities. I remember frequent problems with Windows XP and more particularly, Windows 2000, which kept having Registry problems. I read all about the "hive," but still did not understand it. In the end, we must heed Microsoft when they say upgrade. It is their product, after all.

Will Dungeon Crawl survive? Probably not. At some point, the Devs will age to a point when they cannot be bothered anymore. It is the same with Wesnoth and other old games. The younger generation has very high expectations in terms of graphics and whatnot. I hope the Devs continue as long as they possibly can, because I think the game is awesome, but there are many who grow accustomed to modern gaming with high-resolution graphics. I prefer slow, turn-based gaming over realtime, with its emphasis on hand-eye coordination, and I believe there will always be a market for that, so perhaps there is a slender hope for Dungeon Crawl into the future.

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Bonds Suck So Bad


I just can't get over how bad bonds suck right now. Unless interest rates increase by 2 to 3%, bonds are all, every one of them, a bad deal, and high-yield most of all, with its pathetic 5% yield. Look, inflation is on the rise, okay? The Fed's quarter-point touch up doesn't do the trick. Prices are creeping higher, and the usual Christmas bargains just aren't to be found.

Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Merkel Embraces Thanatos


The Christmas market bombing in Berlin brings to mind the foolishness of Europe's stance on immigration. Germany's Merkel invites death and destruction upon the Germans. I think she should be impeached through whatever parliamentary process is available to the Germans.

There is no acceptable level of terrorism. Stop the so-called refugees at the door and tell them to go fix the problems in their own land before bringing their problems to our door. Why are these folk not fighting for their own land? All they want is a free ride in a rich nation. They shirk their duty and then want the West to fix all their problems for them. Europe does not need a bunch of fanatic know-nothings who do not even speak the language of their host country. They care nothing about the culture of Germany. They will ruin Europe and turn it into the same hell-hole they came from. They want sharia law, the rape of women, beheadings and public floggings. That is all they know for a hundred generations.

If the refugees belong anywhere besides their own land, then it would be in neighboring countries, not in Western Europe. The people of Europe are awakening to this truth, and it will not be long before the foolish politicians are cast out in elections.

Monday, December 19, 2016

Merciful Trump?


I was puzzled by Trump's seeming change of heart regarding the prosecution of Hillary Clinton for emails. He said he didn't want to hurt Hillary anymore, that she had suffered enough. He struck a kind, fatherly, merciful figure, and that set my head a-spinning.

I figured things out today. The new king hesitates to establish a precedent of prosecuting another king.

For the day may come when Trump, too, fears prosecution. He is likely to do all the things Hillary did or is alleged to have done and far more.

* - I italicized the word "precedent" because our president-elect proved to the world that he did not know how to spell the word. He called the Chinese seizure of our underwater drone "unpresidented" when he meant "unprecedented." The Republicans have a terrible time with grammar, history, and science. Why is that? I will tell you, a lot of people, and not just Democrats, arrive at the obvious conclusion.

Sunday, December 18, 2016

Win at All Costs


Win at all costs dismantles all the rules. It is easy to win a game with no rules. Just grab the prize and walk off. Done. Trump is win at all costs. He is going to break a lot of rules. Bull in a china shop ain't in it. I predict a war somewhere along the lines, probably with China, and probably of the trade-war variety, with some hot-fire traded on the high seas. He has stocked his administration with generals for a reason. There is going to be a lot of nail-biting and a lot of losers, too, among those heavily dependent upon imports from China. They probably deserve to suffer, seeing as how they sold out American workers. I hope Trump does do a trade war with China. That would be just the thing to jump-start the manufacturing base here in the U.S. Let the big boys sweat a bit, but make them bring back those jobs. I wonder whether Trump can pull that off. Sometimes the Fool is possessed by Divine Light. He blunders and farts around, and is really a Fool, but actually wins in the end.

Friday, December 16, 2016

What Do I Believe in Politics?


I read about what Trump, the Republicans, and right-wingers in general think about what "the left" thinks. I consider myself a part of "the left," but I am not really sure what "the left" is, and I don't think anyone else knows, either.

I can't speak about "the left." All I know is that I like what I read in The Guardian (UK), most of the time, if not all of the time.

I believe government should let individuals alone for the most part, save when they may interfere with the rights of other individuals. A man's home is his castle, pure and simple.

I believe that racism is nonsense. To see a man as part of a group only, based on skin color, is really stupid. People vary. They are individuals. They are not all the same. One must keep an open mind, informed by love, compassion, and kindness. To harden one's heart against an entire group, particularly based upon something like skin color, is folly and nonsense. We are commanded to love. It is our duty.

I believe that homophobia is nonsense. Gays have been with us from the beginning. Many will deny it, but gays have founded religions. In this veil, we do see as through a glass darkly. Some things are hidden in plain sight. Kindness is all that is required. Be kind to one another. Perhaps being different from all the others teaches one the importance of being kind.

I believe that bullies are evil. It is easy to harm the weak. We should look out for one another and attempt to create a kinder, gentler society not only for ourselves, but for future generations. Enlightenment is the goal. Liberate this human race from petty squabbles, from desperation, from despair. That is the liberal agenda. Perhaps it is unfeasible, sometimes. One must be pragmatic. But it is the long-term goal.

Sometimes, but not always, organized religion can be a bully. Other times, big corporations. Sometimes entire nations. I believe the world is a better place because the United States sacrificed an entire generation. We bled profusely and paid vast sums of treasure in order to stop Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. If we had taken the easy way out, the way of Trump, then we would have reached an accommodation with fascism. We would have struck a deal. Trump is a deal-maker. That is sometimes helpful, but there are moral imperatives. If one does not believe in good and evil, then there are no boundaries at all. I believe there is absolute good and absolute evil. I say that the world is a better place by far without the ideas of Hitler holding sway. Mankind can be reduced to insects, and if we are, we are doomed. The earth will be rid of us. Is that what you want? I would prefer that we improve ourselves. There is much to be improved, let us be candid with ourselves. Let us ameliorate. All that is required is patience, love and intelligence. We must use the higher faculties, while keeping the lower ones in check.

Now, I know very well that some will read all this and think liberals are all heart and no brain. That is what I hear all the time. But I am pragmatic. I want things to work. Fundamentally, things have to work. It is not possible to be good without intelligence, without correcting imbalances, imperfections. I write code. Sometimes the code has bugs. Am I perfect? No, I am flawed, and I create buggy code sometimes. I realize that mistakes must be corrected. The division between good and evil is like the serpentine dance of the dragon. It is not easy. Sometimes, with good intentions, we do wrong. That is acknowledged. Therefore, intelligence is required. We must learn from previous mistakes and listen to the other side, including the right-wing, which sometimes is going to be right. The right-wing also is composed of Americans who love their country. I acknowledge that and hope and trust that they, too, acknowledge my own loyalty. We are all on the same side and probably want the same things and are only divided by semantics, the power of words that are woven by politicians. If peace, prosperity, preparedness, longevity, and happiness are the goals, then we want the same things.

Monday, December 12, 2016

Abandon Self


I like to imagine my death, because I have no regrets. There are no things left undone. There are no grave errors. I was good. A crime would be a torment to me. I prefer to fade into nothingness without a stain. This preference has been with me since the earliest age that I can remember. I don't know why. Perhaps there is good news beyond comprehension. I think that the Universe is One, and that all beings are one, although few of them accept it. The illusion is strong. Really, there is not separation, not of any significance. Separation is an illusion. We were one. We will become one again. So it was, and so it will be. Time distorts reality. All that separates a man from the truth is Time. Were he to live long enough, he would see all in fullness and understand.

Federal Bankruptcy?


Trump presided over bankruptcies in the past, and I see no reason to assume he will change colors overnight. Trump plans to do the classical Republican shenanigans: cut taxes while at the same time increasing spending. It is just like if I decided to quit working and just live off my credit card, while dining out every night and buying a couple new cars. That is the easy way to spur economic growth. Trump loves easy fixes. Who cares about the future? Enjoy today. That is the Republican way. Reagan did it first, then Bush, and now Trump. All of them getting high at the wheel as the ship gets progressively loaded down with debt. What is it now, over twenty trillion? Remember, Trump wants to spend more on defense, not less. That means more new planes, tanks, and ships, all of which we apparently need in order to keep China in check.

Meanwhile, Trump antagonizes our chief debt holder, China. For better or worse, China holds our national debt. If tensions rise between the two nations, as we have every reason to expect they will, the United States may default on its national debt for the first time in modern history. Now, Trump has defaulted many a time before, and this would be in character. What will happen is that no one will want to buy U.S. bonds, and anyone holding them is going to be holding Monopoly money. That would include retirees, dear old grandma and the like. There will be a lot of collateral damage, and suddenly the U.S. will have no way to meet obligations such as Social Security and so forth. There will be unhappy people gathering in the streets.

Trump may be cunning, but he is not half as smart as he thinks he is, and he is going to find that global politics is a lot tougher than it seemed at first. There is a reason that Putin backed Trump, and that reason is not to help America or the American people.

Predictions: the federal minimum wage stays the same or is abolished altogether. 2017 inflation rate of 3.5%, 2018 inflation rate of 7%, 2019 inflation rate of 11%, and 2020 inflation rate of 14%. Bonds look like a poor investment right now. Pollution gets worse. The capital spending that Trump envisions will not actually improve anything in the country. He is going to build a wall and spend more on military gadgets for overseas adventures. Spending on scientific research will stagnate, with the one exception of weapons research. The infrastructure will remain as it is, although prison building will expand and become increasingly privatized. Marijuana will become illegal again nationwide, if Trump's Attorney General has his way. Trump is going to put a lot more people in prison as part of the traditional Republican "tough on crime" thing. Most of the new people in prison will be for non-violent offenses like marijuana. The largest per capita prison population in the world is just going to get larger and may even double. The Trump Presidency will be all about culture wars, stocking the Supreme Court with right-wingers, and expanding the military and doing a lot of bombing missions against third world nations to show everybody that Trump stands tall. There probably is going to be some hot fire traded between China and the U.S. in the South China Sea as well, and then an unexpected peace mission resulting in symbolic, empty "concessions" from China that make Trump look good while changing nothing. Trump is all about appearances. All he wants is to look good in the moment. If a world leader understands that, as Putin does, then it is easy to deal with Trump. Give America nothing but a kick in the teeth, but lie and agree with Trump and say the things that make him look good. That is all you have to do with Trump.

Sunday, December 11, 2016

"Dems?" Rats!


Since Fox News calls Democrats "Dems," it is only fair to call Republicans by another monosyllabic word. The problem is that "Reps" doesn't really have a firm association with "Republicans," because it could mean "Representatives." At a loss for an alternative, I suppose we will have to settle upon "Rats."

Saturday, December 10, 2016

No One to Blame


The best thing about the 2016 election is that now, the Republicans have no one to blame but themselves. They may find that to be an awkward position, given they don't know what they are doing.

Thursday, December 8, 2016

A Nice Picture of Hillary Clinton



I like her in purple.

There is a certain nobility about her, in defeat. Her spirit is potent and should not be underestimated. Of course, the forces of evil have been at work for a very long time against her. Today they celebrate their dark victory, based upon lies, innuendo and half-truths. In the end, she just wasn't the very best saleswoman, and that is really all there was to the 2016 election. She was pitted against the ultimate salesman, Trump, who was willing to lie, cheat, and steal any which way, with the notable assistance of Russia, organized crime, and white racists.

Demonic Possession


In a simpler time, a case could be made for demonic possession in the murderer behind the Charleston Massacre.

Perhaps there are Angels, potent and furious, presiding over the situation now, for this crime does melt the heart of any with a heart. Such a crime as his is Satanic in every aspect. It will work, not toward racial animosity, as the depraved and doomed insect supposed, in his fevered brooding, but toward racial harmony; for no one with even an ounce of goodness would excuse such a grave and heinous crime. The Ways of the Lord are mysterious, and some do His Will by leaving this life. So will the murderer. He, too, must lay down his life for racial harmony. He must be sacrificed. That is the way to make amends and to assist in the healing of the survivors. He must not continue to new days. He must rejoin the earth.

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Charleston Church Shooting


The insect who committed the senseless atrocity of the good people in Charleston should be given a speedy trial, lasting no more than a week, and then hanged, his corpse cremated, and ashes flushed down the toilet, all expenses to be paid by whatever is left of his estate. I don't see any reason, save one, not to favor the death penalty in mass murder cases. The murderers themselves, obviously, believe in the death penalty, so they certainly can't complain. And there is something satisfying about making a killer swing.

The one argument I could make against the death penalty is utilitarian. A murderer does possess something of value--a human body. It is not worthless. Yet the death penalty wastes it. There are organs that could be harvested, blood that could be donated, medical experimentation that could be performed. Clinical drugs could be tested. If a murderer consented to these things, then perhaps there might be value in granting temporary clemency of one or two months. However, even a murderer has absolute domain over their own body. I do not condone forced donation of organs or blood. Donations must be on a voluntary basis, or else humankind is reduced to cattle.

Sunday, November 13, 2016

I am not Bothered


Ignorance once more wears the crown in these uneasily united States. I aim to be stoic, like lovable Hillary Clinton, about Trump's rump dump because:

  1. For every step backward, there are two steps forward. The good are not only right, but are wise, and because of their wisdom, they prepare for the darkness.
  2. The power of evil is finite. If evil is triumphant and if all is lost, then everything begins again. Nothing can destroy what is good. It will come again.
  3. Even in the darkness, the so-called absolute void, there is light. To understand this is more than a philosophy. It is a liberation.
If Trump were to bring jobs back to the U.S., as he promised, and out-do the Democrats on that score, I would support that 100%. My view of him would then transform.

I believe, however, that he will do nothing of the sort, because he does not care for anyone but himself. He takes shortcuts. The easy route is his perpetual choice. He seeks personal power, enrichment, glory, narcissistic pleasures, and popular approval. He will not trouble himself to fix any problems that are difficult. He is not any kind of fixer. He is not a charitable person. He is not a hard worker. He will continue the trajectory of his life-path. He will not suddenly change his colors, as some of his supporters assume, to their pending disappointment. They are fools--they do not see the man for what he is, they would sell their souls for pennies.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Evil Triumphant


The liar and crook, Trump, cares for no one but himself and has no respect for our system of government. The system was rigged--until he won. He won the same way he cheated and swindled his way to fortune. People will just believe any old thing if it is repeated enough times. He lied with a straight face, using a measured voice, and sold angry white people, his sole constituency, a bill of goods. Now we have a narcissist at the top. He will say anything to get what he wants, and all he ever wants is power.

Tuesday, November 8, 2016

Trump is Not Right


Trump may appear right-wing--at this particular juncture, because it seems expedient to him. But he is not right. That is why he will lose. The gut-check. In their hearts, those who are aligned with goodness must know he is not right. Only evil will favor Trump. He lies too much. The liar betrays himself with his words. It is important to be careful when speaking. To be caught in the lie, again and again, is to be known for evil.

It is not easy to tell the truth. Work is required. Perhaps Trump wants to be truthful, but he is lazy. He has never worked a day in his life. All of his success came from taking short-cuts, from swindling, cheating, and lying, and first and foremost, from Daddy's gifts and Daddy's business associates. Without a silver spoon in his mouth, Trump would be a used-car salesman in a podunk town in Nowheresville.

Thursday, October 20, 2016

I Like Hillary Clinton


After watching her for a half hour in the third debate, Hillary Clinton has won me over. She's smart, hard-working, and dedicated to her profession of statecraft. She prepares, thinks, and when necessary, delivers. She may prove to be among the better Presidents we have had in our history. I think the market will have a great year in 2017, because all the smart money is going to be on Hillary. She will bring stability, efficiency and intelligence to the executive branch. She's not a "wild card" like Trump, but will measure her words and actions for the best of the country. Experience matters, and Hillary has a lengthy career behind her.

I find it interesting that the media and the Republicans complain about Hillary's relatively minor mistakes over her 30-year career, whereas Trump has a list stretching from sea to shining sea of cheating workers, customers and contractors; not paying taxes and boasting about it; bankruptcies; sexual assault; outright lies and race-baiting; cozying up to the Russians--of all countries, the most toxic for a Presidential candidate; encouraging Russian interference in the U.S. election; attacking the integrity of our elections; alarming U.S. allies--and the list goes on without end. I don't see how any thinking person can vote for Trump. That he even made it this far points to the weakness of the other Republican candidates. I just don't think the Republicans have anyone that can step up to the job.

Sunday, September 18, 2016

Of Course


Of course, our government offers poor management of the nation. The two candidates for President are inadequate to the challenge. They seek the office out of personal ambition, which is improper, even base. The same could likely be said for many other candidates for many other offices throughout our Republic and for many positions, whether political, military or corporate.

Are either Trump or Clinton ready for the unique scientific and political challenges of the present? Global warming, financial uncertainty, unemployment, terrorism, Russia, China, North Korea and Iran (the Axis of Evil)? I doubt it. Do they bring new ideas to the table? No, they are orthodoxy.

Many intelligent people do not believe global warming will be resolved by human beings. They view the approaching apocalypse as inevitable. I count myself among them. I do not think that human beings are capable of dealing with the threat of global warming. We are too selfish, short-sighted, suspicious of others. Thus, disaster looms. The federal government foolishly, mindlessly subsidizes development in coastal regions doomed to be devoured by the oceans. Meanwhile, we squash bugs in Syria, Iraq, Aghanistan. Funny thing about bugs. They just keep reproducing. Meanwhile, the treasury is drained on a continual basis, and we become more indebted to China.

I know intelligent people who will not vote for Hillary Clinton or Trump because they see their faults and do not excuse them and see no value in pragmatism. Pragmatism is not sexy, but is boring and depressing. Our system is flawed. Winner-takes-all is a real problem. People will vote for the Greens, for Libertarians, for protest candidates. The system is not capable of processing their intentions.

Our Founding Fathers had good intentions, but ultimately failed us. Their deeds are regarded by the masses as carved in granite, never to be altered, and yet they failed. The system they designed cannot endure. It is being tested. It is doomed.

Global warming occurs, and our national debt increases with no end in sight, and many people are either unemployed or under-employed. Where are the jobs? Again and again, where are the jobs?

It is difficult to be optimistic about the future in the long-term.

Saturday, September 17, 2016

Songs of Meaning


These songs have meaning for me.

Sara - Fleetwood Mac - I remember several through this song. It is potent. Play it at high volume. That is the only way to appreciate its subtleties. The witch casts a spell.

1963 - New Order - I remember my best friend through this song. We have not spoken in over thirty years.

b - Nada Surf - A beautiful dream transports the listener. "I've got no time I wanna lose / to people with something to prove. What can you do but let them talke / and make your way down the block."

Strange Magic - ELO - magic is strange if it is not useful. I do have a strange magic. I am not rich and powerful. I write on a blog for free.

Nite & Day - Al B Sure - I can listen to this over and over. It never gets old. "If you and I were one, the love would share would be so fun. Just take my hand and you'll see that we'd take off into another world."

Say It Isn't So - Hall and Oates - I really like this song and, like "Nite & Day," can listen to it over and over. It may be the best of Hall and Oates.

One Hundred Ways - Quincy Jones - relationship advice that guys tend not to take! If guys would only listen to this song, they could make a happy life for themselves with a good and gentle person. Everything is spelled out here. All that is required is to listen with an earnest and receptive heart. There are real advantages to compassion, to kindness, to thoughtfulness.

Always Love - Nada Surf - wisdom distilled into a song. Few will understand or, understanding, follow. Always love is invincible. Hatred is poison to the bearer. "To make a mountain of your life / is just a choice." Brilliant!

How Soon Is Now - The Smiths - clubbing in my twenties. emptiness, excitement, despair.

I Heard a Rumour - Bananarama - saying no to a second chance is sometimes right. I have had to say No to many. I do not regret shutting them out, because they were base.

Our Lips Are Sealed - The Go-Gos - "Pay no mind to what they say. Doesn't matter anyway! Our lips are sealed." Truth may be found in the silence of the soul. The modern obsession with blurting out secrets is not always wise. With silence comes dignity. Think of the mountain, the tree, the stars, the moon.

A Tale of the Tribe - Beyond Life - "Break the mind-forged manacles. Correct the berserk machine." Is it too late for us?

Feel So Alive - Pod - "you have given me peace of mind."

Too Hot - Kool & the Gang - every beat is right.

Kryptonite - Three Doors Down - "I took a walk around the world to ease my troubled mind. I left my body lying somewhere in the sands of time." Indeed.

Jeremy - Pearl Jam - me in ninth grade, but for the Grace.

Interstate Love Song - Stone Temple Pilots - "Leaving on a Southern train." That is me. I am always Southward-bound.

Plush - Stone Temple Pilots - "And I feel and I feel. When the dogs begin to smell her, will she smell alone?"

Photograph - Def Leppard - sometimes all that is left is a photograph.

Shoot To Thrill - AC/DC - "I'm like evil, I get under your skin just like a bomb that's ready to blow."

Bring Me to Life - Evanescence - "Wake me up inside."

Getting Away with Murder - Papa Roach - "I drink my drink and I don't even want to." Drinking opens a gateway for evil to enter our world.

Lying from You - Linkin Park - "Let me take back my life. I’d rather be all alone." There is much to be said for solitude.

A Place in Time - Bosshouse (featuring Amanda Abizaid) - I loved the show, 4400, of which this is the theme song.

Take It Easy on Me - Little River Band - resonated with me when it first came out, though no more. As a supplication, it proved ineffectual!

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Chelsea Manning


I read an editorial today in one of my favorite newspapers, The Guardian, about whistleblower/spy/criminal Chelsea Manning, who is of interest primarily because of her transgender status.

On the one hand, I feel the transgender issue in her case is exploitative, riding upon the backs of the gay political movement. Perhaps many people follow her solely because she is transgender and happens to make the headlines. She is asking a lot in terms of medical care from the institution that she betrayed. However, in the end, it makes the military look good that they are providing her with recommended medical care.

On the other hand, perhaps her 35-year sentence does seem rather excessive. However, punishment in criminal cases is mainly for deterrent value. It is not Manning that society fears, but others that might do as she did in the future. That is the real explanation for a 35-year sentence. It is not that Manning poses a huge danger to society or that people want revenge against her (although some probably do, namely her superiors who were embarrassed by the leaks). It is not Manning, but the specter of future Mannings that the powers-that-be fear. Military justice is always about setting examples. Thus, a murderer may actually get a lighter sentence than Manning. It does not seem fair, but fairness ain't in it. Combat-readiness is the priority, not fairness.

In truth, jail sentences are a blunt instrument aimed at prevention of future crimes, both from the perpetrator and future perpetrators. Human justice often seems cruel and arbitrary. It is fear that keeps many people from doing things, and draconian sentences are intended to inspire that fear. I am sure that if Manning were released, society would not be in danger, but perhaps others would be tempted to do as she did, and in that scenario, how could the military keep any secrets? A larger question is, should the military keep quite so many secrets? Secrets sometimes exist for good reasons, but they also exist to cover up evil, corruption, negligence, and incompetence. What if the military had fewer secrets? Perhaps we could rid our military of evil, corruption, negligence, and incompetence. There are many advantages to openness.

I'd be in favor of reducing Manning's sentence, to make it comparable with similar crimes, if it can be demonstrated that the leaks resulting from her actions did not result in physical injury to others. That may be a rather high bar to reach. Perhaps the absence of evidence of harm would be sufficient.

Sunday, September 11, 2016

War for the Overworld


War for the Overworld is a great game, a modern face-lift for the old Dungeon Keeper 2. I enjoy it immensely. It supports 1920 x 1080 resolution and works great on Windows 10. I believe they are taking it in new and interesting directions, while remaining true to the original spirit of DK2. It is well-worth the purchase price.

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Preparatory Spell for Tarot


Friendly spirits, daughters of Light,
Show us what is just and right.

This one wants to learn and grow.
Show us what he needs to know.

Sunday, September 4, 2016

Piyush


Today, just for fun and to resolve some outstanding technical problems, I installed a new solid state drive in my computer and tried installing Windows 10 fresh from a DVD. Windows 10 installed OK, but pitched a fit over the activation, which scratched a sore spot with me. There is a tawdry story involved here, and I might as well 'fess up.

You see, I did not purchase Windows 10 through proper channels. Ever the bargain-hunter, I snagged a product key for Windows 10 Professional off an Ebay seller, who later was banned from Ebay, probably for pushing shady licenses, because all she ever sold was Windows 10 licenses.

Nevertheless, I had paid her $80 for Win10 Pro, and it seemed quasi-legit. I had researched and found it to be a volume licensing for some kind of online academic institution. Microsoft indeed had gotten paid, although not quite as much as they would have preferred, no doubt. No way I was coughing up another $140 for a brand new license. Just no way.

I called Microsoft, and the first Indian I spoke with was a guy with a really smooth, mellow voice. He had me recite my product ID, a 30-digit number. I just loved listening to his voice, it was so clear and smooth. He could easily have been a jazz singer. I didn't really expect that from Indian tech support. In the end, however, he handed me bad news. I had to contact my seller and get the product key, which is different from the product ID. No other way forward, according to him.

I didn't tell him this, but the seller is out of the picture completely. She is gone, kaput, does not answer emails, so forget about that. But I know a thing or two. When I bought Windows 10 originally, the seller did send me a product key, or otherwise I never would have had a licensed Windows 10 in the first place. I printed it out back then and filed it. I found my hardcopy and, armed with that information, called Microsoft again, because Windows for some reason was not accepting that product key anymore.

This time I got an Indian dame, whose name remains Anonymous, because when she connected to my computer, the window indicated it was Piyush. But googling that name suggests that it is a masculine name, not a feminine one. I do not see any male Piyushes in Facebook. I think she was using the previous tech's, or her boyfriend's, log-in details in order to preserve the sanctity of her true identity. In truth, it is not a good idea for young female voices to be attached to actual names that can be researched and tracked down to a location. I would have done the same thing in her position and indeed I do it. The fact of the matter is, although one desires to be appreciated and admired on the Internet before an audience of one's peers, one is well-advised to treat one's identity the same as one's chastity. Many people do not seem to understand that. But Piyush, as I call her, understood.

She fixed everything for me. Windows 10 Pro was activated on my new solid state drive, and she was quick about it and rather nice, too. As for me, I was sunshine and butter on popcorn. I had all my ducks in a row. She did not have to do any extra work or waste any time explaining anything to me. I was always two steps ahead of her. I am not surprised things worked out so well for me in the end. If it is at all possible to get a positive result out of technical support, I can do it, because I am technical support, and I like people and get along quite well with them, whatever their age or gender or any other factor that other people seem to think is important. I am neutral and results-focused and results-oriented, but I also like to have fun and joke around, within the parameters of propriety. I had quite a bit of banter with Piyush.

Here is the strange thing that set me blogging with a title of the false name she used.

She liked me. I was the nicest person she spoke to all day or will speak to all week. I walked around in her mind a bit. There were echoes of unpleasant exchanges with abusive callers upset at Microsoft, and I hated that. People don't always understand how difficult computers can be. They don't know how much patience and work is required to get them to function at all. Most people in support have been abused by the ignorant, the impatient, the negligent and the frankly stupid. I am honored and grateful to the Goddess that I am not like that.

After we disconnected, I walked around the house, exuberant that I had fixed the problem and feeling a lingering pleasure from the strangely potent connection with this Piyush lady from India. Five minutes later, there was a phone call. The caller ID indicated a long distance number, but I just knew it was her.

I picked up, and there she was. She had dialed me by mistake, intending to reach her next customer. But really, are there mistakes? Is it so difficult to dial the correct number in a call center? Her subconscious preferred to talk to me again rather than play the fool's lottery on the next caller. I would have loved to talk with her for hours and learn all about her interesting life in India, but that is not such a good idea. I redirected her back to her work with firm pleasantries. I mark her existence only in this blog. Perhaps in another Universe, another reality, who knows? She was a lovely lady. She deserves to be loved. I have said it. The world must do it.

Thursday, September 1, 2016

Love


I love to love and hate to hate. It is easy to dislike a group of people in the abstract--fanatic Muslims, say, although I'd love to see a liberal Muslim--or fascist right-wingers--or fascist left-wingers, for that matter, come to think of it--anyone fascist, either side. There is not much difference between a fascist left-winger and a fascist right-winger. But I love to love and that is how I flourish and reach full potential. To allow oneself to love is not an easy feat to achieve for most people. They imagine a thousand reasons they cannot love the others. In reality, the only obstacle is the selfish self. Be brave. Love everyone. When people don't want you to love them, love them anyway. There is no need to tell them. There is no need to do or say anything. The magic and the power generates within, a vast reward beyond comprehension, for love is a means to power, real power.

It is as simple as this.

In the doing, in the chaos of everyday, be aware that you witness the very soul of the other in their deeds and their words. Be aware of the moment. The other is here now, for a brief time, like thyself, never to be again, a flower that blooms and withers and dies so quickly, in the blink of the eye of the Buddha. You, even your humble self, are witness, and perhaps your entire purpose is to be so. We are all witnesses of each other. For that is the way that the world was made. We are witnesses to each other and to the whole world as it is.

Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Russia Not Cooperating with SETI


Russia isn't cooperating with SETI. Instead of informing the world community about findings, the scientists over in Russia inform the dictator first, then after a year or so, if the information is not deemed useful or conclusive by the Kremlin, they inform the rest of the world. Typical.

Saturday, August 27, 2016

The Best Way to Help the Police


The best way that the world can help the respective police forces of every nation is to abandon the notion that human beings are suited to drive motor vehicles. We are not. Millions of accidents confirm this. Driverless vehicles are the way to go. There will be no need for law enforcement to squander time and resources on monitoring speeds or adherence to any other traffic laws if cars are computerized, networked (communicating with each other) and monitored by a central server. We need to stop driving cars yesterday. Humans are lousy drivers, because they want to drink, do drugs, play on their smart phones, change the radio station, talk with friends, brood over things at work, and argue with their spouses or children when they should be paying attention to the road.

Thursday, August 18, 2016

Nothing Matters


To know that nothing matters is a liberation. To think that things matter betrays attachment to things. Non-attachment is the way. If one lives in a world of constant change, then a simple path presents itself, to embrace the change and flow with it.

We think things matter because it is a prerequisite of living as an animal. Breathing matters. Feeding matters. To think that these things matter is very useful to an animal. The habit of mind can become all-encompassing, leading one to believe that even little things matter, such as a parking space that one has grown accustomed to or a brand of candy carried by the grocery store. We forget the ultimate reality, which is that nothing matters.

On this planet, there are people now. They were not there in the past. They will not be there in the future. No record will be preserved of their existence. This is a simple concept, but difficult to accept. The Universe does not play favorites.

Sunday, August 14, 2016

Afghanistan


Think upon the trillion dollars poured into Afghanistan. Was that a good use of taxpayer funds? Would it have been better spent here in the U.S.A.? Is a cure for cancer completely without value? Is there nothing to be gained from defeating AIDS?

Afghanistan is an unholy mess, the product of the stupidity of our leaders. Their leaders are even more corrupt than ours, and their entire purpose in life is to steal the maximum amount of money from the American taxpayer. They even steal the bullets we give them to defend them against the Taliban. I say let the Taliban take over. We should exact reparations from the land, mining valuable materials from the mountains, while napalming the populated Taliban-infested areas whenever they pose a threat to the transportation of material out of that blighted region. The Taliban is like roaches, they can be sprayed on a periodic basis to keep them in check. Who cares who governs the rest of that country? Abandon the untrustworthy people, and take back from the mountains all the money that was poured into that cesspool. At least that way, the American taxpayer will receive a certain percentage of his hard-earned money back. A check should be sent to each and every American taxpayer, once per year, for the next hundred years, to distribute the profits made by selling Afghan stones and minerals.

Why is the U.S. determined to be the perennial loser in every foreign conflict? Why is our tax money destined to be poured down the toilet and flushed away?

Thursday, August 11, 2016

I Love Chess


I love chess because it is pure. No B.S., just mathematical truth. There is a queer beauty in it.

The alternative to chess, doing what many others do, which is to say, sitting around gossiping, seems pointless and rather debasing as well. At least with chess, one exercises the mind.

Wednesday, August 10, 2016

Trump


The grinning crocodile, Trump, made a none-too-subtle remark recently that gun owners might assassinate Hillary Clinton, merely because she favors modest and sensible additional controls over firearm sales, such as banning assault rifles and so on. The gun control lobby in the U.S. is completely insane. There is no need to explain. Just research for about half an hour, and it should be obvious.

Let us examine Trump's thinly veiled threat against Hillary in cold blood. Let us say Hillary is gone. Her replacement would also beat Trump and might actually prove a stronger candidate. That is why Hillary is perfectly safe. I do not fear any assassination attempt against her. The ones to fear for are the likes of Martin Luther King, Jr., who gave a better speech than any human being in living history. The evil-doers knew he was irreplaceable. That is why they murdered him. They will not touch a hair on Hillary's head, because she is replaceable, and what is more, the replacement might be better.

Cassandra


I thought this morning that I'm a Cassandra. It is my doom to see things and tell others what I see, but never to be believed. My Father disregarded all I told him to his detriment. I tried to protect him, but of course he would not listen to me. I do not have the additional power of persuasion. I've grown well-accustomed to not being listened to, but sometimes, I tell people things anyway, out of affection, loyalty, a sense of duty or perhaps just an old habit that was never quite completely broken. Sometimes it amuses me as inexorable Fate proves me right, but people never like to admit they were wrong. Cassandras are resented universally. Silence is best, in general.

The quest after Truth is like the serpentine dance of the dragon. When you think you have her, she has eluded you altogether. Nothing is easy. If someone thinks that the world is easy, they have missed about ninety-nine per cent of the equation.

Out-Christian the Christians


There are many who profess to be Christians and proclaim loudly their religiosity. I am amused by their designs to make others think they are good. They sometimes succeed through strenuous efforts at self-promotion and frequent, very public attestations of faith. They gain leverage among others of like mind in order to advance in their careers and in the world. That is their goal and their machinery is transparent to those who watch and listen.

When possible, I like to out-Christian the Christians, not in words but in deeds, and to operate, not necessarily seen or recognized, as a force for good in the world, by helping and assisting others who are good. I do not mind being anonymous. I like doing good just because. Not because I believe some invisible man is watching, a godling or some such, though perhaps that is so. My opinion is unsettled on that matter. How would I know other than how I feel? Feelings are not infallible. I could well be mistaken.

But if there were a god, she is rather a goddess, because I cannot conceive of a masculine god. The power of generation is feminine. The male can only subtract, not add. We subtract rather too often in my opinion. It is regrettable.

As for Tacita, she is not the primary goddess, but a relation. Distant, I think.

A Master's Degree in Marketing


This is the funniest IT story I've read in ages.

You know, the best way to drum up business is to design a good product and provide good service. Little tricks don't get you far.

Sunday, August 7, 2016

U.S. Foreign Policy


The Syrian War is the result of Assad being the dictator. If he had been willing to negotiate and make concessions, then much death and destruction could have been avoided. He is the big loser, as is Syria, because that area will remain devastated for quite some time to come, unless the Western powers foolishly donate billions of taxpayer dollars to rebuild it.

Our leaders are misguided anytime they donate money to foreign powers. Such a decision should be left to the voters in a special referendum. I do not consent for $1 of my tax money to be used on Syria, either on bombs or on reconstruction, and certainly not on both. Why not spend that money on improving our country, if indeed money must be spent at all?

The U.S. seems a foolish country, because we fund both sides in foreign war that does not involve us. We fund both the bombing and the reconstruction and get taken advantage of throughout the entire process by corruption. Trillions of dollars are flushed down the toilet.

The anger I feel over this probably explains the popular support for Trump. But Trump is disingenuous. He would do and say whatever to benefit himself. I do not think he has much concern for either the country or for humanity at large. I have never trusted Trump. His record speaks for itself. There is no need to listen to Trump's opponents. Listen to Trump and look at his history. Hillary's history is certainly better than Trump's. She is a worker, she is dedicated, and she works for what she believes to be the good of the country. She does not cheat and she does not steal. The greatest criticism of her is that she was around when hard decisions had to be made, and she made hard decisions in difficult times. What has Trump done, other than line his own pockets? That is why, despite my disapproval of U.S. foreign policy, I will vote for Hillary.

Thursday, August 4, 2016

Iran


I think the Obama Administration needs to send a letter to every citizen in the United States to let them know how much of their tax money has been sent to Iran. I can't imagine a more boneheaded enterprise than sending money to a nation that supports terrorism against American citizens and kidnaps American citizens. Now the kidnapping game is on in earnest, since everybody knows the U.S. will cough up $100 million for a single military person.

Sunday, July 31, 2016

Opposing Change


Conservatives oppose change because their personality dictates it. They don't like to think about things much. They fear the unknown. They don't want to bother with studying anything, because that involves work. In short, they have a case of the La Zee Bonez, a disease that is rampant throughout the human race. Those who oppose change get awfully upset at the very idea that things might change, because then, they would have to exert a few seconds, maybe even a minute, of actual thinking. That is a huge thing to ask of them, when normally they do not think about anything at all.

Saturday, July 30, 2016

Corruption and Waste


Corruption is rife in the world. In general, people do not listen to what is right, but what is best for them. Morality appears to be a new innovation in the human ape.

Government service is sometimes viewed as an opportunity to be idle and, sometimes, to steal.

Perhaps it is true that people get the government they deserve. If bad leaders are voted into office, then the people do actually get what they voted for, after all. Those regions that elect good people get better government out of the bargain. I wonder whether the U.S. deserves Trump? I certainly hope not.

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Astral Stuff


I am not sure what to make of the concept of astral travel. I have read in Tyson's works that anything that happens in the astral plane happens in the mind alone and not outside of the mind. If so, what is the difference between astral travel and reading a good book? To me, it seems silly to imagine an unseen place without a good script, as found in a good book.

Also, what is the difference between astral travel, as defined by Tyson, and writing fiction?

Sunday, July 24, 2016

Germany Bleeds


The news streaming in from Europe seems a never-ending stream of Muslim-manufactured atrocities. The politicians in Europe lack basic common sense. Germany is learning what should have been obvious to anyone with a functioning brain. When you invite a bunch of Muslims to the party, what you get is brain-splatter on the walls and blood all over the floors. Europe is a strange region. If you like them, believe in their culture and philosophy and want to contribute, you are unwanted. If you hate them, want to kill and rape them, then they will bend over backwards to let you in. Moreover, they will pay you not to work. This fits in with the general hypothesis that people, perhaps unknowingly, worship Thanatos, want to die and want to suffer. It is a basic impulse at conflict with happiness and progress. They want to bring the wolf to the table. Of course, the fanatical Muslims are only too happy to oblige.

Erdogan is Ugly


Erdogan, the dictator of Turkey, is just an ugly human being, sitting on the toilet and pretending to be a leader. When he dies, Turkey will be better off. That reptile won't ever give up power while a pulse still beats in his skin. There is going to be a lot of killings and a lot of imprisonment and torture while he lives.
techlorebyigor is my personal journal for ideas & opinions