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 |  "Putting on the Game Face" |
  This blog is a doorway into the mind of Percy Goodfellow. Don't be shocked at the lost boys of Namby-Pamby Land and the women they cavort with. Watch as his caricatures blunder about the space between audacious hope and the wake-up calls of tomorrow. Behold their scrawl on the CRT, like graffitti on a subway wall. Examine it through your own lens...Step up my friends, and separate the pepper from the rat poop. Welcome to my abode...the armpit of yesterday, the blinking of an eye and a plank to the edge of Eternity. Note: This blog is my journal. I've no interest in persuading anyone to adopt my views. What I write is whatever happens to interest me when I start pounding the keys. |
| I have just finished reading "Duty: The Memories of a Secretary of Defense," by Robert Gates. It has my mind spinning as my brain struggles to absorb all that he had to say. Perhaps it is best to start with what he doesn’t say. After seeing the interview with Sean Hannity I expected some Obama bashing. Hannity had highlighted several quotes, one of which said that President Obama, did the right thing, but never really had his heart in the wars being waged in Iraq and Afghanistan. Gates said over and over that he held Bush and Obama in high regard and both supported him as Secretary of Defense. The fact that President Obama did not express a visceral commitment comes as no surprise. What is more important than the “Heart” issue is that Obama insured our troops had the means to do the job. As my readers can attest I am not a great fan of President Obama regarding domestic matters, but I am gratified that Mr. Gates has many good things to say about the President when it comes to the military and foreign affairs. He also speaks highly of Hillary Clinton and Susan Rice. Since neither ranks high on my hit parade, it is noteworthy to learn that they have some redeeming qualities in the Defense Secretary’s opinion. It is impossible to read his memoire without concluding that Bob Gates is one of the premiere strategic thinkers of our age and if anyone should know what went on behind the scenes of what we saw in the news, he is certainly a credible source. The book is full of examples that explain the back-story of the national policy decisions that were made on his watch. How often do we see events reported in the news and scratch our heads, wondering what prompted this?” It’s a shame his watch ended before the Benghazi incident and the recent fruitless negotiations with Iran. I would certainly like to know what he has to say about these. |
| The weather has been very cold the past two weeks in Central Wisconsin. I had already burned through January's wood and have been hustling to catch up. When I get in at night all I want to do is eat and hit the sack. Imagine blocking and splitting wood in-20 degree (F) with the wind chill at -40. The dog won’t even stay outside. Last weekend I went to the RC Model Airplane swap meet held each year outside Milwaukee. There's something about those events that draw me like a magnet. Went to urology yesterday and my cysts haven’t grown. The doctor says I might die some day but it won’t be from kidney cysts. At Walmart they have the best French bread. You can buy it warm and it's great with spaghetti. Last night we watched three more episodes of “Breaking Bad.” That is a good series. So that's what I’ve been doing for the record. I’m thinking about a new topic for my blog. Maybe it’ll be about Bill Gate’s new book that's coming out next week. |
| Happy New Year! Linda and I stayed up to midnight to welcome in the New Year and celebrated with a glass of our favorite wine, Auselase. While we were waiting for the appointed hour we watched three episodes of Breaking Bad. For my readers who are not familiar with the HBO series it is the story of a research chemist who instead of riches feels a compelling social need to go back and teach High School. Suddenly he’s diagnosed with lung cancer. His wife is pregnant his son has cerebral palsy and he’s broke. To leave them a nest egg he begins cooking methamphetamine with a former student. It’s one of those series where you have to suspend disbelief and sit back and enjoy what the producers, screenwriters and actors have created. It shows how the central character must constantly cope with his double life, his medical condition and the street world of drug addiction. What I enjoy most about the series is that in the cinematic model there's a clear portrayal of the struggle between "Good" and “Evil.” It’s worth watching. Season 1 can be purchased at Walmart for about $17. |
| Yesterday I laid the foundation for why I believe that institutions such as Socialism, Communism, Fascism and other forms of government, that put the community before the individual, are inherently evil. Herr Goebbels put his finger squarely upon the distinction. Our founding fathers feared the dangers of centralized government. So did the Athenian Greeks. This is why both opted for Democracy over a host of other governing options that were more agile and efficient. Human beings are not insects. The Constitution says, “We’re imbued with certain unalienable rights, which include life liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” In a hive the lives of the work-a-bees count for little. They are expected to perform their assigned tasks and when their service lives are over get tossed aside. Is that liberty? Is that the pursuit of happiness? Is there any choice in such an existence? Are bees even aware of the concept of freedom? Probably not. However humanity is. People are not ants, termites or bumblebees. Human beings know what choice is and feel at the gut level a desire to be free to pursue their expectations, dreams and happiness. Whoever created us used a Life Model. It is one we have continued consciously or unconsciously to follow. Consider for example when the computer was invented. The first ones were big mainframes where only a few had access and those who did jealously guarded their machine. However, it wasn’t long before a host of terminals were plugged in and then a huge step was taken. The power of the computer was decentralized into mini computers, and then desktops and laptops. We still see the vestiges of the centralized computer just as we see the hives of insects, however, it wasn’t long before decentralization took place because that is the way of the Life Model works. A computer is a primitive precursor of life that evolved quickly from a centralized to a decentralize form. Once that step was taken there was no turning back. Everything humanity creates is inspired by individuals using the life model in some manner or form. First comes the idea from an individual and then a collective effort to make it happen. Without the spark, energy and prompting of individuals nothing worthwhile ever follows. Whenever mankind devolves from the nurture of individuals into a mindless social collectiveness the community begins a descent into decadence and decay. Those who doubt need only look at the rubble of past civilizations. |
| A Definition of Evil “The difference between National Socialism and all the previous systems,” said Goebbels, “is that the starting point Is the community and not the individual.” What is the point of the Universe if nobody knows it exists? This is a question I'm singularly unqualified to answer. It reminds me of the tree falling in the forest and the question of the noise if nobody is there to hear it. I do think before trying to think too deeply about such questions that a person should have at least some sort of thin hypothesis on what life is. Here is mine. Life is like a light bulb, made up of the elements and sourced with energy. Awareness in a life form is the light coming on. We were created because the possibility of life spontaneously generating in a pool filled with chemical acids defies all reason and that on top of that having the ability to self replicate… occurring at the same instant, makes the whole notion preposterous. Creation and evolution are not mutually exclusive. Our creator built a module into life forms enabling them to adapt to changing conditions. Because of the smallness of the genetic code the laboratory of creation was microscopic rather than telescopic and because of the materials used, was a world with a chemistry focus much different from the one we’re familiar with. One of many questions our creator faced was making life distributed or collective. There is evidence that both were examined and the distributed form proved superior. What emerged were organisms that had awareness, mobility and a capability to perform collective tasks. These individuals could exercise choice and a strong influence on collective processes. Thus starting with the group instead of the individual is a bad idea for a social model and imposing one on individuals is EVIL. |
| I’ll be quoting from a book I’m reading but I won’t reveal the author at this time. There is a human tendency that I often refer to as “love me/love my dog.” My experience in the Military taught me that often those we don’t agree with and indeed dislike, are dismissed to quickly without listening to what the have to say. For example in the debates raging in this country over politics, one side often refuses to listen to what the other is trying to say. Conservatives listen to Fox news and radio talk shows and the Liberals to the mainstream media. Since I think that Fox News makes an attempt at being “Fair and Balanced” I listen more to that outlet, but not to the exclusion of other sources that express a more liberal point of view. It is also my experience that there is more to be learned from listening to our “enemies” than in listening to our “friends.” Thus I’m not going to name the author of the book I am currently reading for fear that one side or the other will quit reading. I will however, name the book and Author before moving on from this series of blogs. When I retired (early) from the Military I was Chief of Staff of a large organization that had a strategic mission with a worldwide scope of operations. I worked for a General Officer who was the commander. After awhile I noted he had a character trait where he either liked someone or hated them. Those he liked could do no wrong and those he disliked could do no right. For one member of my staff the General took an intense dislike. Nothing Lieutenant Colonel “Smith” did was good enough and the commander publicly and privately nitpicked and belittled this subordinate for no reason I could discern. One morning in a briefing the General really went over the top in humiliating Smith. After the briefing I called him on it. “What came over you, sir,” I asked privately afterwards, “attacking him like that in front of everybody?” “Did you ever meet somebody you just simply hated?” he replied. “Somebody you despised viscerally, from the very first moment you set your eyes on them?" “No,” I answered, “...can’t say as I’ve ever had that experience." “Well Bob,” he continued, with a penetrating stare, “I woke up this morning feeling wicked.” As I looked into his eyes I knew his words were an honest expression of truth. I also realized I could no longer serve him and put in my request for retirement. In an earlier blog I posted some quotes that express my views on a concept often referred to as “Evil.” I will be talking more about this in the days ahead. |
| We’re aware that we’re alive. There’s no disputing that. We’re aware of what’s going on inside us because we can sense and feel it. Being aware is one thing, sensing is another. Senses give us an indirect sort of awareness, but the inputs can be misleading. For example we might smell something that has the scent of a dog, however, when checking further, discover it’s a goat. In our awareness are two mechanisms. One is a rational system that processes information provided by the senses and the other is a system that processes information taken from data stored deep in the brain or perhaps… PERHAPS! Are you listening? Or perhaps from a conduit into a world we can only speculate about. This is the world of the spirit. When a child hears a story their eyes glow as the words, gestures, and setting takes on a reality and springs to life in their imagination. Imagination is not just an entertainment device that provides a dreamer with something akin to virtual reality. Yes, it does that, but it also provides humans with a capability that sets us apart from every other life form on the planet. It enables men and women to gameplay future scenarios and like a simulator to face tomorrow in a benign setting before living events on the stage of life. So in our awareness are these two processes operating independent of one another. Our bio processor can’t always tell the difference between the two because they use the same programming language. When we sit in a movie theater our body responds physiologically in much the same way as it would if the events on the screen were happening in real life. Thus in our minds we have a capacity to grasp real truth, from our senses and imaginary truth from our imagination. The question becomes, where do the inputs from our imaginations derive? Are they from the experiences of a lifetime stored in a forgotten computer file in some dusty corner of the brain or are they flooding into our awareness from somewhere else. As writers we often refer to a “Muse” and if we feel a genuine awareness of such a presence we are acknowledging something that our ancestors took for granted. God is a spiritual force who is indirectly guiding our lives. Regardless of how you feel about traditional religious dogma, and how it goes about explaining this spiritual presence, most everyone knows there is something awesome out there when we take the time to reflect. Think about the wonder you feel on a starry night looking out at the universe. There is a connection between humans and a greater spiritual presence, and while we feel it at a visceral level we can’t acquire it with our sensors and process the data into our minds. Regardless of how sophisticated we might consider ourselves, there are incomprehensible forces at work around us. They maintain the harmony of the natural world and the equilibrium in our lives. As they act upon us we feel the struggle in our awareness. For example we might note it as a conflict between Righteousness” and “Evil.” These forces are real and exist because we are aware of their presence. Just as we have an awareness of our lives we have an awareness of this struggle. Inside the husk of our lives we are buffeted by the conflicts and forced to make choices regarding how we are going to respond. We might be inclined towards righteousness but whispers of evil have a compelling and seductive voice. Sometimes we act showing a fundamental decency and sometimes our actions are wicked, hateful and filled with spite. We can’t pretend we don’t know what our awareness tells us and must constantly gird for the struggle to give the good in our hearts dominion over evil. |
| The oath of Enlistment for all service members contains the following phrase…. “I do solemnly swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” Now it’s pretty clear to most Americans who those foreign enemies are. They are nation-states or instruments of terror that seek to harm and diminish America’s influence in the world. When one of these states either directly or using a proxy of terror attacks commits aggression, this is the “Foreign Enemy” the Constitution is referring to. However, a domestic enemy is much more difficult to define. I say “Define“ because if you can’t define a threat it is all but impossible to counter. What if a foreign enemy decided to come in through the back door and attack from within? What if this foreign enemy used economic means to attack our way of life? If this were to happen how would we deal with it? The truth is we are extremely vulnerable to this amorphous and faceless threat. I say “Extremely Vulnerable” but not “Hopelessly at Risk.” The reason I say there is hope is because there are safeguards in our Constitution to protect us from domestic enemies. From the very beginning our Republic has been confronted with treason and betrayal. From Benedict Arnold, to the Rosenberg’s, to Robert Hanssen to the current exposures by Edward Snowden, history has shown that domestic threats are very real. Knowing this, what is the best way to deal with a possibility, suggested by Glen Beck, that a financial conspiracy is afoot to undermine the economic and political framework of the United States? What if he is correct in saying that it is aimed at destroying the engine of capitalism and moving the country towards a more socialistic society? Can you imagine the public outcry from the Liberals if anyone seriously decided to check this out? Anyone suggesting this as a real possibility would surely lose their job. While it was unfortunate that Senator McCarthy got a bit carried away in his zeal, his identification of a subversive Communist threat was real then and remains today an ever present danger. All someone has to do is see how the Soviets operate to realize that the United States is no less vulnerable to their tactics than any other country in the world. We are and always have been under attack by a host of foreign powers seeking to influence our government in ways contrary to our National Interests. If Al Capone could corrupt judges, finance politicians and dupe public opinion what keeps a foreign power from doing the same thing? The point is that such an aggressor would not hesitate to use sympathetic political forces as agents in effecting changes they could not otherwise achieve. Since the US Military is second to none, our enemies have resorted to “Other Means.” This sort of thing has been going on since our country was founded and it is no secret that the Soviet Union has long sought to undermine the United States using the same techniques that have worked so effectively in subverting other countries throughout the world. They pander to and fund the ideas of politicians and intellectual elitists, who view neo socialism as some sort of utopian state. Wake up America! When is the NSA going to start using the tools that have so effectively dismembered terror networks and apply them to the covert economic war being waged against our economy? It isn't just the military with a sworn obligation to protect this country! DUH!.... I guess I'm shouting into the wind, plus I already know what the response will be. The short answer is, not while the current regime is in power. |
| Here are some quotes from a book that was written some time ago. I won't attribute all of them at this time so as not to spoil the fun of who wrote them. The last is a speech that might sound familiar to many. See if you can identify who the speaker was. “… The Liberal Elite sill avoids using the very word “EVIL.” For them the term is too judgmental, it smacks of religion ---of “fundamentalism…” “The difference between National Socialism and all the previous systems,” said Goebbels, “is that the starting point Is the community and not the individual.” “Those who fail to recognize evil… are doomed to fall into the trap of appeasement." “By blurring the lines between good and evil Liberals have rendered our society more vulnerable to evil’s influence. When Secular Liberals are largely in charge of our institutions, not to mention their influence on the courts and even our churches, America is increasingly ill-equipped to recognize, much less respond to the evil that threatens our Nation.” “… The erosion of our traditional moral values undermines the cornerstone to our constitutional values.” “In addressing evil there are those willing to confront it and those who try and excuse it.” Last month Secretary of State John Kerry returned from negotiations with Iran after relaxing the sanctions and returning with little to show for it. Consider this Speech: “Ever since I assumed… office…my main purpose has been to work for the removing of those animosities that have so long poisoned the air. The path ... bristles with obstacles. Now that we have gotten past it, I feel that it may be possible to make further progress… “ Question of the Day. Who made it? Barak Obama Neville Chamberlain Nancy Pelosi John Kerry |
| For the type of blog I write, WDC is like a quiet little estuary far removed from the mainstream of life. There are basically three types of writers I see. The first are those who entertain the hope of bigger and better things… like getting published, and perhaps fame and fortune. The next are those who enjoy being around others who share their love for writing. The final category are those who want a quiet place to scribble, and sometimes explore new aspects of the craft. It is my view that WDC meets the needs of all three. I know, I know…, The problem with categories is that three sizes don’t fit everybody. So I consider my classifications more like flip-flops than dress shoes. In my case I want someplace quiet to write. If I were twenty years younger I’m sure my ambitions would be different given what I know now. WDC is like the electric shawl my wife (Linda) gave me for Christmas. It’s warm and familiar. It gives me a portfolio, a blog/journal, an array of statistical tools and some feedback from other writers. My journal/blog gets about a hundred views a day although the variation makes predicting hard to anticipate. I wonder how hard it would be for The Story Master to add Standard Deviation to the array of statistical tools? . Actually I could crunch the numbers myself. Most of my views come from non-members. From the URLs I get a sense for who is dropping by. Some leave a clue when a fragment of their identity is appended to the end, others sort and search for categories of interest. Still others come often and leave only an error message. I don't currently get much interest from other WDC members, so little in fact that the number is less than ten (10), and I can't see the second tier information. Still, the number of nonmember views is slowly increasing and sometimes a “Search Engine” sweeps through and there is a significant spike. If you keep a blog and are not viewing your Summary Statistics, you might want to check it out. Go to "Account and Statistics" on the left hand submenu. This is another interesting tool that WDC provides its members. |
| “… And I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC…!” Yesterday I talked about men in dark suits and how the power of the Federal Government is used to silence those who oppose the Administration. A classic example was the IRS investigating the Tea Party Groups who had requested a tax-exempt status. Is there anyone who still doubts that this persecution took place? The evidence shows that the FBI, Treasury and even OSHA, investigated many of the applicants. If this piling on had not taken place then the zeal of the IRS might be attributed to an agency, infiltrated by liberals with an unwritten agenda to deny others the tax loopholes crafted to protect “Old Money.” This is the wealth that passes in tact from one generation to the next. The Liberals have long considered all these trusts, non-profits, and foundations their exclusive territorial domain. However, what happened shows that the harassment and intimidation did not come just from the IRS. The other branches of government with investigative arms also became involved even though the issue was beyond their jurisdiction. This suggests a clearinghouse existed, higher up in government, that took the IRS information, consolidated it and stove piped “The Enemies List” down to some of the other investigatory arms of government, headed up by Political Appointees. It is a great irony that the very tools that should protect us are being used in an internal struggle to undermine the Constitution and foist on the American Middle Class a Socialist Government. Tools such as the Adjutant General are routinely used to cover up the excesses of politicians and top bureaucrats. (Mr. George was an aberration) Investigative arms of government are being used to conceal the truth rather than exposing it to the light of day. If it weren’t for Fox News and Talk Radio the endless propaganda of the mainstream media would have decided the fate of Middle America in the aftermath of Vietnam. If Capitalism is so bad how come the system has provided the highest standard of living on earth? Yet outside forces are working tirelessly to return our way of life to a class system not seen since the dark ages. The strategy is to make the Capitalist engine rev so fast it will seize up and plunge the country into depression. This will be the opportunity the Neo Socialists are looking for to finally scrap the Constitution and seize the reins of power. We will not be destroyed by invading armies or seriously threatened by terrorists but rather succumb to the insidious Liberal forces, attacking us from within. |
| Today we got plenty of snow. The temperatures have been in the low twenties, however, without a wind it seems almost like spring. All things are relative and after a string of subzero days, temperatures in the 20s are pleasant. Mark came over and plowed us out and I moved the covered trailer into the pole barn. In the past three days my mind has been alive with ideas to expand in my blog. One is the unintended consequences of the Left in furthering their socialist agenda. I mentioned that "Reason" is not a big player in politics and it struck me that trying to marginalize the family in the Duck Dynasty series is a pretty stupid thing for the Liberals to be doing because it acts like a feather under the nose of a sleeping giant. Then again I doubt that anything is ever going to wake slumbers of the American Middle Class although the Left was instrumental in the emergence of the Tea Party. Isn’t it ironic that the Tea Party was birthed by the Liberals? However, I’ll spare my readers that discourse for now. Another interesting development is the indignation of Angela Markel, Benjamin Netanyahu and all those countries we’re spying on. Their indignation is a bunch of baloney. When I hear that "Righteous Political Speak" I can only shake my head. So it goes… “We are deeply offended learning that the United States is reading our e-mails and listening to what our high level bureaucrats are saying to one another.” The term “Deeply Offended” is becoming the most overstated and abused term of the decade. Those who use it are not really “offended” at all. Rather, they're embarrassed by the stupidity they demonstrate in writing emails and saying things over the telephone that any semi-intelligent person regards as a lapse in judgment. Twenty years ago, when e-mail was still in its infancy I told people not to write any e-mail they’d be uncomfortable seeing on the church bulletin board. For the Germans and Israelis to whine this “Deeply Offended” nonsense is beyond belief. One high ranking Israeli redeemed this whole phony commentary by saying tongue in cheek, ”… I do hope they (NSA) didn’t discover too much.” This brings me to today’s subject. Back before Benghazi the current administration had been leaking like a sieve. In those days the President and his administration liked to release classified information that cast President Obama in a favorable light. One of the revelations that the Pentagon revealed under Secretary Panetta’s watch was sensitive information that made possible a movie on the Osama bin Laden raid. Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal are moviemakers who, despite not having appropriate clearances, were given classified information used in making the film Zero Dark Thirty. They are currently being investigated allegedly because they leaked information that identified Seals and led to arrests in Pakistan. Why would the government be using these two to make an example? The answer probably lies in the absolute terror the current administration has developed over leaks and whistle blowers. The Obama Administration has a deep dark secret that will cause a firestorm. It involves where the President was and what he was involved in those missing ten (10) hours the Night of Benghazi. Look at all the effort that has gone into clamping an airtight lid on the incident. Think about the talking points, the resignations, the NSA revelations, the early retirements, the shakeup at Minot AFB and all those nondisclosure statements signed by everyone involved. There is a scandal brewing that threatens to blow wide open a betrayal of public trust and confidence. The truth will eventually come out! There are just too many people who know what really happened. Many of these witnesses are honorable men and women who have had to grit their teeth and swallow hard, telling themselves that in so doing they are acting in the best interests of National Security. In truth they’re afraid that if they don’t shut up the government will ruin their lives. What is happening to Bigelow and Boal is a warning shot. Investigating these two is a not so subtle warning to the "Little Minions." The warning is to mid level functionaries in the media and government that anyone who crosses the White House, particularly over Benghazi, can expect the men in dark suits to come knocking at their doors. |
| Last night after Indoor Flying, there was some time to do a blog on the continuing saga of Duck Dynasty. So I set to work and finished it. I went to “File/highlight all/paste.” This was a huge mistake… I should have hit “copy” instead of “paste.” To make a long story short “paste” superimposed yesterday’s blog on the work page and before I realized what I’d done… I hit “save” and my newly crafted blog vanished into the netherworld. I’m sure there are many others out there who have had similar experiences and can attest to how frustrating it is when something like this happens. The reason I use my Microsoft Word Processor instead of the Online Editor at WDC is because when I used to work on line the saga of the vanishing working draft was an ongoing experience. Suddenly the screen would blink and in a dreaded electronic burp... the words were lost forever. The upside to these experiences is that when I go to reconstruct (from bio memory) a lost manuscript, the results always surprise me as better than what I started with. It is almost as if in the passing twenty-four hours, what was written in electronic memory gets a product improved edit that my subconscious has been working and mulling over in the interim. Having said this I will now try and reconstruct last night’s blog. The theme was that the things we worry most about seldom come to pass. The reason they don’t is because we correct the anticipated problems and they never have the opportunity to play out on the stage of life. It’s been my experience that the things that materialize out of “Left Field,” that are unanticipated, are those that cold cock us with that unexpected “Sucker Punch.” Up to now I've been talking about things like Benghazi and the Unaffordable Healthcare Act that are going to come back to haunt the Democrats. The problem with such thinking is the appeal to reason is not an approach that naturally applies to the emotions of the human condition. For example it is a well-known political truism that name calling, accusations, and provocative outlandish comments are more telling in an election than the unimpassioned, reasonable and rational thinking of the candidates. The average voter enjoys the muckraking that Democrats excel at. The Republicans are so inept in the framing of snarky arguments that their candidates come off as clinical, sterile and boring. Voters are less interested in a dispassionate discussion of the issues than they are in the gossip, “I got ya,” empty promises and outright fabrications. In the upcoming midterm elections the Democrats will have to hustle to overcome some serious miscalculations that have caused pain to middle class Americans. They have used the healthcare issue as a means of redistributing the wealth between the poor and the middle class. The sheltered wealth of the "Old Money" in this country, is far removed from the political discourse. The real class warfare should be the struggle between the middle class and the multi generational wealth that passes from one generation to the next. It is the huge monetary inheritance that crosses generational lines, that maintains the American Aristocracy in the driver’s seat of economic and political power. Trying to change the fundamental gap between the super, multigenerational rich and everybody else is a possibility that is only spoken in whispers. I call this group “Old Money” and their wealth would boggle the mind if the full extent of it ever dawned on anyone. On the Political scene, to make sure this doesn't happen, are a host of Old Family Names who pay careful attention to politics and zealously guard the loopholes of their wealth regardless of which political party is elected. As a consequence don’t expect any changes in tax reform because the potential “Reformers” are bought and paid for. A simple tax code would make transparent all the safeguards Old Money has so laboriously set in place, orchestrated and managed by legions of tax lawyers, political cronies, and lobbyists. Legislation has been framed to serve the interests of the Elitists and their distracting social arguments are framed to show the class warfare as taking place between the lower and middle class. The real issue of “Tax Reform” is carefully avoided by placing the focus on making the lower two classes more homogenous. Tomorrow I'll talk more about how Duck Dynasty, and the Tea Party Movement, where some unexpected consequences have reared their heads, impeding the Left’s ongoing efforts to fundamentally change the landscape of America's way of life. |
| I thought the “Life Changing Event” for the current administration was Benghazi or the Unaffordable Healthcare Act. I could be proven wrong. It could instead be one of those forces right out of left field, which I predicted some time ago. If you haven’t noticed there is a TV series called Duck Dynasty. My first take was that it was more Liberal programming designed to show Southerners as a bunch of Low Life Rednecks. Still, I was drawn into what this Christian family represented and the style of life they lived. These guys, their wives, children and grandchildren are the real deal. They resonate and those who watch the program are touched by the authenticity and genuineness of those the show portrays. It is reported that Phil Robertson, told the A@E Network that a part of the program would be showing his family praying in the practice of their Christian Faith. I’m sure at first blush the Liberals loved that one. Look at those Trailer Trash, they must have thought, a bunch of bible thumping Rif-Raff. You can dress those Southern Bigots up but you can’t take them out of the swamp. Then, as the show gained momentum, and began to attract an almost cult like following the Elitists began having second thoughts. Everywhere people were growing beards and dressing up in camouflage. If that wasn’t enough Duck Dynasty soon topped the cable ratings and to add insult to injury they snubbed Barbara Walters by declining to appear on the View. That must have been the last straw. Something had to be done to teach those Hill Billie’s the meaning of respect. And so it was that all the Liberal Broadcast and Print media began sending invitations and salivating for the opportunity to put these upstarts in their place. GQ Magazine must have thought they’d died and gone to heaven when Phil agreed to do an interview. Now Phil is the Family Patriarch. If we can bring him low, we’ll have the rest of those “Clampets” trembling in their boots, the Liberals must have reasoned, That clan of Upstarts” must be brought to “Heel” and shown who’s boss. Through the use of Political Correctness and Scathing Rebuke we’ll make them bow their heads, shuffle their feet, and apologize for their missguided Christian Beliefs. So the trap was laid and in typical Liberal fashion, the same questions were asked over and over until they got the sound bite they were looking for. So what did Phil say that got the Liberals so lathered up? He was asked a leading question that he answered honestly. Then they sucker punched him. (Sound Familiar?) The problem was that instead of a knockout, the reply came back and smacked them in the face. In answer to their question he told them what his personal belief was regarding Christianity and homosexual behavior. They had to know what his answer was going to be and it was exactly as anticipated. It is written throughout the Bible that homosexual behavior is wrong in the eyes of God. Whoever wrote the Bible believed that same sex relationships were sinful and forbidden. Read the book if you have any doubts. The prohibition can’t be stated any clearer. Sex, however enjoyable, is intended to produce offspring. Making babies is the reason that sex is programmed into our DNA. The process however, is not perfect. Some men and some women have their wires crossed and prefer a same sex relationship. The sex drive is compelling and they choose to find their intimacy in members of their own gender. They don’t choose to be this way… they are born with the inclination. The point is that these relationships do not lead to offspring. Hence this sexual orientation is not according to nature’s reproduction plan and has historically been viewed as aberrant. Now there is a distinction between tolerance and acceptance. Jesus in rescuing the prostitute from stoning told the assailants “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.” Jesus was a tolerant man but he also told the woman in parting, “Go and sin no more.” This is the Christianity of the issue in a nutshell. This is the basis for Christians believing that marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman. This is not something new written in a revisionist history book. It has been there in black and white for a long time. Since the Gays and Lesbians can’t help what their inclinations are, a little tolerance goes a long way. Still, a Christian who believes the Bible is God’s Holy Word… can’t help but conclude that homosexuality is sinful. |
| I believe that to be welcomed into the President’s inner circle a Liberal has to prove themselves as a political assassin. It is sort of like the rash of “Sucker Punching” that is taking place when Afro-Americans sneak up on some unsuspecting white and “Cold Cock” them. In both cases we are seeing an initiation taking place where the assailant seeks to demonstrate “Worthiness” in a culture of thugs. The latest example is appointing to the inner circle this “Potty Mouth” who likened Republicans to members of the Johnstown Cult. What ever happened to the “Civility” and “Tolerance” our Chief Executive supposedly espouses. The way the name calling works is that one Liberal tries to outdo everybody else by making the Outrageous Statement of the Week. Then they smirk and chuckle thinking it’s funny pasting false labels on those who don’t share their political views. It’s pathetic! The Liberal Elite would have you believe they are so educated, cultured, refined and sophisticated until they open their mouths revealing how low-life they’ve become. The strategy of the game is to paste the “Bulls eye of Evil” on anybody but themselves. They firmly believe that if the repeat a lie often enough it somehow takes on an aura of truth. It is so phony and transparent that it reminds me of that Far Side cartoon I saw several years ago of two deer caught in the telescopic sight of a hunter’s rifle. One of the deer is holding a bulls eye over the head of the other and pointing as if to say… “Shoot him, not me.” The liberals are such a screwed up bunch that they only survive by bad mouthing those around them. They had political power when President Obama came to office and squandered it. They spent all their political capital on the Unaffordable Healthcare Act and when they tried to get it to stand up, saw it collapse under the sheer weight of incompetence. They should have known that if ever given a chance to govern they’d fall flat on their faces. They should have stuck with casting dispersions and insinuations from the peanut gallery… implying how screwed up everything was… as if they had the slightest idea how to effect real change. I still remember President Obama campaigning and talking about “The failed polices of George Bush.” President Bush was a heavy lifter by comparison. Have you seen the bumper sticker, showing President Bush’s picture and the words “Do you miss me yet?” Well I can tell you who does… “The Average Middle Class American, ” that’s who. |
| For some reason I got to thinking today about the Minority Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. She strikes me as a bit ditzy but I have heard commentators and politicians say that she is actually a very nice person and anyone would be charmed talking with her. However true that might be, she occupies one of the most influential offices in the Government and some of the things she says are bizarre. For example: How could someone responsible for the writing of legislation say “We have to pass a law to see what’s in it?” DUH! How about reading the legislation before passing it to see what’s in it? That’s her job but what is even more worrisome is the implication that most politicians don’t bother taking the time. Can you imagine that? Legislators not reading what they are legislating! I’m sorry but waiting to find out about a piece of legislation after it has passed is an admission of gross incompetence. She might be nice but how about holding her accountable for doing her job? Why do her constituents keep reelecting her to office? For Example: I used this next one in my blog yesterday and it is another classic of what comes out of the woman’s mouth. She said, in commenting on the compromise worked out by Representative Ryan, that the agreement was one of those cases where “… WE HAVE TO EMBRACE THE SUCK!” I took it to mean that even if one thinks the compromise is bad, don't dwell on the bad part but savor the good. If this is a correct interpretation then the good could be avoiding another round of sequestration which would not bode well for her fellow Democrats in the upcoming midterm elections. Personally I don’t think she fully grasped what the term means, where it comes from and at best was using it metaphorically. Maybe one of her preppy interns used it and she thought it was cute. Whether she realizes it or not this is a sexist phrase. It’s refers to a sex act that is more common to a homosexual than a heterosexual relationship. It means, “Don’t dwell on what you’re doing but embrace the pleasure it provides.” I believe Chairwoman Pelosi spoke out of ignorance not realizing what it meant. It is analogous to Alec Baldwin calling that reporter “A Cocksucker” not realizing that Gays and Lesbians would take it as a pejorative comment. This sort of language has no place in the legislative process and the more we hear this sort of vulgar speech the more it shows what a bunch of “Potty Mouths” the Liberals are becoming. |
| In my mind there are two classifications of Liberals. In the first are those who aren’t all that wealthy yet fancy themselves as better than everybody else in the middle class. Many of these are actually upper middle class and come from families that have done well under Capitalism. For some reason they have forgotten the source of their affluence. There is a term being used to describe this group…”The Social Elite.” Actually it’s a pretty good description of how they see themselves. In New York and the North East there are large numbers who fancy themselves in this category when they are really no more than affluent upper middle class Americans who are not the aristocrats they fancy themselves. Anyway, in the New York Times today there was an article that said words to the effect that many in the Liberal Elite were shocked that the Unaffordable Health Care Act would not include their Hospitals and Doctors in the “Network.” One woman was said to have exclaimed in dismay, “If I had known this was going to happen I would not have voted for President Obama.” We are only beginning to see the scope of the “Dismay” that is about to overwhelm many miss-guided Americans. They are after all no different from the rest of us in the middle class except for the fact they have a bit more money (but not nearly enough), are delusional and feel a kinship with Old Money High Society. Many of my relatives fit this mindset. What they are finding is that under Obama Care they will be forced to go to the same second tier hospitals as the rest of us and wait for their share of the rationed health care. Heavens forbid they get diagnosed with a long-term illness. Then they’ll discover, because they are in a certain age bracket, the meaning of the old “Thumbs Down” gesture. This is how Socialized Medicine works. Ask any military family and they will tell you all about it. First you have to wait forever to get an appointment, then you have to take the doctor who’s on duty, in a facility that is part of their network. Since retiring I can tell you that what currently exists in the United States is vastly superior to what I experienced on active duty. Now the middle class is about to discover that the "Network" they are signing up for is a significant step down. This new policy they are signing up for will be slow, cost twice as much, have three times the deductible and give the government your last breath. This is what Congresswoman Pelosi was referring to when she said, "We have to enact it to see what's in it." Now she tells us we have to "Embrace the Suck!" I leave it to my readers to decipher what that term means. So I want to formally welcome all of you Liberals to the new age of Socialized Medicine. You are about to have foisted the same crappy system intended for the rest of us “Low Brows” who are being shoved into the new “Bronze” classification. |
| One would think that on Sunday a person wouldn’t get much done… you know sort of lounge around and take life easy. Not Today! After church I went to work splitting the wood I’d blocked. For the past week I’ve been sitting on my laurels and the wood has been flying out of the shed. On Saturday I got a couple of my saws out of the shop and could get back at the blocking. Today I pulled out the empty trailer from next to the shed and filled the one by the splitter. Now at last I’m taking wood off the back of a trailer and not out of the shed. Then I took a nap and went back out and at it again. After supper I typed up the minutes to one of the clubs I belong to and serve as secretary. It is now 8:26 PM and I know if I don’t get my blog written before 11:00 PM it won’t get posted and my calendar will show another gap. For some reason this bothers me, I guess it’s because in addition to “Moderation” I’m always extoling the virtues of “Self Discipline.” Writing in my blog/journal is certainly an exercise in that. Did you know that on the Delphi Oracle the Greeks had written, “Know Thyself, and All Things in Moderation?" Of all the marvelous things they discovered, these are the two they considered so important that they imparted onto them an almost religious significance. This is not to say they were necessarily great practitioners of their own advice but at least, in a spiritual sense, they saw the importance of these two pivotal concepts. What we get from Christianity are Thou Shalls and Thou Shall Nots but to the early Greeks having an awareness of one’s self and leading a life guided by moderation were ranked high in importance. My muse fills my head constantly with thoughts and ideas that could fill volumes of journals. When my mind floods with ideas I think, “Oh my!” I really need to remember that one and include it in my blog. However, if I don’t write it down it soon floats off into the ether and I sense that my muse sighs in disappointment. Still she hasn’t deserted me yet and I try and keep my mind tidied up and full of fresh positive thinking. Still what she shares is not always fresh and positive. Some of what she has to say is pretty far out there in left field and the only redeeming aspects are they jive with the facts unfolding in the world around me. Today in church I got to wondering how those Jews, huddled in cattle cars, felt as they rolled into concentration camps like Dachau. Can you imagine the absolute horror a young mother or child felt, being transported like cattle to a slaughterhouse? In Vietnam I faced moments of sheer terror but nothing I can imagine tops the dread they must have experienced. We need to be grateful for having been spared such an experience and not take for granted what we have in this great country. I’m certain that many Liberals are well intentioned and think it absurd to suggest that they’re being used. For example when the President said we could keep our doctors and healthcare plans if we so chose, how many who have since lost their policies realized that under the new law the cost of their insurance will double and their deductibles triple? As citizens we need to realize when sold a bill of goods and respond when our elected leaders practice deceit and deception. We can’t just stumble meekly along like sheep being led to the slaughter. There is a war raging and it isn’t the one on Terror. It is a war against the economic hemorrhaging taking place as our government borrows out of control and spends beyond its means, leading to a world for our children that’s much worse than the one we inherited from our parents. While there is still time we need to get to the bottom of who these invisible forces are that work tirelessly to destroy the great Republic we’re a part of. |
| It has been a bitter December in Wisconsin. We could certainly use some of that “Global Warming.” We expect cold winter’s but the subzero weather usually waits until January and February. My goal is to have the wood shed three quarters full by January but that isn’t going to happen. Right now it is under the half way mark. That wood I have set aside is flying out the door into the outdoor wood burner. John Hobbs died if you haven’t heard. He was a long time member of our community. If you have a chance go back and read some of the things in his port before it gets taken down. Writing is a sort of legacy that lives on after we’re gone and sometimes reading the stuff of a dead writer puts our own efforts a bit more in perspective. He was a good friend of Karen (Armorbearer) and I know she’ll miss him. I hate it when I get behind in my blog. There is so much to write regarding what I see taking place in the world. I use the blog to try and explain what I see and try and do so in words that make sense. I know many of my readers think I’m a raving right wing lunatic with ideas that exist only in the left field of my mind. I’m comfortable with that. Linda, my wife, keeps pointing out that everybody doesn’t look at things quite the way I do. In the past year one of my favorite commentators suddenly announced he would no longer be working at Fox News. His name was Glen Beck and before he departed he shined a light of truth in a direction everybody ought to be paying more attention to. He is troubled by where the money is coming from that owns the mainstream media, supports the Liberals and controls the Democratic Party? Anyway, he is perplexed with why Capitalists would feel drawn to support the Liberal cause when it is so opposed to the means by which they gained their wealth and power. If you were paying attention at the time Beck compiled a regular “Rogues Gallery” which connected George Soros and others into a network of “Conspirators” who were actively engaged at bringing down the United States as the leading economic power. As I listened to him name names and connect the players with one another I was struck over and over with the question… why would these people would want to do such a thing? What could motivate free market capitalists to support a socialist political movement? I still don’t have the answer but there is evidence that suggests Beck’s “Conspiracy Theory” was not that far fetched. For example why is it that the current owners of the “Main Street Media” don’t care if their ratings tank and if listeners with inquiring minds no longer bother listening to their news broadcasts? Look at the drop in their ratings. The only answer that makes sense is that ABC, NBC and CBS have been bought by an outside interest and are being used as a propaganda tool. Since when is a propaganda tool expected to make money? These networks have become the voice of Neo Socialism and their broadcasts serve a single purpose… promoting Liberalism. So why was Glen Beck asked to leave FOX? My wife thinks it is because he was getting a little weird looking on the air and his “Conspiracy Theory” crusade was taking on the aura of a “Witch Hunt.” I can see where she’s coming from and perhaps FOX decided he had gone too far and wanted to avoid a string of law suits they weren’t sure they could win. Maybe they thought he was beginning to sound like Joe McCarthy and didn’t want to lead a fight back down that road. But what if he was right? What if an interest outside this country is orchestrating a concerted effort to get the United States to implode economically? I guess the point is analogous to someone spending his or her whole life struggling with external forces, who is suddenly diagnosed with a terminal illness. The United States of America is dying from BANKRUPTCY! I’m not making this up. Look at those red numbers, in Trillions, flashing across the TV screen. Look at Detroit and San Diego. Like John Hobbs we spend a lifetime trying to get ahead only to discover an illness for which there is no cure. Has the United States reached a point in its history where we are about to discover that the wolves are dressed in sheep’s clothing? How does the saying go? God protect me from my “Friends” I can protect myself from my Enemies. Could it be that since our enemies fear the strength of our military power that they’ve decided on a strategy that comes in through the back door? As crazy as this might sound it is a possibility that better fits with the facts than any other explanation. My theory is that OLD Money, Worldwide, is seeking to establish a New World Order. They realize that to do this the United States must be brought low. They can’t abide a beacon of hope still shining that illuminates how crappy Socialism really is. Their goal is to establish Neo Socialism as the model for all the Nation States of the world, to be ruled by a Golden Council served by a class of Silver Aristocrats. The lower and Middle classes of the world will be subsumed into the Bronze masses. The wealth of what is loosely called "The Middle Class" will be taxed to placate the poor and pay for the New World Order. |
| The government under the current administration is becoming more and more dysfunctional every day. The real turning point came the night of the Benghazi fiasco. In a writing class it is something called a “Life Changing Event (LCE)." These events are not always self-evident when they happen but looking back they are easy enough to see. If you recall it was on the cusp of the last Presidential Election that this LCE took place. It was towards the end of the day when Secretary of Defense Panetta told President Obama that our annex in Libya was under attack. What the President replied is anybody’s guess. He dropped out of sight shortly afterwards and was not heard from again until early the next morning. That night four (4) Americans were killed, one of whom was an Ambassador. The circumstances surrounding his capture, physical abuse and death are so chilling that nobody wants to think about it much less discusses the subject. Where was the President for a period spanning about ten (10) hours when all this was going on? NOBODY KNOWS! To this day the American People are still clueless as to where he was during those hours when he was DISENGAGED! This question has been the most closely guarded secret of his Administration. Wherever and whatever... the effect was lethal. Keep in mind that in the event of preemptive nuclear strike the President has less than twenty-minutes to respond to a surprise attack. The whole MAD strategy of strategic response is predicated on the President of the United States being able to respond in minutes. We are not talking about an hour or heavens forbid, ten (10) hours. The American people are entitled to know where their President was during that period when he dropped off the radar. Something bad happened that night that went far beyond the dead Americans. In the aftermath generals were told to retire, there was a shakeup of the Strategic Air Command, and anybody that knows anything was forced to sign a gag order. It must have been pretty bad because it has fostered a growing contempt and a down hill slide for his administration. When are we going to learn where President Obama was and what he was doing? When are we going to be told who gave the stand-down order? Where did that order originate? Was it from the White House Situation Room, the Pentagon or Martha’s Vineyard? Somebody told the military to "Stand Down" and shrugging shoulders and weasel wording can't go on forever. Look at all that followed. There was the attempted cover-up of the talking points, the IRS scandal, the DIA revelations, seizure of telephone records of reporters, insiders being forced to sign non-disclosure statements, the foul up of the Unaffordable Healthcare Act and most recently, negotiations with Iran that gave away the store. These are only the highlights or "Low Lights" if you prefer. The Point is that it all began with an LCE the night of Benghazi. It was that night that the President put the American people in peril by being “Disengaged” for those ten (10) hours. What happened has proven toxic for his second term. Enough people surrounding the inner circle know where he was and why he was indisposed. Those who do must have gotten an eyeful because since that night an insidious contempt has been brewing that gets worse every day. I’m sure it will come to light sooner or later. I’m surprised it hasn’t leaked out already, but maybe it’s best to let that dog lie, at least for the time being. There are some honorable men and women who are biting their tongues and trying to stifle a deep and simmering rage. The longer the truth is suppressed the louder will it resound. When are we going to hear from "Deep Throat?" |
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