Twice now, and I hope it doesn't happen again this time, I have spent a great deal of time composing a literary work of art on this blog for all to see. And the stupid thing crashed somehow and dissapeared into the great, invisible, unrecoverable expanse of the world of electronic communication. Gone! GeeZ! That is soooo frustrating. It only seems to happen when my mind is all keyed in and the words flow with knowledge and coherence and understanding and in some way offer hope to the world. Being of a generation that grew up with slide rules, paper and pen, black and white TV, carburetors, and occasionally, outside toilets you may possibly grasp my ineptitude when it comes to rectifying a computer glitch. Small tools and gentle key manipulation was not a learned science with me. Give me a screwdriver, a hammer, some twine, wire and duct tape and I'm good to go. But, obviously that doesn't work so well in this case.
So, I am sorry to report that the instant, incredibly simple remedies for world peace, financial security, marital harmony, hundred year health, almost free carbon based fuel replacement, unwanted telephone solicitors, undie itch, bitter coffee, food for the masses, overpopulation, unwanted facial hair, gas, tooth decay, streaky windows, automatic business answering machines, and the professional basketball season cancellation will have to wait. I simply don't have the time to put it all back together again right now....................Have a wonderful day...........................Joe
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
The Grand Rapids Press is changing
I guess it had to happen eventually. The daily newspaper I have read for most of my life is scaling down its home delivery to only three days a week. Whatever will I do now? No more comics in the morning. No more sports updates during lunch. No more news of the city, state, country or world after dinner on the couch. "We hope everyone will take advantage of our excellent on line services." The spokeswoman said. "This is just our way of giving the readers what they asked for." was another comment from her. What she didn't say was that it was their only way to survive financially in this ever changing age of electronic media. I'll survive too but I'll miss my daily newspaper like crazy.
Albeit begrudgingly, I have learned to use the Internet resources and increased my knowledge of the world in which I live. When cars became involved in electronics and fuel injection I screamed and insisted that the "Golden Age" of personal transportation was gone forever. Now, after having owned these new wonders of economy and efficiency I wouldn't care to turn back the clock and drive those old unreliable gas hogs ever again. The days of "getting a push" or waiting for the "choke" to open, or constantly having to restart a stalling engine are a fading memory. I have gotten used to a vehicle that starts and goes down the road with ease. In a few years I will probably become used to reading the news on a 17 inch screen while I'm walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike like the guys at the gym.
The one thing I'll miss the most though is the differing personalities of the reporters and their individual perspectives on what's going on in my neighborhood. Reading their columns with the paper wrinkling in my fingers suits my pace quite well actually. I can't count the times I read and re-read a sentence or paragraph so as to absorb the full impact. Wow! It gets me to thinking and feeling empathy for my fellow human beings in whatever situation they find them selves in. The articles on the screen don't quite feel the same. To me it feels far, far away from being personal. It simply becomes news. That's not the same is it?
The world has been changing since the beginning of time. I'll get used to it. Those that follow me will embrace it. They will also grieve the changes they face, same as me. Life is a series of changes. Youth is filled with discovery, adulthood brings challenges, triumph, defeat and resolution, aging brings even more challenges and with them comes a new understanding of acceptance. I will accept the newspaper's changes. I will not do it willingly. Two other things that come with age: Tenacity and resilience. Yeah, we're all over those two things.
Albeit begrudgingly, I have learned to use the Internet resources and increased my knowledge of the world in which I live. When cars became involved in electronics and fuel injection I screamed and insisted that the "Golden Age" of personal transportation was gone forever. Now, after having owned these new wonders of economy and efficiency I wouldn't care to turn back the clock and drive those old unreliable gas hogs ever again. The days of "getting a push" or waiting for the "choke" to open, or constantly having to restart a stalling engine are a fading memory. I have gotten used to a vehicle that starts and goes down the road with ease. In a few years I will probably become used to reading the news on a 17 inch screen while I'm walking on a treadmill or riding a stationary bike like the guys at the gym.
The one thing I'll miss the most though is the differing personalities of the reporters and their individual perspectives on what's going on in my neighborhood. Reading their columns with the paper wrinkling in my fingers suits my pace quite well actually. I can't count the times I read and re-read a sentence or paragraph so as to absorb the full impact. Wow! It gets me to thinking and feeling empathy for my fellow human beings in whatever situation they find them selves in. The articles on the screen don't quite feel the same. To me it feels far, far away from being personal. It simply becomes news. That's not the same is it?
The world has been changing since the beginning of time. I'll get used to it. Those that follow me will embrace it. They will also grieve the changes they face, same as me. Life is a series of changes. Youth is filled with discovery, adulthood brings challenges, triumph, defeat and resolution, aging brings even more challenges and with them comes a new understanding of acceptance. I will accept the newspaper's changes. I will not do it willingly. Two other things that come with age: Tenacity and resilience. Yeah, we're all over those two things.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Greece
Greece has always been a fascinating country to me. The Greeks display great respect for tradition, know how to have a good time and in certain areas live a long, happy life. The countryside, in most areas is beautiful and the history goes back to almost the beginning of recorded time. What a place to visit it would be. Not on my bucket list but could be if I didn't have so many other goals. Now I find it fascinating for a much different reason.
Greece has provided very well for it's people. There is not much they want for and have so many holidays as to boggle the mind. I'm sure that is some of the reason for their longevity: No worries! The difficulty is that those provisions are unsustainable as they are now. The country is going bankrupt or more accurately, is already. The European Union has found a financial solution in the way of huge loans to bail it out before there is complete and utter economic collapse. From what I read the Greek people are all about receiving the loans but aren't going to give up their costly, unsustainable benefits to do it. From what I can tell, if they receive the loans and they continue to receive all the benefits they do, at the rate they receive them, they'll still go broke and bring all that extra loan money with them. Then, not only will Greece have lost everything but also all the countries of the European Union and in all likelihood, China too. Yet they still protest losing the benefits.
How can they be so arrogant? I wonder. Or is it arrogance or just plain ignorance. I really don't know. Why in the world would any other country or group of countries offer money that they are sure to lose. That would be stupidity wouldn't it? It's one thing for a country to spend all it's resources on it's own people, but to expect others to support their exorbitant lifestyles is ridiculous. No matter how beautiful and historical the country is. It reminds me of the time I lent some money to a guy because he lost his job and needed groceries to feed his family. The next day I happened across him while he was buying a new $80 phone. What I did was a good thing. What he did was a bad thing. I admire the Greek people. I wouldn't lend them a dime unless they agreed not to buy a new phone.
Greece has provided very well for it's people. There is not much they want for and have so many holidays as to boggle the mind. I'm sure that is some of the reason for their longevity: No worries! The difficulty is that those provisions are unsustainable as they are now. The country is going bankrupt or more accurately, is already. The European Union has found a financial solution in the way of huge loans to bail it out before there is complete and utter economic collapse. From what I read the Greek people are all about receiving the loans but aren't going to give up their costly, unsustainable benefits to do it. From what I can tell, if they receive the loans and they continue to receive all the benefits they do, at the rate they receive them, they'll still go broke and bring all that extra loan money with them. Then, not only will Greece have lost everything but also all the countries of the European Union and in all likelihood, China too. Yet they still protest losing the benefits.
How can they be so arrogant? I wonder. Or is it arrogance or just plain ignorance. I really don't know. Why in the world would any other country or group of countries offer money that they are sure to lose. That would be stupidity wouldn't it? It's one thing for a country to spend all it's resources on it's own people, but to expect others to support their exorbitant lifestyles is ridiculous. No matter how beautiful and historical the country is. It reminds me of the time I lent some money to a guy because he lost his job and needed groceries to feed his family. The next day I happened across him while he was buying a new $80 phone. What I did was a good thing. What he did was a bad thing. I admire the Greek people. I wouldn't lend them a dime unless they agreed not to buy a new phone.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Interesting hunger perspective
Scanning over a list of top stories and articles I happened across statements from a woman in social services who says she has been released from her job because of a statement she made about alleviating hunger in school age children. At first I was reminded of how many people always blame someone else for their problems but she really wasn't doing that. She wasn't trying to get her job back or bad mouth anyone at all. She was simply being interviewed for her stand on childhood hunger in America.
Her stance: In schools across the country children are being fed, usually free of charge breakfast, lunch and, in some cases dinner. In her opinion all this free food is only encouraging people to use their, already quite generous resources for anything but food. She feels the school food programs are removing parental responsibility and weakening the family unit to the point of complete socialism or worse yet, communism. She pointed out that many people, children as well as adults that are supposed to be financially strapped are wearing designer clothes, using $200 cell phones and shoes, overweight almost to the point of obesity and sporting tattoos worth hundreds of dollars. Yet these same people are statistically among the underfed.
Her solution: When a child comes to school and uses the free breakfast, lunch or dinner program the parents should be contacted and interviewed to find out the reason they cannot feed their child those meals at home. If there is a rectifiable problem it should be dealt with. Otherwise, the use of food stamps, bridge cards and food pantry items should be strictly adhered to. If the parents are found to be using those gifts for other reasons and allowing their kids to go hungry, and don't change after repeated warnings: She feels the kids should be taken away from the neglectful parents as well as the accompanying government assistance and charitable gifts.
She said that apparently her views are not particularly welcome in an agency that thrives on the needs of those less fortunate as a means of control., encouraging, creating and maintaining a culture of "being needy". Agree or disagree she brings up food for thought doesn't she?
Her stance: In schools across the country children are being fed, usually free of charge breakfast, lunch and, in some cases dinner. In her opinion all this free food is only encouraging people to use their, already quite generous resources for anything but food. She feels the school food programs are removing parental responsibility and weakening the family unit to the point of complete socialism or worse yet, communism. She pointed out that many people, children as well as adults that are supposed to be financially strapped are wearing designer clothes, using $200 cell phones and shoes, overweight almost to the point of obesity and sporting tattoos worth hundreds of dollars. Yet these same people are statistically among the underfed.
Her solution: When a child comes to school and uses the free breakfast, lunch or dinner program the parents should be contacted and interviewed to find out the reason they cannot feed their child those meals at home. If there is a rectifiable problem it should be dealt with. Otherwise, the use of food stamps, bridge cards and food pantry items should be strictly adhered to. If the parents are found to be using those gifts for other reasons and allowing their kids to go hungry, and don't change after repeated warnings: She feels the kids should be taken away from the neglectful parents as well as the accompanying government assistance and charitable gifts.
She said that apparently her views are not particularly welcome in an agency that thrives on the needs of those less fortunate as a means of control., encouraging, creating and maintaining a culture of "being needy". Agree or disagree she brings up food for thought doesn't she?
Monday, October 31, 2011
Right or wrong accusations
Once again a political figure is being accused (anonymously of course)of an event that happened a long time ago but not reported at the time for some odd reason. I'm not saying it did or did not happen, I'm just wondering why it wasn't reported at the time instead of the women involved accepting money to keep quiet.
Terrible things happen every day and go unreported. Sometimes, it's because it really wasn't as bad as we might think, sometimes it's out of fear, sometimes it's out of a feeling of personal guilt, who really knows except the people involved. On the other hand, in my opinion when it comes to politics we all have reason to question the motives as well as the honesty of the accusers.
Herman Cain is being accused of some sort of sexual harassment that occurred about 15 years ago. Why now? Who is behind this sudden desire to make the record straight? Why was it not such a big deal for 15 years? I wonder just what I'm missing? Kind of like the accusations concerning an appointee for the Supreme Court a while back.
Besides, we had a sitting President that was guilty of sexual discrepencies just a few years ago and aside from a huge amount of lip service nothing ever came of it. Perhaps it was a difference of opinion concerning the definition of sexual harassment. I'm not an expert on the subject I guess.
This whole thing will be aired out in the press I imagine, just like always. We will find out whatever details those in charge want us to know. It will be a matter of perspective as usual. I have determined that this is all just a game pitting one political ideology against another. It really doesn't have anything to do about honesty, only political gain. Right and wrong, true or false are entirely different matters in cases like this.
Terrible things happen every day and go unreported. Sometimes, it's because it really wasn't as bad as we might think, sometimes it's out of fear, sometimes it's out of a feeling of personal guilt, who really knows except the people involved. On the other hand, in my opinion when it comes to politics we all have reason to question the motives as well as the honesty of the accusers.
Herman Cain is being accused of some sort of sexual harassment that occurred about 15 years ago. Why now? Who is behind this sudden desire to make the record straight? Why was it not such a big deal for 15 years? I wonder just what I'm missing? Kind of like the accusations concerning an appointee for the Supreme Court a while back.
Besides, we had a sitting President that was guilty of sexual discrepencies just a few years ago and aside from a huge amount of lip service nothing ever came of it. Perhaps it was a difference of opinion concerning the definition of sexual harassment. I'm not an expert on the subject I guess.
This whole thing will be aired out in the press I imagine, just like always. We will find out whatever details those in charge want us to know. It will be a matter of perspective as usual. I have determined that this is all just a game pitting one political ideology against another. It really doesn't have anything to do about honesty, only political gain. Right and wrong, true or false are entirely different matters in cases like this.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Random thoughts, caring and not caring
Just some random thoughts that pass through my mind from time to time.
Bernie Madoff, I don't care that you feel better now that you are in jail. Frankly I couldn't care less that you don't think about committing suicide anymore. I don't condone suicide, I just don't care about you. You cheated your own personal, trusting friends without remorse. You stripped your own family of dignity without so much as a hesitation. Your own son committed suicide out of sheer embarrassment of what you have done. You exhibit no shame or sorrow. Your own wife has to face the public while you comfortably pass the time reading without any concern of where your next meal comes from. By your own admission you have done evil and committed unspeakable atrocities against those that trusted you. Personally, I feel that you are still riding the wave of megalomania because you enjoy the notoriety. I believe the punishment you fear the most is that no one would ever speak your name again, no reporter would seek you out for an interview. Your fellow prisoners would not talk to you. You would be totally alone with your thoughts. You need to be in control and in the spotlight. Some day you will have to face the real consequences of what you have done and it is way more than you could ever anticipate. Other than that, I don't care.
There is a tidal situation in the ocean, El Nino or La Nina or something like that. We, as human beings cannot control it. The weather is affected immensely by it. Snow, rain, wind, heat, and every other form of weather is moving in and out of our comfort zone because of it. Again, we can't change it, we have no control over it, we can't predict with accuracy exactly what will happen and where it will happen. My thought is this: The human race has survived from one degree to another throughout history with far less resources than we have now. Why do we panic so? I mean, complaining is natural but the panic is just way exaggerated I think.
I am so grateful to the people with extreme personalities who are in the news. In my opinion many of their views, lifestyles, perversions and activities are so weird as to defy description or rational explanation. However, without them I would have only myself to look at. Without them I may find fault in my own behavior. Without them I may not feel quite so normal as I do now. We do need a yardstick to measure by. Man, I think a lot of folks in the news are way, way over at the other end of that yardstick and that makes me feel very good indeed on some days.
I am in training for my bicycle trip around Lake Michigan. Things I need to do: Lose some weight. (Isn't that always the case though?) Increase my stamina for longer riding. Strength and weight training for core issues. Develop an eating regimen. Save some money. Build two more bicycles to fit my needs. Map out my route. Arrange for lodging. (I am not about to sleep on the ground like I did the last time) Decide exactly when I am going to do this. Make arrangements to take care of obligations while I'm gone. Keep myself from getting too excited.
Winter is coming, there is much to do. I love the different seasons around here............Joe
Bernie Madoff, I don't care that you feel better now that you are in jail. Frankly I couldn't care less that you don't think about committing suicide anymore. I don't condone suicide, I just don't care about you. You cheated your own personal, trusting friends without remorse. You stripped your own family of dignity without so much as a hesitation. Your own son committed suicide out of sheer embarrassment of what you have done. You exhibit no shame or sorrow. Your own wife has to face the public while you comfortably pass the time reading without any concern of where your next meal comes from. By your own admission you have done evil and committed unspeakable atrocities against those that trusted you. Personally, I feel that you are still riding the wave of megalomania because you enjoy the notoriety. I believe the punishment you fear the most is that no one would ever speak your name again, no reporter would seek you out for an interview. Your fellow prisoners would not talk to you. You would be totally alone with your thoughts. You need to be in control and in the spotlight. Some day you will have to face the real consequences of what you have done and it is way more than you could ever anticipate. Other than that, I don't care.
There is a tidal situation in the ocean, El Nino or La Nina or something like that. We, as human beings cannot control it. The weather is affected immensely by it. Snow, rain, wind, heat, and every other form of weather is moving in and out of our comfort zone because of it. Again, we can't change it, we have no control over it, we can't predict with accuracy exactly what will happen and where it will happen. My thought is this: The human race has survived from one degree to another throughout history with far less resources than we have now. Why do we panic so? I mean, complaining is natural but the panic is just way exaggerated I think.
I am so grateful to the people with extreme personalities who are in the news. In my opinion many of their views, lifestyles, perversions and activities are so weird as to defy description or rational explanation. However, without them I would have only myself to look at. Without them I may find fault in my own behavior. Without them I may not feel quite so normal as I do now. We do need a yardstick to measure by. Man, I think a lot of folks in the news are way, way over at the other end of that yardstick and that makes me feel very good indeed on some days.
I am in training for my bicycle trip around Lake Michigan. Things I need to do: Lose some weight. (Isn't that always the case though?) Increase my stamina for longer riding. Strength and weight training for core issues. Develop an eating regimen. Save some money. Build two more bicycles to fit my needs. Map out my route. Arrange for lodging. (I am not about to sleep on the ground like I did the last time) Decide exactly when I am going to do this. Make arrangements to take care of obligations while I'm gone. Keep myself from getting too excited.
Winter is coming, there is much to do. I love the different seasons around here............Joe
Friday, October 28, 2011
Spam and fake college degrees, again.
Spam is all over the place and apparently thriving. This Internet is worldwide and there are electronic devices gathering information as I type. There is no escape and we have to stay on our best behavior and mind what we say.
A couple days ago I wrote a posting regarding college diploma's for sale. Name your college, your desired degree and they'll make it up, put your name on it, mail it to you and there you are, a college graduate. Evidently the trusty spam gleaning machine was turned on full blast because my email boxes were chock full of offers: Doctorates, Master's, Business, Psychology, Mathematics etc, etc, etc. For just a few dollars and a little ingenuity I could appear to be an extremely educated man in a very short time.
It wouldn't work. At least in my case. An Einstein I ain't and everyone knows it. Besides, the guilt factor would surely bring me to the edge of total mental collapse. No wise cracks about the mental thing OK? I do wonder how someone else pulls it off though. Maybe if they moved into a new city and had no friends or relatives in the immediate area and they put it on the wall right away no one would question it. However, what if it is from like Harvard or Yale and someone that went there started asking questions about the classes or instructors or the Fraternities. The one trying to pull a fast one would be dead meat. Is a fake degree worth the gamble?
Lying is it's own punishment. A liar can never stop thinking ahead of them self. They can never rest and have to watch everything they say. This Madof character is in the slammer because he is a liar. I wonder if he has any fake degrees in finance? No, there is no faux degree in my future. But once again we see that the Internet is not a safe and secure place. Be on your toes and alert or the spam will overwhelm you.
A couple days ago I wrote a posting regarding college diploma's for sale. Name your college, your desired degree and they'll make it up, put your name on it, mail it to you and there you are, a college graduate. Evidently the trusty spam gleaning machine was turned on full blast because my email boxes were chock full of offers: Doctorates, Master's, Business, Psychology, Mathematics etc, etc, etc. For just a few dollars and a little ingenuity I could appear to be an extremely educated man in a very short time.
It wouldn't work. At least in my case. An Einstein I ain't and everyone knows it. Besides, the guilt factor would surely bring me to the edge of total mental collapse. No wise cracks about the mental thing OK? I do wonder how someone else pulls it off though. Maybe if they moved into a new city and had no friends or relatives in the immediate area and they put it on the wall right away no one would question it. However, what if it is from like Harvard or Yale and someone that went there started asking questions about the classes or instructors or the Fraternities. The one trying to pull a fast one would be dead meat. Is a fake degree worth the gamble?
Lying is it's own punishment. A liar can never stop thinking ahead of them self. They can never rest and have to watch everything they say. This Madof character is in the slammer because he is a liar. I wonder if he has any fake degrees in finance? No, there is no faux degree in my future. But once again we see that the Internet is not a safe and secure place. Be on your toes and alert or the spam will overwhelm you.
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