Goals and Hopes

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Daily writing prompt
What do you love about where you live?
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It was not my plan to stay here. The plans were temporary. At the time I knew little or nothing about Mississippi. I settled in here for two reasons. It was affordable and it was near the job I had in Memphis. I had hopes of getting my feet back on the ground after my discharge from the Marines. It took close to 6 months to get a good paying job and my wife had to work for a while to help me out. In addition, we did have a small loan we needed to pay off.

It seemed every time it looked like we might get something larger, we had a reversal. So, here I am, in the home that we purchased on a temporary basis.

Nonetheless, it has been a good home in a good neighborhood. We have had good neighbors who have been helpful from time to time. I certainly can’t say I have much to complain of other than the explosion of population. The traffic is growing faster than the highways and every time I turn around, they are building new houses or apartments.

Until the China virus, there was a wide selection of places to eat. There are still many places, but not as much. Moreover, the quality has taken a big hit. Then again, I am sure that can be said of most places.

IF we do need something from the big city, for instance an airport, we are not far away. I guess about 30 minutes away and much of that is getting to the interstate. We have baseball, basketball, college football and some really nice Little League fields nearby.

There are many churches and each one is nicer than the other. Many of them teach the Bible right, though I must admit some are errant in their doctrine.

The crime rate here south of the state line is still relatively low. I have no fear of going out after dark but I am a little more alert these days. I like to walk in the evenings in the summer. It’s not quite as hot.

Perhaps one aspect of the area is the schools. They are, I would guess some of the best in the country. I’m not just talking academics. They have been safe and much better about what the teach. We did have a few issues but they were quickly resolved. However, my sons are now 49 and 53. It has been a long time since I had a child in school. I can only go by what I see going on around me, which seems good. Apparently, the parents in Memphis like Desoto County Schools too. Though illegal, they keep bringing their children down here to get the better education.

Would I move away if I could. I don’t know. The people are nice here. The big problem is that attic. I’d have to employee a small team to bring all that stuff down and find something to do with it. Nonetheless, mostly all the goals and hopes are gone. Now, it’s simply a matter of hanging on a few more years.

Eating Out of the Palm of His Hand

Posted in Controllers, Uncategorized by

It is an old saying. I am sure most don’t really understand the meaning. It is easy to get a wild animal to eat that which is left on the ground. They catch on very fast. On the other hand, it will take time and patience to teach an animal to eat out of the palm of your hand. I know. I’ve tried it. Dogs, cats, squirrels take time to train to eat out your palm. I suppose you could even train bears but I don’t think I want to go there.

It’s kind of like that with humans too. Actually, I believe that was where it originated. The wild independent soul is quickly tamed when fed by hand. And of course, he is tamed when he looks for the handout. Then, the final step, the government has completely tamed the people when we all expect the handouts from Uncle Sam, especially when we eat right out of the palm of his hand.

The question you ask folks, is that what they want, and they hesitate not, to be dependent on the government dole? They will generally reply yes. It sure beats working.

Best TV Ad of the Year

Posted in Advertising, Uncategorized by

Yellow Wood has my vote for turning out the best advertisement of the year. They always are medium to good, but this one was particularly good.

A bunch of beavers sitting around a campfire. They all have sticks with marshmallows on them. Once they have marshmallows roasted, they take them off the sticks and toss them over their back. And then, of course, they eat the sticks.

I don’t know about you, but I didn’t see that one coming. It’s a shame I don’t have any reason to buy a bunch of wood. For sure, if I did, I’d make sure it’s Yellow Wood.

Flight

Posted in Fear, Fight or Flight by

If you are like me, you have noticed you cannot get withing 20 feet of a bird before he takes flight. Sometime, he will go a few hundred feet and land again. Other times, he jut flies completely out of sight. I’m not saying anything new. It’s common knowledge.

So, one day when I walked into my bosses office, he asked me to come over to the window. I did and he said, “Look at the bird sitting on the sign.” He paused. “Those cars are going by him less than 10 feet away at forty and the bird never moves.”

At first, I thought nothing of it. I wonder, are there any bird psychologists out there, or is it psychiatrists. Don’t know which would have the answer. For that matter, I don’t even know if there are such things.

At any rate, why are they afraid of a man afoot but the have no fear of the car going 40 mph. I mean, you and I can figure it out. We know the cars are not after the bird. But how is that the bird know that.

Then lately, a fly landed on my TV screen; this while the screen is in constant change. I’m not even going to ask for a fly expert. However, it is obvious the fly does not fear the object coming at him from the screen behind him. He is not deceived by the image. However, get within two feet of the fly, and he takes flight.

You may find this strange, but I did take this thought one step farther. A gnat landed on my computer screen. The movement of the screen had no effect on him. However, when I put the mouse pointer near him and kept making circles around him, he seemed to fall from the screen. Then he regained whatever it was he lost, and he flew away.

Is there such thing as an insect behaviorists, if one is out there and reads this, just maybe he can explain it for us. On the other hand, maybe he doesn’t know either.

On the other hand, you don’t need to have a degree. I am accepting anyone’s guess.

What Recourse?

Posted in Abuse of Power, Crime, Lawyers and Representation by

It is a question I have mauled over in my mind a few times. What happens when a person is charged with a crime and he has to mortgage the house and the wife’s wedding to pay for the defense. Then after it is over, the jury says “Not guilty,” what recourse has the man got.

He’s still left with the mortgage and, of course, he likely no longer has a job. The district attorney might send you a nice impressive apology letter, I don’t know. Just maybe it can be used to apply for another job.

So, people, like President Trump can afford the costs of lawyers. If one of those runaway district attorneys came after me, I’d have to rely on one of those lawyers provided by the state. Then, of course, if that’s not enough, then that won’t be enough.

There is a lot of power in the hands of a DA. He can break a man, though he be innocent. He can walk in and say, “Sign on the dotted line or get yourself a good lawyer; cause this is going to cost you a bundle.”

In theory, that is the purpose of the grand jury but you and I know, that rarely works. Pre-trials can help a little, but even that requires a lawyer.

Perhaps, if they come and knock on my door and tell me I’m under arrest for something I didn’t do, I’d just plead not guilty and sit there and wait for them to prove that I am. That way, I may end up in prison, but at least they won’t make me spend my last dime on the impossible.

Actually, that’s not the point. The state pays the bills for the DA. When he loses a case, he’s not out a dollar. He doesn’t lose his house and boat. He shrugs his shoulders, smiles and says, sorry. I really thought you were guilty.

I don’t know the answer to that. Like I’ve said, I have mauled it over for a while now. Maybe we need a third option for a jury. If the person charged proves his innocence, then the jury ought to come up with a decision of innocent. If that happens, the state must pay all the lawyer bills, plus 10% for the inconvenience.

Moreover, if a man can go back out into society proved innocent, he just might be able to get another job.

I’m open to suggestions. It is the best idea I have. However, we really do need to make these DAs be a bit more careful the way they throw their power around.

Please don’t get me wrong. Most DAs bend over backward in an effort to keep from putting the wrong guy in prison. It’s kind of like what I heard all the way through high school. It’s always the 10% that ruins for all the others.

Precipice

Posted in Abuse of Power, Being woke, Bribes, Cancel Culture, Communist Takover, Crime, FOC, Uncategorized by

Precipice : a very steep rock face or cliff, especially a tall one. As many English words, it was borrowed from the French. From the word, we have developed the saying, on the precipice, which might not actually have anything to do with the lay of the land. That is to say, we might use the phrase to indicate that we are near a massive change, should we continue on. We might also say, if we keep going that way, we just might fall off a cliff.

Some of us, when we are told that we are headed toward a dangerous precipice, we will take note. This is true regardless if it is a physical or a figurative danger. Some simply will not heed the danger. Some go on and when they go off the cliff, they wonder why didn’t someone tell me?

Well, right here, right now someone is here to tell you. If you keep going, it’s your fault.

There are thousands of counties in the US. Each county has a prosecuting attorney of some kind. Of course, each county has a court and the means to try people who disobey the law. Sometimes these prosecutors get things wrong. Sometimes, they prosecute the wrong people. Sometimes, they prosecute when there is no crime.

Hopefully, we have judges and juries that keep such prosecutors in check. Then again these prosecutors can become determined to lock up someone simply because he dosn’t like the guy. Maybe he doesn’t like the way he combs his hair or what kind of cap he wears. Sometimes it does become political. That is the precipice of which I am writing.

When a man is elected to office, be he Republican or democrat, there are thousands of prosecutors that are of the opposite party. And so, the Republican is in danger of being charged by the democrat and the democrat is in danger of being charged by the Republicans. Hence, there is danger whoever is sworn in.

It is likely the reason that the forefathers wrote the Constitution so that the only way a president can be removed from office is by impeachment. It is why they were careful as to how this can be done. It would appear the democrats have found an end around process. Now, they not only charge President Trump, but also everyone who has been around him. It is the Midas touch in reverse.

Then, of course, should Trump regain office, just maybe he is going to start charging democrats with crimes. I don’t think so, but he might. It is a dangerous precipice. If we continue in this direction, we just might see the downfall of the greatest nation that ever was. More over, it might come suddenly. Those doomsday preppers just might want to re-check their supplies.

Our court systems are going to be filled with people being charged with being democrats or Republicans. The criminals will be ecstatic. No one will be paying any attention to them. Well, actually, the communists will be even more thrilled. They will just walk into to the mess and take over everything.

Plan Goals?

Posted in Growing Old by
Daily writing prompt
How do you plan your goals?
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Planning goals? Now that’s a new one. I thought they just sort of happened. I mean, what you do is you put your shoulder to the, now let me see. What is it that we are supposed to put our shoulder to.

Well. It doesn’t matter. One thing I do know. If you plan goals, stand by. Those goals are just very likely going to be obliterated. I mean look at those folks over in Hawaii. Many of them had goals. A lot of them thought they were going to see their dreams come true. I mean, they were living in a tropical paradise. Then, whoosh. In less than a night, they see those dreams literally go up in flames.

Actually, I have been trying to avoid the subject of that fire. I hear enough of that on TV and radio. I couldn’t help it though. It just kind of spilled out. Yes, I do make plans. I do set goals. The thing is reality keeps stepping in the way.

When I was still reasonably young I hoped to buy one of those nice motor homes and I’d just go around from city to city and state to state and see this country. Well, as I said, reality got in the way. It is wonderful how computers have grown small, inexpensive and reliable. However, my job used to be fixing the things and I made a good living at it. Then one day the boss called me in and told me my services would no longer be needed.

I was actually quite good at fixing the things. I could tell you stories, but it would just bore you.

After that, for three years, I had one one of the best jobs in the world. I taught electronics at the Navy base. Now that was wonderful. It didn’t pay that well, but it combined two things I really, really liked, electronics and teaching. I dare say, I got good at it.

However, one day, President Reagan said tear down this wall, so they did. Suddenly, peace broke out. Don’t get me wrong. I like peace. It is far better than war. However, out of the 11 instructors, they they kept 4. Almost everyone there had been there longer than me. The odds were against me. A few months later and I was again looking for a job.

The point I am trying to make, not so eloquently, is that sometimes, it is not enough to have goals. Sometimes you have to be ready for that day when reality hits you in the jaw and the goals are shattered. The ones who really succeed I guess are the ones who succeed when their goals don’t

Almost bought one of those motor homes a few years ago, a used one. In a way, I wish I had. Then again, I figured if I did, and something went wrong with it, it would just be another case of reality getting in the way.

Nowadays, as old as I am, my goals are simple. Hold on till I die, and do what I can to help others ovoid the little mistakes I made. And, oh yes, sell a few books; maybe a million or two. Maybe then I could get my motor home.

New Shot for the Virus

Posted in Abuse of Power, Biden, Coronavirus, Crazy Nuts, Hydroxycloroquine, Safety, Vaccine by

Recently heard about another booster shot for the China virus. If you ask me if I’m going to take it, that would be a no!

Don’t mind taking a shot or two when the effectiveness has not be proven, but this is ridiculous. After, what two or three years, not only can’t they prove it has any effectiveness, it seems obvious that the only effect it has is negative. People have died from that shot, you know. Yet, it seems it will not even slow the effect of the disease. Since I have had the shot, I have had the virus twice. I don’t think the shot works. I’d much rather take the Hydroxycloroquine. It has better proven results than the dumb shots. More important, I know it won’t kill me, as the shot might.

It is another reason I call the old man Joe. He tried to force the men in the armed forces to take an experimental drug. Those who refused to take it, he made them leave the armed forces. That’s not just nuts. That is crazy nuts. It’s one more thing he will not be able to explain to Jesus when he sees Jesus face-to-face. My best guess, from his appearances, form his mannerisms, that does not seem to be much into the future.

Anticipation

Posted in Uncategorized by
Daily writing prompt
Create an emergency preparedness plan.
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Old Carly Simon Song. I kind of liked it. Now that I remember it, I just might download a copy. Sort of beside the point. I am supposed to be writing about preparing for an emergency. It really is an important subject. However, those of us that are old, we have limitations. I mean, at best I can get a 3 month’s supply of medicines. Moreover, I do have many of them. There is the one for blood pressure, for cholesterol, and, well, enough info. Maybe too much. However, without the meds I would be in bad shape. It’s not just that I’d die. Things would start malfunctioning. I would be subject to strokes heart attacks, liver or kidney problems. Do you have any idea how bad things can be when their sugar gets out of balance. Strokes can cause permanent paralysis. The fact is, it’s just not a pretty picture.

At best, there are times I am down to 1 week of meds. It would be a very bad time to have an emergency. It’s a shame, as far as I know, no one will permit diabetics to be preppers. I mean, it is a good idea to make sure we have food and water, but what about a few weeks of insulin, which requires refrigeration.

For these reasons, I was prepared to pass on this subject. I almost did. Then I thought about writing about preparations I took note of that others have done. I don’t know if anyone will like it but as for me, I just keep a dozen cans of spam, veggies and fruits around. I have plenty of packages of rice and noodles around too. Even regular packaging will last a couple of years as long as you use the old and store the fresh. I guess my weak point is water but I do keep a few gallons of water around. I mean, you never know. A city not far from me had to go a week without running water. Can you imagine having to go to the local motel 6 to get a shower and brush your teeth. By the way, that’s not funny.

I suppose the ones that really have the advantage are those that can take off in their RV. Sometimes a small family can live in an RV for a week. In a bad emergency, maybe a month. The nice thing there is that it does not take long to make your escape. That is of course assuming the trailer or motor-home is kept in a ready state.

I have often considered, if I had to money, to just get an RV and move down to the gulf coast. The weather’s nice and the land is inexpensive. If I lived in the motor home, every time I heard them say “hurricane,” I’d hook up the car to the back of the motor home and dash away up north. The weather is nicer in California, but the earthquakes don’t come with warnings.

Those of us that can’t afford RV’s might have to settle for a small trailer. Just put all the things you need for, oh about a month. Then if you get the warning in time, hook up the trailer and take off. In the old days, that was simpler. Almost all cars were big enough to tow a trailer. Not so much these days. You might want to think about getting a bigger car.

If worse comes to worst, you just might have to do as the rest of us. Keep the supplies in cases that can be quickly loaded in the trunk. If you get the warning in time, then load up and head for the hills. If you don’t have enough warning, you might just have to head for hills

To be sure, in the old days, they kind of had the right idea. They built the houses on high foundations and made sure the old shelter was ready. My wife’s grandmother had a storm shelter built. It didn’t take much. About half of it was below ground and the top was covered by steel re-enforced concrete. They took shelter in it many times as the tornadoes passed by. Fortunately, her house never got hit, but those tornadoes don’t give much warning.

My aunt had a big professional shelter put in. It was large enough for 4 for two weeks. The two of them took shelter in it a few times back in he seventies. It had batteries and plenty of storage for water and supplies. It also had an air pump and high quality filters. It was designed for storms and bombs. I guess that is okay for some, but I don’t don’t know if I could stand to stay down there for two days, let alone two weeks.

I suppose, if some kind of emergency were to come along, I will be like most, wishing I prepared more. Then again, if you lived through as much as I have, you have a tendency to get just a little complacent. The worst I went through was what the called “Hurricane Elvis.” It was a straight wind of about 100 mph, or at least that was what I was told. We were without electricity for over a week. Some were with power for a month or more. I mean that storm was mean. And unlike a real hurricane, it came without any warning at all.

With this in mind, I’m guessing one of the best investments a person can make for emergencies is a generator. Going without electricity for extended time is a real bummer. Just make sure you do it right. If you use it, don’t let the carbon monoxide in the house. That can be more deadly than the storm. Also, make sure you don’t start a fire with an extension cord. The biggest air conditioner in the world won’t do any good if the house burns down.

Recharging

Posted in Abuse of Power, Awkward Situation, Biden by

I didn’t plan on another post tonight, but when I started talking about generators, the thought occurred to me that I might use a generator to recharge my new car. I am sure there are many variables that I am not aware of, but, as near as I can tell, right off the bat, I would need one that puts out 220 volts at 30 amps to charge the car in five hours… or there about. I am sure if I am wrong, someone will tell me.

The trunk of the car is big enough, though lifting it in and out might be a problem. Besides, I don’t think that is quite what Old Joe had in mind when he suggested electric cars. Still, if I am close to right, as near as I can tell, it would mean driving the car for three hours and charging the car for five.

I know I can’t possibly have the math right. I didn’t spend but a few minutes on it. Even though I know it is not practical, I do find the idea a little amusing, or is the proper word intriguing. The real point of carrying around my own recharge port is for emergencies. First. What happens if I get to the place on the map where there is suppose to be a charger and I find a sign, “out of order?”

I mean, you know, when an airplane takes off from an aircraft carrier, he is committed. He must be able to find and land on that carrier after completing his mission. There are no alternatives. Same with the car. You commit to the road trip and you are committed to finding a place that can and will recharge your car. Indeed, it just might be almost as difficult as landing that big jet on a carrier on a calm sea during daylight.

It is fine for me. I stay around the area. I know places where I can charge the car. I don’t need to recharge it for another week or so after that. I write this to let others know who are considering the idea of going electric. As near as I can tell, the infrastructure is just not quite ready.

My original idea was that gas stations would start having charging stations installed. That is a problem. At best the car will take 40 minutes to charge. While that is occurring, the car is occupying that real estate. That is an expensive proposition.

The more likely approach, and the one that seems to be taking place is that the chargers are being installed at restaurants and hotels. Some restaurants welcome the traffic. They sell more hamburgers. The car is going to take up the real estate anyway while the driver and family is eating. Sometimes this works out well but not always.

The hotel is more likely to work well. The driver can pull in for the night. While the car is charging, the driver is getting some needed shuteye. In the morning, the driver gets in his fully charged car and off he goes.

The thing is, what happens when you get to the hotel or restaurant and find out the charger is broke, being used by someone else, or, maybe the map your using got it wrong. Now you’re looking for another charger. If you bring along your own generator. No problem. You get out the generator, start it and hook it up to the car.

Five hours later, you can come back, pack up the generator and take off.

Well, there is one more possible complication. You know that friend of Old Joe. The thief that the judge refused to put in jail. Well, he’s on the loose and he just found your generator and ran off with it. It seems he thinks he can put it to use better than you.

It’s sort of the problem with generators. If you don’t nail them down, they have a tendency to wonder off, sort of, kind of, all by themselves. Then of course, no one sees it. No one knows which way it went. Now you just lost your generator. Worse, the thief didn’t even let the charge complete. You now have three hundred miles to go on twenty mile charge. That will not work.

Sounds like time to call a tow truck, or Old Joe. Which one do you think will be more reliable?