Tag Archives: blogging

We aren’t all sixth-graders

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Honest, I don’t remember exactly when it was, but it seems it was before I went into the Marines that I heard on the TV that commercials are designed for six-graders. Most people don’t like more complex things explained to them. So, if you hope to sell your product, you make sure the commercials are simple and don’t require a PhD to understand, even if your target sales is for PhDs.

I guess, in a way, we as commercial watchers are lazy. We really don’t want our minds taxed after working hard all day. On the other hand, maybe the PhDs are too smart too buy products they don’t need, especially the overpriced ones.

I suppose it does have one other side effect. It might actually make it so the commercials aren’t as expensive. After all, isn’t it all about that important bottom line?

I have taken writing tests before. I don’t know if they still have them, but according to the tests, I write at about sixth grade level. Now isn’t that convenient. My readers do not need to strain their brains in order to understand what I have to say. I guess I could say that it is convenient to be less intelligent.

Thing is, (Shouldn’t use those words so much. I’ve been trying to break myself of that.) I was considering what I heard way back then and associated it with something I heard yesterday. If it works better to write commercials for 6th graders, maybe it is good to write political ads for 6th graders.

I got to thinking, is this a good thing. Do we really want the politicians to talk to us as if we are all sixth graders? Yet it would appear It’s common practice. Reagan was known as the great communicator. Maybe it was because his ads didn’t require so much thought. As the guy said, “Keep it simple stupid.”

Just so there are no misunderstandings. it’s not my words. I did not mean to imply that my readers are stupid. However, the saying has been altered to a short abbreviation, KISS.

It is something of a disadvantage for Republicans. The dems make a simple statement that sounds good and it takes hours for us Republicans to explain why the statement isn’t true. For instance, the dems say how nice it is to tax the rich and provide for the poor. Sounds good. Doesn’t work. Never did. And yet we spend hours and hours explaining why and the general public still can’t understand it.

The same thing can be said of many things the dems try to tell us is good, open borders, weak military, and de-funding the police. (Hint: Since de-funding police, crime has sky rocketed. Since the border was opened, fentanyl has gone from about 50 thousand deaths a year to about 150 thousand a year. Tell me how that worked out, but it sounded good didn’t it. In a way, that is perhaps one of the most expensive decisions Old Joe made. It cost us more lives than Vietnam, both sides. It is why I don’t call him president. He will answer to God for all those deaths.)

It is why I don’t like what the dems are doing. It is especially why I don’t like the methods and the means of Old Joe.

At one time, Democrats and Republicans tried to maintained a closed border, a strong defense and strong law enforcement. Since Obama, not so much. Since Old Joe, even worse.

Then again, if they can successfully treat their followers as 6th graders, what can we expect.

It’s a Walk in the Park

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Well, sort of. Sometimes I walk, sometimes I drive especially in the fall. Actually, that’s a two for. Any time I’m driving, then I am also listening to my radio or my music.

I might be listening to talk radio. Sometimes, in vein, I talk back. I might be listening to my 50s and 60s music. If alone I sing along. If my wife is with me, I don’t put her through the torture.

I really miss taking the dogs with me. I really enjoyed watching them enjoy it. No more. The dogs are gone and, given my age, I don’t want to orphan new ones.

Sometimes, in the spring, I will stop and watch a Little League game. I find them more entertaining than the major league games. It reminds me of the days my son played. In HS, he played pitcher and 3rd.

Now let me see. Is that 3 or 4. Let’s just say 2. Don’t want to be accused of cheating.

I like to draw and paint: pencil, pastels and water color. Used to like photography. It’s all so different now. Every now and then I still snap a picture, maybe while walking through the park. Sometimes, I will paint something I took a photo of. Those sunsets always look better painted. Besides, I always leave out the ugly power lines.

As an aside, you ever notice they always put those things in the middle of the most picturesque sites. I often wonder if I took an ocean cruise, they would have them in the middle of a beautiful pic out there. How do they do that?

Used to enjoy writing programs for my computer. I can code in Algol, Pascal, BASIC and to a lesser degree, C. I actually wrote a few useful programs as I have posted a year or two ago. The problem is that MS took my tools from me. I have several compilers and none are any good on the later versions of Windows.

I am sure I could get more compilers but it’s just almost completely different. Really let the air out of my balloon.

I still write books, but my mind is slowing down. Envariably, I find myself rewriting and I am having more difficulty with keeping things flowing right. Mostly, I occasionally get my old books out and try to improve them.

Then of course, in the meantime, I do battle with 5 ft. weeds. It’s not that I like to. If I don’t, they will simply take overtake everything.

It does make me think ahead. Don’t think there will be any weeds in heaven. That, in itself will will go a long way to make it heavenly. I think I will like that. Think of it. Flowers and no weeds. Come to think of it, I strongly expect there’ll likely be no power lines either.

I suspect I have not yet finished but my eyelids are getting heavy. I need a nap.

Bloganuary writing prompt
List five things you do for fun.
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Oddly I Had to Think About This One

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I say oddly because it should have been really obvious. I spent 7 years doing it… teaching. If I didn’t have personal needs, you know. Shelter, food, clothing etc, I would teach without pay.

There is just something about seeing results. It is worth more than salary. Unfortunately, I would never be allowed to teach the complex stuff like is taught in public schools. I was limited to the more simple things like radar.

Nonetheless, I must admit, I did have a job for about 15 years just before I retired. Even more importantly, I worked for a good company and boss. Not many can say they enjoyed their twilight years at work as I did.

I was a computer operator. It was neat for me. While it was a little challenging, I was not a leader. I don’t like being a leader.

I had a difficult time figuring out what my dream job would be because it wasn’t my dream. It was for real. That made it all the better.

Bloganuary writing prompt
What’s your dream job?
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Win Lottery?

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Well. I would be very surprised. I don’t participate in such. My small fortune is far too valuable to my wife and I.

If I may, I will explain what I might do if, as in the “Fidler on the Roof” song, I Were a Rich Man.

I guess the first thing I would do would be to guard it from the dems. I am sure that there are the 100s who would all know all these wonderful places for money. Did you know there are over a million registered charities that would be glad to take small, or larger sum from you. They are all wonderful organizations, I am sure. Only thing is, if I started with a million and gave each a dollar, I’d be penniless.

Some might want to sell me gold. That might be nice to have, but I can’t eat gold. I think I would rather have a year or two of survival food. Moreover, gasoline would be more useful. Did you know gold is very soft. That makes it a pretty sorry material for building. I think steel and aluminum would be far more useful.

A small plot of land seems a good investment. Old Joe and Obama seem to like the idea ocean coast property, despite the threat they keep telling us about. The ocean is about to rise 10 feet you know. Well, I’ll just make sure I’m 20 feet above the current tidal levels.

I think I would really like to start a really good school for teaching people of all ages to read. It would not be expensive. Rent a little space, hire a few teachers and pay the electric bill. If I didn’t have enough for teachers, I would just start teaching. Perhaps, I could find a volunteer or 2, or 3.

Of course, none of this would ever happen. I don’t buy lottery tickets. I have not once been in any of the local casinos. I have no desire.

It is likely because I never could win at gambling as a kid. I learned very young. Gambling, even if you win, is a bad idea. Besides, I do have a good understanding of math. I know my chances. Don’t like giving money away.

Bloganuary writing prompt
What would you do if you won the lottery?
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Leadership

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When in the Marines, I had to memorize the traits of a good leader. To be sure, they are a good thing to know military or not. However, it is not enough to know them. I did and I was a lousy leader.

I can’t remember all of them anymore, but here are the highlights. I think few will disagree with them. Honesty, integrity, courage, knowledge, humility, example & a few others I can’t think of right now. I am sure you can look them up on the internet. Nonetheless, I knew men who were good leaders who lacked many of the traits. I knew many bad leaders who had most of the traits. There does seem to be the untangable that is difficult to define.

However, I cannot talk on the subject without bringing up one important fact. One man not only had all these characteristics, but in perfection. Jesus Christ the son of the living God. You look up those traits on the internet and you will find He had them all to perfection.

You cannot say this of any other leader.

On the other hand, Old Joe has none of them; certainly not honesty.

Bloganuary writing prompt
What makes a good leader?
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Rules & Refs

Posted in Biden, Cease fire between Israel and Gaza, Deceit by

It’s another football weekend. Teams will take to the field and play, mostly by the rules. When there are infractions the referees will usually step in and penalize the guilty team.

Nowadays, the officiaters have help. It just almost seems like there are cameras everywhere. When a play is in doubt, it can generally be reviewed from 2 or 3 different angles. I would call that a good thing. It keeps the game a little more fair, though occasionally someone does get by with something.

However, that just doesn’t happen much these days. There are many refs out there and the refs are getting better.

However, I think Old Joe’s been watching too many football games. He seems to think wars are like football. He seems to think the fighters will all compete by the rules. Whenever they don’t, he expects someone to toss a flag. Then, whenever there is a contested action, he figures it can be reviewed on the instant replay. This of course, while everyone just pauses and uses the time to catch their breath. And, oh yes, it will give the fan a chance to get a brew.

Then to, in war, there are no stopwatches. It isn’t over in a few hours. For some, it’s never over.

Better that the wars never start, like when Trump was in office. Better that the war is over fast. Less will be killed in a 2 week war than a two month war.

Old Joe just doesn’t get it. Because he permitted Iran and Russia to build up their fortunes, two wars broke out. People are dying because he insisted on driving the price of oil up. People are dying because Old Joe decided to give Iran a few billion.

I sure wish we could get a referee to throw one of those yellow things and pronounce penalties on Russian and Iran. However, I’m not getting my hopes up. I know the difference between football and war.