Category: LifeStyle

Depression…

There is a huge difference between depression and simply being sad. Sadness is a normal part of life and we all go through it. This time of year seems to bring on depression or bouts of it, for various reasons.

We could even call it “seasonal depression.”

As we age we lose people that we love.

Now, when the holidays come around or those other family events which bring everyone together; we think of those that are no longer with us. There at that certain spot, sits an empty chair which they should be in.

Looking into the “mirror of time” will not bring those people back. Those memories that we keep alive are what we still hang onto them with, and that is OK ; but not to focus on.

I personally have small mementos of those that I have lost, which I see daily. On one of my desk there sits this absolutely hideous lamp that one of my Uncles bought his wife as a gift. The shade is painted with some sort of pattern and I have to agree with my aunt, is it pretty terrible. His taste however; was not hers… Every time I see that lamp; I think of him, who I loved; and chuckle.

In another part of my house there is a small wooden wheel barrel that my grandfather made. He made it for my aunt when she was a little girl, who is also gone. When I see it…I think of him and her…and smile. I took it down the other day and dusted it… I noticed the fine workmanship that went into it and imagined my grandfather making it, some 80 years ago.

There is an old kitchen clock that was made in 1912 that my grandmother bought for her kitchen; while visiting New York in 1912. That clock sits in the Den. I never knew her but; I know that I would have loved her…From stories of her…she sounds a lot like me.

If I went through the complete list of stuff from the many in my life that I have loved, some might conclude that I was a hoarder. I hoard the memories of those that I loved, and sometimes I keep too many reminders of them. Pictures here and there of them, is really all we need but…that is just the way it goes.

My grandfather used to fish in the Mississippi not far from where he lived. He left me his tackle box which I still have. I open it every now and then, and gaze upon the things inside.

He was not a rich man but, here in this box is a wealth of stories and love… There is a history of taking me fishing when I was barely out of three cornered pants. A history of comforting a crying child who was just bitten by a horsefly stopping the bleeding followed by a history of teaching me how to catch a horse fly without getting bitten, and placing it on a hook and catching my first fish.

There are other stories of comforting a small child who hurt themselves, by spilling an entire wheel barrel full of leaves, that he had just picked up while trying to help.

There was my first taste of beer from his can while building our lake house. I was maybe 4 at the time and I remember the taste of it. I searched for years to find out that it was PBR…

From watching Saturday night wrestling with him, to listening to baseball games on a huge floor model radio…they are all there…tucked neatly away in that tackle box of life.

His sunglasses, old wire frame glasses, along with his lucky coin are two of the first two things that jump out at me. There are different lures and even a reel or two; still in their original box along with line that has to be older than me. I picture him walking from his house, to the bank of the Mississippi, pulling some sort of fish out of that river… He loved to fish …

After getting my “grandpa” fix, I carefully put everything back, just as I found it, and tuck it away until I find myself thinking of him… needing another fix, reminding me of the humanity of an old fashion, soft spoken man, who would give anyone that needed it, the shirt off of his back.

On one of my bookshelves there is this old plastic fisherman with a wire attached that has a small yellow plastic fish on it that used to adorn a shelf in his house. I am certain that it was a gift from someone who loved him. Daily; it is my reminder to be gentle, soft spoken and try to exude some of the wisdom, caring and compassion that I learned from this man. It is my reminder to not take myself too seriously, and to laugh…

Each year it seems that the Christmas card lists gets shorter, as more and more leave us.

Not only do we have our family and friends but, we too are effected by those that we come to love from the silver screen, and now of course the flat screen that entertains us. We grieve for those too; and each day it seems more of them are leaving…

Christmas music seems to bring on depression for me; so I limit my exposure to it.

This year, 2015; four of my good friends have passed. I have mementos of them and I even have a hat that one of them gave me that honors Reagan, who he was a fan of. I wear that hat from time to time just because I am thinking of the person who gave it to me.

I’ll be home for Christmas is a downer… Songs…good songs bring out emotions in people and that one makes me sad. I have been away at Christmas before, and it too reminds me of those that won’t be home for Christmas. When we turn this time into a time for “stuff” it really again shows the worst in some of us, with black Friday deals and “stuff!”

We can choose….

I choose to acknowledge them…and then look forward to time spent with those that are still here and of course those that I have yet to meet. I look forward to the memories that I have yet to make. I make damned certain that I smile at those that seem to be having a hard time, and learn everyone’s name that I come into contact with if, only to use it once during a conversation with them. From wait staff to the person checking you out at the store…They have a name and it is not “you there…or hey!”

Tonight I went to dinner with 3 of my close friends as a pre-holiday get together. We shared a few laughs, and I valued that time as it will never come around again. The waiter…Ross… I made sure to include him in the conversation when appropriate, and let him know that he was appreciated, not only by saying so but; by tipping in way that he knew how I felt.

Every one of us has some sort of personal battle going on. You have no idea what it is. Some of us honk ruthlessly and drive terribly because we feel that we are more important than others. We cut people off and we… “let’s face it; show our ass…”

“You don’t know what that person who you just did that to, is going through in their life…”

Lead by Example

When I managed people, I managed by leading by example. I was a “hands on kind of guy” and I would purposefully involve myself in the worst jobs that we had to contend with, to show that no job was too small or insignificant. Nobody is too small or trivial to be marginalized by given the “shit jobs.”

I made a point to know the cleaning crew’s names as well as the lady that watered the plants… We are all worthy of being treated as such; if you think we are not, your moral compass is out of whack!

We as people need to lead by example when we drive, engage with people and yes…be nice to the poor cashier who has to put up with impatient people, and company policies which require them to get information from you so they can market to you via e-mail or other such methods. Their arms are twisted to do it… The wait staff are forced to up-sell you into buying cobbler or some other dessert that you don’t really want. They are told to ask, and I am certain that they are measured in some quantitative way by how many they sell.

Stop looking into the rear view mirror of life.
Enjoy what you do, and how you spend your time.
Make time to enjoy the day…
Acknowledge those around you and tell them thank you!
Serve others; and by all means treat others as you want to be treated.
If depression is bothering you…do this….
Set regular sleep hours and keep them. Stop any caffeine after 3pm.
Get up every morning and go greet the sun. Your body needs at least 15 minutes of light to set your clock.
Don’t stress over things that you cannot control.
Do your best, give your schooling or job your bests, and don’t worry.
Love and laugh often. Laughter is medicine that is cheap, and requires no prescription.

You are worthy of the best… Don’t let anyone tell you differently…

We can make it through this season…Remember it is not about gifts, or what someone is going to do for you…It is about giving of yourself. I like to try and make someone’s life a little better each and every day… Even if it is just a kind word…. Or some encouragement. Follow that lead….

-Best

Periscope or Pervascope?

Full disclosure…I have been working with computers before the internet. And I can tell you Al Gore had nothing to do with it.

One thing that we as a race of beings seem to do is seek the lowest level. Some would argue it is our nature, and others would argue it is because we are fallen as a people.

Porn was one of the first things to make its way through cyberspace even before the Internet; when there were only BBS’s … I think that the first or second time that I saw it, it was a novelty…Now things of value are the novelty.

One of my author friends discovered something called Periscope… She announced that she was going to do this “periscope talk” which prompted me to look into it.

“I watched someone broadcasting Ted Cruz live…I watched someone send video from a storm, another from a beach in Indonesia and I even chatted with Danica McKellar who was doing a live broadcast while one of the Hallmark movies she was in; played. It was nice to see that she was still grounded as a person.

While watching some of these events…artist and such, it further amazed me that the “people” who will try and get ladies to “open boobs.” What the hell is “open boobs?” How do you open boobs?

These people have such poor English and are so deviant that they will do their best to get people to show them some part of their anatomy.

Ignored Behavior Goes Away

One would think that after a while that these “people” would just go away….

The problem is that the behavior is not ignored…

There are “ladies” out there that use this “forum” as a marketing tool to take in money from the people who would be willing to pay for a peek that their goods.

They are in fact feeding the stray dogs, encouraging the riff and the raff of the internet.

These “people” know no boundaries either… If your daughter or other child should find this mud hole to play in, they will undoubtedly be taunted and coerced by unsavory individuals from anywhere on the globe that the internet reaches to; “open boobs” or “pussy please.”

Know what lies in the water before you jump in…. Parana’s and other leaches are there waiting for you, your child or your credit card…

-Best

Faraway places…

This time of year always seems to ground people…well me anyway. We get so wrapped up in the “season” … that we forget what the season is about. As we make it through Thanksgiving, the rest of the turkey is either tossed or frozen along with the last bite of cranberry sauce; I cannot help but think of those less fortunate folks that would have non left to freeze or toss.

Troubles exists everywhere and you don’t have to look very far or hard to find them. The bell ringers are out there in force and many; including myself have done a fair amount of shopping through Amazon or other such services. Local retailers will certainly feel the sting of online purchases as we hear about an American Icon …Sears… that is headed for the scrapbook or dustbin of history. Like so many shops before them; box stores and our shopping habits align the blocks and events of history in a sequence for them, “like dominoes in a row” to fall, or in this case fail.

The poor blame the rich, the government blames the rich, while taking their money for super packs and what have you, and the game goes on, not really identifying the problem. Folks, government is the problem and cannot be the solution as it is currently flawed. Those that make laws for themselves, which are different from the laws that you and I are saddled with, must be changed. There must be term limits for all of them…

I firmly believe that we only live so long, because the God in heaven that created us knew; that if we lasted too long, one person could gain so much wealth and power that they could literally create dynasties that would enslave an entire world forever.

Few understand micro economics, much less macro. Some pay credit card bills, with other credit cards to get by, not even understanding the hole that they dig themselves into until it is far too late. These credit card people make it easy to do with checks made for the express purpose of transferring money around.

Our leaders are doing the very same thing with their credit card, (the one that you pay) to the tune of $18.5 Trillion dollars and counting. If leading by example is the plan, they are doing a bang up job!

Last week we had a full on assault on Christianity, which many consider the magnetic north of their moral compass. It was no accident that this happened at a Christmas party, and yet the Washington Elites in their ivory towers, tried very hard to spin this as workplace violence, calling for more gun laws in a state that has some of the toughest gun laws around. The Hollywood marionettes for the administration took to the tabloids, and airways to echo the administrations agenda which will only effect the law abiding among us. They need to focus on mental health…

30 odd % of the folks would argue with this, as they are probably the few who cannot accept the truth, and only watch liberal media; which is the propaganda machine for DC. Somehow they feel that Bernie Sanders is a viable candidate, which boggles my mind. If however; it was a choice between Bernie and Hillary, I would pick Bernie; at least he is truthful certifiable but, truthful.

Those faraway places with strange sounding names, are calling me.

The places are not so much geographical places but, places in time… The country that I grew up in has been changed and I feel not for the better. Special interests have taken control of our government and I firmly believe have transformed it into something that our kids will learn to hate. Kids getting out of school today are not ready for the challenges that we were ready for. While trades are necessary, we don’t even have those types of apprentice programs today.

Someone needs to get this country back to basics, before we really are making those small umbrellas for the Chinese to put into their drinks…

Those faraway places with strange sounding names might start with an A, and end with an A, as this place is … pretty strange…

“Spend wisely my friends…”

-Best

Writers Block

As a writer, I follow many, talk with several; and listen a lot.

There are those who feel that they must complete 5 pages a day. There are those that don’t.

If you are passionate about it; writing 15 a day or more could be a piece of cake, or a bloody nightmare.

You simply cannot force creativity….

I have crawled out of bed at 3 AM and worked till well past noon the next day, as I was inspired. I have also stopped, and not touched the keyboard when nothing was happening.

There is a flow to the creative process and “external shit” can mess with that flow.

Maybe you don’t feel good, maybe the neighbor or spouse or sibling pissed you off…

Writing and painting to me are one in the same…I am an artist; I paint with oils…I can paint from my head, or from a model, or from a picture…it depends what I am going for.

I can also paint with words. In many cases I am much better with words than oils. My paintings have sold in many different countries, and yet I aspire to invoke emotions through language. Many artist do it through painting, or music, and that is all great and good. While I too play instruments; that is not my passion… I love music but telling a story…Ah…That excites me….!

Tonight I had a block…The story stood still and I sat here… I looked at the words and my characters were frozen. A fluid story stopped … as my creative process stopped….

I walked away…took a long shower and in that shower the next chapter sprang to life as the water danced off my hands and arms and…the rest of me….

Sometimes you simply have to wash the block away…..

Five pages a day….no…..I could force it but it would suck, and be badly created, and poorly read and most probably deleted the next day when I reread it….

You simply cannot force creativity….

-Best

What are you thankful for?

I wrote earlier that Thanksgiving was one of my favorite holidays as it does not involve gifts, or greed…simply food, fun, family, and Turkey Comas all around…

Roosevelt in 39 tried to move it up to promote more shopping time to boost a sluggish economy after the depression. So, in learning that; it like anything else can be a political tool to meet some end, I was a little downhearted. Man is who he is and I should come to expect that but…alas what do we hear about today…now!

Online black Friday every day! Stores opening up 6pm the night before and staying open 24 hours to drive the bottom line.

Black Friday got its name by the way as that is the time of year when re-sellers hopefully get out of the red into the black.

Think about this…. Goods are generally marked up 40%… What they pay for it, and what you pay for it can have a 40% delta… Larger box stores have higher purchasing power so they can get it cheaper, and might pass that along while still making a large profit. That puts the mom and pop shops out of business.

To be fair they have the bricks and mortar to pay for, and the employees, lights advertising …you get the idea.

Online stores can operate much less expensively, yet some of their prices rival that of the local Target or yes…Walmart…

If you shop online you cut out the teller… You cut out the salesperson and you cut out the bricks and mortar, when it comes to a store front.

While we do this for the sake of convenience, we do away with jobs… The very jobs that people bitch about not having…

We have lost our way… Sunday after church, there was a time when family was important…Homemade ice-cream and Ice tea on the front porch were important. Lunch with your church family was important.

To me…some go to church to be seen… and are ready to hit the door ten minutes after the first song starts. Engaging people in the church is a tough job… Keeping the kids awake and engaged …I have seen it but truly, I think the art of preaching is waning…

I see people in church with their smart phones texting…How can you listen to a sermon and get something out of it, when you are posting things on Facebook; or texting while in church?

I have all but stopped watching TV… I listen to the radio some, but prefer to read my news, and stop before I get overwhelmed by the massive amounts of stupidity in the world.

In short, I am thankful for my friends and family…”You…and you….and yes you too.”

I am thankful for my pets, as they offer unconditional love…maybe because I feed them but, I think of it as love…

I am thankful for my intellect, and my ability to discern between what is worthy of my time and attention; and what is not.

I am thankful for those that take the time to write a nice note, or even challenge my take on a particular thing… Nobody has all the answers….

I am thankful for my faith, as it keeps me together, and sane, in this unsettling world that we find ourselves in.

-Best to you, have a stellar Thanksgiving…!

How dare you!

So we have this principal in Michigan that thinks girls ought to dress more conservatively.

He claims that Boys will think about more sex than school work if girls show some skin.

There is simply too much material here to work with, so I am going to pick and choose.

Firstly it was not reported in the “teas” that this was in a Christian school. Schools like that do hold their students to a higher standard. If you know that there is a dress code signing up for the school, you live with the rules.

I have a news flash for you Mr. Bazen…Guys are not the only people who think about sex!

Why in god’s name do you think girls dress provocatively, because they want to be a wall flower or become a nun?

They want to be noticed!

What you have in this country is a matter of the heart. If parents don’t pass down family values to their progeny, then they are going to look up to the likes of Miley Cyrus or that Kardashian person who has a sex tape and that will be their role model.

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 30: Host Miley Cyrus attends the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on August 30, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images) — LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 30: Host Miley Cyrus attends the 2015 MTV Video Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on August 30, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images)

Boys or “men” as we call them here in the south, also have role models that are no John Wayne or the Lone Rangers. They look up to people who can talk in such a way that makes a “song” about cop killing appeal to them.

No Mr. Bazen It is a heart issue, and parents who either don’t care, or don’t know how to raise their kids.

Truth be told, men and women should be able to be in the same room totally nude and behave like they would if they were dressed conservatively as you suggest.

FOR TV Ð TLC Show called "Buying Naked." — FOR TV Ð TLC Show called “Buying Naked.”

There are no excuses for bad behavior from either sex. Accountability must be restored to our youth before they become dysfunctional adults, bringing another round of kids into the world who don’t know how to behave properly and end up in the legal system or recruited by other miscreants for nefarious purposes.

If someone dresses badly Mr. Bazen, that is a sign that something is wrong in their life.

In this country we dress as we like. We don’t need anyone telling us how to dress. Now the stores or businesses can dictate standards if they so choose but then the customers can choose not to shop there.

http://www.complex.com/style/2015/11/high-school-principal-sex-objects-controversial-essay

-Best

#Mental-Health

Mental Health

So I have figured why there exist so much division in this country and probably the world and why we have the problems we are seeing reported on all too often.

When we grow up and play sports, two team leaders are randomly chosen.

Those two team leaders then pick teams from the remainder of the class.. Some pick sides because they like this person, or that or don’t like this person etc.

Where the boys are concerned, we then decide who is going to be the shirts or the skins, I liked the skins because I liked not wearing a shirt when playing sports but, your mileage may vary.

The game ensued and for the remainder of that day, or possible the week, the rivalry that existed and the winners generally taunted the losers, until there was a re-match.

My school was integrated and we had no bias between Blacks, Hispanics or any other ethnicity. We were simply one team or another, and we all had a good time.

This was then elevated between different schools.

Each week there was a pep rally to spur on the team to victory against whatever school we were playing.

The signs posted in the school were slogans like “”Crush the insert name” or similar venue but, you get the point. This was rather violent rhetoric for a sport.

In Football, there were injuries and some of that rhetoric I feel was carried out into the field, as there was constantly “un-sportsman like conduct.”

Here is the dichotomy between sports, and somehow making it personal.

In our PE class, most of us left our determination to defeat the other team, out on the field. We either won or lost. The winners got to brag for the day but they were hollow victories, as most of the class consisted of people who “had to take PE” but if it were up to them to decide, they would not.

The un-athletic kids were singled out and sometimes bullied by those that were more physical.

Sometime this was simply name calling but, often it was an easy mark for the less secure but more physically fit to elevate themselves; by pummeling the weaker kids.

The bullies were in fact, mentally challenged and made up for it by picking on, and in some cases physically injuring the weaker child, even though that weaker child may possess a superior intellect. That intellect gets you nowhere when you are surrounded by several of your classmates, who happen to rally around the big kid, who needs to prove something to himself and prove for his physical prowess to keep the rest in line.

Not everyone is Heisman trophy material, and not everyone is suited to win a Nobel Prize for curing cancer!

Everyone has gifts and talents but,navigating our youth without becoming a psychopath or agoraphobic is key.

This week we had another mass shooting that represents a failure in our system.

While we can see that someone is physically fit, can hit a ball or run the bases, we cannot see what is going on in their heads. We can’t see what is in their hearts and, encouraging them to “tell a teacher” if they are being bullied usually is a recipe for disaster, as the person being told on will enact revenge and; that revenge will be through his or her peers and it could be life threatening for the child being picked on.

In the animal kingdom, the weak or sickly are shunned from the pack and the predators take care of the problem. The weak or defective become part of the circle of life.

Do we allow the weak or timid to become ostracized and bullied and take the attitude “save who you can?”

That is what we have been doing for the last 60 years that I can attest to. Is it working?

Some of the physically weak go on to invent computers or control space craft. Some discover a cure for diseases and some work out complex mathematical formula while not being able to move or even speak because of their infirmities.

Some of the physically weak carry a grudge, and one day when life has kicked them around as their self-esteem and lot in life is so bad, they figure out who is to blame for their lot in life “without looking into a mirror,” and they use an equalizer, a gun or other device.

The perpetrator was quoted by one of the victims. “I have been wanting to do that for a long time!” This was after he killed a few folks, and started to kill some more. This was a ticking time bomb, much like the person who killed the news reporter and her cameraman.

It would be interesting to dig into this kids past. Was he well thought of, could he play sports, was he a bully?

No Mr. President, we don’t have a gun problem in this country. As much as you and the liberal left and those idiots in Hollywood want to make this a “gun problem” it is a people problem.

Some of us are simply “assholes” and we treat others badly and are not called on it. We are not being held accountable for our actions and allowed to injure others for the shear enjoyment of watching them in anguish. As we injure them, our “friends” egg us on, as they too are living vicariously through our actions, just like the Sunday couch potato quarterback who yells at the TV from his popcorn laden, beer stained lazy boy, at the players on the field or the referee for being blind or stupid! Those actions to some; bring some meaning to their otherwise pathetic life.

We gather behind the team in some mob mentality, and if our team loses we may even destroy our own town in defiance of the bad calls of the referee, even though we were miles away sitting in some sports bar watching the game through a smoke filled room.

The common thread of most of these killers is they are left behind by the “system.” “We saved the kids that we could.”

No, you failed. Each and every life that goes through school needs to be watched for signs of either the bully or the bullied. Neither are healthy mentally, and both should be watched and worked with so they don’t become the next in-mate, or the next mass murderer.

I also feel that Hollywood and the entertainment industry is culpable as people are desensitized to this kind of activity.

Mr. President, people are desensitized to this because it is on 250 cable channels, and if that is not enough they play realistic video games that are nothing more than training simulators for them to go and become efficient in killing, in wholesale fashion. These kids that spend hours in a “closed door room” or their parent’s basement; playing these games must by their very nature, become mentally impaired!

The NRA is not the problem, they are an easy target by the un-thinking idiots who want to “take action!”

Mental health is the problem, as only a sick person would commit such horrific crimes and I am amazed that this is not what we are talking about, and looking for ways to abate it. Is this because it does not fit into an agenda?

Guns, the NRA and the 2cnd amendment are easy targets for the un-thinking among us.

Action Step!

Hire some mental health folks, place them in each and every school in this country. Get them engaged in the process of looking for tomorrow’s mass-murderers or tomorrow inmates, and allow them to do what they do best! Bring personal accountability back into the schools.

-Best

Out of the box thinking on Guns

Each and every time some loon goes on a rampage, or goes postal, we have activist calling for gun laws, getting the guns, etc. It is in fact, predictable and not helpful. This puts the focus on that which is not the problem.

The problems are that guns are making their way into the hands of people who clearly should not possess them.

This is happening basically by two methods, they are sold on the street, or theft.

Government has a terrible track record of telling the truth, much less being able to administer anything.

I believe that capitalism is the solution.

Build it and they will come.

I would propose that eBay, or some other entrepreneur, develop strategic relationships with gun dealers around the country. Selling guns and gun stuff on eBay through responsible partners like gun dealers with a current FFL I think is the ticket.

This would provide a vehicle for those that collect, swap, sell, or trade, guns to do so in an environment that was transparent, in that if a gun was used in a crime, we would be able to track it to who owned it last. This would also provide a way for people to sell guns, and get top dollar, while keeping them out of the hands of loons. The gun dealer would be the go between securing a valid back ground check of the new owner, before releasing the weapon to them. The owner of the gun could keep it until they received a message that the new owner was cleared by the gun dealer at which time the gun dealer could secure payment for the gun and their services and get the gun shipped to them to give to the new owner. They would get some amount of money from the sale of the weapon from eBay, or other business entity for their efforts. For this program to work, these fees would have to be kept to a minimum.

The method of tracking could be done programmatically, and eBay or some similar capitalist, should be able to do this without government assistance, as this would be a huge money maker for them.

Theft:

Theft is a problem and there is a solution.

Create a provision in the tax code for anyone who chooses to purchase gun safes, or gun locking paraphernalia, be able to deduct that expense from their taxes.

Opponents of this idea would feel that any transparency would allow government oversight that intrusion of their rights which might be infringed upon sometime down the road.

The 2cnd Amendment must be held sacrosanct, and the government should “defend the constitution” instead of looking for ways to do an end run around it! The Chicago way will not stand.

Selling this plan to the people will require that the government recognize and respect the 2cnd amendment, and stop fighting the people on this. The government is here to serve the people, and in this, there is no room for equivocation!

There are simply too many instances in history where the guns were taken away and the government went nuts. This will not happen in this country, ever!

This administration is responsible for increased gun sales, and ammunition sales, because of the consistent anti-gun, anti 2cnd amendment rhetoric.

While mental health is truly the target, there is a solution to keeping guns off the street and out of the hands of those who should not have them. Is it a perfect plan? No, criminals will still get guns.

Will it keep guns out of the hands of some who should not have them, yes.

The government must, as part of this “healthcare” plan provide more mental health awareness programs, and seriously look into these simulators of death called entertainment via violent video games. When young people play these extreme games for hours on end every day, it has to have an effect on their mind.

Each and every time someone goes postal, we need to learn all we can from them; and see if we can come up with a root cause analysis of the problem.

Were they on drugs, were they co-opted by some fringe group, etc.…

We must be smarter about this and calling for stricter gun laws each and every time is not the solution. Working with the NRA, instead of against them, would go much farther than butting heads.

If this makes sense to you, pass it around. If you have idea lets talk about it. There seems to be little way to get the attention of those that can effect change in a positive way. This is an out of the box approach to the problem, and it should be considered by those who are smarter than I am.

-Best

Wisdom from Asia

Love this Asian Doctor!

Q: Doctor, I’ve heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life. Is this true?

A: Heart only good for so many beats, and that it… Don’t waste on exercise. Everything wear out eventually. Speeding up heart not make you live longer; it like saying you extend life of car by driving faster. Want to live longer? Take nap.
Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?

A: Oh no. Wine made from fruit. Fruit very good. Brandy distilled wine, that mean they take water out of fruity bit so you get even more of goodness that way. Beer also made of grain. Grain good too. Bottom up!
Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?

A: Can’t think of one, sorry. My philosophy: No pain…good!
Q: Aren’t fried foods bad for you?

A: YOU NOT LISTENING! Food fried in vegetable oil. How getting more vegetable be bad?
Q: Is chocolate bad for me?

A: You crazy?!? HEL-LO-O!! Cocoa bean! Another vegetable! It best feel-good food around!
Q: Is swimming good for your figure?

A: If swimming good for figure, explain whale to me.
Q: Is getting in shape important for my lifestyle?

A: Hey! ‘Round’ is shape!
Well… I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.
And remember:
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways – Chardonnay in one hand – chocolate in the other – body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming “WOO-HOO, what a ride!!”
AND……
For those of you who watch what you eat, here’s the final word on nutrition and health. It’s a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.
1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.

2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.

3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.

4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.

5. The Germans drink a lot of beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Brits.
CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

Hijack

I spend a lot less time on FaceBook, and other social media, than I used to.

It is not that I don’t enjoy stalking my friends and family, looking at their vacation pics and what they ate for lunch… Some of that is interesting and truthfully bespeaks to the reasons for their obvious weight issues…. I digress…

The reason that I do less and less of it is that those who control Facebook in particular have made such an advertising vehicle out of it, that just about everything you click on, every story hijacks your computer or other device.

Suddenly you are forced to watch some advertisement for something. All you really want is to get past the “teaser” (that line that made you click in the first place) and see what they are talking about.

Nope, you have to wait for the ad to load which is bandwidth, and your time.

Once you get there, you find that the teaser was flat and the story was written in such a way to get you to click. Someone gets money for your click, so the writing worked.

You were manipulated by those that are smarter than you and someone got paid for your click. If you are doing this on a data plan that charges you for your data download, you might very well be paying for the privilege of being manipulated.

When this happens to me, I close the story as I am certain that it was not that interesting anyway; and because of this, I have been on Facebook less and less.

If they want to sell advertising space off to the sides of the screen or even in the middle of the stories I can live with that, to hijack my browser and force me to find the hidden close button after I have watched the obligatory 15 seconds of the commercial is wrong and while I cannot affect change with the advertisers, I can kill the story, and I can find something else to do with my time like “read a book.”

Some of these pop ups and hijacks are eerily reminiscent of the pop ups that were indeed viruses. “Click here to update your drivers, or scan your computer etc.”

Surfing the web one finds this type of thing and you can and should turn that option in your browser off. If you want to see some video about the veg-a-matic, you can click on a link and be entertained in whatever way you choose. To be forced to watch commercials before you can see what the teaser is about is “part of capitalism” that I don’t appreciate.

-Best