Fantabulous Friday

 - Deb and I reluctantly accepted that putting our oldest cat Sunburst to sleep last week was in her best interests.  The remaining tomcats, her offspring, see it otherwise. They both have been moping, moaning, and generally dealing with whatever felines determine as grief. 

- Has anyone else noticed the so called United Nations has been excruciatingly ineffective at…well, everything…since the mid 1960s? The ‘organization’ is basically a money pit that produces nothing, solves nothing, protects nothing.  Proposal: the UN has exactly 12 months to do it’s job, or a) they are cut off from ALL US money and b) they are kicked out of US owned lands.  That right there would save us billions…immediately 

- A story reading drag Queen in Oregon was found guilty of 11 counts of child sexual abuse. The former school teacher (!!!) will serve 330 days in minimum security, and yes, that’s 30 days for each count of felony child sex abuse.  Justice in this case was irrelevant, as long as a transvestite is allowed be prey on children.

-  Proposal: a constitutional amendment restricting the amount of taxpayer money sent overseas. This restriction would be made up of direct payments, weapons and other war projects, government backing of loans and investments…basically everything. This limit will apply overall, not broken down down by nation. So, if the government spends (hypothetically 5%) of our national coffers studying the reproductive cycle of Lithuanian banjo beetles, not ONE MORE RED CENT can be sent to any other nation, for any reason other than for the immediate benefit and survival of these 50 states.  At some point we need to not just be aware of, but prioritize our own.

- Interestingly my Neflix account, Discovery card, CVS credit line, and a dozen others have all been placed on hold until I go in and update my personal and payment information. I don’t have any of these services, Legit or not, so…I don’t think so

- The once proclaimed compact electric car of year, Chevy Bolt EV, will be discontinued later this year, with GM shifting to electric trucks. Imagine buyer’s angst at the cost of paying for a car for 5 years knowing it’s basically a steaming pile of unavailable parts, obsolete before getting 2000 miles on it.  

In the meantime, I *WAS* sort of seriously shopping for a 1972 Chevy or Ford F100…until finding each of these is going for close to $80,000 now, some over$100,000.  

- 2023 seems to be the year of firsts…While opening a bottle of wine the other night, our old corkscrew *broke off* inside the cork.  Took 15 minutes of digging out tiny bits of cork with an ice pick, managed to pull out less than half the remaining cork. Amazingly no bits of cork fell into the bottle.

I’ve been opening wine bottles over 50 years, and this was a first. 

- Seems Midland Tx now has a “critical shortage” of 9-1-1 dispatchers, resulting in delays getting emergency services. Yikes!  

- When reading a news article citing “sources wishing to remain anonymous,” you just about know it will be absolute bullshit. Surprises me that we are so silly as to accept that which is basically made up, on the spot.  We need to stop believing this nonsense 

Wednesday…Thoughts, Musings, Shenanigans

 - I don’t do any studio recording projects anymore (save for close friends, Gary Nix West! Texas, and myself).  I think one particular reason was/is my nearly dogmatic approach to avoiding technological advances like keeping a tempo perfect, auto tune and pitch correction…plus many of the things that highlight the engineer’s ability to cut and paste instead of outstanding performances. I don’t use anything except computers to work anymore, but that’s by necessity of room rather than choice. In my mind, we’ve lost the magic of music, now just marvel at the technology 

- Lately I’ve seen an dramatic increase in the number of people wearing Covid masks.  Wonder why…do they have any insider info the rest of us don’t (unlikely)…has there been a dramatic uptick in Covid cases in this area (unlikely)…or are they wearing masks because of the amazing uptick in our open breathing air ? (This is my guess)

- From what I can tell, atheism is actually a religion. Kind of silly, huh, preaching that there is no God.  It’s a belief, just like Christianity, Hindu, Muslim, whatever. 

- In a very telling report, last year saw Americans spending more money on legal marijuana than they did on beer or chocolate.  This is interesting as beer and chocolate are perfectly legal everywhere but marijuana isn’t; only in 38 states can one legally buy or consume pot.  Even more noteworthy is tobacco sales outpaced everything (again)

- Basically, all clothing today is a type of uniform, but depicting a person’s life mannerisms and traits more than their job.  Sagging jeans and a wife beater t shirt indicate a type of person, as do freshly ironed Wrangler jeans and button down shirt indicate a type of person.  Pajama pants and vastly oversized sweatshirt in public indicate a type of person, as do sideways ball caps and some rapper on a t shirt (on a 60 yr old man) indicate a type of person. A 3 sizes too small miniskirt and halter top on a 200 lb man indicate a type of person, as do, well you get the idea.

Point? Just be aware that even in 2023, clothes make the man or woman. Choose wisely, as your clothing choices have a direct impact on how others will treat you. (Heaven help me, this is my dad talking to me 55 years ago)

- Occasionally one of us at home will look at the other and say ‘Bluchah!” to the other, in a nod to one of the greatest movies ever, Young Frankenstein. Other such outburst include lines from Blazing Saddles, The Fifth Element, several hundred Star Trek variations, and Gone With The Wind

- A recent NBC ‘news’ ‘poll’ showed a paltry 41% of Americans approve of joe biden and his job performance. I’m skeptical to say the least. As yet I haven’t encountered a single soul who believes he’s done *anything* other than destroy our nation’s structure in record time, making a lot of money along the way

- I’m somewhat confused about TV ads hawking jobs in law enforcement.  New Mexico State police and Texas Dept of Corrections have both been heavily advertising on Sling TV, during hours in which pretty much the only watchers are retirees or those not qualified for such work.

- So, major shakeups in cable news stations…Tucker Carlson (Fox) and Darling Don Lemon (CNN) both out of a job.  I’m thinking Carlson will get a decent gig pretty fast, as he had one of the top programs regardless of format in the country. Lemon on the other hand better get used to asking if people want to supersize their order

- Somehow I found myself in an online discussion about artificial intelligence, and stated my position that AI is not necessary in order to advance our species, as returning to education, eliminating war like mentality, etc are not required to advance our species. Sadly, I don’t believe mankind can do this until a species wide awakening occurs, and I just ain’t seeing it happening 

Monday…The Day Of The Insane

 - So…Alec Baldwin gets away with it. Bet your last borrowed nickel if you or I would have accidentally shot and killed someone thru negligence, we’d have been in jail a while now. Somehow I don’t think his conscience will pay it much thought

- The most recent episode of “damn, can’t believe I did that” involved a percolator coffee pot and my forgetting to put the lid on it. 

- Seen: my resume is just a list of shit I never want to do again

- Sundays are typically the best day of the week.  For those who attend religious gatherings most are on Sunday… many of us can take a day to recoup from whatever, doing nothing without the nagging feeling you should be doing something…often a special meal set on Sunday…no annoying telemarketers… you name it, Sunday is a good day for it

- A traffic accident is usually thought of as the result of uncontrollable events.  I refute this. Accidents are the results of stupid decisions and not paying attention to things.  Some things I’ve witnessed being done by others, resulting in accidents, just this week, include

     * Driving over 80 in a blinding dust storm

     * Driving 45 in a 75 zone

     * Trying to merge into medium to heavy highway traffic while driving a Datsun Honey Bee that could not outrun a bicycle 

 - I’ll NEVER understand people. The other day while in the grocery store, an elderly lady using a walker asked if I could help her with an item out of her reach on the top shelf. So, I grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her up a good foot and a half so she could reach it. Inexplicably she got mad, when she should have been concerned for the welfare of my back…but no

- In the continued tradition of this administration’s commitment to Americans, biden decided to order an evacuation of US citizens from Sudan, then has the unmitigated audacity to label the matter a success. I’m thinking the 16,000 of us he left behind might have a different opinion.  Perhaps they call it a success as we didn’t (to anyone’s knowledge) surrender $2 billion in weapons.

- I don’t know who said it first, but a widely neglected truth, more apropos now than ever: equal opportunity is not the same as equal outcome.

Fabuloso Friday

 - A Portland OR county run drug center tasked with treating homeless drug addicts has shut down…because of drug use and inappropriate relationships by the staff.  Good job guys

- South Dakota governor Kristi Noem has my attention, should she decide to run for POTUS.  I’m liking her policies thus far, I’m liking her quiet appeal  as opposed to Trump and DeSantis…and the sight of her riding our nation flag opening a rodeo was, uh, pretty amazing. The nation could use a pair of Wranglers instead of some $3000 suit.

- I want sainthood for the person who first thought to make peanut butter.

- You ever woke up in the morning just knowing you already need a nap? That’s been happening more and more lately.  For the past couple weeks when I wake up, I have a monster headache and slight nausea. Feels like a hangover, without any alcohol buzz the night before. This is BS; if I’m going to pay consequences I’m damn sure gonna do the crime.

- The ‘senate’ is forcing a vote for a very vocal gay lesbian (and the 45 letters thereafter) as ambassador to the African Union.  I’m pretty sure that instead of preaching Africans go all over the sexual preference spectrum, they’d rather have food, water, and freedom from Al Qaeda.  I may be wrong, though…as everyone really appreciates either starving to death or getting slaughtered

- Interesting trivia: just found out my Deb is distantly related to actor George Clooney.  Both are from central Kentucky.  When I pointed this out Deb got miffed that we are never invited to their family reunion soirées…I calmed her down by saying we were, but didn’t mention it because I always had a gig or two that week.

- A butt ugly transgender said on the internet that “ any woman who tried to stop her from using the women’s restroom would be making the last mistake she’ll ever make.”  

Examine that for a moment…actual death threats.  Imagine being stupid enough to try that in West Texas.

- What do I want, you ask?  I want a flying drone…large enough to carry a weapon. No, not a weapon that will kill or even harm, but a highly focused energy beam that instills some common sense into the target.

No, I have no idea why or how the fronts got all messed up. Hope to have it fixed by Monday

Wednesday…Wonderfully Weird

 - Remember…when only police and military have guns, you no longer have a say so in your own life and safety. Also remember no level of gun control will stop bad people from having them and using them to do very bad things…also remember that gun control will basically turn several million law abiding citizens into felons overnight…also remember that under no circumstance or condition will I surrender mine

- It is my opinion that so called proxy votes in congress be outlawed. 

- The primary electric service providers in the San Diego area either already have or planning to implement soon electric bills not based on usage, but income.  As usual, a tax the rich scheme.  Imagine life if/when they extend this to everything from food to clothing to gasoline.

Wait…they already have. Food stamps provide $ for edible necessities that I’ll NEVER have access to; shoplifting is basically legal when under an amount in the thousands; gas will be taxed into oblivion as soon as enough ‘electric’ cars are on the road.

21st century brings new, yet equally stupid, forms of fascism.

- Pretty sure the only way I’ll ever to to/through Austin again is:  someone else is driving; Im heavily sedated to avoid telling Austin-ites what they need to hear (mostly GTFO of my state); I am under no legal, moral, or financial obligations to anyone in Travis County; my 2nd Amendment rights will be worn openly, publicly..with a warning sign saying ‘Caution: This sumbitch is crazy and trained to use it’

- An eastern New Mexico woman was convicted of throwing her newborn baby in a dumpster, as she just didn’t want it.  She’s facing a year…one year…in prison.  Our legal system does not have any provisions to add years to a sentence for acts of pure, unadulterated evil.  The baby suffered some short term effects like exposure to cold and dehydration, but is otherwise ok.  Now this piece of human trash wants visitation.  This old man says hell NO.

- in late August/early September 1977, NASA launched 2 scientific ships called Voyager 1 and 2.  Both of these are still operational, still making pretty amazing discoveries, still doing what they were designed to do. These ships are an astonishing testament to engineering and basically humanity.  They both are +/- 15 billion miles from home and are by a long shot the furthest human made objects to have ever traveled.

Contrast that to appliances that break down 3 years after purchase, no cell service in parts of the house, new buildings collapsing before they can be completed, etc.

- Does anyone*really* know the facts about: who’s winning the Ukraine war; did the administration really wait until a Chinese spy balloon had completed its mission before being ‘shot down’; is there some nefarious reasoning behind the US economy crumbling or is it all unrelated events; why we the people tolerate a few thousand bureaucrats determining every single aspect of life and if so, why we allow them to turn life into a steaming pile of guano?

- Climate nazis are blaming rice for climate change…say more home runs in baseball is attributed to climate change…etc ad nauseum. One question: if herbivore animal farts are really a ‘measured cause’ of climate change that will happen one way or the other, isn’t it safe to say that converting humans to herbivores will increase methane releases as well?  

- I keep reading crap about colonization, cultural appropriation, various supremacy, how each article in the Bill of Rights was authored to maintain slavery, etc.  Y’all have a right be get more stupid each passing day, as well as the right to pronounce your stupidity to the world, forever…but stupidity for its own sake doesn’t do anyone any good.  In fact, it’s having the opposite effect.  I’m not going to pay ANY attention to someone who has displayed breathtaking ignorance often.  And you must be trying to change my mind, right? Y’all keep talking at me and blaming me for things I didn’t/don’t do.

- Test paragraph only. Do not read

Monday, Yes Monday Again

 - The US military needs flag officer leadership like Patton, Nimitz, Eisenhower… not the political Play-Doh characters currently assigned.  Kill the enemy, win wars, and incapacitate them from becoming a threat for decades, not environmental and social causes while weakening military strength 

- The state of Washington just passed a bill that allows runaway kids to have sex change and/or enhancements without notifying the parents…of anything. How is this NOT harboring a runaway underage person, facilitation of mutilations, and refusing to notify legal parents/guardians?  Just me, but if my (nonexistent) child ran away, ended up in Seattle, underwent a sex change, and no one bothered to pick up the phone to call me…a 12ga shotgun would be employed on a whole shitload of people.

- Friday had a bad start.  Over the past year our oldest cat, mother to the other hooligans here, had developed cancer. It got so bad she went into either a seizure or a stroke Thursday while I was a gig, so Friday morning took her to the vet to begin her rainbow journey. Sunburst was a kind soul, and she will be missed.

- On that unpleasant topic…I know all life ends up the exact same way. I know the cycle is etched in stone. What I don’t know is how our Creator allows suffering.  If I could have one prayer answered, it would be all of God’s creatures could end their lifespans quietly, peacefully, without pain and suffering.  Although there may be a reason for people to have to endure, I certainly do not see nor understand it.

- What ever happened to ‘loose lips sink ships?’  Seems an unsustainable model when a dweeb in the Air Force national guard even has access, much less an inclination to publish, classified documents?  When I was privy to such documents I was under the idea that if I talked about any of them, I’d rot in jail for 3 lifetimes, plus having the irreversible shame of having betrayed my nation and fellow soldiers.  

- ‘Drivers’ in the Permian Basin are a difficult lot.  On streets where the speed limit in 45, they drive 20…on streets where the limit is 30, they drive 60.  Either way, a trip that used to take 10 minutes now takes anywhere from 25 to 55 minutes…and did I mention the price of gas is $.30 higher than anywhere in west Texas?  

- If an alien race, 50,000 years ahead of us in evolution and technology, approached me to go with them to their home planet, I’d damn sure go…if I could take Deb and one Martin guitar.  Otherwise, no deal

Friday

 - A small town between Odessa and Monahans is called Penwell.  Ain’t much there except a racetrack. At a recent event one couple decided to remain seated during the National Anthem. The owner of the racetrack refunded their admission money, and told them to GTFO.

Hell yeah. 

- I wonder if we the people still, through elected and unelected bureaucrats, give foreign aid money to China, Iran, Russia, etc.  If so, it would appear we are funding the enemy.

And while on the subject…is it a good idea to send OUR money to places like India, Serbia or whatever it’s called this month, or basically anyone who don’t seem to do anything but take?

- Modern American life is…just…weird. I’m not required, nor is anyone, to blindly dislike (or like) something because you told me to.  Chastising someone of your own political slant because they didn’t act the way you expected doesn’t make them look stupid, it makes YOU look stupid. Perhaps our planet will be hit by a solar storm that re-triggers the modesty and common sense genes that have somehow been forced into species wide dormancy 

- One of the really amazing and really frustrating elements of modern life is reliance on credit/debit cards. To wit: the other day I was in line at a store, along with half the population of our county it seems. Anyway, the bank card readers across the entire store went offline.  Of course that moved me to the front of the line because I was paying cash…moral of the story is ALWAYS have cash, and always have a way to protect it and yourself if someone tries to take it

- I’m all for the death penalty for killing cops, children, by extremely gruesome methods, or multiple slayings…but…it’s not much of a deterrent when convicts go 20-30 years between sentencing and execution.  I believe the maximum time on death row should be 4 years to exhaust the appeals processes, and if all denied, the needle must come out

- Over the past 3 decades I’ve spent money on products, like everyone else.  Got me thinking though, wondering what percentage of those expenditures were based solely on convenience vs actual need.  A vehicle key is necessary, a fob that remotely opens doors and can even remotely start the vehicle is an arguable convenience…some sort of phone is a necessity, a ‘phone’ that connects to the internet, takes a bazillion photos, plays music and tv, all of that, is a convenience.

Point is, the vast majority of modern conveniences I can do without, don’t particularly want, and hate paying for. Problem is so many (much?) older things likely don’t work anymore, as operating systems and such have progressed so much and so fast that simpler things are rendered worthless doorstops.

Wednesday..Warts and All

 - It’s one thing for average citizens to disregard illegal or unfair laws.  It’s quite a different thing when elected officials urge such disregard for all other elected types, even the President.  Civil disobedience is not a tool FOR THOSE WHO WRITE THE LAW THEMSELVES. Gawd, it’s as if these people demand anarchy 

- Pro sports is the only place where an employee can throw a sucker punch and not be arrested nor fired. Fights with other team’ “players” are bad enough, but when punching fights happen with “players” on the same team, or worse fans, occur, it’s time to bring in the law

- The entire concept of non binary people is completely outside of my ability (and willingness) to understand.  I mean, damn. My gender means something.  My, er, male identifiers, mean something. My male traits and mannerisms mean something.  The thought of choosing to ignore or refute them is idiotic.

- I hear folks talking about the younger generations.  While much of the chatter has truth to it, the thing that irks me the most is a near systemic plague of rudeness. Words like please, thank you, and you’re welcome seem to be seen as ancient Sumerian to more and more young folks.

- Things you just don’t hear about anymore include monkeypox, flesh eating bacteria, right wing conspiracies, government acknowledgement of UFOs, too many/too few pipelines, POTUS showering with underage female family members, abysmal school performances, Muslims in general, the list is as endless as the bullshit that went into hawking them.  

- The reports of FBI agents undercover in Catholic Churches throughout the nation should pretty much outrage all spiritually inclined Americans.  Doesn’t matter your religious preference, the very idea the federals are spying on you simply because of how you choose to worship in the most blatant violation of the 1st Amendment ever seen in this nation, and again if true, MUST be stopped immediately 

- My lil gal asked the other day if I still spoke any French.  I said “a little…why?”

She asked me to translate a passage she found on the internet…it said “geaux meaux da lawn.”  Damn

- I have a theory, that humanity isn’t getting worse, it’s just gotten inexorably and probably irreversibly lazy.  Consider mass shootings that take place where there’s almost zero chance of someone shooting back…people not bothering to know anything when all they have to do is click on the (agenda driven) internet…male ‘athletes’ too lazy to train at the level needed to compete against other men, so they train just enough to beat women…mimicking questionable ‘how to’ videos instead of learning through hard work, experience, and experimentation.

- Midland TX police are working the a murder of a 16 yr old…the prime suspect is also a young teen. Before you start harping on the manner of murder (gun), start harping on how this little shithead thought it was ok to murder someone…and where he learned that.  It ain’t the gun.

Monday? Sure, Why Not..

 - In case you think otherwise, being a guitar picker can be really tough work.  Last Thursday crammed into a small restaurant, Friday, 10.5 hrs in songwriting mode with my pal Gary Nix, Saturday barn dance in Spur, Tx…then a 2.5 hr drive home.  

Fortunately no deer were injured, only one seen.  Sadly, the world population of rabbits was immediately reduced by 2.  I drove for 40 minutes before seeing another vehicle.

- If someone genuinely wishes me a Happy Easter, a Happy Passover, a Happy Ramadan, etc…I take it as a compliment.  People celebrating a joyous occasion in their lives and wishing to share it is one of the most heartwarming things.

- Does free will actually exist? I honestly don’t think so. No matter what people do, think, or say, there are government regulations, societal norms, financial brickwalls, or any combination thereof.  Far as I can tell,  free will is exercised only within narrow parameters set by ???  The only way we will know who is doing the setting is if they allow it

- Is transvestite still a word?  Is describing a conservative white as a honky still allowed?  How about phrases like Oreo (a black outside, but white inside)…or apple (red on outside, but white inside)?  Or banana (yellow out, well you get the idea)?  Can my lil 5’2” bride demand her height be listed as 5”10” because she wishes to identify as tall?

See…the insanity will NEVER stop.  Contrary to the notion of free Will is the unrelenting onslaught of genetics. 

- Speaking of my petite babe…she just showed me an ad for a dress…a cotton dress…on sale for $495.  Financing available.  $500 for a cotton dress is just stupid

- It still amazes me that people I knew when they were too young to have a driver’s license are now over 40.  It amazes me most TV programs we watch are close to 30 yrs old.  It still amazes me that the plat description of our home shows it is 75 yrs old.  Time REALLY needs to slow down

- Honest question:  I suspect that WW3 is on the horizon, perhaps even within my limited lifespan.  Assuming global war is a given, how will it occur?  At the moment I doubt there will be a national occupation, but after US military retaliation is neutered, the aggressors will simply seize all banking and finance, and have a complete lock on all digital information (which is and has been all information for some time)…petroleum areas will be occupied, as will major metro areas and agricultural areas

Of course, this will only work if whatever occupation forces are fluent in Spanish

Well Now..Wednesday

 - The beer Bud Light has engaged an idiot spotlight grabbing transgender as its official spokesman…Gawd, these people are far beyond the definition of dumbass.  

- We give our stupid cats a snack treat every few days.  Reading the package, seems those treats are also used as actual food, recommending 1 cup of stuff for every 10ths of cat weight.  At first, I thought this was idiotic but remembered I’ve lived of cereals (Cocoa Puffs, Sugar Smacks, etc) for weeks on end.  Snacks or food, just depends on perspective I guess.

- So the renegade imbecile known as Manhattan DA has dropped charges against someone who took a thug’s pistol *after the thug shot him* and then returned the favor. The robbery victim was facing attempted murder charges for defending himself.

True, what happens in NYC shouldn’t really affect me at all, but there is a matter known as setting legal precedent.  Once a case is allowed to proceed anywhere, that case is used as justification to proceed everywhere. 

- Society seems to have abandoned the saying uttered by Spinal Tap…there’s a fine line between clever and stupid. To wit: drag queens on a ‘country music’ awards show.

- I’d really like to know how to build a time machine…

- Seen: I’m not really a “glass is half full” kinda guy, but more of a “where the hell did I leave my glass” kind…

- As you may have read, a candidate for district school superintendent had his offer rescinded after referring to females in an e-mail as ladies.  So, WTF is he supposed to call them…non penised associates, birthing capable persons, a-normal breast carriers?  At least he didn’t use terms like you broads, sammich makers, etc…

- Business idea: an Irish consortium buys the Japanese restaurant chain Osaka, changes the name to O’Sakas, the table chefs dressed as leprechauns, potatoes heavily featured, and the choice of brawling/no brawling seating

- Read a weird thing about many work from home types are subject to 24 hr monitoring, video during work hours, keystroke recording and screen shots. Put another way, bosses can watch your every move more if you work from home. So…is that an acceptable trade off to workers?  All I know is I’m so glad I’m not in the current workforce. 

- So…how many Budweiser, Bud Light, Busch beers you think have sold after the woke announcement?  I’m guessing there’s been a pretty significant drop

- It’s been reported the ‘judge’ in tbe Trump case is a donor to the Biden campaign, with a daughter who worked for said campaign.  Now I ask: is there an ice cube’s chance in hell he is not compromised? Is there any chance Trump can get a fair trial anywhere in New York?  Is there a chance that you or I will be next?  We already know the answers.

Friday!

 - I do wonder if the political assassination of Trump would be occurring if he were not running for POTUS again.  I bet the ranch the answer is no…he is the scapegoat for actual Americans who will, guaranteed, be next

- I don’t know which emotion is stronger: the abject disgust I have towards the democrats, or my depression because it seems there is no stopping an oncoming civil war. At this moment, I’d recommend every American who gives a single damn about our nation to be armed with deadly force, and pray to the Almighty we won’t need it to defend what’s left of our way of life

- Playing to mostly seniors, the idea of women flashing their boobs to the band has really lost some of its shine.

- Idea: Put “Wrong Way” signs on the backs of street signs on one way roads

- A transgender MtF (or maybe just a crossdresser…I don’t know) just ‘won’ an important Ladies PGA golf tournament in Australia.  I’m forced to wonder if this biological male played from the men’s or women’s tee box.

- CEO of banking conglomerate JP Morgan Chase says governments should start seizing land and resources to speed up the transition to so called green energy.  Goober says it’s taking too long, with a shortfall in investment funds.

Perhaps green energy is possibly seen as a huge ripoff by actual land owners? Nah

- Undercover hatred might be the most dangerous condition we face. Not just disagreements, certainly not social media humor, but campaigns designed to assail others at the personal level. We all (inclusive) might want to think twice, and really remember is ok to hate behaviors but not ok to hate the individual.

- It’s being reported that my little spot in the universe, Midland Tx, has the highest wage increases in the nation. Same report states we also have (again) the highest inflation rate in the nation. What is seemingly forgotten is the actuality that not everyone works in the oil and gas business.  Many of us are partially or fully retired. Many are in civil service, many are in positions that don’t see the wage increases very often (if at all) but dang sure see the inflation.  

The answers to these dilemmas are not feasible.  I’ve heard everything from “just move then” to “then find a real job” (yes, I’m nearly 67, and people have actually said this stupid shit recently)  I honestly have no clue as to what to do or how to do it, but tightening the proverbial belt isn’t always a pleasant or even plausible option.

- Genuine question regarding artificial intelligence: what will happen if/when machines are programmed to prioritize self preservation?

- Seems the hunt is on for a new whiskey.  Jack Daniels has jumped on the transgender spokesperson bandwagon. Dammit.  Makers Mark still is THE right stuff, but is pretty dang expensive.  Some people say I should just give up drinking, seemingly unaware that it’s the state of the world that makes me need to (that and I just really LOVE good whiskey)

Monday

 - Since indictment is now in the news over really piddly bullshit, perhaps every oil county in Texas should convene a grand jury to indict pretty much everyone in the current admin for overtly crippling (financially) their constituents.  It’s just as flaky, and I doubt Pecos County would gather as much publicity as the hellhole known as Manhattan 

I mean why not? Some regions have declared all but weapons hot warfare against Americans for years…Nashville has engaged in warfare against actual country music fans for many years now

- I’ll never fully trust someone with tattoos on their face.  Doing what one wants to do is not an automatic catalyst that I have to like them…but

- That said, politicians in general have cemented my concurrent distrust of anyone who wears a suit and tie every day.  THEY are the ones doing the most damage to our national values and worth, much more than someone with a vulgar word tattooed on their foreheads. The tattoo folks never raised my taxes, engaged us in multigenerational war, rewrote or just plain ignored law, etc.  Tattoo folks never tried to take my guns or force me to wear a friggin mask, then tell me I’m better off for it. 

- One of the truly frustrating things about being close to 67 is the loss of manual dexterity for working with small electronic parts…goes hand in hand with not being able to see what I’m doing

- Speaking of which…y’all take a second and wish a happy birthday to the love of my life, my earthbound savior, my companion,  Deb.  

- So much of the nation’s ailments can be described as manipulated reality.  Photo and video ‘evidence’ doesn’t really exist anymore with the advances in computer technology; lying under oath is fairly routine, with repercussions only administered to people of a particular political slant; people pretending to be a different gender, ethnicity, whatever are being forced upon the sane for some reason; you name it.

But none of this is real. It’s all manipulated to some as yet unclear endgame.  THATS the disturbing part, we the people have no idea what that endgame is…

- I liked the guy, but his friends and family were pretty undesirable. Went to the hospital to visit my friend who was dealing with some serious matters,  and told him if you die, I will hire Yoko Ono to sing at your funeral.  He got better and was out the next day.  

- if I don’t agree with you, that doesn’t make me phobic…it makes me not in agreement with you. This is NOT a difficult concept