Category Archives: politics

Consequences

Everything and I really mean everything have consequences. Whatever you say, whatever you do, whatever you see, whatever you feel, whatever you taste, whatever you hear have consequences. Most people never think about it, but the consequences are like playing chess. One move (thing) leads to another and, to make the correct decision (move) you must think two or more moves ahead to outwit your opponent, and, at the same time, try to know what your opponent will do. Here is just a couple that is in today’s news.

               Hamas attacked Israel. They have very strong religious beliefs, a strong remembrance of things that happened to them hundreds of years ago (or longer), but they cannot remember the fierce fighters that they attacked. They also must not remember what happened in the six-day war. Now there will be dire consequences and, I believe, they will be at the wrong end of the war. Unfortunately, the Palestinians are caught in the middle. Hamas will feel the consequences.

               I know, what about the Palestinians? Their religious beliefs with Hamas are the same therefore they endured living with them. They knew what Hamas was doing but did not do a thing nor say anything. Unfortunately, if they are willing to be human shields then the consequences have come with more on the way.

               The ex-President Trump moved the American Embassy and separated the USA from most of the world pacts while being closer than close friends with countries that were normally called enemies. Comfort and secrets were given, and consequences ensued. He did not have anything good to say about anyone that did not butter up to him except for our enemy countries. Now consequences are ensuing (for the world and his personal life).

               Then there is Representative Tuberville. He is still holding the military promotions hostage, but his fellow Republicans can stop it. They will not do it although it is hurting the military, making the military slightly weaker, and making the military slightly vulnerable. Our enemies are watching, planning, and waiting. What secrets do they know? There will be consequences.

               While I am on the subject of a congressional member, I must write about the vacant Speaker of the House position. This, from the beginning until now, is the doing of the Republican party. Not a thing can be accomplished in the House of Representatives until a new Speaker takes the position. The old Speaker owed too many people too many things. Evidentially he could not play chess and he suffered the consequences. Because the vacancy occurred, consequences will ensue, and most will not be pretty.

               I can’t play chess; however, I can imagine many things that are developing and none of them are pretty. I am thinking about the war, Congress, the upcoming elections, and the blowback I will get for this blog. I am only calling it as I see it and there is much more that I haven’t written. As I said at the beginning of this blog, everything has a consequence, whether good or bad, the consequences will be felt and must be delt with. There is so much to write about and each and everything is partnered with a consequence. Be careful with what you do and say, mostly, because the resulting consequence will come back to bite you.

Our Congressmen

Here we go again. Government shutdown! Among the many things I dislike about politicians, this, if not in first place, is close to first place. While everyone is suffering because they will not be paid and bills will be due, the politicians will be paid and will be on vacation. If I am not being paid, being laid off, etc., why should they be paid for doing nothing and keep their job? It is their job to fund the government, but they want to use the shutdown as a bargaining chip to get what they want.

               It was known, long in advance, that money must be voted on to keep the government running therefore there is no reason to wait until the last minute to do it. The Senate is awaiting the House of Representatives to get together and pass spending bills so that they may vote on it to give to the President to sign (although the Republicans fault the President for doing nothing, it is them that must get the paperwork to him). This takes time and, listening to some Congressmen, they either don’t care and want to leave Washington for a break, or they think there is plenty of time to get it done (some Republicans are heard on tape saying they want a shutdown). (***this is being written five days before the shutdown deadline***)

               Then there are those (like the Congressman that is preventing military promotions) that have said to the media that they want certain things before they will okay a spending bill. It seems that when the Speaker of the House nods to the side that is holding out, suddenly, they want more, they up the ante. As the saying goes, ‘you can please some of the people some of the time, but you cannot please all the people all the time’.

               As I said in a previous blog, most people do not keep up with the news. For those that do not know, this is only a partial list of hardships caused by a government shutdown. The great majority of the federal government will not be paid, and most offices will close. Government contracts will not be paid, which will mean contractors, working for the government, will not be paid. But the Congressmen will be paid. You voted for them and still plan to continue to vote for them.

               When people that work for the government are not paid, rent is not paid, stores lose customers, there is not any money to spend anywhere. Everyone suffers because of the shortage of money. Recently the government’s financial rating dropped from AAA to AA+ and will probably drop lower which will mean interest rates will go higher around the world. You think things are high now, just wait and start to dig deeper into your pocket.

               Couple all of this with the auto industry strike and there is a bad situation. There is no work for anyone except for the Congressmen and they are taking a break. They have worked hard at doing other things except for funding the government. Hunter Biden, Hilery Clinton, President Biden’s finances, and the upcoming trials for the former President (to name a few) took priority. Trying to expose the January 6th findings took priority. Defending crooked Congressmen took priority (Democrats immediately asked their crooks to resign). Talking to the media and media shows took priority. Spreading disinformation took priority.

               This is not what they were elected to do. They were elected to represent their constituents in getting what they want done. Instead, they are looking out for their own interests, not their constituent’s nor the USA populace. We the people suffer so that they live on without worry.

Old School News

After speaking with one of my family members, I have decided to write about acquiring up to date and factual news one last time. It appears AI is involved in everything and so much of it is manipulated into false content. Most of this is due to people wanting things to be as easy as possible and not wanting to take the time to further fact check the story line or person presenting the story and at the same time shady characters and/or organizations trying to shape you into whatever they want for whatever reason.

               I’ll give a recent example. The news that was issued was Beyonce sang the national anthem, the Negro National Anthem, at a recent NFL football game, she was booed, and the NFL have banned her from all other games. There were thousands of likes attached to the article and plenty of talk about it. If the article had been fact-checked it would have revealed that the article was false. She did not sing at an NFL football game therefore the entire article was false. Yet, many people still believe the article to be true.

               Many people, especially the younger people, do not read printed news like newspapers, etc. Nor do they watch local/national news on television. Too many will watch and believe every word of the scandalous television channels (you know which ones I am referring to), knowing that what they are listening to is a lie and most of it has been proven to be lies. As my grandmother used to say, ‘this world is going to hell in a handbasket’.

               I cannot say without a little doubt that I have not read/heard a story that was later proved to be false. But I have not spread the story and I have listened/read the other side. I have tried to stand clear of writers that I know usually bend the truth or are in the hip pocket of those that are liars. I love to be informed but hate being lied to. I am told that I am too ‘old school’ and to get with the modern times. If it means I must go along with being lied to, I’ll pass.

               All I am saying is do your diligent research before you believe, in your heart, what you read or hear. Use mainstream newspapers and television, which can be easily double checked, instead of only the internet. The internet is good but can be too easily manipulated. There are too many people out there that are looking to make a fool out of you and make a name for themselves while doing it.

               One last thing. When you check out a news story, ask yourself ‘why’. There is usually a backstory that will fill in the blanks and give a fuller picture of what is happening. For example, why are the Republicans looking into impeaching President Biden? What is the backstory? There are articles out there that say he is being impeached, NOT looking into being impeached. There is a difference. Many articles will leave a word or two out of a sentence to change the entire sentence, there are fake videos out there. Be old school and use your mind. Don’t let someone manipulate it for you.

More On Climate Change

When I first started talking about CLIMATE CHANGE many years ago, and especially on my other blog www.faithingodministries.net, no one gave me a second read. It was as if I was writing about a fictional act from a sci-fi article that should be read just for fun. There were many people that would not believe (and they told me so) and most of these people still say it is a hoax that people should not believe in and should shut up. This is national and international.

               Whether you believe in climate change or not you should look at what is happening and say something is happening with the weather and the earth. God told Noah that next time He would not destroy the earth with water, but He did not say what it would be. He just said that the people that got right would be saved. I have written extensively about getting right with God in my other blog and those that read my other blog know what I am talking about.

               Since I last wrote about climate change, the climate has gotten worse, but I will only mention a few things. I will start off with the warm waters around Florida. When ocean waters are warmer than the basic hot tub water, something is wrong. We normally get into the ocean water to cool off, not to take a bath. Fish have a hard time surviving in water that is not normal for it. They usually go further out to sea in search of cooler water. This also means fishing boats must go further out and fish much deeper than usual. This also means polar ice melts faster causing sea rise and those popular (expensive) beach homes to slide into the sea.

               Then there is the heat wave all over. I can not only point to the west and mid-west but point all over. It’s everywhere. The first thing that comes to mind is agriculture. A lot of these places grows most of our foods. Years ago, many people grew food in their backyard for themselves with some left over for the neighbors that did not have a garden. Not today. These farms today are gigantic and the food the corporation grow go straight to the grocery store.  I will combine the next paragraph with this.

               Rivers are drying up. I heard that one (there may be more) is completely dried up. Our cities and food growing fields need this water. Now what? People, like nomads of years ago, can move further north to a cooler climate and a little more water to survive. I doubt that it will ever happen, but it is a thought. The heat is cooking everything, making normally hot places hotter. Why hike in this hot weather when under its normal conditions it’s hard? Everyday, they are rescuing people because they passed out while hiking in the desert.

               This is only a very short few words on climate change, it goes much further. People need to take heed and believe because it is real. If you think things will get better, think again. Since the earth was formed, it has changed many times and will continue to change. Read my other blog to find out why.

I Am Not Stupid

I may be dumb, but I am not stupid. What do I mean? It’s an old saying meaning a person can tell you anything that pleases them, but you are not dumb enough to believe. You have a mind of your own and don’t need them to tell you what is or isn’t. What am I talking about?

               Senator Tommy Tuberville, Republican from Alabama, is a one-man-band holding up the promotions and nominations of hundreds, plus, of military people. Many, if not most, Congressmen will go to extremes to secure whatever bill or talking point that they are interested in. What Tuberville is doing is preventing crucial promotions to force the Pentagon to change a military rule/law. Promotions that are critical to the wellbeing of the military and its performance.

               Tuberville does not want the military to cover the travel and time off when military members must go out of state for an abortion. With his boycott, he is on the brink of disturbing the stability of the Joint-Chiefs-of-Staff because they serve for a certain length of time. Others must be promoted to the proper rank to take the position. Then there are the lower tiers of the military that have commanders that must be promoted to take the position. Withholding these promotions can harm the fighting capability of the military.

               I do not understand someone that is willingly harming our fighting forces at a time when we really must present a super strong military to the world. I understand why he is doing this, but I do not understand why he is continuing, knowing the damage being done. I do not understand the Republicans that will not lift a finger to help the Democrats to stop this. I also do not understand how so much power is given to one person that the entire Congressional body have their hands tied.

               I am not against him because he is a Republican, I am against him because the military is being harmed. This is an unnecessary tactic that can be handled in a different way. Now that Tuberville’s tactic is successful, what is coming next? Who else will use this as a tactic to get what he/she wants? Why do ‘we the people’ put up with this or do they even care? Do the ‘blackmailers’ think we are all stupid. I may be dumb, but I am not stupid.

               I see the handwriting on the wall. If one Congressman can do this to get what he wants, others will try it until it does not work anymore. That will put the screws on a lot of things that must be done to keep the government functioning. They must really believe that ‘we the people’ are dumb as well as stupid.

The Immigrant

I read a lot of news simply because I like to have different points of view while attempting to weed out misinformation and disinformation. In today’s media it is a hard thing to do, and most young people today get their news from one source on their phone or computer. There are many people that only read or hear one form of news (information) and believe everything to be factual and true. They will not fact check the source, nor do they want to hear anything on the other side of the story.

               The other day, just before the 4th of July Holiday, I listened to a short debate that has been ongoing for many years, about the first Thanksgiving and where it started. This made me think back to when I was in grade school and in one class, I was taught the first Thanksgiving was in a New England state (Massachusetts I think) but in another class I had to take Virginia history (I am from Virginia) and there I was taught it was in Jamestown, Virginia (the first permanent settlement). I really don’t know for sure because that happened more than three hundred years before my time. But the debate goes on and where it stops, no one knows.

               I said that to give you background into what a Congresswoman said during one of her speeches. She said we (the United States) should put all immigrants and those that are not wholly American out of the country. No exceptions allowed. That made my mind do flip-flops. First, we all are immigrants except for the Native Americans (American Indians). The United States was invaded by Europeans not by Native Americans. Europeans tricked, stole, and killed for this land. The Native Americans, at first, attempted to help the Europeans survive in this strange land and even taught them to raise their own food, etc.

               The Europeans bought in slaves (my ancestors) to do the work for them and even had other slaves and indentured servants (depending on the part of the country and era). The Europeans set up colonies (which became states) and a constitution to bolster their laws which were supposed to be for everyone. The laws applied to every European, all others were considered either non-human or below the Europeans.

               The way I see it is all people, except for the Native American, should get out because all other people are the immigrant. All peoples migrated all over the globe and settled where they thought they could safely live and prosper.  It is true that there are bad people among them but that is another subject that I have covered before and may cover again.

               So, I’ll say this, yes, my ancestors were immigrants and so was everyone else’s. The Native American is not and will never be an immigrant and that Congresswoman should be the first person on a plane or ship out of here. Words hurt especially if you don’t know your history. We are one and have travelled this earth, going to better places, for thousands of years. This is a beautiful place, and we are trying hard to bring it down and make it ugly.

Watch AI

A short time ago I wrote about AI (artificial intelligence) and it seems as though it has expanded greatly since then. To mankind, it is great to have something to aid mankind, but I can see a hindrance that has a potential to really harm mankind in the long run. AI is a good thing but (as in some sci-fi movies) can be a bad thing.

               It’s good in medicine. At Duke University there is a machine that is aiding medicine and can outperform the doctors when predicting medical conditions, knowing all the medical jargons, and giving possible cures for something. I haven’t heard much about it recently, but it would be great if most hospitals have this type of mechanical brain. Cancer and all other conditions will be diagnosed quicker as well as more accurately. Why not put it into the labs to make newer medicine and bring down the cost of medicine?

               Transportation is booming with self-driving, self-parking, etc. vehicles. In the blog I mentioned, I wrote about a self-driving truck that took a load of ore from a self-mining mine to a self-operating factory and made other robots witho0ut a human hand doing anything. That can be done with almost anything, anywhere, at any time, with today’s automation.  Think about it; there are automated cars, trucks, trains, ships, planes, and the list goes on and on. Humans do not have to touch the controls.

               I only know about a small fraction of what the military has. I was in the air force (security, law enforcement, K-9) and I see a lot that have happened since I retired. In K-9, for instance, there are robotic perimeter guards that are like dogs (the machines walk on four legs). I guess me and my dog would be replaced at considerable cost. I can only imagine what is going on in the control room (CSC?) (Central Security Control). Back in the early ‘80s I flew on a plane that the pilot was telling me, as the plane was circling the Pyramids on its own, how the plane could taxi, take off, fly to its mission, return, and land on its own.

               Now that you have a little background about AI and our daily life, I now wonder what we are to do with ourselves if AI completely takes over our daily life. This is what I mean. AI is into farming by doing everything remotely and robotically therefore there is not a need for workers in the field. This has a domino effect that is attached to it. AI doing the work in the factories means there is no need for employees. When people are jobless, they cannot buy food, transportation, lodging, go on vacation, buy fuel for the vehicle that they have (electric vehicles cost more but without a job they can not afford to buy one), and anything else that a human would need to live. And it goes on, and on, and on.

               As you see, the domino effect, caused by AI, can affect living a minimal life. Like in the sci-fi movies, AI can take over and us humans will have to take a backseat and suffer. We are already suffering but it, maybe, will get much worse. I am not against AI; I am asking for caution and tighter controls. I remember an article I read, some time ago, that these scientists put two computers together to see what would happen. They had to unplug them when the computers started talking to each other in a language the scientists did not understand. Bad things, accidents, can and will happen. Watch AI as AI watches us.

              

Time Is Relative

Last week in my other blog, www.faithingodministries.net, I mentioned ‘time’ and what it meant to God compared to what it means to us. I am not an expert in that sort of thing nor am I or have I been a scholar in that. I only know what I feel, have read, and can imagine. What I am about to write does not construe whether it is true or untrue and is only a very small piece about time. It is only for you to think and decide for yourself.

               Einstein wrote on ‘relative time’, where he determined that time is relative. In other words, the rate at which time passes depends on your frame of reference. Ahhh, what is meant by that? (My words) things will be perceived differently if sensed in different ways or by different people.

               This phenomenon was experimented with by using clocks. In the lab’s experiment they used a light clock and an atomic clock, the most accurate clocks known. It was found that the faster the clock moved the slower the clock got. One of the examples used was an atomic clock that was stationary on earth, and another was flown in a plane around the earth. When the clocks were together again, they were a fraction of a second apart from each other.

               What made me think of this was last week I wrote that in God’s time a thousand solar years is one solar day to us. Okay, let me think about what has been happening for a long time here on earth and what has been in the news lately. UFOs. If they come from another planet think about the speed used to get here and what about the time it took. Did time stop?  Did time speed up? Did time go back? It all is confusing yet a wonder at the same time.

               NASA want to send man to Mars and other planets. What will the timing be because (to us) the time spent in space getting there is very long. Then think about a light year which is one solar year or 5.88 trillion miles. My mind is numb when they say a star is close with it being four or five light years away and we want to go to that solar system. To me, impossible, but throw in ‘time’ and that would be the unknown variable that could make it possible. On earth we could see the space capsule slowly traveling to the far away star. To the people in the capsule, it could be a very short time when ‘time is relative’ is added to the equation. Is this how the UFOs get here? Worm holes? Space warp? Talking about UFOs is another future blog.

               Last week, what I wrote in www.faithingodministries.net, shows that most of this article melds with that article and vice versa. We point up because Christ rose into the clouds when He left earth. Also, the universe is huge and, from what I have read, is still expanding. How far is it to the end of the universe? Time is relative and time is not on our side. If time is relative, then our present life is not even a flicker, and we better get right quickly and that may not be fast enough. Now I’ll sit back and see the very few commits that I rarely receive.

I Should Have Been A Congressman

I have had a full-time job (including the military) since I was fifteen years old. There were times I worked seven days a week, working two jobs and once I had three. Hours working was from twelve to sixteen hours with a smile on my face. Why? I was making a dissent living and after paying the bills I had a little left over to have something in my pocket. Except for the military, there weren’t enough hours in the day for much partying, but I wasn’t angry about that.

               While in the military there was once a time when the military had just started direct pay to the bank for us and that was at the time when Congress didn’t pass the budget or something like that. I was stationed in Europe and really didn’t know what was going on. When I was in the military, I didn’t keep up with what the politicians were doing. Well, those that did not have direct pay did not get a paycheck. I was lucky because I opted to have direct pay because I regularly went TDY (temporary duty) elsewhere and I didn’t have to be on base to get paid.

               I said all of that to say this. As I write this millions of people are set to not get paid because Congress is not increasing the debt limit. They can’t get their act together and lookout for the little guy. This affects the entire world, economies will tumble, especially ours. The people in Congress have left town for the Memorial weekend. I had very few holidays off before I retired, I should have been a congressman.

               Thinking about being a congressman, they not only left town before okaying the debt bill, but they will get paid when the rest of us do not. This means social security checks, retired pay checks, government debt, etc. will not get paid but congressmen will. A little while ago they asked for a pay raise. I should have been a congressman.

               I also look at how congressmen act. They act as if they are above everyone else and can say and do whatever they want. Even the few that are caught in the act of doing wrong know that it will take a very long time to actually be formally charged, then another very long time to go to court. If convicted there will be appeal upon appeal before any possibility of jail. During all these years the congressman will be out on bail, most likely on their own recognize and will still be in office. Normal people would have been tried, convicted, and done the time in jail before the congressman goes to trial. I should have been a congressman.

               To be a congressman would make me feel dirty and I would hate to see people I know are doing wrong. I know it sounds bad to say I don’t want to be a congressman because it is a dirty job, but I have morals and most of them do not. But the bottom line is, I have worked all my life and I want and need my money. The congressmen need to do the job they are overly paid to do. 

Oaths

Oath: A solemn promise, often, invoking a divine witness, regarding one’s future action or behavior.

               Everyone takes an oath, whether they realize it or not. I will name a few, not all, because I know I will miss a lot of them. Oaths are given when someone is taking a government job (federal, state, or local). This includes enforcement of the law, military, doctors, nurses. Lawyers, etc. When you rent an apartment, you will sign a contract or when you buy a car (promise to pay or that what you put on the form is truthful). There are many organizations and clubs that require it. I think you understand what I mean. Oath covers a lot of territory.

               Rep. George Santos has admitted he is a liar and took the oath of office. Now he is charged with several things including lying to Congress. A breach of the oath. He stated he will not resign but the people that voted for him and elected him knew most of what he is accused of before the election. Even the Speaker of the House stands by him and said he wants to see if he is found guilty or not. There have been many other people that have been accused of something and were made to resign. The Republicans can not afford to lose one vote and I think that is why they are standing by him until this is bought to a head.

               Another (this will ruffle feathers) is ex-President Donald Trump. Becoming President, he took the oath of office and shattered it into a million pieces. Before and after becoming President, he signed many contracts and rarely was he true to them. When he was charged with rape, he was given a chance to meet his accuser in court and did not appear. Yet, he told his followers he was not given the chance. I believe he did not appear because he would have had to take an oath. I do not understand why that matters to him because he broke his oath numerous times in the past.

               I will mention one last person and that is the guy that was in intelligence service for the military and posted on the internet what he wanted. Of course, he had to take an oath and he shattered that oath for whatever lame brained excuse he gave. He not only hurt our government but other governments around the world.

               To list all the government officials that took the oath and broke it is impossible to list. That list is too long to even think about, especially those from the last administration. Today, oaths mean nothing. Back in the day, a simple handshake was all that was needed. There was also a time when a person gave their word and that was all that was needed.

               I have taken many oaths and kept all of them. I could not afford to be caught breaking an oath because I am a little guy and before I could recite my name, I would be so deep into the catacombs of prison that daylight wouldn’t reach me. I guess keeping true to the oaths taken is for the little people like me.