Welcome
- August 11, 2018
- Tough Time with the Web Server Lately
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I've been messing around with the server a lot recently at the expense of all the sites — including the blog.
When you expend hours on various configuration issues the writing of blog entries sometimes wanes trivial in the mix.
Such is that continuing saga of "I'm gonna get you sukka" I'm playing with google.
I had the whole server tore out the frame so badly this morning that everyone was getting "forbidden" and I was oblivious until Mom called and clued me in.
Thanks Mom !
Then there are several personal finance issues which were bearing on me which in actuality turned out to be non issues over which I expended ENTIRELY too much fretting.
Ah, these things happen for those obsessive compulsive individuals such as myself.
Anyway I hope to get back on track sometime early next week and I apologize for the failure which went unnoticed.
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- August 9, 2018
- National Hand Holding Day
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I don't do a lot of hand holding. The last time I held anyone's hand was that of biological father on December 4, 2001 as he lay dying in the fifth floor coronary care unit of Richland Memorial Hospital.
It was a very painful, emotional experience but I wanted him to know that I was there and so I held his hand and talked to him during those last few hours.
It is said that touch causes a release of oxytocin which is one of those intimacy chemicals. The act has been the subject of study and it is said that the holding of hands relieves stress. None of that really mattered to me at the time. I was absolutely stunned by profound and protracted grief for a lengthy period at that time. Grief is said to be love's inability to let go. I grapple with those memories to this day.
My intention was to project a sense of value for him and to offer him my affection, some level of protection from the harsh reality of what he was experiencing, and at least try to give him some comfort in knowing he wasn't alone — that we were there with him and we cared.
I wish I could say that I have a lot of experience holding hands but that would be untruthful. I have held hands at various times over the years but all of those times are overshadowed by my last experience which were those final moments with daddy.
So on this National Hand Holding Day I hope you can hold the hand of someone for whom you care and take note of those benefits it affords to those who participate.
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- August 8, 2018
- Hummingbirds are Mean
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I refill my two hummingbird feeders weekly in an effort to ensure copious amounts of fresh sugar for the little critters who flit and fly around it all day. Mostly in the early morning and late afternoon ... but pretty much anytime not inundated by the noonday sun.
I've noticed that they are pretty mean to each other. Speedy and fearless they engage in dive bombing operations upon each other with the females typically less confrontational and the males much more so — increasingly with age.
The other day I saw two males engaged in what appeared to be a territorial dispute regarding my yard and neither would relent. They would hover and rise and fall and advance upon each other with threatening displays showing none of the retreat as the females ... but even they can be quite combative when a situation arises.
The rapid fire chirp heralded the commencing hostilities and it would appear that they value my efforts to ensure a fresh supply of colorless sugar syrup because though I hadn't seen any for a while they've definitely moved in at this point. I suppose it's beyond their comprehension that the supply of food is endless during the season because I will just go buy another five pound bag of sugar when I run low ...
I'll be maintaining the feeder through the end of September. This is beyond most others in the area but I understand that we have species which remain during the winter (though I don't know that they remain around here) and there are stragglers from points northward passing through on their way to the warmer southerly climate.
I really like hummingbirds because they bring back fond memories of days I'll never see again.
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- August 7, 2018
- Purple Heart Day
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I once got a wild hair and sat down and looked up all of the ribbons that I was eligible to wear as the result of military service.
It came to a total of three or four and none of them were overly ambitious in nature ... good conduct, unit citations, etc.
There are others who have won military awards as the result of personal sacrifice.
One of these is the purple heart.
This award stems primarily from battlefield wounds — but I have known of a few persons who have them for other reasons.
I never earned such recognition in my meager service history.
Each August 7 we mark Purple Heart Day.
Originally known as Badge of Military Merit, the Purple Heart is bestowed upon any member of the armed forces of the United States who has been wounded or killed or died as a result of injury received during battle including friendly fire and other engagements as designated by the Commander-In-Chief.
This day commemorates citizens willing to serve our country regardless of the personal cost.
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- August 6, 2018
- Life Catches Up With You
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Karma. What's going around is coming around.
That notion that our works influence our lives either for good or bad as a function of those Shramana concepts originating in India which propose that fate may be influenced by what we do or think.
Now me, I do my fair share of tempting fate and indeed karma has bit me in the butt on more than one occasion. It is a never ending circular thing which is said to be so basic to existence that we don't even notice it.
However, I have noticed those effects on more than one occasion and I must say I would prefer to cultivate good karma if at all possible.
Toward that end I attempt to think before I speak. Not act on impulse. Attempt to quell my obsessive compulsive inclinations and in general be less 'anal retentive' over time. I'm not always successful either and I have noticed those times when karmic success has eluded me ...
It makes for spiritual doldrums such as those I'm having now. Perhaps less profanity and more reading -- or at least TRY to be more acceptable in polite company.
You may think it humorous to consider behavior in activities of daily living. Laugh away. Get on the bad side of karma and you're in for a most unpleasant turn of events ... unless you're one of those who seems to escape it's influences. I've noticed this too. Self indulgent rude stupid people who flit through life totally unaware of any repercussions of that harm they have done to others.
I suppose the crux of karma is mostly that attempt to be more socially aware.
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- August 5, 2018
- Work Like a Dog Day
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There was a time when all I did was work.
I would depart at an early hour to return very late at night every work day without exception.
The consequences of this pretty much followed the old adage for I indeed became a very dull boy ...
socially speaking.
Nowadays I work far less, am compensated much more, and attempt to get that rest I denied myself for so long.
There are those of us who get by on a minimal amount of work.
There are others of us who work all the time at some moderate pace.
Then there are those who work relentlessly without breaks until their duty is done.
The workaholic works all the time; but not necessarily relentlessly.
This day honors those who take control of a task until it is complete without regard to creature comforts or rest and relaxation.
This day is dedicated to those of us who work like a dog until the job is done.
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- August 4, 2018
- Beware Monsanto Frankenfood
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One Robert T. Fraley involved in the invention of genetically modified seeds is whining about the public rejection of his human modified crops as the "frankenfood" that it is.
My personal problems with Monsanto go beyond the overstepping of their GMO whores and specifically I object to the tactics used by the company against soybean farmers using their agricultural products involving black ops style brownshirt nazi tactics to the point that I personally was going to become involved in snuffing them out like the criminal turds that they are.
Durk Pearson and Sandy Shaw not withstanding, IMHO Monsanto should be stricken from the record and dismantled without a corresponding "project paperclip" which saved their fellow nazi science criminals the fate they so richly deserved.
Boo to Monsanto. Boo to Genetically Modified Organisms. Sometimes, the natural way is the right way. If I read that something contains genetically modified foodstuffs I not only decline to eat it, but I blacklist both the manufacturer and the retail outlet carrying this blight on the nutrition of humanity.
It's not enough to create but some choose to tread where such manipulations are only meddling with creation.
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- August 3, 2018
- Extreme Dining
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Once upon a time I was one of the few extreme eaters on the world.
Being obese long before obesity became a national tragedy provided me with opportunities for introspection above and beyond those most of my peers were forced to indulge and I am the product of who I am and where I've been.
Nowadays there is an uproar regarding the caloric content of mainstream dining opportunities ... particularly at but not limited to those at the Cheesecake Factory.
So when you have a 2,780 calorie meal on a regular basis and then blossom into multiple 2,780 calorie meals in the course of a day; just what basis provides for normal weight when "normal" becomes multiples of daily caloric intake under most circumstances.
I suppose in a lumberjack society this is not an unfeasible mentality. However, given my sedentary tech based life and propensity for eating way too much I think I need to get my slipshod slaphazard dietary habits under control ...
or at least resume that roadwork which worked so well in my younger days.
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- August 2, 2018
- US Declaration of Independence signed this day in 1776
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Even in the dismal democrat and so-called "progressive" undermining of the Republic presently in motion under the auspices of the main stream media and deep state factions out to continue looting and continuing the diversion of rule from congress to some unqualified lot of career bureaucrats in the halls of government not meant to hold such power over the tax payers I remain proud of those documents marking the evolution of the USA.
Our Declaration of Independence is a statement by the Second Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on the fourth of July 1776.
It declared that the thirteen colonies were sovereign states and therefore no longer under British rule. This was the beginning of the United States of America.
It was signed on this day in 1776 by citizens representing New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
Those who would sully the nation with their underhanded political notions of placing billboards in foreign nations advertising
"come to the US where everything is free"
may wish to reconsider the folly of slugs such as Maxine Waters and that OTHER slug Jim Acosta with their leftist supporters who will not prevail in the notion that the rest of us will simply accept any of those lies and confrontational abuse they care to instigate in the public or the press.
There are consequences for such idiotic rantings and down right criminal profiteering as hers and other redirections and misrepresentations by the press or those engaged in public office.
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- August 1, 2018
- National Girlfriends Day 2018
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National Girlfriends Day has been set aside so girlfriends may get together around the United States and celebrate their special bond of friendship.
I keep wondering if the day applies to girlfriends of boyfriends.
It is said that girlfriends may be our sisters, mothers, classmates or co-workers.
However I remain somewhat up in the air over the germane context of it all.
Boundaries tend to become obscure when too many feel entitled to make up their identity regardless of the facts — or the biology involved.
Regardless, if you're a girlfriend I hope you have a happy day.
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- July 31, 2018
- I Routinely Firewall Data Centers
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My world grows smaller ...
I routinely firewall data centers. Why? Because too many of their customers are scumbags.
The bots. The scrapers. The exploits. The spammers. The inappropriate links. The data centers which harbor all the riff raff of the web. Get lost.
In an earlier time when I was naive they got by. Then one fateful day I saw my content published on somebody else's site and it was on.
Luckily my content has been published on my site long before it ended up on some illiterate no talent dirt bag's site later ...
So I switched to Apache and started installing and getting up close and personal with all manner of modules and associated scripting designed to control access and voila — I started excluding those problems which pervade the internet thinking they own me. AS IF ...
Should you suddenly encounter a 403 (forbidden error) when you cross my patio it's due to your (or your host network's) reputation preceding you, your user agent, your web site, your previous commentary, your query string, and/or any number of other kinds of disqualifying access which may have gone down in the past. To my dismay I've amassed quite the detailed catalog of methods, agents, and networks over the years. It speaks poorly of some of our fellow denizens of the internet.
Only now I'm much less likely to drop my shields as I have been in the past. The resilient young become the wise old. I'm not your commodity. I'm not your bitch.
I don't like exclusionary practices. There just came a time when I had enough of rogue networks supporting a deviant user base with too many exploits, bots, scrapers, spammers and the rest of the vermin infesting the internet.
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- July 29, 2018
- Texting has become the BANE of my existence
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Texting. One of those SMS modalities which so many love and I despise.
It has reached the point that some in my midst want to conduct business over text messaging and there's where I drew the line in the sand.
If I have to try and communicate with you via a tiny touch screen with even smaller keys then just go away and leave me alone.
Texting is for people who don't want to call. If you don't want to call I don't want to communicate with you.
I don't REALLY want to talk either but I'll do it long before I'll have some protracted text messaging conversation I find tedious, time consuming, and less in the way of taking care of business than picking up the phone and speaking your way through it's conclusion like an adult.
Go text chat with one of the small fingered simpletons in your life.
I have things to do and they don't include texting on some cell phone.
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- July 28, 2018
- Execution of the Mentally Ill Revisited
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Over the years I have pondered capital punishment. While decidedly "pro" in this regard, there have been instances where I have personally felt it was neither judicially applied nor particularly just punishment in the context of the perp viz a viz the crime. The conflicting attitudes regarding my wish for justice for the victim and some modicum of compassion for the criminal leaves me vexed with each successive execution which I mark as societally just until that time it is outlawed which likely will be never.
The deathwish of a mentally ill convict was granted at Holman Prison in Atmore Alabama one Thursday in 2013. Convicted murder, Andrew Reid Lackey who was 29 years of age was executed by lethal injection after many communications requesting execution -- including one to the Alabama Supreme Court in 2012.
While the decision regarding execution of the mentally ill condemned remains the purview of individual state jurisdictions, the US Supreme Court has prohibited execution of mentally ill inmates.
Known as the "Halloween Killer", Mr Lackey was convicted of killing Charlie Newman, an 80-year-old World War Two veteran by stabbing him 70 times in 2005. He was an acquaintance of the man's grandson.
Again, while I am decidedly "pro death penalty" the thought of executing a person possessing faculties which may be "outside of reality" definitely gives me pause. It is a difficult matter to weigh these decisions, particularly in cases of "volunteer" status -- and there are many on death row who "volunteer" for execution rather than spend years on death row ... whereas some opt for life in any circumstance.
The considerations encompass the resources required for incarceration, justice, the reality of guilt, the evolution of despair as an agent of intolerance of being locked up on death row, and the victims and the families. Although I cannot speak to the propriety of it all, but I am decidedly conflicted with the notion of executing the mentally ill. However, given the propensity for a number of inmates to volunteer for execution rather than endure prolonged incarceration ...
Could there be fates worse than as humane a death as criminal justice systems may provide?
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- July 27, 2018
- The Fallacy of "Highly Recommended" Web Ads ...
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All over the web page retail ADverse I'm seeing labels touting that some product is "highly recommended" in some ploy to gain your confidence and utilize it however their proffer may profit the ad originator.
Do you actually think that the search engines care how much bull is tossed your way in the course of advertising?
Now, if you're like me and have a deep seeded inquisitve nature about you the question arises:
• "Highly recommended by whom?" • "What are their credentials in the matter?" • "Do they have domain expertise regarding said product?"
So I hit the source code of several of these ads and did some back tracking only to find that the "high recommendation" is essentially the smoke blown by some lamer marketing anus in an effort to relieve me of my hard earned money and the ENTIRE product being advertised is a piece of fecal matter suitable only for flushing down the toilet with the rest of the crap. Caveat Emptor: let the buyer beware ! What's the catch? YOU.
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