Manufactured Soullessness

 

    It should be noted at the outset that the homes in question are all clean, well-kept, and architecturally pleasing to the eye. But they're all ugly, just the same. This is a large subdivision in Jacksonville, one of many in this huge sprawling city. The street names are predictable: Wren, Cooper's Glen, Maserati, Peaceful Lakes, Red Fox Run, etc. Dig a pond by the entrance, and install a lighted fountain in the middle and the prices of the houses go up a few thousand.  Welcome to suburbia-not far away are the strip malls, the shopping centers, the fast food restaurants, car dealerships and malls. Wait, you say, ugly? How so?

No Man Is an Island—Except the Smart Ones Who've Read the Fine Print

 

image generated by Grok AI

I have lately taken to wondering why folks persist in certain customs. Take the habit of greeting one another with "Good morning" or "Hello" as though the words carried some freight of meaning. They do not. They are empty. One might as well bark at the postman or nod at the lamppost; the exchange signifies nothing beyond the fact that two creatures capable of speech have briefly occupied the same patch of air. I have tried omitting the ritual on occasion, and the world did not end, nor did anyone appear noticeably wounded. The sun rose regardless, and the coffee tasted the same. A man might save himself a good deal of breath by simply passing in silence, yet convention demands the performance.

For the Children (Just Not the Poor Ones)

 

The great enthusiasm among our betters for replacing coal and oil with wind and sun is not, perhaps, quite so disinterested as they would have us believe.

“We do it only for the children,” they assure us with the practiced sincerity of men reading from a script, “and for their children after them.” Very noble. Yet the poor, in their coarse way, show little gratitude for these lofty aims. They care nothing for solar arrays that cost a fortune and fail when the sky is overcast; they have small patience with sermons on diversity, inclusion, or the finer points of sexual metamorphosis. Their minds are occupied with more immediate trifles—rent that must be paid, children who must not starve, clothes that must somehow be found, streets that must not become places of casual murder, winters that must not kill.

In Defense of the Un-Cheerful

    

 I have met a certain number of people who regard any expression of negativity as verboten, as a kind of moral leprosy. One critical remark, one honest doubt, and the offender is scorned, even ridiculed-if not patronizingly "helped". They speak of it with the gravity of men defending a sacred principle. To admit difficulty, to name a fault, to utter a plain complaint—these things, in their view, are not merely unpleasant; they are crimes against right thinking itself.

Jordan Peterson and Ayn Rand Compared

        Jordan Peterson and Ayn Rand both speak directly to people who feel the world has gone soft on personal responsibility. They attract similar crowds—young men especially, but plenty of others too—who are tired of being told that success is mostly luck, privilege, or exploitation. Rand, through novels like Atlas Shrugged, painted a vivid picture of creators and doers standing up against a society that punishes achievement and rewards mediocrity. Her heroes walk away rather than carry the weight of the incompetent. Peterson, in his lectures and books, tells people to stand up straight, clean their room (get their lives in order before trying to change the world), and voluntarily shoulder the heaviest burden they can bear. Both deliver a message that cuts through the haze: life is hard, but you can make something noble of it by refusing to drift or make excuses. That core appeal—take charge of yourself, produce value, live with purpose—explains why fans of one often find something familiar in the other.

Yet the two part ways when you look closer at what they actually value. Rand was uncompromising in her celebration of rational self-interest and individual happiness; she saw joy, achievement, and personal pride as the proper aim of life, and she regarded sacrifice for others as immoral. Peterson speaks of meaning coming from bearing burdens (often for family, community, or something larger than yourself), and he warns against a shallow pursuit of mere happiness. Where Rand’s ideal is the heroic individual pursuing his own rational values without apology, Peterson’s is the responsible individual who finds order and purpose by confronting chaos and accepting limits. Objectivists often criticize Peterson for slipping toward collectivism or mysticism; Peterson has called Rand’s philosophy overly simplistic and her characters one-dimensional. Still, both have shaken people awake, given them a moral compass in confusing times, and left a mark that lingers long after the lectures and books are closed.

Elementary Music Theory

You experience some sounds as interesting, beautiful, pleasing — or even annoying and disturbing — because music is organized sound (and silence) over time.
"Organized" means there are differences in pitch (how high or low a sound is), and the sounds are arranged with rhythm (when they happen and how long they last). To review:

1. Music — organized sound and silence over time.
2. Rhythm — when and how long sounds (or notes) are played.
3. Interval — the distance in pitch between two notes.
4. Melody — a sequence of notes of different pitches (with rhythm) played over time.
5. Pitch — how high or low a sound is (not how loud — loudness is a separate quality called dynamics or volume).
6. Note — a single musical sound (with pitch and duration).

Dear Comrade

    

We want what you have-your money and your things. Therefore, we're going to take it from you by force. First, however, we'll try to convince you to hand it over freely. We'll tell you how unjust it is for anyone to live in poverty, especially children. We'll tell you it's for the good of society. If that doesn't move you, then we'll call you greedy for wanting to keep your stuff, and cruel. We'll try to make you feel guilty about it. If all that doesn't convince you to fork over the goodies, then we'll just seize them outright, and execute you once you become useless to us (i.e., run out of money). Will any poor man, woman and/or child get the money and stuff? Will poverty be eliminated? Ha ha, very funny. It won't. We'll get rich, 'though. 

    

Alone and Unafraid

    

There was a time when all I could do was think of you, but you weren't the only one. There was a black haired young lady who looked at me and smiled, a long time ago now. She went away just like you went away, just like the others went away. Today I am alone and unafraid, happy to be so, walking the world without shame, pain or guilt. 

I don't hate you, despise you, miss you, love you, or want you anymore. Although I have told you good bye forever before-once or twice, I believe-this time it's true, horrible as that seems. 

Solitude

     

    I'm late for dinner and all alone

    but my canteen is full and a song is playing

    there's no one to answer me and I am fine

    I'll be in Tucson by and by

    without a dime to spend on you.

    

Why Football in America is Great

 The following is a rewrite from the original, in 2010

Football has been more than just a sport to me; it's been a classroom of life where I've learned the essence of teamwork, the resilience needed after defeat, and the discipline required for success. Each game, each season, has been a lesson in leadership, strategic thinking, and maintaining composure under pressure. But perhaps most importantly, football has taught me about community - how a shared passion can unite people, creating bonds that last well beyond the game. Whether it's learning to accept failure or celebrating success, the field has been my teacher, showing me how to navigate life's plays with grace and determination.

The Journey of Hope: Navigating the American Dream

 

The Human Story:

Imagine Ramon, Nora, and their young son, Felipe, living in Honduras, a nation grappling with violence, poverty, and political corruption. Both Ramon and Nora were laid off from their jobs at a local manufacturing plant, plunging their family into economic hardship. With no job prospects in sight in Tegucigalpa, the capital city, their savings soon vanished, leading to eviction from their home. Desperate for survival and a better future for Felipe, they joined a caravan heading towards the United States, a land rumored to offer opportunities for work and family unity. This narrative isn't unique; it's echoed by many who arrive at border cities like El Paso, Laredo, Nogales, and Tijuana. These individuals don't seek conflict but rather hope, a chance to work, and to keep their families together, despite the sorrow of leaving their homeland, culture, and ancestors behind.

The Mindset of the Democratic Party in America

        When we were all living in the jungle, before we built cities, some people began to notice that there were people amongst them who were doing a lot better than most. They had better food, women, clothes, etc.-and that made some people envious and hateful. How could you have a steak to eat, when I have nothing? How could everyone praise you, but ignore me? Such a dark emotion to feel at the sight of someone's achievement! Instead of channeling their ambition into productive or creative endeavors, envious individuals direct their energy towards destructive desires, wishing to diminish others rather than elevate themselves.

Trump Haters: A Personal Anecdote

    I've experienced what's been called "Trump Derangement Syndrome" (by his supporters), right here at home. My room mate is an intelligent, attractive lady with a talent for making people feel at ease.  She is often kind, considerate, and thoughtful of others-all in all, what we sometimes call "good people". The problem is, she passionately hates Donald Trump. She has said so many times in our conversations around the house, and often I overhear her on the phone venting this hatred on her friends, who seem to agree with her. Because her tirades against Trump, his wife, and his supporters are so vitriolic, sardonic, and passionately sincere, I wondered, why? I have no problem with people who dislike or even hate Trump's policies, but what is this personal thing that we are seeing all over the world, this irrational hatred for someone who is not a murderer, child molester, thug, or a pervert? Yes, you can disagree with Trump's policies. More power to you! You can work to effect the change you want to see in policy, you can help elect politicians who represent your values, but why, oh why? do you so thoroughly hate the man? Especially when his record, his Cabinet, and his stated platform, is pro-America (for all Americans), pro-prosperity, pro-human progress-where people are truly free to pursue their dreams and goals? 

    I remember how my Internet usage first started. I was at the University of New Orleans, learning how to use a text only browser called "Lynx" (or something like that), c. 1997.  The "Lynx" browser was essentially an index of hyperlinks to academic texts all over the world. It couldn't show images or play sound. Soon after first using Lynx, I discovered another Internet browser-Windows 3.0. This could deliver pictures and sound files! The transition from text-only to sound, audio and video seemed to happen overnight. People began talking about their favorite websites, like My Space, ICQ, Napster, and others. Wireless modems began appearing on laptops-they were typically the size of a hand held walkie-talkie, and attached to the back of the screen/lid by Velcro strips. The connection speeds were very slow compared to 2024 standards. An mp3 sound file would take about ten minutes to download, for example. The first modems were about 28 kbps, then 56 kbps came out and everyone thought that was great.

On Playing Music

 

"IT'S JUST TWO CHORDS!",  I told the man who complimented me after I played “Ode to Joy”. This  melody was much more complex than just two chords in Beethoven's  9th Symphony, of which “Ode to Joy” is part. Nevertheless, it has become a simple Christian worship song, a song that resembles children’s tunes in chord structure (“Mary Had a Little Lamb”, and “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” comes to mind). I briefly discussed this with him, and he confessed to loving such music for it's simplicity, but not really understanding the musical theory behind it. I was absolutely amazed at this man’s kindness, however, because it was obviously sincere. So now, dear reader, let me ask you a question: what do you think is the most real, most sincere way to show your appreciation to a musician you like? Applaud/clap? Tip? Make a shrine to him or her in your closet?

Drill Baby Drill

A part of the reason why so many elitists support efforts to replace fossil fuels with solar and wind (mostly), is because it would eliminate a lot of their problems. How so? Because of poor people doing poor-people things that interfere with their personal elitist agendas. "We are only trying to make the world a better place for our children and their children", they claim, and that might be true. But, poor people care nothing about green energy-because it's expensive and unreliable. The poor care absolutely nothing for ideas like "diversity", "inclusion", and the rights of transsexuals. No, the poor are concerned with other more important issues, like making the rent, fending off starvation or malnutrition, somehow buying their children clothes and toys, avoiding being robbed on the street, not freezing to death in the winter, etc. 

The Problem with Politics

 POLITICS SUCK MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE INCUDING DISEASE

-John Russell Turner

This is what's happening in the UK right now. Farmers are being pushed off their farms. Why?

Demonic Times

I had the experience of dealing directly with someone who hates Donald Trump. This person told me that anyone who votes for him is not welcome in her house. Well, that concerned me a little because I'm her room mate. She's sleeping right now on the other side of the apartment. Fortunately, she can not just call the police and have me evicted. I'm on the lease with her. Last night she had a run against me and Donald Trump that told me a lot. Here's a brief background: before she knew I support Trump, she thought I was a great guy and all, didn't hassle her for sex, cleaned after myself, and paid the bills on time. She'd get drunk and tell me how much she loves me, how much she "really appreciates" me and asks me to never go away. Sober, she's respectful and even affectionate. But, after she knew I supported Trump, I was a "woman hater", "against her children"; she accused me of being a "racist", of being a typical "white guy" voting for the "white guy". After spewing basically the worldview of Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg all over me-the one that posits life as a big "fuck you"-she actually had spittle foam at the corner of her mouth. She wasn't being cute or funny or practicing absurdist comedy. She was "for real". She meant (or perhaps thought she meant) all she told me. And guess what happened when I explained to her-with receipts-that  she was wrong? She doubled down, of course. Shrill, hysterical and consciously evil. All that was what this person showed me in response to learning of my support of Donald J. Trump.

Shame Tactics to Get Out the Vote?

 

About a week or two ago, ads started showing up on X and YouTube. The organization behind this ad campaign to get veterans to vote is called the Vet Voice Foundation. Recently I discovered that the Vet Voice Foundation is also sending out flyers via snail mail, so I got curious as to who these people are at the Vet Voice Foundation. I just wanted too see who it is that thinks trying to shame people into voting is right. 

A simple Google search reveals that Vet Voice filed a lawsuit against an attempt to reform the voting process in Washington State.  The Stranger, a Seattle based left wing news outlet (print and on-line), wrote a sympathetic piece about this lawsuit. A brief visit to the Vet Voice website reveals they consider fighting "misinformation" a campaign, a mission if you will. Click here to view their statement on this issue. So, the people using shame tactics to get veterans to vote are Leftists. Yet another example of their lunacy. 

If You Want Me to Send You Something, Use Email!!!

Ah, the many insights brought about by my experience working in a call center! It's been an overall positive experience, even with the occasional "problem" customer calling in from time to time. This is because it has given me a window in which I can see and even study human behavior. Why should I, or anyone else, want to study and observe human behavior? For me, the answer is to better understand the huge mystery which is myself and my behaviors, and, to be an effective call center employee.