More On The Boat
2 hours ago
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Carpet Bagger
"When the Going gets tough, the tough get going."
I have clear memories of as a child of hearing this expression, and understanding that what it inferred was that tough times called for tough measures, and if needs be a physical relocation.
I had an assumption that it was something from the Great Depression, when the dust bowl hit, and countless farmers and farm workers had to relocate to find work and survive.
Leaving every thing you had and had known was a hard decision to a generation where the vast majority grew up on farms and lived with and off of the earth, and would rarely travel further than 20 miles from where they were born. But if you were tough as the saying went - you would survive it.
But these are different times.
The Cult of Positive Thinking, and their positive psychology Guru's have claimed this saying as their own, alas.
In their motivational poster of a world - the meaning becomes that when things get tough, "the tough..." - ie good little workers, "...get going" - ie don't complain or reorganize or abandon ship, but move their asses and work harder to please their corporate masters.
I stand by my assertion that it alludes to being a Carpet Bagger.
I have clear memories of as a child of hearing this expression, and understanding that what it inferred was that tough times called for tough measures, and if needs be a physical relocation.
I had an assumption that it was something from the Great Depression, when the dust bowl hit, and countless farmers and farm workers had to relocate to find work and survive.
Leaving every thing you had and had known was a hard decision to a generation where the vast majority grew up on farms and lived with and off of the earth, and would rarely travel further than 20 miles from where they were born. But if you were tough as the saying went - you would survive it.
But these are different times.
The Cult of Positive Thinking, and their positive psychology Guru's have claimed this saying as their own, alas.
In their motivational poster of a world - the meaning becomes that when things get tough, "the tough..." - ie good little workers, "...get going" - ie don't complain or reorganize or abandon ship, but move their asses and work harder to please their corporate masters.
I stand by my assertion that it alludes to being a Carpet Bagger.
Friday, October 30, 2009
NaNoWriMo
Sunday is the 1st of November - and with that, part of the task forecast will be to try to write a novel with in the month under the guided efforts of the National Novel Writing Month.
Being that I haven't done that great a job updating that little to do list daily, this will most likely be an abject failure. But I'm trying non-the-less.
so...50,000 words in 30 days = 1,667 words a day.
Being that I haven't done that great a job updating that little to do list daily, this will most likely be an abject failure. But I'm trying non-the-less.
so...50,000 words in 30 days = 1,667 words a day.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Last nights dream
The world had gone Dark.
Something happened - and their was no power anywhere the global grid had crashed.
And in the lack of not just light, but communications, no one knew what was going on.
It was chaos - but the dream started months into this.
People wondered if it was solar flares and electro magnetic storms, or had we been hacked by China in a silent cold war that was over and lost before we knew it had begun?
At the point where the dream started, there was some power running, but it was miniscule.
Townships, municipalities, and Cities could only run the most important services and lamps at night.
The nation was under Martial Law.
TV stations were running again, but only regional stations and broad casts. And what national feeds that worked were from interlinking and relaying from the network of regional stations - no satellites.
This was a problem because Digital signals don't carry as far as Analog.
There were holes - and large information "dark zones".
And in the dream - the prime national story was about a crew of Astronauts that NASA with plenty of private backing had sent up into space to get a birds eye view of the nature of the cluster fuck.
But communication had been lost.
The project was being relayed directly through NORAD as they had independent electrical and radar, and they lost them.
And the paranoia was sinking in deep.
People in town, even the National Guard troops stationed every where were talking.
What was up there in the big old black - what happened to them?
Where they fried by solar radiation, abducted by aliens, shot down by China?
Or even more frightening - had communication simply failed - and they were floating out there, lost and alone, and blind?
In the dream - I knew all of this, it was all common knowledge.
And the only thing i remember happening in real time - was looking at my town from a newly built fire tower, and seeing the few lamps that were lit.
The important cross roads had single street lights.
What ever effected the grid had not been terrestrial in nature, things still worked IF you had juice to power them.
So people still drove at night - you could see the little points of light of the few people who were still willing to come and go at dark.
In the dream, I was not alone in the fire tower, but I don't remember who I was there with. But we were both concerned.
We were worried about the Astronauts and what their fate was - and what that meant for the greater situation of us all.
We were worried about how long order could be maintained - it had barely been kept.
(small details i knew in my head - like that Morse Code had been made an official language again, and was being used again along with telegraphs, and regional light signals, and couriers)
Order could be maintained as long as their was power - and we both knew how strenuous and how delicate that situation was for the area.
I looked at the lamps of town, I could count their number on two hands, and the burden of unknowing was so heavy I wanted to cry.
And then I woke up.
Something happened - and their was no power anywhere the global grid had crashed.
And in the lack of not just light, but communications, no one knew what was going on.
It was chaos - but the dream started months into this.
People wondered if it was solar flares and electro magnetic storms, or had we been hacked by China in a silent cold war that was over and lost before we knew it had begun?
At the point where the dream started, there was some power running, but it was miniscule.
Townships, municipalities, and Cities could only run the most important services and lamps at night.
The nation was under Martial Law.
TV stations were running again, but only regional stations and broad casts. And what national feeds that worked were from interlinking and relaying from the network of regional stations - no satellites.
This was a problem because Digital signals don't carry as far as Analog.
There were holes - and large information "dark zones".
And in the dream - the prime national story was about a crew of Astronauts that NASA with plenty of private backing had sent up into space to get a birds eye view of the nature of the cluster fuck.
But communication had been lost.
The project was being relayed directly through NORAD as they had independent electrical and radar, and they lost them.
And the paranoia was sinking in deep.
People in town, even the National Guard troops stationed every where were talking.
What was up there in the big old black - what happened to them?
Where they fried by solar radiation, abducted by aliens, shot down by China?
Or even more frightening - had communication simply failed - and they were floating out there, lost and alone, and blind?
In the dream - I knew all of this, it was all common knowledge.
And the only thing i remember happening in real time - was looking at my town from a newly built fire tower, and seeing the few lamps that were lit.
The important cross roads had single street lights.
What ever effected the grid had not been terrestrial in nature, things still worked IF you had juice to power them.
So people still drove at night - you could see the little points of light of the few people who were still willing to come and go at dark.
In the dream, I was not alone in the fire tower, but I don't remember who I was there with. But we were both concerned.
We were worried about the Astronauts and what their fate was - and what that meant for the greater situation of us all.
We were worried about how long order could be maintained - it had barely been kept.
(small details i knew in my head - like that Morse Code had been made an official language again, and was being used again along with telegraphs, and regional light signals, and couriers)
Order could be maintained as long as their was power - and we both knew how strenuous and how delicate that situation was for the area.
I looked at the lamps of town, I could count their number on two hands, and the burden of unknowing was so heavy I wanted to cry.
And then I woke up.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Never Forget?
I may be an insensitive ill politic person to say this.
But I have 9/11 fatigue.
That is the best I can put it.
It happened - it was truly horrific, and I feel for those that lost loved ones.
But do we HAVE to rehash it EVERY FUCKING YEAR???
And "Never Forget"? - What does that even fucking mean???
What lesson am I not to forget?
If you ask me to never forget those that died, I am forced to ask "Why JUST them?".
Why not ALL victims of terrorism EVERYWHERE.
Morn them all.
Give them wreath's and days of remembrance.
But I refuse to discriminate by incident or nationality.
If you ask me to remember that "We were attacked", I'm sorry, I still ask why - and I see why.
Its called "Blow Back".
This wound will never heal (we will never evolve beyond revenge) if we don't come to the understanding that we helped fundamentally create the conditions that lead to this ultimate and terrible situation through our foreign policies.
And I have not forgotten that.
I haven't forgotten 9/11.
But I would like to MOVE PAST IT.
Morn, heal, move on.
But I have 9/11 fatigue.
That is the best I can put it.
It happened - it was truly horrific, and I feel for those that lost loved ones.
But do we HAVE to rehash it EVERY FUCKING YEAR???
And "Never Forget"? - What does that even fucking mean???
What lesson am I not to forget?
If you ask me to never forget those that died, I am forced to ask "Why JUST them?".
Why not ALL victims of terrorism EVERYWHERE.
Morn them all.
Give them wreath's and days of remembrance.
But I refuse to discriminate by incident or nationality.
If you ask me to remember that "We were attacked", I'm sorry, I still ask why - and I see why.
Its called "Blow Back".
This wound will never heal (we will never evolve beyond revenge) if we don't come to the understanding that we helped fundamentally create the conditions that lead to this ultimate and terrible situation through our foreign policies.
And I have not forgotten that.
I haven't forgotten 9/11.
But I would like to MOVE PAST IT.
Morn, heal, move on.
Friday, August 28, 2009
When it is slow at work....
I doodle on these little scaps of paper that we have for leaving notes etc.
they are usually about 1/4th the size of a piece of copy paper, and are usually left over stock reports of what books have to be returned to their distributors.
I get some pretty random stuff fluttering through my head.
But I find I really like what I come up with on such a small scale and in such a small time frame.
Enjoy.
they are usually about 1/4th the size of a piece of copy paper, and are usually left over stock reports of what books have to be returned to their distributors.
I get some pretty random stuff fluttering through my head.
But I find I really like what I come up with on such a small scale and in such a small time frame.
Enjoy.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Mass Email Repost: Safety tips for the ladies
This is a repost from a mass email my Mom sent me.
And because I get a hold of most of my friends via social networking, and NOT email - I am just posting this here.
I don't think you can ever gather enough data like this.
The only person you can ever really depend on protecting you is YOU.
So read, REPOST, & put in your brain bank.
Get used to the idea of fucking some mutha-fucker up.
I would credit the original author - but you know how it is with these mass emails, who knows who wrote it.
But it is sound advice.
(a lot of this is also in the "Worst Case Scenario" book series)
Enjoy
-----------------------------------------------
Because of recent abductions
In daylight hours, refresh yourself
of these things to do
in an emergency situation...
This is for you,
and for you to share
with your wife,
your children,
everyone you know.
After reading these 10 crucial tips,
forward them to someone you care about.
It never hurts to be careful
in this crazy world we live in.
1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do :
The elbow is the strongest point
on your body.
If you are close enough to use it, do!
2.. Learned this from a tourist guide.
If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse,
DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM.
Toss it away from you....
Chances are that he is more interested
in your wallet and/or purse than you,
and he will go for the wallet/purse.
RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!
3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car,
kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole
and start waving like crazy..
The driver won't see you, but everybody else will.
This has saved lives.
4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars
after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit
(doing their chequebook, or making a list, etc.
DON'T DO THIS!)
The predator will be watching you, and this
is the perfect opportunity for him to get in
on the passenger side, put a gun to your head,
and tell you where to go.
AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR ,
LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE..
If someone
is in the car
with a gun
to your head
DO NOT DRIVE OFF,
Repeat:
DO NOT DRIVE OFF!
Instead gun the engine
and speed into anything, wrecking the car.
Your Air Bag will save you.
If the person is in the back seat
they will get the worst of it .
As soon as the car crashes
bail out and run.
It is better than having them find your body
in a remote location.
5. A few notes about getting
into your car in a parking lot,
or parking garage:
A.) Be aware:
look around you,
look into your car,
at the passenger side floor ,
and in the back seat
B.) If you are parked next to a big van,
enter your car from the passenger door.
Most serial killers attack their victims
by pulling them into their vans while the women
are attempting to get into their cars.
C.) Look at the car
parked on the driver's side of your vehicle,
and the passenger side... If a male is sitting alone
in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back
into the mall, or work, and get a
guard/policeman to walk you back out.
IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)
6. ALWAYS take the elevator
instead of the stairs.
Stairwells are horrible places to be alone
and the perfect crime spot.
This is especially true at NIGHT!)
7. If the predator has a gun
and you are not under his control,
ALWAYS RUN!
The predator will only hit you (a running target)
4 in 100 times; and even then,
it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ.
RUN, Preferably in a zig -zag pattern!
8. As women, we are always trying
to be sympathetic:
STOP
It may get you raped, or killed.
Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking,
well educated man, who ALWAYS played
on the sympathies of unsuspecting women.
He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often
asked 'for help' into his vehicle or with his vehicle,
which is when he abducted
his next victim.
9. Another Safety Point:
Someone just told me that her friend heard
a crying baby on her porch the night before last,
and she called the police because it was late
and she thought it was weird.. The police told her
'Whatever you do, DO NOT
open the door..'
The lady then said that it sounded like the baby
had crawled near a window, and she was worried
that it would crawl to the street and get run over.
The policeman said, 'We already have a unit on the way,
whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.'
He told her that they think a serial killer
has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax
women out of their homes thinking that someone
dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it,
but have had several calls by women saying that
they hear baby's cries outside their doors
when they're home alone at night.
10. Water scam!
If you wake up in the middle of the night
to hear all your taps outside running or what
you think is a burst pipe, DO NOT GO OUT TO INVESTIGATE!
These people turn on all your outside taps full ball
so that you will go out to investigate and then attack.
Stay alert, keep safe, and look out for your neighbours!
Please pass this on
This e-mail should probably be taken seriously because
the Crying Baby Theory was mentioned on
America 's Most Wanted when they profiled
the serial killer in Louisiana
I'd like you to forward this to all the women you know.
It may save a life. A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle..
I was going to send this to the ladies only,
but guys, if you love your mothers, wives, sisters,daughters, etc.,
you may want to pass it onto them, as well.
Send this to any woman you know that may need
to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it
and it's better to be safe than sorry..
And because I get a hold of most of my friends via social networking, and NOT email - I am just posting this here.
I don't think you can ever gather enough data like this.
The only person you can ever really depend on protecting you is YOU.
So read, REPOST, & put in your brain bank.
Get used to the idea of fucking some mutha-fucker up.
I would credit the original author - but you know how it is with these mass emails, who knows who wrote it.
But it is sound advice.
(a lot of this is also in the "Worst Case Scenario" book series)
Enjoy
-----------------------------------------------
Because of recent abductions
In daylight hours, refresh yourself
of these things to do
in an emergency situation...
This is for you,
and for you to share
with your wife,
your children,
everyone you know.
After reading these 10 crucial tips,
forward them to someone you care about.
It never hurts to be careful
in this crazy world we live in.
1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do :
The elbow is the strongest point
on your body.
If you are close enough to use it, do!
2.. Learned this from a tourist guide.
If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse,
DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM.
Toss it away from you....
Chances are that he is more interested
in your wallet and/or purse than you,
and he will go for the wallet/purse.
RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!
3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car,
kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole
and start waving like crazy..
The driver won't see you, but everybody else will.
This has saved lives.
4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars
after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit
(doing their chequebook, or making a list, etc.
DON'T DO THIS!)
The predator will be watching you, and this
is the perfect opportunity for him to get in
on the passenger side, put a gun to your head,
and tell you where to go.
AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR ,
LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE..
If someone
is in the car
with a gun
to your head
DO NOT DRIVE OFF,
Repeat:
DO NOT DRIVE OFF!
Instead gun the engine
and speed into anything, wrecking the car.
Your Air Bag will save you.
If the person is in the back seat
they will get the worst of it .
As soon as the car crashes
bail out and run.
It is better than having them find your body
in a remote location.
5. A few notes about getting
into your car in a parking lot,
or parking garage:
A.) Be aware:
look around you,
look into your car,
at the passenger side floor ,
and in the back seat
B.) If you are parked next to a big van,
enter your car from the passenger door.
Most serial killers attack their victims
by pulling them into their vans while the women
are attempting to get into their cars.
C.) Look at the car
parked on the driver's side of your vehicle,
and the passenger side... If a male is sitting alone
in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back
into the mall, or work, and get a
guard/policeman to walk you back out.
IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)
6. ALWAYS take the elevator
instead of the stairs.
Stairwells are horrible places to be alone
and the perfect crime spot.
This is especially true at NIGHT!)
7. If the predator has a gun
and you are not under his control,
ALWAYS RUN!
The predator will only hit you (a running target)
4 in 100 times; and even then,
it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ.
RUN, Preferably in a zig -zag pattern!
8. As women, we are always trying
to be sympathetic:
STOP
It may get you raped, or killed.
Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking,
well educated man, who ALWAYS played
on the sympathies of unsuspecting women.
He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often
asked 'for help' into his vehicle or with his vehicle,
which is when he abducted
his next victim.
9. Another Safety Point:
Someone just told me that her friend heard
a crying baby on her porch the night before last,
and she called the police because it was late
and she thought it was weird.. The police told her
'Whatever you do, DO NOT
open the door..'
The lady then said that it sounded like the baby
had crawled near a window, and she was worried
that it would crawl to the street and get run over.
The policeman said, 'We already have a unit on the way,
whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.'
He told her that they think a serial killer
has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax
women out of their homes thinking that someone
dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it,
but have had several calls by women saying that
they hear baby's cries outside their doors
when they're home alone at night.
10. Water scam!
If you wake up in the middle of the night
to hear all your taps outside running or what
you think is a burst pipe, DO NOT GO OUT TO INVESTIGATE!
These people turn on all your outside taps full ball
so that you will go out to investigate and then attack.
Stay alert, keep safe, and look out for your neighbours!
Please pass this on
This e-mail should probably be taken seriously because
the Crying Baby Theory was mentioned on
America 's Most Wanted when they profiled
the serial killer in Louisiana
I'd like you to forward this to all the women you know.
It may save a life. A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle..
I was going to send this to the ladies only,
but guys, if you love your mothers, wives, sisters,daughters, etc.,
you may want to pass it onto them, as well.
Send this to any woman you know that may need
to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it
and it's better to be safe than sorry..
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