The Scout Law

A Scout is:

Trustworthy 
Loyal 
Helpful 
Friendly 
Courteous 
Kind
Obedient 
Cheerful 
Thrifty 
Brave 
Clean
and
Reverent.

"We Can."

Concerning the age of the Earth.

Isaiah Chapter 66



(No peace...yet.)

Mind Warp.

Luke 19: 1-10

I just wanted to take a few moments to discuss something interesting.

(I am not advocating for the recreational use of MDMA. This is in reference to the medicinal, clinical use of the drug for treatment of serious psychological issues that are treatment-resistant to drugs that are in currently in use for the condition. Don't do drugs.)

The mind-warping effects of brainwashing through the media, PTSD, and Dementia.

When you pick up any newspaper, turn on just about any TV channel, or visit just about any website, and find yourself chained to myriad cases involving mentally ill people committing heinous homicides, molestations, mass murders, serial killings, rapes, and engaging in all sorts of deviant and violent behavior, it begins to have an effect on the psyche. Not just mine, but yours as well.

In the day program that I attend, we do an exercise called "Psychodrama," which is essentially role-playing.

At the end of the exercise, we use a grounding technique by stating our names and the current date, just so that no one walks out of the room confused as to who they are and what date it is.

It is a similar concept.

Not that I begin to believe that I am these persons, but I begin to internalize some of these labels attached to some of these individuals. Even though I have little to nothing in common with them.

"I guess I am weird."
"I guess I am jacked up."
Not "I am quirky," or "I am unique."

I am not the Batman shooter.
I am not Jared Loughner.
I am not the V-Tech shooter.
I am not the Elmo dude.
I am not Michael Jackson.

I have never done, nor will I ever be capable of doing the acts that these individuals are accused of, or have indeed committed.

It is just not who I am.
Period.
End of story.

In fact, under any actual scrutiny, the evidence points in the total opposite direction in all cases.
 
I do indeed suffer from Bipolar Disorder, Dementia, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, ADD, and Autism.

I may indeed get a little mixed up, triggered (internally, from my own speech or thoughts, or externally), or anxious from time to time, and I have made my mistakes, but I am not violent in any stretch of the imagination, and my intentions are pure.

Also, I am no longer a child.

The way the news coverage goes these days, it would appear that I have committed some heinous crime, or that I am the worst person on the face of the earth.

If you believe this, you have been successfully brainwashed.

There is nothing wrong with me except brain damage, trauma, and what you already know.
There is no "there" there.

Why all the rubbernecking over absolutely nothing?

Word Up.

1 Timothy 5:1-2
3 John 
1 John 2:18-29

What crazies look like.



What David Petraeus Did Right.

Sometimes it is difficult to keep things in a proper perspective.
He was a great general but obviously a flawed man, and I wish his family the best.

The "Platform"

This is how I feel.

How do we jump-start the economy, create jobs, and just plain make things better for the average person?

Not much has changed.

Reforming the tax code is a big step. Hiking taxes on the wealthy isn’t going to do anything to create jobs. By eliminating most loopholes and deductions (making sure everyone pays their fair share, and replacing the mortgage interest deduction with the Remortgage America Plan), and having a flatter, fairer system in which there are lower marginal rates for everyone, and raises revenue in the process, there will be job growth. Especially when you put money into working people’s pockets like the Remortgage America Plan does. Pumping demand into the private economy will indeed create jobs with lower taxes. Corporate taxes need to come down by at least 10 percent, and preferably more. We need to mitigate the bleeding of our jobs going overseas. 

Oil subsidies should be shifted over toward only the safe development of domestic natural gas resources.
What is the panic over climate change if not much time is left?

Our debt can be eliminated, banking can be fair, and our dollar can be strong with legislation like the Monetary Reform Act. We can even save at *around $250 billion dollars in interest payments annually on the debt that we currently shoulder. It would also help to see that wealth would be more evenly distributed throughout society, and less concentrated in the hands of wealthy financiers. No more quantitative easing, or printing money out of thin air to “prime the economy,” which does very little more than debase our currency and make the average man poorer. Some people actually make money off of this process. The amount of money in circulation should increase proportionately with the increase of the US population.

The better mousetrap has been around for almost two decades.
Why not take it out of the packaging?

The big banks need to be broken up, for the stability of the banking system, and Glass-Steagall (or an updated version) needs to be re-instated.

Derivatives need to be regulated, as Dodd-Frank attempted to tackle, but it made it more difficult for small banks to make loans. 

I support an Infrastructure Bank, which would operate on a public/private partnership basis, to get work done on our crumbling infrastructure. Projects that need cheap long-term loans or loan guarantees to get off of the ground, but that would end up with dedicated revenue streams to severely defray the cost of the operations.

 As far as college education is concerned, I’ll just say this:

If you want to be a History teacher, Psychologist, or Political Science major, there is no reason why difficulty with Algebra or advanced mathematics should hold you back from reaching that goal.
The purpose of college is to prepare you for your career after graduation.
Part of the reason college costs so much is because too often we are forced to buy courses that have absolutely no relevance to our chosen field of expertise.

Does anyone have a logical explanation for this?

One of my childhood friends has been saying it for years, and I will quote his words here.
“College is a scam.”

Or let me amend, “College is broken.”

The Citizens United case was devastating, and stated that people with money have more speech than people who don’t, and can even drown them out.  Unlimited funds from anonymous donors will flood the airwaves with misleading and even false claims about candidates. In other words, if you have money, you can pretty much say whatever you want. The donors may even be from overseas. The influence of big money in our politics is developing into a monster. Sooner or later we are not going to have elections; we are going to have auctions. It’s a dire threat to our republic.

I changed my mind on abortion because I found it not to be scriptural, but even though I found that to be the case, that doesn't mean that my opinion backs a calling for an outright ban on the practice. There is a historical reason for this. The most effective way right now to decrease the number of abortions is to change hearts and minds on the topic with a powerful message. I feel it is just if a woman's life is in jeopardy, but I do not feel comfortable making the decision for someone else.

I also do not back a total stripping of funding for Planned Parenthood, but Mr. Romney and I disagree on this topic. (Clarification: Things like life-saving cancer screenings are different than free contraception. Contraception should be included in people's personal health plans, and not paid for by people who do not approve of their personal choices.)


I back a full and total repeal and replacement of President Obama's health care legislation.
I do not support an individual mandate in any shape, form, or fashion.
 
If I change my mind on a topic, there tends to be a good reason.

I back legislation mandating equal pay for women.

I encourage a spirit philanthropy and benevolence amongst the wealthy..
 
I believe Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan are the best choice for the future of this country.

Identity.

I've been away from the computer for some time. There are some bases I need to cover before I get to my main message, like who I am, what I believe in, why, and what I've been through. Let me start with who I am. It's kind of odd I have to devote so much time to exposing my identity before I get to my main "platform."

For direct references in scripture, you can read Isaiah chapters 11-12, as well as Revelation chapter 12.

To flesh out my identity a little more, there is a concept mentioned in the book of Revelation called "The Hidden Manna."

What is it?

Just read between the lines like you've already been doing, and I will show you. God saw all of this coming and decided to play the same game...thousands of years in advance, that is.

The harshest of "critics" are full of it, and some are lying outright.
I am a victim of unspeakable violation, abuse, brainwashing (see entry "Entrain the Brain to go Insane?") and trauma. I also deal with anxiety issues due to my inherently defective cybernetic implant, which causes all sorts of issues, not to mention brain damage. I look forward to my surgery in the very near future, as I never asked for any of this to begin with.

Luke 7: 19-35
Genesis 48

I'm the Charlie Sheen of the family.
There was no mistake made, even though it might have seemed like it.

Genesis 39-45

As sick and depraved as this ordeal has become, much good will come out of this.

1st Samuel 14

I want to lead in with a question:
Would the normal person look at their license and initially rationalize away any possible patterns and see "123456789," or would they look at it right off the bat and see a code of "123-456-789?"

For the sake of discussion, let's assume the first scenario is true, and you go on about your life, not seeing anything unusual.

Then, something wonderful happens.

A "victory" of sorts. You make headway or progress peddling ideas. You gain clout or influence. Then, you mess up by not listening fast enough and cutting the darn card up, even if you thought it meant more souls would be won in the end by preserving a better copy of the historical record. You wrestle with yourself for a few weeks deciding if the story above is applicable to your situation, and you finally admit that it is. You remember that obedience is better than sacrifice, and realize that the card had to go immediately. 

Acts 6-7

I will add the "platform" later, but solidifying my identity is just as important as the ideas that I support.

Even though this has not been easy, I am a volunteer and a public servant above anything else.

I support Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan wholeheartedly.

(Edit: the quote from Numbers was removed due to a mistranslation and misunderstanding. My apologies.)

Mathematics, and other fine points. (Edit)

1) Math

Two scenarios:
1) 100% (gross) - 10% (tithes) - 35% (taxes) - 50% (donations and rewards) = 5%.
2) 100% (Gross) - 10% (tithes) - 50% (donations and rewards) = 40%.

(I initially had to make a statement showing that I was not greedy, so I promised half my pay would go toward charity, tips, and the like. The only reason I did so publicly was because my reparations were being discussed publicly. Nevertheless, I had to remain true to my word.)

After taxes, 5% would have left me with almost nothing for myself and my family.
Told you I wasn't that great with math. Recognizing this, with all of this in light, would I take a 50% bonus if it is taxed? Absolutely.

If not, no thanks.

I came into this as an unpaid volunteer, and I still continue my work for free.
Money only came into the picture after someone implanted me with a microchip without my consent or permission. Understand?

It'd be nice to come away with something at the end of the day to provide for my immediate family, keep promises that I have made to my extended family and community, and get prepared for the days ahead.

2) Baloney

Does anyone else find it funny how Bill Clinton rails against deregulation in these new Obama ads because "that's what got us in trouble in the first place?" I find it ironic because he's the one who did away with Glass-Steagall. Why did he gloss over that in the commercial? It all depends on which types of regulation you are talking about. Some are good. Some? Not so good. I just find it at least mildly hypocritical. At least.

3) Sounding the Alarm to Warn Against a Threat to the Public (Including other "Journalists"), as Any Journalist Worth His Salt Should Do

Let us first establish a few important, pertinent facts:

1) Virgin (Noun)

a: A person who has not had sexual intercourse .

b: One who is chaste or pure.

2) (Adjective)

a: Free of impurity or stain.

Now that that has been made crystal clear, let me make something else crystal clear, which will ring true throughout the rest of time, and will follow them for the rest of their lives. Just by simply speaking the truth. Not even judging other people.

  (Blank) are two of the biggest liars on planet Earth, will put words into your mouth, and take advantage of any situation to twist it into something that it is not. If you are accused of doing something, and you publicly deny it, they claim that you claimed guilt in the past as if you are now changing your story. I've done nothing that any reasonable, mature adult would be ashamed of. I shouldn't be ashamed of a cybernetically-induced time-traveling dream that made no sense and which had absolutely no precedent or precept in my life. I shouldn't be ashamed of cybernetically-induced, silly, unusual, or distracting thought patterns or notions which did not originate from my mind. This is not science fiction.

One morning, two years ago (as a grown man in my twenties), as I was rising from the bed (I was sleeping by the computer), I hopped onto the desktop to discover a new file inside a certain folder. It was inappropriately titled. I did not check the content therein, and I did not put it there, as it was created 6 minutes prior to me getting up and onto the computer. No one else had entered the room going back to that prior night. I promptly deleted the file in question.

It doesn't require pixie dust, but the timing was uncanny.

It must have been Anonymous.

Everyone knows that an 18 year old "man's" brain is not yet fully developed.
In their idiocy, and the vastness of the internet, they might even wander about and click around and find themselves near the e-company (whether the torrent file was real or not remains a mystery, as I never downloaded any actual files) of people 2 or 3 years younger than themselves. You don't even have to go looking for trouble. Without even seeing a thing, a light comes on in their mind, they realize their age, the danger they are placing themselves in, and they straighten out and fly right. It could have happened to just about any young man. It's called growing up, and if you have a good head on your shoulders, you only need one reminder. I've made my mistakes, atoned for them, and moved on.

Also, an important part of growing up is developing paternal instincts, and seeing the situation at that moment from a completely different angle.
Especially when you are an uncle.

The fair-minded public can be the judge of a situation of that nature.
Women, please. 22+.


 The good thing about all of these false accusations or true claims that I make is that I have video evidence and a host of witnesses to back me up at the end of the day.

"Is this person injured as they claim? When did the injury take place? How were they before the injury took place? Did a miracle take place to save this person's life when they should have died? Is this person now healed?"

"Let's go to the years of video tape."

In summation, (Blank) have 0 credibility, and are not true journalists. Journalism is about digging for and presenting the truth in a spin-free fashion, not creating your own truth. Instead, they practice creative writing. These types of people are a threat to the community and national security because they sow lies to create alienation, division, and hate. That being said, be on the lookout. If you see them, walk the other way. Do not allow them around your family. They do not accept responsibility for their actions, and blame the victim. They create victims in other people's lives, and spin elaborate webs of deception laced with the smallest tidbits of truth, or sometimes including none of it at all. Beware of these types of people, because the truth is not in them.

4) Women

There is nothing I admire more than a smart, sophisticated, brainy, beautiful woman.
(Not that I do not admire or respect those who are not.)

Glasses don't hurt, either, but they are not necessary. One such as this could make me melt out of my chair and turn into a puddle on the floor.

There is nothing impolite or improper to remark about one unto oneself when you see one, keeping your flattering remarks private.

It is another thing to take a megaphone and shout at one as she walks down the street going to work, or to purposely say certain things during a live teleconference call with the person within earshot.

That would be inappropriate in the workplace.
Gentlemen do no such things, and neither do I.

False accusations.

5) More Lies

I do not doctor shop, forge prescriptions, abuse any drug I am prescribed, nor do I take any drug that I am not prescribed. Period. End of story. To insist otherwise reeks of desperation, and is an outright lie. 

Are you running out of lies yet?

I respect other people and their personal space.
I know what boundaries and decency are.


I am a man, content with the body I have been born with.
I am not confused about my gender, nor my sexuality.
You can call me girly-man all you want for my past curious exploits (which are sublimated neatly into the seeking of solely women. Works out conveniently for me, and keeps me sane.), but there's a good chance I can hit a baseball farther than you.
 
I am warm, affectionate, and born with a head as strong and resilient as a cast iron skillet.
You could drop me off of the Empire State Building 5 times and I still wouldn't shatter.
I might display minor chipping, but I wouldn't shatter.

We all need and desire vacations sometimes, but sometimes we're too bogged down with taking care of responsibilities and burdens first to cut the rope and get away for a while.

Still working.
I'd even like to take a working vacation.

How a Successful Movement is Run.

1) Bust your nose doing grunt work, exposing corruption and mass murder, while espousing principles of nonviolence and civil disobedience.

2) Get picked up by the DOJ and the Department of Homeland Security.
Successfully advise the President and Congress.

3) Learn, accumulate knowledge, and execute competence.
Gain promotion and influence.

4) Announce that you have Earth-shaking revelations to share, and that you are taking your time working on the most important piece of work of your life, lest you make any mistakes (We've seen what happens when I rush. Mistakes are made with haste. Detail is everything.) just so people can call you lazy.

5) Then, all of a sudden, I conveniently hire newspaper outlets (How might they survive such levels of scandal and corruption? These things tend to handle themselves.) or television networks to imply that I am a drunk (I haven't drunk in months, minus decaf coffee), a crackhead (never tried), am on dope (again, never tried), and am strung out on amphetamines (Try again. I've tried Adderall once recreationally, which I do not condone. But by logic that must mean that I must still be abusing them. A lot. and daily.) Through an act of pure genius,  I spin the occasional puff from a pipe for legitimate reasons into an escapade of Half Baked or How High proportions (See Ezekiel 47:12. I have been feeling much better as of late, but I will not apologize or feel guilty if I ever feel the need to do so at any point in the future. By the way, I even quit cigarettes, which I stubbornly clung to. I knew that I had to. Delayed obedience is disobedience.)

The new line I feed is I steal people's valuables for money and sell drugs. I feed the media words that I never said, thoughts that I never had, attribute actions to myself that I never partook in, attribute emotions, attitudes, and qualities to myself that I never contained. I even tell them that I have began threatening people with violence and bodily harm. Just for ratings gold, I even told them that I was a pedophile. (Even though I am not even interested if you are not a mature woman of at least 22 years of age.)


Now, there is no quicker way to discredit and disable any movement than to connect it to violence, hatred, anarchy, or foul behavior.

Any smart cookie knows that, but a fifth grader could figure that out.
You think I would have made it this far without knowing that?

Do you think I would take the values and principles that I founded this upon and grab the control stick and take this whole thing into a nose dive straight into the ground?

Use your brain.

I am about truth and love, and I've realized that the quickest way to disarm anger, hate, and lies is with truth and love.

(Tallies up the cost of such a smear campaign on such a grand scale on a calculator.)

I just realized that I could never afford that. At least not right now.

That means that numbers 4 and 5 cannot be correct (minus the candor in the parentheses), but you've already figured that out, haven't you?

It means that I am doing something.

Real eyes realize real lies.

For a few reasons, I am not sure exactly when you will hear what I have to say, but it is forthcoming.

"Honesty in Relationships"

By Melody Beattie

"We can be honest and direct about our boundaries in relationships and about the parameters of a particular relationship.

Perhaps no area of our life reflects our uniqueness and individuality in recovery more than our relationships. Some of us are in a committed relationship. Some of us are dating. Some of us are not dating. Some of us are living with someone. Some of us wish we were dating. Some of us wish we were in a committed relationship. Some of us get into new relationships after recovery. Some of us stay in the relationship we were in before we began recovering.

We have other relationships too. We have friendships. Relationships with children, with parents, with extended family. We have professional relationships - relationships with people on the job.

We need to be able to be honest and direct in our relationships. One area we can be honest and direct about is the parameters of our relationships. We can define our relationships to people, an idea written about by Charlotte Kasl and others, and we can ask them to be honest and direct about defining their vision of the relationship with us.

It is confusing to be in relationships and not know where we stand - whether this is on the job, in a friendship, with family members, or in a love relationship. We have a right to be direct about how we define the relationship - what we want it to be. But relationships equal two people who have equal rights. The other person needs to be able to define the relationship too. We have a right to know, and ask. So do they.

Honesty is the best policy.

We can set boundaries. If someone wants a more intense relationship than we do, we can be clear and honest about what we want, about our intended level of participation. We can tell the person what to reasonably expect from us, because that is what we want to give. How the person deals with that is his or her issue. Whether or not we tell the person is ours.

We can set boundaries and define friendships when those cause confusion.

We can even define relationships with children, if those relationships have gotten sticky and exceeded our parameters. We need to define love relationships and what that means to each person. We have a right to ask and receive clear answers. We have a right to make our own definitions and have our own expectations. So does the other person.

Honesty and directness is the only policy. Sometimes we don't know what we want in a relationship. Sometimes the other person doesn't know. But the sooner we can define a relationship, with the other person's help, the sooner we can decide on an appropriate course of conduct for ourselves.

The clearer we can become on defining relationships, the more we can take care of ourselves in that relationship. We have a right to our boundaries, wants, and needs. So does the other person. We cannot force someone to be in a relationship or to participate at a level we desire if he or she does not want to. All of us have a right not to be forced.

Information is a powerful tool, and having the information about what a particular relationship is - the boundaries and definitions of it - will empower us to take care of ourselves in it.

Relationships take a while to form, but at some point we can reasonably expect a clear definition of what that relationship is and what the boundaries of it are. If the definitions clash, we are free to make a new decision based on appropriate information about what we need to do to take care of ourselves.

Today, I will strive for clarity and directness in my relationships. If I now have some relationships that are murky and ill defined, and if I have given them adequate time to form, I will begin to take action to define that relationship. God, help me let go of my fears about defining and understanding the nature of my present relationships. Guide me into clarity - clear, healthy thinking. Help me know that what I want is okay. Help me know that if I can't get that from the other person, what I want is still okay, but not possible at the present time. Help me learn to not forego what I want and need, but empower me to make appropriate, healthy choices about where to get that."

To me, this should come as common sense.

If your expectations and desires clash, things are obviously not going to pan out, either at that point in time or at no point in time.

If you are clear and direct about your wishes, thought processes, and motives, and the other person is not, or if there are unresolved questions or issues hanging in the air, or issues of trust, things will remain murky and uncertain until things are cleared up.

It is important to be up front about your abilities and what you can bring into a relationship.

For example, I have no problem with claiming incompetence when it comes to doing laundry or cooking for the most part. I will throw white socks into the wash with red shirts and blue jeans. I will burn your pancakes and eggs.

I bring other things to the table.
For example, I can grill a mean steak.

I'll expound now that I am not pressed for time and can give a complete answer.

This isn't a singles ad, but it should suffice to say that what makes me happy is doing what it takes to see the other person in the relationship happy. Pretty much whatever that means. If I pick up on any nonverbal cues of dissatisfaction, I aim to immediately nip them in the bud. I'm sensitve in that manner. I'm sensitive and loving in general, but I do not like it when people play games off of those attributes in some sort of power play in the relationship. There's no more accurate way to describe it than to say that it "hurts" me and betrays my trust. Maybe even makes me doubt your sincerity. So just don't do it. I'm a gentleman, but not a doormat.

A successful relationship requires that same attitude (the genuine desire to please the significant other) from both parties involved, does it not? Ideally, you supplement each other.

Honesty.

If your aim is control, go start a cult, participate in an abusive relationship, or go play video games.

None of these choices would bring me joy or add happiness to my life.
A content partner would.

Step one?
Be up front.

Just so you know...

There will be no questions later, only answers.
All in its due time.

Even though I would be under no obligation to do so, I will round up all of the w-2 forms from the couple of years in question and get them filed for disclosure.
In due time.

If I need to explain my current circumstances in life, the nature of a certain relationship and how it began, and my integrity when it comes to policy issues, I will do so candidly.
In due time.

Again, under no obligation, but lie detector tests to debunk the self-perpetuating propaganda machine?
It's not problematic if you have nothing to hide.

Believe it or not, there are good people out there.

Full disclosure means that the desperate liars will be exposed for just what they are.
Fun.
But I'm not doing it from behind a keyboard.

PS: Anyone who says that I do not care about the Middle Class needs to actually read what I say and not what other people say that I say. Word for word. I want to put more money into your pocket and help provide affordable housing. I would like to see a simpler, fairer tax code to help create jobs. I would like to keep banks from gambling with and taking your money. I want the dollar in your pocket to be worth something. I would like to take the burden of national debt off of the middle class's back. I believe the health care mandate is unconstitutional, but I would like to see other options of health care explored for those who do not have it. I never got behind Ryan's Medicare plan. I've considered means testing for Medicare and Social Security, and raising the eligibility age to a few years, to maybe 67 or 68, as we are now living longer. I've also pondered the possibility of lifting the Fica earnings cap for Social Security. Even these have their drawbacks, but we are an innovative people, and I have faith in our abilities to figure these things out if we put our heads together. But as things stand, they are just unsustainable. That's the simple truth of the matter, and anyone who tells you different or pretends otherwise is either lying to you or is just being selfish and just trying to retain their job.

Bye, for now.

Manufacturing Consent.

Documentary that I'd like to discuss a bit once again, by Noam Chomsky.
Even though he leans pretty far to the  left, and I don't always agree with him, he makes some pretty astute observations about the way propaganda works in the media.

I've learned that you can learn from something or someone, even if you do not agree with every policy, opinion, or stance that they take.

In normal times, the news and print media tend to behave in the manor described in the video.
These aren't normal times, and it doesn't necessarily apply to my local print media. They sometimes tend to set their own agenda.

I  suggest checking out the entirety of the documentary on YouTube.

The Big, Huge, Secret.

Throughout the years of 2007 to 2010, I was poor enough to pay no income tax at all.

Stop the presses.

Did everyone get that?

Now that you've received that news of such great importance, and all the smoke and mirrors have been removed from the room by the DNC set crew, you can go on about your life as usual.

Big, huge, secretive news, right?

The fact that people are sometimes poor.

"The Control Freak."

A little piece I wrote to get a point across.

"The control freak.

Dirty dishes scattered across the room.
Piles of clothes balled up on the chair and in the corner.
Important pieces of mail and scrap pieces of brainstorm paper placed around the room, hidden like Easter eggs.
An unmade bed.
A grape juice stain on the sheets.
A shag carpet, in desperate need of a vacuuming, speckled with miniscule pieces of garbage, batteries, and water bottles.
Reminder cards from missed doctor appointments that still somehow managed to slip your mind.
A perfectly organized digital music library, alphabetically organized by artist, then sorted and labeled by album and year of release.

The control freak."


Also, for the last time, here are a few key words for you to understand:

PTSD
Stress
Triggers
Trauma
Sensitivity
Flashbacks
Psychosomatic manifestations or illness
Controlled setting/The observer effect

It's really that simple.

The Pillars of the Next American Revolution

Out of all the things that I've learned from the past 3+ years in the spycraft, such as a rudimentary understanding of macroeconomics (namely how to fix our economy and create jobs), how to play political "inside baseball" (the horse trading and negotiating that goes on behind the scenes), the ability to build a broad consensus, and how to analyze information and think critically on my feet, one skill has proven most valuable: the ability to reason with, advise, and influence some of our nations most powerful politicians.

Comprehensive tax reform, once thrown on the back burner after the Simpson-Bowles Commission, magically made its way back to the forefront of the discussion on how to get our economy back on track.

Once considered a fringe idea, the idea of eliminating the private, run-for-profit Federal Reserve and fractional reserve banking became a tangible reality.

The idea of cheap mortgages as a stimulus and as a way to rescue the housing market was thought to have come from Mars.

You would figure that the last two common-sense reforms I found during my research would have found some resonance within the halls of Congress and the White House much sooner. They didn't, so it took some elbow grease to get them there.

The return of Glass-Steagall and the breaking up of the big banks?
Formerly a dream.

An infrastructure bank?
It formerly held no traction on the right.
Now it does.

These are all foregone conclusions now.
All it will take is an ounce of popular sentiment to push things over the edge and get them done.


By any measure, a revolution is on its way.

These are the pillars upon which the revolution will stand:

1) Solvency: In our national pocketbook. We will have balanced budgets soon.
2) Honesty: About our past. The 9/11 Commission Report will go right in the trash where it belongs.
3) Opportunity: There will be jobs to go around. There will be more affordable housing.
4) Transparency: As far as technological innovations go. Be it cybernetics or be it H.A.A.R.P.

I believe that the American people deserve a fair shot.

"Entrain the Brain to go Insane?"

A pertinent excerpt from Angels Don't Play This HAARP: Advances in Tesla Technology:

"The general rule is that the brain's predominate wave frequency will be lowest, in terms of pulses per second, when relaxed, and highest when people are most alert or agitated. External stimulation of the brain by electromagnetic means can cause the brain to be entrained or locked into phase with an external signal generator. Predominate brain waves can be driven or pushed into new frequency patterns by external stimulation. In other words, the external signal driver or impulse generator entrains the brain, overriding the normal frequencies causing changes in the brain waves; which then causes changes in brain chemistry; which then causes changes in brain outputs in the form of thoughts, emotions, or physical condition. As you are driven, so you arrive. Brain manipulation can be either beneficial or detrimental to the individual being impacted.

...Changing the way we think, if we are individually in control of our changes, is a healthy thing. It is disgusting to realize that governments are interested in these techniques, not for beneficial individual uses but in order to gain increased control over populations they view as dangerous. These technologies offer both great promise and a high potential for abuse. Since the techniques are here now, all of the work in these areas should be open to public review. This would help assure the preservation of the most fundamental right of humankind, the right to think in our own way."

Ball.

It's been several years since I've played organized baseball (I've only had catches and gone to batting cages since). That being said, this is what the scouts are expecting, and what would be confirmed by anyone who has seen me play for an extended period of time.

1) Inaccurate arm behind the plate at times.
This can be worked on with drills working on throwing mechanics and through sheer repetition.
Knoblauch-itis is all from the shoulders up.

I can remember being shifted over to second base when problems like this persisted, but I feel this is something that might be worked on.
DH also exists.

2) Great at blocking balls in the dirt and catching would-be wild pitches.
Great reflexes.

3) Good at calling a game behind the plate and working with what my pitcher brings to the table to get outs.

4) Good at framing borderline pitches.

5) I know how to drop down a good bunt.

6) Uncanny power for someone my size.
It's not often you see a 150 lb. kid hitting the ball 440 feet.

Any knowledgeable sports fan might say "4 or 5 out of 20 pitches is a small sample size."
Which is true. But it also reveals something else.

That was my first time facing balls coming in that fast (80 MPH+).
With more repetition and opportunities, I could increase my performance in that setting.
It just shows the potential.

I'm bigger (by a good 30-35 lbs.) and stronger now, too.
I'd like to see where I can take this.

The opportunity will present itself, and GM's are interested.
I just have to be ready to earn my spot.

I want to play Minor League Ball.

The 2008 Election.

Being wet behind the ears in all things political, I registered Democratic in my first Presidential election and voted for Barack Obama.

He was hip, cool, young, and promised a vague platitude of "Change" and "Hope."
He was Black, too, which was nifty at the time.

"Yes. One of us finally made it."

I voted for him because he promised to end the wars and bring our troops home, which is something that McCain made no promises to do (If my memory serves me correctly.).

Obama reneged on those promises.
As well as promising to be the most transparent administration ever.
Not to mention close ties to Wall Street in his inner circle, which he pledged against as he was running for the office.

I saw "The Obama Deception" very early in his first term.
It was enough to make me realize that we had made a mistake.

He later flip-flopped on various other issues, such as repealing NAFTA and GATT, turning the economy around during his first term, and the ballooning national debt.

Plenty of buyer's remorse here, but I still decided to work with him in good faith, as the country needed leadership at the time, and we were stuck with the person who held the Presidency. We needed a community organizer, if you will. I have no remorse for working with Democrats in good faith when the country needed it, even as they were too busy flinging mud and engaging in the politics of personal destruction to get any actual work done.

I guess I was doing my job too well.

Not to mention, some messed up stuff happened to me, without my consent or foreknowledge.

I was just doing my job and making contacts.
Just like you don't walk outside of your house in the morning and expect a jet turbine to fall onto your head, I had no reason to suspect that I would be implanted with a microchip.

The Swiss army knife of implants. It does everything: provides visuals through the subject's eyes, telepathic thought-reading (if imperfect), electroconvulsive therapy, GPS tracking, and thought manipulation.

That's where the science is these days, so keep up.
The worst part is, you won't even feel it when it's put in.

I have no problem with admitting to making a mistake.

Let me put it this way:
I won't be voting for Barack Obama come November, and maybe you won't be either.

Doctor Part II.

I take a cocktail of powerful psychotropic drugs:

Lithium Carbonate (Mood stabilizer): 600 mg twice daily
Xanax (Benzodiazepine): 1 mg thrice daily.
Zyprexa (Atypical Antipsychotic): 15mg once near bedtime.

I take drugs for my stomach and other assorted things, but these are the only ones that matter here.

I can tell you right off the bat that I need more Lithium, provided my latest bloodwork level gives my doctor some space to work with. I sense that it does. I remember how great I once felt at a higher dose, and I long for that feeling again. It works great wonders on symptoms of depression.

If no new Lithium is advised, I'd like to see another mood stabilizer added to the mix.

The Xanax works wonders for anxiety, but the effect tapers off between doses, which is something that I can feel and notice. Maybe he would be willing to increase this.

The Zyprexa has proven to be the biggest problem.
The drug is used often in patients with a Schizophrenia or Bipolar Disorder. It is extremely sedative.
Not as sedative as Seroquel, but it's fairly close.

I've complained to my doctor that it makes getting up at the buttcrack of dawn extremely difficult.
I'll even deactivate my alarm in my sleep without remembering a thing.

These problems can be mitigated somewhat by taking the medicine at an earlier hour, but it's nothing guaranteed. It makes you want to sleep a full twelve hours.

My doctor was hesitant (see: resistant) to lower my dose the last time around, probably because he thought I was losing it.

Maybe this time I can convince him to switch me to an Antipsychotic (Maybe Seroquel XR? I've used it before.) that I can take during the day and put me on something a bit lighter for sleep problems.

That's what I am hoping for.
That and something new for this ADD.
Lord knows I need it.

My next doctor visit will go something like this.

Me: Hey, doc. How's it going?

Doc: Pretty good, son...come on in and take a seat. How have you been feeling?

Me: All things considered, alright. Is there any way we can bump up the lithium dose to the dose I was on while I was in the hospital? I want to crank it up from "mildly numbed" to "zombified."

Doc: You  told me that you had trouble steadying your hands to drink a cup of coffee at that doseage.

Me: Well, so be it. It's a tradeoff that I'm willing to make. I guess no more coffee for me.

Doc: I'll see what we can do about that.

Me: Besides, I'm tired of seeing dead bodies hanging from doorways every other time I turn around.*

Doc: It seems like you've seen some traumatic things. Tell me about it.

Me: I will.
For example, the last time I used a public restroom at a gas station, I saw a blood clot in the garbage can large enough that it had its own pulse.

Doc: Wow, that is traumatizing.

Me: By the way, this ADD medicine stopped working for me. Mind if we try something else?

Doc: Sure thing, son.
Sure thing

*The author does not really see dead people. It is a metaphor for brain cooties.

Live by it.

Drabble.
04/11/12

What is H.A.A.R.P.?

HAARP, or High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Project, is a phased array antenna system (a large field of antennas focused and working in unison to transmit radiofrequency energy to manipulate the ionosphere). It  is a radio telescope working in reverse. After "cooking" the ionosphere, the radiation returns in long wave form, penetrating our bodies, the sea, and the earth. The Ionosphere, which resides somewhere between 40 and 600 miles above the Earth, is prone to catalytic reactions, and is very sensitive. This means that if 1 gigawatt of RF energy is beamed upward, it mimics the effect of a 1,000 gigawatt blast. A 1:1000 ratio. Like I said, sensitive.

What are some possible uses/effects of this technology?

- Jamming all other communications systems not affiliated with HAARP.
- Changing weather patterns over large areas.
- Earth-Penetrating Tomography (Mapping the underground).
- Disrupting human mental processes

There are more, but there's no way I'm going to tackle them all.

Let's talk about the weather.
Let's say you boot up the old 1.7 gigawatt atmospheric boiler (known as HAARP), and you direct the energy skyward.
As the Earth rotates, in a matter of minutes, a large area  of the atmosphere has been "cooked" and raised upward, interfering with the Earth's natural jet streams. Like a hot knife through butter. If that picture isn't clear enough, imagine someone spinning the Wheel of Fortune while someone else  jams a chainsaw through it as it turned. Same basic concept.

Let's talk weather manipulation and the government.
In the 1970's, the CIA reported that national governments were already capable of manipulating weather for military uses.

Makes one wonder which extreme climate events were natural and which were anthropogenic in nature.

The DoD tinkered with lightning and hurricane manipulation in Project Skyfire and Project Stormfury during Vietnam.


Air Force Chief of Staff General Merrill McPeak told the U.S. Space Foundation that "those opposing a larger military role in space must reconsider" their viewpoint. Apparently, developing new space toys was a necessity.

This falls in direct opposition to the agreements prohibiting  the manipulation of weather for military means. It caused some reconsideration of these agreements.

The following excerpt from "Angels Don't Play This HAARP" is most telling.

"Wally pointed to a section about a strange "How to Lie" manual, and read aloud: 'The U.S. Air Force's credibility is further undermined by the fact that the DoD explicity authorizes the dissemination of misleading information in order to protect classified programs. In a  supplement to the National Industrial Security Program manual, released in draft form in March 1992, the DoD told contractors how to draft cover stories that 'must be believable' and cannot reveal any information regarding the true nature of the contract...

 Wally pointed out that the next paragraph contained a comment by Steven Aftergood of the Federation of American Scientists.
'Once we knew that the DoD practices this type of deception, it becomes harder to discern what's real and what's not."

John Katsufrakis and Dr. Robert Helliwell of Stanford's radio science lab did some research in 1974 using a 20 km antenna and a 5 kilohertz transmitter, showing that very low frequency radio waves can cause vibrations in the magnetosphere. This causes high-energy particles to descend into the atmosphere at the poles. This effect can be induced or shut off with the flick of a switch.

According to Frederic Jueneman, "The theoretical implication suggested by their work is that global weather control can be attained by the injection of relatively small 'signals' into the Van Allen Belts- something like a super-transistor effect."

The potential for manipulation is evident, and it doesn't require much effort.

A columnist of Industrial Research Magazine posited that "If Tesla's resonance effects, as shown by the Stanford team, can control energies by miniscule triggering signals, then by an extension of this principle, we should be able to affect the field environment of the very stars in the sky...with godlike arrogance, we someday may yet direct the stars in their courses."

As you can see, two things these people do not lack are the ambition and the gall to try just about anything. 

Allow me to bounce over to EPT (Earth Penetrating Tomography).
Sounds nifty, huh?
Beam up RF frequencies, bounce them off the ionosphere, and let them penetrate the ground and everything around.

It's not so simple.
The frequencies used for EPT match those of the normal, functioning human brain.
This can alter the thinking or character of the person involved.
I guess they forgot to mention that.

I'll close with a quote from the 1977 Saturday Review.

"If the world is in for a long spell of crippling weather, then we are fools and monsters if we don't get together for the purpose of mounting a response as though our lives depended on it- as indeed it does."

Have we already done too much damage?
Is there any way to stop it?

It's our atmosphere, too.

Angels Don't Play This HAARP (Documentary).

I suggest the book, too.

Fluff.

You're not going to get any here.

Sure, I'll cite someone else's work from time to time, but that's usually when an important point needs to be made. It quite effective in this position.

But other than that, I write only when I feel truly inspired to do so.

I could write fluff stories about things happening every day, but what's the point of that?
Everyone knows what's going on with Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman. I'm not going to sit here and bore you to death with things that are being rehashed and rehashed on a constant basis.

I like to keep things interesting.

I have other responsibilities to attend to. I write when I have the time and energy.
Writing is not my top priority.

I'm not a stenographer or kid sitting in at the meeting with a notepad in the corner anymore.
I'm seated in a leather chair at the table.
Yes, my job has changed.

I'll still do my best to keep you informed on major developments, but not day-to-day "fluff."
In the meantime, let me do my thing the way I've been doing my thing.
It's been working, no?

It's more effective to tell a story or get a point across rather than saying it outright sometimes.
You're bright people.
I'm sure you've figured that out.

Most writers only have one job.
I'm sure you've also figured out that other people get to worry about nothing but writing and research.

I'm stretched in 14 different directions.

That's it in a nutshell.
Writing is not my top priority, but I'll have goodies for you every now and then.

Let it be known...

Abigail Van Buren, a.k.a "Dear Abby," is a lying, paid-off shill of the Democratic Party who has taken to telling outright lies to score political points for her team.

Not little white lies.
Whoppers.

How pathetic.
She has 0 credibility left.
Just ignore her.

That's all.

It was worth posting.

This isn't just a disgruntled employee's sour grapes.

Letter of resignation from a senior Goldman Sachs employee, Greg Smith.

Reminds me of my current taxi gig at times.
It's funny.

My boss calls people "jokers" and gouges prices.
Gives me extra work beyond our agreement and refuses to compensate me for it.
Any dissent or calling him out?
He threatens to tell you to park the car and go home.

Do you think this thinking is isolated to just Goldman Sachs?

Must I go there?

The above also applies when I am exhausted.

As long as I am not exhausted or depressed, I keep myself in decent shape.

I keep my fingernails trimmed. I use the hottest water I can stand and soap when I wash my hands.

Sometimes, I fall asleep from exhaustion in my street clothes and fail to shower.
Oops.

Other than that, I get in at least one shower a day, and always after I exercise.

The past few months, I've taken a renewed zeal in caring for my teeth (even during depression), taking care to brush twice daily, as well as floss and use mouthwash. I've had enough needles stuck in my gums.

Ever have to recycle a worn piece of clothing because you couldn't afford to go to the laundromat?
I know I've done it. I know I'm not the only one who's cheated.

Ever wear pajama pants in public because you just didn't care?
Guilty.

Other than that, I smell like roses and petunias.
I'm on my game when it matters, even when depressed.

I guess you could say I suffer from "Bacheloritis" at times.
The cure for that is "Woman."

That tends to nip that stuff right in the bud.

Operation Fast & Furious

The DOJ had all the control, power, and ability at any time step in to make sure that this operation was not compromised, and to make sure that every reasonable precaution was taken.

What surprises me the most is that the DOJ hasn't magically found some way to blame Brian Terry for his own death.

"He shouldn't have signed up for the job," or something ridiculous like that.

The blame, as usual, rests near the top.
Those actually signing off on the decisions.

Brian Terry wasn't reckless.
He was a Border Patrol agent just doing his job to the best of his ability with the cards he was dealt.
Unfortunately, he was faced with preventable circumstances that were beyond his control.

Border Patrol isn't under the DOJ, but it's the DOJ who has been reckless, irresponsive to the needs of its federal agents, and even culpable in compromising sensitive materials and details involved in missions, potentially leading to their premature "conclusions."

Deflecting the blame all along.

Running on a false "Do-Nothing Congress" (I have called and visited more times than I can remember. I have never received a phone call back) narrative and a false "Blame Brian Terry" narrative isn't going to win anything but a moving van.

"Flip-Flop"

Flip-Flop:
v.
1. To change or shift policies or positions based solely upon political expediency rather than a genuine change of heart.


n.
1. A change or shift in policy or position based solely upon political expediency rather than a genuine change of heart.


Feb. 2009


Now he wants 5 more years.


Aug. 2009 on raising taxes during a recession. Talking with Chuck Todd, no less.


Instead of pro-growth tax reform, he wants to hike marginal rates.


July 2008 on the national debt.


Over $6 trillion in debt in one Obama term.
If Bush was unpatriotic, what do you call this?

Let's be serious here.
Were not talking about things you changed your mind on in your teens.
We're talking about seasoned adult politicians.

The commercials write themselves.

They say if you're not part of the solution...

Iran.

With all the naval and aerial exercises and sabre-rattling coming out of Iran, tensions have been mounting in the Persian Gulf region.

Tehran also apparently seems intent on building nuclear facilities buried deep in nearly-inaccessible mountainous regions.

Pressure from the West, in an expected exclusion from SWIFT, which would ban more than 40 Iranian banks and institutions from the clearinghouse, signifies punitive sanctions with some teeth. Mounting sanctions, including sanctions against Iran's central bank, have had serious effects upon the Iranian currency and economy. Inflation and the price of goods has risen. This means it is affecting real people.

I find it a silly notion to believe that a nuclear-armed Iran (they deny ambitions for nukes, citing a need for energy) poses an existential threat to the United States.

Whether or not it poses an existential threat to the state of Israel (which would be a much more logical argument if you wanted to have it) is an entirely different story. Patriot missile batteries exist, but they are imperfect. It's much akin to hitting a bullet with another bullet.

What is most important here is the psychology of those calling the shots in Tehran.
For one, I don't buy the "nuclear energy" bit for one second.
They want nukes like most everybody else.

Are they a suicidal theocracy?
Can they be reasoned with, or deterred through the concept of mutually assured destruction (M.A.D.)?

The fate of Israel is one point to consider here.

What would another result of a nuclear Iran be?
One possibility is a nuclear arms race in the Middle East, with countries like Turkey, Saudi Arabia, or even Egypt entering the fray.

So, as you can see, this is much larger than just Iran and Israel. This has ramifications for the stability of the entire region.

For these reasons, I support efforts to derail Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
Sabotaging their centrifuges with Stuxnet was a good idea.
Assassinating top Iranian nuclear scientists? Sure.

One missed opportunity was not supporting the Green Revolution in Iran that took place in 2009.
Obama whiffed on that one. It was a golden opportunity.

In an ideal world, there would be some way to convince Moscow and Beijing to twist some arms in Tehran to curb their nuclear ambitions.

They couldn't care less about the safety of Israel, but what about the stability of the region and the world in general?

If sanctions and diplomacy aren't enough, it seems as if nothing good will come from this situation.

What happens when and if Israel attacks?
That's the million-dollar question.

What am I looking for?

What am I looking for in a girlfriend and (if things go well a) potential wife?

First off, you must have a sense of humor.
If you don't have a sense of humor, it's never going to work out.
Anyone who knows me knows this much.
We can be goofy together.

Second, a ya gotta be purdy.
Looks aren't everything, but let's be honest: they do count.
I like to believe that I have good taste.
Bahaha.

Third, we must share the same faith.
It's no fun going to church by yourself.

Fourth, you must know how to cook.
I'm not a chauvinist, but it's a matter of necessity.
Why?
Because I surely can't cook.
Somebody's gotta be able to hold that fort down.

Fifth, you must be able to tolerate my nerdy side.
I don't game much anymore, but I don't need a smack upside the head every time I feel like playing some Smash Brothers with my friends.

Sixth, I don't care if you are black, white, yellow, brown, or purple.
I'm an equal-opportunity romantic.
I'm colorblind.
And if you happen not to be black, and your parents happen to have a problem with me, you need to come equipped with a spine. If you don't have one already, you'll never grow one. Why bother?

Seventh, I hope you enjoy watching sports.
If you hate sports, we might have a problem.

Lastly, you must be supportive of me and my professional/business endeavors, whatever those happen to be at the time.

I am an easy man to please, and I do not ask for much.
Just support and a little love.
Honest.

It wasn't really a final word...

...but maybe this will be.

We need a constitutional amendment which guarantees certain things:

1) Under no circumstances shall anyone be mandated to accept any kind of cybernetic chip implant or EES patch. Also, we need extremely harsh penalties for those who would be tempted to administer these technologies upon the unknowing and unwilling. The threat of life in prison ought to be enough to deter most.

2) Any and all chips or patches should have no connection to commerce or banking. In other words, no connection to money exchanging "hands" whatsoever.

3) Paper and coin money must always be accepted at brick-and-mortar stores as legal tender for all transactions. It should in no way be "phased out". At least no more than it already has. That’s a grab for control.

Isn't paying for your coffee with your phone far and spooky enough?
What do you think?

This is all assuming that technologies like these are not banned outright.

"You know what grinds my gears?"

Being dismissed as loony in a standard, DSM knee-jerk reaction.

It also doesn't help when you can't prove to the doctor that you're not as nuts as he suspects. (I'll source Wikipedia if they've got it right.)

What would you say if I walked into your office with no credible way of proving my claims, except for "cherry-picked" articles from some newspapers?

Plausible deniability, unfortunately, keeps me with one foot in society and one foot in the loony bin. One false move and the people around me may move to have me put away somewhere, which is pretty messed up.

Which is why the "crazy" card has been played on me the whole time, and used to its fullest advantage.

A final word...

on chips.
Not Doritos.
Microchips.

 What exactly is the endgame here?

Knowing what we know about these cybernetic implants, we understand that they can theoretically be used to help a doctor arrive at a correct psychiatric diagnosis. That is, if the person being subjected to the implant is unaware of its presence.

The most accurate readings you would receive from something like this would take place in the time slot between implantation and discovery of the implant's existence by the test subject.

By the way, in my case, a period of 6 or more months is plenty to gather someone's "baseline."
Why don't you ask to see those records (I'm kidding, it's none of your business anyway. But it would prove my point.)?
Those would be the most accurate results available.

After the "discovery," the results are totally tainted.
Except for those moments in which you forget it's there, which happens only minutes at a time.

So, since we know that these things only work properly when they are unbeknownst to the implantee, the only plausible uses are upon people who do not have the wherewithal to understand what is happening to them. In other words, people who can be taken advantage of.

Let's say we have a child with a severe form of Autism, and their parents worry about them wandering.
This implant company goads their parents into offering their child up for this type of implantation.
While the child is sleeping, the implant is inserted.

Sure, I'm sure much could be gleaned from studying that child and others like him.
Then what?

Eventually, data would have been mined from every nook and cranny about Autism.

What's the plan then? Would they keep creating and inventing "patients" to implant, and hire one person for every chipped person to "watch" over them to create jobs? They tout job creation as an excuse for this, you know.
Wouldn't there be much less invasive ways of monitoring your special needs child?

I say "invasive" because you need a brain surgeon to fix the problem of having 0 privacy whatsoever.
Would you be willing to be hooked up to a machine for an "accurate diagnosis" only to have brain surgery later?

Probably not.
Traditional methods still work.

Even with an Autistic wanderer, don't they have simple GPS units available which could be utilized in the incidence of a disappearance?

So, just who would be the "target" of these new implants?
I'm struggling to come up with answers for this.
Probably because there are no legitimate "targets."
Unless you want to release psychopaths from prison and monitor them with some kind of pre-crime division, or something crazy like that. (Please don't. Keep them behind bars.)

This isn't about creating jobs for the American people, it's about corporations convincing you that you somehow need to purchase their product. It's about making money and the omnipresent possibility of serial abuse of a powerful product.

What if a hostile foreign power got its hands on this and implanted our president or one of our high-ranking cabinet members? We have absolutely no idea what kind of havoc could be wreaked if something like that were to ever happen. I hope it doesn't ever, but stranger things have happened.

It's a flawed product peddled on a flawed premise.
They're trying to sell something that doesn't even work properly when used legally, only illicitly.

There is no market for this.
Tell them to peddle their snake oil elsewhere.

"Cheating."

Does it ever prosper?

;-)

College.

If you were to go around and ask most people what the purpose of college is, some would say "to make friends and party." Some would say "to play sports." Thankfully, most would answer with the usual "to prepare you for the career of your choice."

But what if this statement was at least partially incorrect?
What if it had a little more to do with money than we might suspect?

Everyone knows college is too expensive.
Part of the problem, in my opinion, is forcing people to take courses which have absolutely no relation or relevance to the jobs that they are seeking upon graduation.

Essentially bundling together needed goods and services with ones that they don't really need.

Why on earth should someone who is majoring in History or Psychology have to take courses on things like Algebra or English?

(If you've passed these courses in High School once before, isn't that enough to prove you can handle being a History teacher or Psychologist down the road?)

By narrowing the focus only upon courses and materials which pertain to your chosen field, school could be a bit cheaper if you ask me.

If you ask me again, it's not just about educating people.
It's about money.

"Hi, welcome to McDonald's. How may I help you?"
"Yes, I'd like a Big Mac, please."
"Okay, one Big Mac meal. What size fries and what to drink?"
"No, you see, I already have fries and a drink. I just need the burger."
"Sorry, we don't do that here. You must buy the whole meal."

One of my good friends always chimes in with his usual refrain that "College is a scam."
More and more these days, I am inclined to agree.

I have a challenge for my friends who have earned degrees.
Go back through all of your courses, tabulate which ones were totally irrelevant to your concentrations, and add up how much money you would have saved if you were to cut those courses out.

Think about it.
Student debt needn't be so outrageous because the school system is kind of corrupt.

Some food for thought.

Keeping in mind, this doc is from 1979.
Much has changed since then.

(Chips these days can administer ECT, track your whereabouts, as well as transmit your thoughts and the things you see to a supercomputer. The technology currently exists to handle hooking EVERYONE up to these things.)

Even just the fact that you could be implanted while awake without ever feeling a thing ought to trouble you.

Certain subsets of people could be persecuted if you were permitted access to their private thoughts.

Job creation is no logical excuse to proliferate nuclear weapons.
It doesn't pass the smell test.

This is much, much bigger than jobs.
Maybe you will agree.

This needs to stop.