THE AMERICAN DREAM: Prosperity, Success, and Happiness

The “American Dream” is a sort of ethos or set of beliefs that drive many U.S. citizens as they work toward creating a life for themselves. This set of ideals – which includes notions of individual rights, freedom, democracy, and equality – is arguably centered around the belief that each individual has the right and freedom to seek prosperity and happiness, regardless of where or into what circumstances they were born. A key element of the American dream is the belief that through hard work and perseverance, anyone can rise “from rags to riches”, becoming financially successful and socially upwardly mobile.  SOURCE:  CorporateFinanceInstitute.com

The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States, the set of ideals (democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity and equality) in which freedom includes the opportunity for prosperity and success, as well as an upward social mobility for the family and children, achieved through hard work in a society with few barriers. In the definition of the American Dream by James Truslow Adams in 1931, "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each according to ability or achievement" regardless of social class or circumstances of birth.

The American Dream is rooted in the Declaration of Independence, which proclaims that "all men are created equal" with the right to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." Also, the U.S. Constitution promotes similar freedom, in the Preamble: to "secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity".  SOURCE:  Wikipedia

The American Dream is predicated upon:

• Liberty and Freedom
• Individual Rights
• Collective Equality

Do you think that this is what you currently have?

PERCENTAGE DISTRIBUTION OF HOUSEHOLD INCOME IN USA IN 2019

9%                 Under $15,000

8%                 $15,000 - $24,999

8.3%              $25,000 -  $34,999

11.7&             $35,000 - $49,999

16.5%            $50,000 - $74,999

12.3%            $75,000 - $99,999

15.5%            $100,000 - $149,999

8.3%              $150,000 - $199,000

10.3%            $200,000 and over

99.99%

NOTE:

• 53.5% of the Households in AMERICAN have income UNDER $75,000
• Average Cost of Living in USA (excluding rent) per family - $48, 540 per year
• Average Rent for a 2 bedroom apartment $1200/month or $14,400 per year
• Total average annual cost per family per year $62,940

The above American Dream is based upon one's finances...   and has little to do with either liberty, freedom, individual rights, or collected equality...  although it is assumed in this example of finances that individual rights and collective equality has been exercised...

BUT...

WHAT DOES 

THE AMERICAN DREAM

MEAN TO YOU...  

PERSONALLY?

The Day Before Thanksgiving and All Is Not Well

We refer to our country as AMERICA and to its citizens as AMERICANS and while that is partially true, it is also wrong because being an AMERICAN refers to both the North, Central and South America continents...  North America is the United States and Canada.  Then we have Central America, and last but not least is South America all of whom are technically considered to be AMERICANS...

Is it not a tad ARROGANT to think of US citizens as the only AMERICANS or is it because we are a tad ignorant and don't know our history as well as we thought we did when graduating from high school?

AND...  now we are at the day before Thanksgiving and we are going to over eat and over indulge in alcohol and in those states where marijuana is legal we are going to over indulge in that as well, without the slightest consideration for the history of the holiday for the most part.

US American citizens care more about what their country can do for them rather than caring about what they can do for their country...  The more we have social programs the less that our citizens do for their country and the more we expect the wealthy to pay for our THANKSGIVING DINNERS....  which is actually a metaphorical statement as to what is happening in the US of A.

AND...  as a senior citizen...  one could say that I don't much care because of what is going to happen to you alone because by then I will be dead...  but, the more we expect our country through the wealthy to do for us, the WEAKER we as a people become.  Not weaker in terms of money or technology or healthcare but weaker MENTALLY and that MENTAL WEAKNESS will start to erode and lessen our LOYALTY to the country that gave us all we have.

ALL IS NOT WELL IN THE US of A not because we do not have the natural resources, the technology, the innovations, the freedoms, and the WEALTH but because we are losing sight of our EDUCATION and KNOWLEDGE and will soon lose our freedoms because of our bliss and military weaknesses.

• CHINA has the largest military in the world today...   the USA is second...
• INDIA has the next largest military and then there is
• NORTH KOREA...
• RUSSIA is in there somewhere but because it is no longer the USSR it is much smaller and then there is the
• MIDDLE EAST and all the rag heads in that area as US American military personnel calls them

AND...  while we think our economy is the largest in the land, we have been fooled again but our insightful leaders and the media they control because in terms of PURCHASING POWER PARITY, the largest economy in the land is now CHINA...

Please pass me another joint to have with my beer or wine or alcohol as the combination is mind blowing...  as I have been told...  and, after we finish our Thanksgiving Meal, lets ride to a fast food and get us a burger...  or, maybe some ice cream...

AND...  if that isn't enough...  check our where the USA ranks globally in terms of education K-12 and it will surprise you that we are number 15th.

AND...  if you really want another surprise and cannot wait for CHRISTMAS do a google search my friends on the FREEST COUNTRIES in the world and you will see that the USA is no longer at the top...  and yet, we are supposedly the ones who have all these freedoms...  well...  guess again...  your liberal government has gradually taken them away from you...  but go ahead and enjoy your thanksgiving...

Check out the CATO INSTITUTE and the PEW RESEARCH CENTER and articles that have been published in the CHICAGO TRIBUNE and USA TODAY and US NEWS and WORLD REPORT if you think my words are deceiving...  and, find out for yourself...  the state our States are in while we over eat, over drink, and get chilled out on marijuana...  the more we give US citizens in the way of social programs, the more the lull them to sleep in beds of ignorance.

Back in the USSR

 

In the decades after it was established, the Russian-dominated Soviet Union grew into one of the world’s most powerful and influential states and eventually encompassed 15 republics:

1. Russia
2.  Ukraine
3.  Georgia
4.  Belorussia
5.  Uzbekistan
6.  Armenia
7.  Azerbaijan
8.  Kazakhstan
9.  Kyrgyzstan
10.  Moldova
11.  Turkmenistan
12.  Tajikistan
13.  Latvia
14.  Lithuania
15.  Estonia

In 1991, the Soviet Union was dissolved following the collapse of its communist government. 

The post-Soviet states, also known as the former Soviet Union,  the former Soviet Republics and in Russia as the near abroad , are the 15 sovereign states that emerged and re-emerged from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics following its breakup in 1991, with Russia being the primary de facto internationally recognized successor state to the Soviet Union after the Cold War while Ukraine, by law, proclaimed that it is a state-successor of both the Ukrainian SSR and the Soviet Union which remained under dispute over formerly Soviet-owned properties. 

The three Baltic states were the first to declare their independence, between March and May 1990, claiming continuity from the original states that existed prior to their annexation by the Soviet Union in 1940.The remaining 12 republics all subsequently seceded. 12 of the 15 states, excluding the Baltic states, initially formed the CIS and most joined CSTO, while the Baltic states focused on European Union and NATO membership.

It's Rock and Roll Baby

What musical groups have sold the most records in the world?

In  rank order, they are:

1. The Beatles — 183 million units
2. Garth Brooks — 156 million units
3. Elvis Presley — 146.5 million units
4. Eagles — 120 million units
5. Led Zeppelin — 111.5 million units
6. Billy Joel — 84.5 million units
7. Michael Jackson — 84 million units
8. Elton John — 79 million units
9. AC/DC — 75 million units
10. Pink Floyd — 75 million units

Of course, this list does not take into consideration the new 

musical wonder group from South Korea:  

                                BTS...  (Korean: 방탄소년단; RR: Bangtan Sonyeondan), also known as the Bangtan Boys, is a seven-member South Korean boy band that began formation in 2010 and debuted in 2013 under Big Hit Entertainment.[3] The septet—composed of RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook—co-writes and co-produces much of their own output. Originally a hip hop group, their musical style has evolved to include a wide range of genres. Their lyrics, often focused on personal and social commentary, touch on the themes of mental health, troubles of school-age youth, loss, the journey towards loving oneself, and individualism. Their work features references to literature and psychological concepts and includes an alternative universe storyline. The group has released several albums and performed on several world tours.

HOWEVER,

Bing Crosby's 1942 WHITE CHRISTMAS has sold the most single copies worldwide in musical history...  odd, since the song is about a Christian Holiday and no doubt there are many non Christians who celebrate Christmas because it is the day that presents are exchanged and lots of food is eaten and lots of alcohol is consumed regardless of the religious underpinnings.

Teaching Oneself Not To Want More

 NOT TO WANT MORE IS UNAMERICAN...

NOT TO BE GREEDY IS UNAMERICAN...

Yes...  it is hard to believe that someone living in the US of A does not feel this way (see above)...  but, let me assure you that I do and have felt this way for a long, long time.

My first job after college, I really did not care about making more than I needed to pay my bills and take a couple of week long vacations and a few extra presents for the Holidays and Birthdays; but, as my daughter increased in her age, I found myself wanting more so that I could give more to her...

That desire for GREED and WANTING MORE stayed with me until I was in my 40's and moved from the Piedmont of North Carolina to the Valley of East Tennessee and began to witness first hand that wanting more was not all that it was cracked up to be...  and so, I gradually started cutting back and becoming debt free.  My first selections were quitting smoking and drinking alcohol.

While it may seem quite obvious to you, it was not yet to me that wanting less allowed me to earn less and not be pressured to moving up the ranks so that I could move up the ladder and increase my income...  although, there were still things that I thought I wanted or needed so money became a necessary evil.

UNTIL...  at the age of 60, I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and shortly thereafter had a serious heart attack due to heart arteries being blocked 100%, 90%, and 90% and reduced my ejection fraction to right around 20...  now...  many of you may not realize how serious it was...  but, let me share what the Cardiologist told me...  if I had not been so damn healthy and my heart created separate little blood vessels to bypass on their own the bad ones, I would not be alive today to tell my story.

FINALLY...  GREED and WANTING MORE was absolutely no longer important...

I did not need 

• a new car every 5 years
• a bigger house
• a vacation home
• trips to Europe or Cruises
• new clothes or shoes
• concerts, sports events, or movies
• a whole lot of food from the grocery
• at the most expensive times

It did not matter what my neighbors did or the things that my friends purchased to make their lives more meaningful nor did it matter what my siblings had or were able to give to their families...  things are nothing more than things...  and, after a few months of use, all these things just sit around and gather dust.

At 73 years of age, I find just how little out of life that I really need to be content and satisfy my happiness.

1. I need my faith
2. I need healthy 5 small meals a day
3. I need my modest debt free home
4. I need only reliable transportation
5. I need enough income or savings to pay my must have bills
6. I need access to the internet
7. I need a laptop computer
8. I don't need but have a cell phone

What Is Life Exactly?

Life is life and nothing more, I suppose...  but, it means different things to different
people depending upon where one lives, one's financial means, and one's personality, motivation, and determination.  

And, while that may not sound abundantly clear at first, let me try to explain.

Growing up in the South is different than growing up anywhere else even if you have the same parents and the same financial status because the South has different cultures than anywhere else...  and those difference are not easily understood until one lives in Southern jurisdictions.

Similarly, growing up pretty much anywhere in the United States is different that growing up in Europe:  Great Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Russia, and countries from the former Soviet Union.  It is also different growing up in South America, Canada, Africa, China, Asia, or Australia.

Each of these countries and/or locations have different:  values, ethics, personalities, and integrities even though we are all human beings.

Since we are all human beings what do we have in common?

• Inside our bodies are the same as well as outside although we have different features
• We are all born and we all die
• We eat, defecate, and procreate
• We have spirits, minds, and thoughts although some are different and not so understandable
• We all have the instinct to survive and experience greed
• We are all susceptible to various diseases
• We all have the ability and capabilities to learn
• We all have skill albeit different

AND YET, life is different for every single one of us...

• some want power and fame
• some want wealth and glory
• Some want to be in the military and go to wars
• some want to be artists and musicians
• some want to be athletes and coaches
• some of us want to write while others want to read
• some want to control
• some want to be controlled
• some of us just want to be left alone
• some of us want what we can never have
• some of us have what we never wanted
• some of us have faith while others have spirituality

AND...  while life is basically vastly different for each of us, we all still one inescapable truth that we share and that is the passing of TIME...

SO...  life represents the passing of TIME and what each of us does with or uses it.

Today is Almost History

 

I have often wondered why there are some AMERICAN who hate animals and treat them with such disdain and cruelty...  It goes beyond my imagination, other than to think that perhaps they do not see animals as worthy of living...  because they are just animals...  or, is it because that animals of all shapes and sizes were hunted by AMERICANS for hundreds of years for food when we were savages...  or, at least simply trying to keep ourselves alive and animals provided the source of food to achieve this objective.

EVEN SO...  we are no longer savages...  although, we still kill an abundance of animals for our source of food which provides our survival:  cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys, and all sorts of fish and fowl...  simply because animals were put on this earth (by whom exactly) for our purposes and our purposes only.

Isn't It Funny?

ISN"T IT FUNNY...  or perhaps a tad ironical that it is typically the middle class and poor people that make other people wealthy.

This is not speculation or conjecture but an absolute fact of our human nature... 

take for example rock and roll and country music stars...  

• Who buys their record?  
• Who buys a ticket for their concerts?  
• Who buys their merchandise?

It is the people who can least afford the expense that buys the most of it, so that they can at least give a little something to themselves.

And...  our professional athletes...

• Who buys the tickets?
• Who buys the merchandise?

It is the people who can least afford it that buys the most of it...

And...   our movie stars...

• Who buys the ticket to the theater?
• Who buys their photographs?

AND...  once they get wealthy, we want to tax their earnings more and more so that we can force them to give some of it back to us through our public and social programs...  believing that for some reason, we actually deserve it.

AND...  BTW...  the same thing holds true for:

• automobiles
• cell phones
• tablets and ipads
• computers and laptops
• clothes and shoes
• appliances
• restaurants

 

IT IS THE CONSUMER 

THAT MAKES 

THESE OTHER PEOPLE 

WEALTHY...

We Simply Die Alone

 

Obviously, I have posted a lot of stuff other than that stuff that is on my mind, so I have somewhat violated the intents and purposes of my blog as stated on the masthead, but one could also mount a reasonable defense that all this stuff was ONCE UPON A TIME in my mind as clutter.

Still, this blog was more-or-less supposed to be an online confessional diary of sorts and sometimes my post reflect that but most of the time they don't, so I will try to do better...  and, I am sure those who actually read this blog will not be bothered by it either.

At 73 years of age, I have managed to alienate my daughter, my sister, my brother, my friends if I actually had any, my wife, and before they both died my parents.  At 68 years of age, my wife claims it is too old an age to get a divorce and if she were widowed, I am sure she might be singing a different tune.  My sister, speaking on behalf of everyone has made the claim that I AM TOXIC and it is a claim that I cannot refute.

I claim to be a victim of my past and am the way I am because of the way my parents, siblings, and everyone treated me and not being a psychiatrist have no way of knowing if this is a valid claim or not, but if it is, then one could also make the case that I am in need of counseling since I cannot step out of the past and live in the future.

But, at 73 is counseling really worth it?

What's going to happen if I don't get counseling?

I will die bitter and alone...  although, the bitter concept was just to add a little spice.  I will die alone and how is that any different from the fact that I am alone already?  And, when people die, they may have people around them, but their death is their own.

We all die alone.

No one dies for us.

When my mother died, she had people all around her bed and in her room...  all her siblings and their spouses and for the last three days of her life, she was completely oblivious as to what was going on around her.  It is doubtful if she really knew if any of us were around before those three days either due to her mental state.

We simply die alone.

A Meditation Paradise

It has long since been believed by many that spending time on the beach of any large body of water and providing the the outside temperatures are warm enough to get into that water that this is the MOST RELAXING time that anyone can have...  and, while I suppose that this is true...  it is not as easy to get there...  at least by many of us who want to go...  because we simply do not have the excess money to spend on a trip like this....

Many of go to public swimming pools in the warm summer months and many of us travel to nearby recreational lakes where there is camping, cooking, fishing, swimming, and hiking...  and, there are still many of us that travel a little farther to public beaches all along the coastlines of our country...  but none of those are really anything like what it might be like to travel to Hawaii...  although, it is possible if you are living on our eastern side to get to the Caribbean fairly easily or even past our Gulf Coast down to Cancun.

But, if you want to travel to destinations in Europe, along the Mediterranean, or to Indonesia, Asia, India, China, Japan, or Australia...  you will either need to save your money for a while...  borrow the money using a credit card to pay off at a later date...  or be one of those fortunate ones THAT ARE WEALTHY...

Marriage of Convenience

Getting married is usually an enormous highlight and milestone for teenagers and young adults as they believe they have so much love for each other and so much for which to live.  Unfortunately, those dreams disappear, sometimes slowly over the years and sometimes quickly using the fingers on one hand to count that passing of time.

• We marry for love
• We marry for security
• We marry for children
• We marry to develop alliances
• We marry to get away from parents
• We marry because of a divorce
• We marry to keep family traditions

AND...  in the courtship that always precedes a marriage, we share our feelings with our potential partners hoping to find that we have much in common or creating a commonality whether or not one was there at all in the beginning.

ALL TOO OFTEN...  marriages fail...  the data shows that 50% of ALL FIRST MARRIAGES FAIL....  and, this has been the pattern in the USA for a couple of decades or more before the year 2000 rolled around.

SOMETIMES...  second marriages start off exactly as first marriages do without all the POMP AND CEREMONY but there is more of a give and take that was not there before...  and sometimes, when there was a lot of giving in the first marriage and none in return, the second marriage lays the foundation for it to be over pretty damn quick.

HOWEVER...  when these second marriages have lasted long than they should and the participants are well into their sixties, it is very difficult to leave the security of the marriage in the hopes of finding another or facing the prospects of living one's life alone...  that marriages of convenience are created whether intentional or not as a way of simply accepting the cards that one has been dealt.

These marriages of convenience have NO LOVE AT ALL between the two parties in question and quite honestly their lives start moving in polar opposite directions.  The couple is polite to each other but no diplomatic in the way they go about it and quite often there is disdain and contempt displayed because there is nothing they can do about their situation.

Outside of the marriage, no one would ever suspect a problem.

For those who really want a partner on which they can depend and share love, these marriages of convenience are living hells...  as portrayed in the following lyrics by THE EAGLES...

LYIN' EYES

City girls just seem to find out early
How to open doors with just a smile
A rich old man
And she won't have to worry
She'll dress up all in lace and go in style

Late at night a big old house gets lonely
I guess every form of refuge has its price
And it breaks her heart to think her love is only
Given to a man with hands as cold as ice

So she tells him she must go out for the evening
To comfort an old friend who's feelin' down
But he knows where she's goin' as she's leavin'
She is headed for the cheatin' side of town

You can't hide your lyin' eyes
And your smile is a thin disguise
I thought by now you'd realize
There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes

On the other side of town a boy is waiting
With fiery eyes and dreams no one could steal
She drives on through the night anticipating
'Cause he makes her feel the way she used to feel

She rushes to his arms, they fall together
She whispers that it's only for awhile
She swears that soon she'll be comin' back forever
She pulls away and leaves him with a smile

You can't hide your lyin' eyes
And your smile is a thin disguise
I thought by now you'd realize
There ain't now way to hide your lyin' eyes

She gets up and pours herself a strong one
And stares out at the stars up in the sky
Another night, it's gonna be a long one
She draws the shade and hangs her head to cry

She wonders how it ever got this crazy
She thinks about a boy she knew in school
Did she get tired or did she just get lazy?
She's so far gone she feels just like a fool

My oh my, you sure know how to arrange things
You set it up so well, so carefully
Ain't it funny how your new life didn't change things?
You're still the same old girl you used to be

You can't hide your lyin' eyes
And your smile is a thin disguise
I thought by now you'd realize
There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes
There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes
Honey, you can't hide your lyin' eyes

Songwriter As Poet

Bob Dylan is one of the most influential singer-songwriters of the 20th century, known for songs that chronicle social and political issues.

Who Is Bob Dylan?
Folk-rock singer-songwriter Bob Dylan signed his first recording contract in 1961, and he emerged as one of the most original and influential voices in American popular music. Dylan has continued to tour and release new studio albums, including Together Through Life (2009), Tempest (2012), Shadows in the Night (2015) and Fallen Angels (2016). The legendary singer-songwriter has received Grammy, Academy and Golden Globe awards, as well as the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Nobel Prize for Literature.

I have always been a fan of Bob Dylan although in the beginning of his rise to fame, when one spoke of Dylan, the listener always thought I was talking about Dylan Thomas (Dylan Marlais Thomas (27 October 1914 – 9 November 1953) was a Welsh poet and writer whose works include the poem "Do not go gentle into that good night"). And, while Bob Dylan was a songwriter/singer of the 1960's he was also, in my opinion a POET...

LIKE A ROLLING STONE

Once upon a time you dressed so fine
Threw the bums a dime in your prime, didn't you?
People call say 'beware doll, you're bound to fall'
You thought they were all kidding you
You used to laugh about
Everybody that was hanging out
Now you don't talk so loud
Now you don't seem so proud
About having to be scrounging your next meal
How does it feel, how does it feel?
To be without a home
Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone
Ahh you've gone to the finest schools, alright Miss Lonely
But you know you only used to get juiced in it
Nobody's ever taught you how to live out on the street
And now you're gonna have to get used to it
You say you never compromise
With the mystery tramp, but now you realize
He's not selling any alibis
As you stare into the vacuum of his eyes
And say do you want to make a deal?
How does it feel, how does it feel?
To be on your own, with no direction home
A complete unknown, like a rolling stone
Ah you never turned around to see the frowns
On the jugglers and the clowns when they all did tricks for you
You never understood that it ain't no good
You shouldn't let other people get your kicks for you
You used to ride on a chrome horse with your diplomat
Who carried on his shoulder a Siamese cat
Ain't it hard when you discovered that
He really wasn't where it's at
After he took from you everything he could steal
How does it feel, how does it feel?
To have on your own, with no direction home
Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone
Ahh princess on a steeple and all the pretty people
They're all drinking, thinking that they've got it made
Exchanging all precious gifts
But you better take your diamond ring, you better pawn it babe
You used to be so amused
At Napoleon in rags and the language that he used
Go to him he calls you, you can't refuse
When you ain't got nothing, you got nothing to lose
You're invisible now, you've got no secrets to conceal
How does it feel, ah how does it feel?
To be on your own, with no direction home
Like a complete unknown, like a rolling stone  

TANGLED UP IN BLUE
Early one mornin' the sun was shinin'
I was layin' in bed
Wondrin' if she'd changed at all
If her hair was still red
Her folks they said our lives together
Sure was gonna be rough
They never did like
Mama's homemade dress
Papa's bank book wasn't big enough
And I was standin' on the side of the road
Rain fallin' on my shoes
Heading out for the east coast
Lord knows I've paid some dues
Gettin' through
Tangled up in blue
She was married when we first met
Soon to be divorced
I helped her out of a jam I guess
But I used a little too much force
We drove that car as far as we could
Abandoned it out west
Split up on a dark sad night
Both agreeing it was best
She turned around to look at me
As I was walkin' away
I heard her say over my shoulder
We'll meet again some day
On the avenue
Tangled up in blue
I had a job in the great north woods
Working as a cook for a spell
But I never did like it all that much
And one day the axe just fell
So I drifted down to New Orleans
Where I was looking for to be employed
Workin' for a while on a fishin' boat
Right outside of Delacroix
But all the while I was alone
The past was close behind
I seen a lot of women
But she never escaped my mind
And I just grew
Tangled up in blue
She was workin' in a topless place
And I stopped in for a beer
I just kept lookin' at the side of her face
In the spotlight so clear
And later on as the crowd thinned out
I's just about to do the same
She was standing there in back of my chair
Said to me, Don't I know your name?
I muttered somethin' under my breath
She studied the lines on my face
I must admit I felt a little uneasy
When she bent down to tie the laces
Of my shoe
Tangled up in blue
She lit a burner on the stove
And offered me a pipe
I thought you'd never say hello, she said
You look like the silent type
Then she opened up a book of poems
And handed it to me
Written by an Italian poet
From the thirteenth century
And everyone of them words rang true
And glowed like burnin' coal
Pourin' off of every page
Like it was written in my soul
From me to you
Tangled up in blue
I lived with them on Montague Street
In a basement down the stairs
There was music in the cafés at night
And revolution in the air
Then he started into dealing with slaves
And something inside of him died
She had to sell everything she owned
And froze up inside
And when finally the bottom fell out
I became withdrawn
The only thing I knew how to do
Was to keep on keepin' on
Like a bird that flew
Tangled up in blue
So now I'm goin' back again
I got to get to her somehow
All the people we used to know
They're an illusion to me now
Some are mathematicians
Some are carpenters' wives
Don't know how it all got started
I don't know what they're doin' with their lives
But me, I'm still on the road
Headin' for another joint
We always did feel the same
We just saw it from a different point of view
Tangled up in blue

One Thing Is Abundantly Clear...

In my mind and my mind alone, it is very clear that we really wanted and...:

• received our independence from Great Britain
• took away land from those we now call Native Americans
• ended slavery even though it took a while to recover
• ended World War I and II, Korea, and Vietnam
• increased our National debt substantially
• allowed wealth disparities to flourish
• received the right to abort undesired pregnancies
• received rights for gays, lesbians, and transgendered

BUT...  not since I can remember or cared let's say for the last 50 years or half a decade have we done anything about:

• the sell and consumption of illegal drugs
• improving our education system K12
• stopped inequalities or racial injustices
• substantially closed the gap between the wealthy and the poor or management and labor
• removing incompetent career politicians from office
• improved living conditions in our inner cities
• permitting both liberal and conservative speech to flourish

AND THIS I KNOW FOR TRUE TRUE...

In this great country of ours, if there is really something that we want to do...  the fact of the matter is that is simply gets done and those things that we don't want to change but say we do just seem to linger and linger around like this CORONA VIRUS for sure...

My faith in America and what she used to be has melted away like the POLAR ICECAPS due to global warming and the fact that business are waiting for governments to force them to do something instead of taking the initiative...

Our lives are worth nothing more than the amount of dollars we can earn...

It's Only Fitting

 GOLDEN RULE:  Do Unto Others That You Would Have Them Do Unto You

I always think of this on Sunday Mornings...  as if it is something to which I try to aspire...  but, more importantly...  I think it is something to which we, as a nation, should aspire to as well...  unfortunately, WE DO NOT NOR WILL WE EVER, I fear...  as it is just not in our nature to treat other like we want to be treated...  we either treat them worse or better but hardly ever the same...  and, when we treat them better, it is usually because of rank, position, wealth, and power OR, because we actually perceive them as BEING BETTER.

YET...  in our Declaration of Independence, we state and affirm that...   We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

HOWEVER...  we don't actually believe that all men (and women) were created equal at all and the sad fact of the matter is that we never will.  We tell ourselves that we really, really want to believe this but we cannot make ourselves change enough to follow through.

UNFORTUNATELY TOO...  not only does our US Constitution and Democratic Republic predicate their foundation and motivation to these words from our Declaration of Independence, but our very survival as a nation can only take place if this statement actually happens...

In other words:  WE MUST PRACTICE WHAT WE PREACH...

While this may seem like it is exactly what we are doing...  WE ARE NOT and NEVER WILL because these are NOT OUR WORDS but the words of our FOUNDING FATHERS...  who thought they were speaking for all of us but because of their WEALTHY STATUS they were not...

EVERYTHING IS THE UNITED STATES IS WHAT THE FEW SAYS THE MANY SHALL HAVE...

And...

this will always be the way of our DEMOCRACY and actually of all government no matter what the governing documents actually say because whether our leaders are elected or appoint themselves they always will decide what is best for us whether we try to influence them or not...

And...

this is because THIS GOLDEN RULE OF OURS is well stated but never FOLLOWED...

SO...

it is only fitting that I share my thoughts with you on this Sunday morning...  the only day of the week when we really try to be THAT WHO WE ARE NOT normally and probably will never be as it is not in our nature to think of others like we think of ourselves...

Who Cares???

When I was a young boy my mind was always thinking of play...

When I was still young and in my teens my mind was always thinking of girls...

When I was still young and in my twenties my mind was always thinking of working to pay the bills...

Those working and bill paying thinking years lasted until I retired and while I had never been one for enjoying my vacations, my life turned into ONE GIANT ONE...  and now my thinking has turned political as I ponder each day what it is that I should do with these limited hours that fly by so quickly but in so doing, I have realized quite profoundly that politics is nothing more BULLSHIT and HORSE MANURE.

Politics is like Healthcare...  the only person that really cares about you is YOU...

AND...  it goes much deeper than just politics and healthcare, because the BOTTOM LINE of each and every life is that no one really cares about anyone or anything other than one's own life...

Think about it...  just a little if you will...

• did your teachers and professors really care about you
• do/does your employers give a damn about you
• how about the IRS or law enforcement
• does your minister/pastor care outside of church
• how about the military and your supervisors
• your children once they are grown
• your governments both local and national
• your neighbors, friends, or coworkers

Some of these people will help you out in a bind...  for sure, that is true...  and, perhaps once or twice the shirt off their backs will give you...  but what if you are persistent and need their help on a regular basis...  what then, my friends...

Will they swap their lives for yours???

It is obvious that many people, individuals and families, make gifts and contributions to their churches and charitable organizations and some even volunteer in soup kitchens in the larger cities, but it that really caring or just a way to PATRONIZE YOUR GUILTY FEELINGS for having it better than other people.

Is making a financial contribution walking a mile in their shoes?

No...  it is not...  and will never be...

Give your dollar

Give your hundreds

Give your thousands

Give your millions

You still have much, much more than your gift will ever be...  and, it seems a rude to you I know because at least you gave something and if that is not enough, then they are all ungrateful TWATS... 

BUT what you don't and never will understand is the simple fact that not matter how much you give, you will NEVER BE THEM and never care about them as much as you care about YOURSELF.

Komic Korner Kartoons

 

Where Do Our Taxes Go?

Information provided by USA TODAY...

Biggest tax spenders

Total spending by the federal government in 2018 was $4.22 trillion. But some programs actually raised money, such as leases for the Outer Continental Shelf, which lowered the total 2018 outlay to $4.11 trillion.

The majority of tax dollars helps to fund defense, Social Security, Medicare, health programs and social safety net programs such as food stamps and disability payments, along with paying off interest on the national debt.

Here’s how it breaks down.

1. Social Security: $987.8 billion or 23.4% of total federal spending
2. National defense: $631.2 billion or 15% of total spending
3. Medicare: $588.7 billion or 14% of total spending
4. Health: $551.2 billion or 13.1% of total spending
5. Social safety net programs: $495.3 billion or 11.8% of total spending
6. Interest on debt: $325 billion or 7.7% of total spending

* * * * * * * * * * 

What really surprised me was that Social Security represented more of our Federal Budget than what we spend on our NATIONAL DEFENSE...

AND...  if you look closely at all the programs that are actually forms of SOCIALISM, you will easily see that 62% of our tax dollars goes in that direction.  Only 15% is spent on our protection and less than 8% is spend on our NATIONAL DEBT which is increasing because of all the social welfare type programs.

NOW...  when I think about it, I am very pleased that our tax dollars are spent this way because I am living off of Social Security and Medicare pays all my healthcare bills along with my supplement...

I personally spend about $600 each month on medical expenses or about $7,200 each year and because of me having two cancers, my medical bills are approximately $500,000 each year which as you can imagine is a very good deal.

AND...  when Biden and Harris finally take over the reigns of government, I feel confident that my Social Security will increase along with my Medicare Benefits putting me into a much better financial situation.

AND...   as long as we keep what the government pays on our NATIONAL DEBT, it will be FUTURE GENERATIONS that will be responsible for paying it off...  which pleases me and it should please you.

Instinct and Desire

Earth in the "Star Trek" universe is an egalitarian, utopian planet that has long ago shrugged off the habit of war. People in Star Trek's vision of the 23rd century use their time and talents to explore the universe, create art and probe the mysteries of science. While some have dismissed this aspect of the show as its most fanciful element, psychologists and political scientists say it might not be so unrealistic.

"I do think humans might someday reach more peaceful coexistence if we don't destroy the planet first, though I doubt it will be utopia," said Dennis Fox, emeritus professor of legal studies and psychology at the University of Illinois at Springfield. "If utopia does come, it won't be because human nature changes, or because some governmental authority or alien race forces it upon us, but because we manage to create new social structures more conducive to satisfying human needs and values."  SOURCE:  SPACE.com

As far as I am concerned, any kind of UTOPIAN SOCIETY in our near future will happen only when we overcome the following:

• Instinct
• Desire

Let me explain...  if we look at the SUM TOTAL OF HISTORY we can easily conclude that our basic instinct is SURVIVAL of the species.  In order to survive we must have conflicts with winners and losers with the understanding that those loser no matter how subordinated they become will one day revolt again...  and, this struggle will continue over and over again until we are NO LONGER worried about our SURVIVAL.

The other issue that prevents a UTOPIAN SOCIETY from coming into existence, is our basic desire of GREED.  Greed has been around for as long as I can remember, for as long as my father could have remembered, for a long as my grandfather could have remembered as well, and for as long as their ancestors could have remembered when they were alive and long before them there was greed in many forms but manly revolving around POSSESSIONS of land, women, animals, and control which basically boils down to WEALTH AND CONTROL both of which underscore the concept of POWER.

If we ever overcome our basic instinctive need to SURVIVE is it highly unlikely that we will ever overcome our desire for GREED.

ONLY the Present Are We Guaranteed

Sometimes in the mornings when I am reflecting while sitting in a reclining chair in the living room or outside on our back porch in a seasonal chair, I think about my past...  and, the more I think about what I have done with my life, the details of that past are not readily available in my mind, only the larger milestones through which I have passed like:

1. high school
2. college
3. military
4. marriages
5. employers
6. doctors
7. travel
8. funerals

My father and mother died in 2001 and 2015 respectively but I do not remember all that much about their funerals except my brother reading a 40 minute dissertation illuminating our father's accomplishments but any specifics of that list have failed to remain inside my brain.

Sometimes, I am not even sure what I did yesterday or the day before although I know I did something because I still have the task list on my calendar.

I remember that I had a Prostate Biopsy but I do not remember driving there nor do I remember driving home sitting next to my wife because I was not allowed to drive for 24 hours.

And...  as I have said before...  the past is gone forever and never will return...  not even the sip of coffee that I took took from my YETI cup...  that sip is now in my past and I will never experience what happened again unless I have a vivid imagination.

The only past that we actually experience in our present is the feeling of the warmth of the sun that took 7 or 8 minutes to get here once it left the sun.

So, what's the point of fretting over the past since it is all said and done...  we have only our immediate future which unfolds in nanoseconds of activities, each of which pass to freely by or at least that is what it seems to me.

How long did I sit and ponder moments ago?

How long did I gaze off into nothingness?

Why can I not remember what just happened to me?

How long does my present last?

THIS and THAT