The Drone

 

Our Impotent Government

FEDERAL LAW

The federal government regulates drugs through the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) (21 U.S.C. § 811), which does not recognize the difference between medical and recreational use of cannabis. These laws are generally applied only against persons who possess, cultivate, or distribute large quantities of cannabis.

Under federal law, cannabis is treated like every other controlled substance, such as cocaine and heroin. The federal government places every controlled substance in a schedule, in principle according to its relative potential for abuse and medicinal value. Under the CSA, cannabis is classified as a Schedule I drug, which means that the federal government views cannabis as highly addictive and having no medical value. Doctors may not "prescribe" cannabis for medical use under federal law, though they can "recommend" its use under the First Amendment.

Federal cannabis laws are very serious, and punishment for people found guilty is frequently very steep. Federal law still considers cannabis a dangerous illegal drug with no acceptable medicinal value. In several federal cases, judges have ruled that medical issues cannot be used as a defense, though defense attorneys should attempt to raise the issue whenever possible during trial. Federal law applies throughout Washington D.C. and the United States, not just on federal property.

The following States have LEGALIZED MARIJUANA

Alaska
Arizona
California
Colorado
District of Columbia (not yet a State)
Illinois
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan
Montano
New Jersey
Nevada
Oregon
South Dakota
Vermont
Washington

The following States have allowed Medical Use of Marijuana

Arkansas

Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Hawaii
Louisiana
Maryland
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
New Hampshire
New Mexico
New York
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Utah
West Virginia

Personal Financial Planning

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE CALCULATED YOUR NET WORTH?

HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW YOUR RETIREMENT AGE?

HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE DETERMINED YOUR RETIREMENT INCOME AND NEEDS?

The average American has answered none of the above questions...

The average American has not thought about retirement...

The average American saves no money.

The average American has some sort of debt.

Retirement Questions:

1. What is your retirement age?
2. How much Social Security will you receive?
3. Do you have a 401K or other savings plan at work?
4. Do you have any investments?
5. Are you in good health and will you stay that way?
6. How many homes will you buy and sell?
7. How many vehicles will you buy and trade in?
8. How many children will you have?
9. Will you pay for their college education?
10. How many companies will you work at?
11. Will you relocate out-of-State?
12. How much Life insurance do you have?
13. How much car insurance?
14. How much home owner's insurance?
15. How much money do you save each year?
16. Is your debt increasing or decreasing?
17. Do you exercise and eat healthy?
18. How much alcohol do you drink?
19. Are you managing your stress?
20. Do you drive the speed limits?

I'm Joe Biden

 

Cooking Reveals

 

Banning Gas Powered Vehicles

Federal bill seeks to ban gas-powered vehicles by 2035
Breana Noble, The Detroit News

West Coast Democrats this week introduced federal legislation that would ban U.S. sales of new vehicles with internal combustion engines by 2035, despite electric vehicles accounting for less than 5% of sales last year.

The proposal is hailed as a measure to reduce pollution and protect U.S. manufacturing. It runs counter to the Trump administration's work in rolling back Obama-era fuel economy standards that the overall industry hasn't met since 2015. Meanwhile, consumers are buying up trucks and SUVs with gas prices sitting closer to $2 than $4.

"If we don't make things in America, we won't have a middle class in America," Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, who introduced the bill with California Rep. Mike Levin, said in a statement. "By moving aggressively and boldly now, we can help save Americans from the dire health and economic impacts of the climate crisis, and make sure American workers are the ones building the next generation of cars for the world."

The proposal comes on the heels of California Gov. Gavin Newsom last month signing an order seeking to ban new gas-powered vehicles by 2035. Likewise, a recent report from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection suggests all new vehicles will need to be electric or hydrogen-powered by 2035 to meet the state's climate goals.

The federal standard proposed by the legislation would require that in five years, 50% of new sales would be zero-emission vehicles — with that figure increasing by five percentage points each year until 2035.

COMMENT:  

Let's suppose that we do actually stop building and selling gas powered vehicles by  2035, we will still need to have oil production and refinement for the next 15 years...  and, that reduction will involve not just involve gasoline for automobiles but for all the byproducts of oil...   it will involve education, marketing, and changing industries related to the gasoline industry...  like airplanes, buses, trains, NASCAR, boats, yachts, cruise ships, etc.

And...  if we are doing this because of GLOBAL WARMING...  our contribution won't mean a damn thing unless the rest of the world follows our example....  and, even if they agree to follow our example, will they we able to END EVERYTHING related to gasoline by 1935?

Half Way There

 

Petroleum Byproducts

Democrats want to do away with OIL and by default, these products below would go away as well...

FROM BRITANNICA

This is a list of products produced from petroleum. Types of unrefined petroleum include asphalt, bitumen, crude oil, and natural gas. (See also fossil fuel; hydrocarbon; oil; petrochemical; petroleum production; petroleum refining; pitch lake; tar sand.)

Fuels

1. butane
2. diesel fuel
3. fuel oil
4. gasoline
5. kerosene
6. liquefied natural gas
7. liquefied petroleum gas
8. propane

Other Products

1. microcrystalline wax
2. napalm
3. naphtha
4. naphthalene
5. paraffin wax
6. petroleum jelly
7. petroleum wax
8. refined asphalt
9. refined bitumen

This article was most recently revised and updated by Richard Pallardy, Research Editor.

Although crude oil is a source of raw material (feedstock) for making plastics, it is not the major source of feedstock for plastics production in the United States. Plastics are produced from natural gas, feedstocks derived from natural gas processing, and feedstocks derived from crude oil refining.

College Degree = Success = Happiness

Many well educated and well experienced people belief beyond a shadow of a doubt that having a college degree in the KEY to having a successful career and happy life.  In fact, some believe that not just a BA/BS degree is required to achieve success and happiness but that one should seek out a Masters Degree as well.  HOWEVER, I would submit to you that MONEY and GREED are at the foundation of success and happiness not necessarily one's education.

In addition to one's education, one must be willing (more often than not) to violate their values, integrity, honor, and sometimes morals in order to achieve success and happiness...  Yet, it is true that education opens the door...  but, there is much more to it than that.

Successful people (not necessarily happy ones) put their FAMILIES SECOND behind their EMPLOYMENT and the company that employees them.  Successful people (not necessarily happy ones) are willing to work 60-80 hours a week, including nights and weekends...   and, in many cases are sent out-of-town on business trips at the drop of a hat.

Their family life is non-existent...  Their vacations are oftentimes spent conducting business as well...  and, many people enjoy combining business with pleasure but not all families with children are able to cope with this lifestyle.

My father's job for instance, took him away from the family for 9 months out of 12 and he allowed this to happen for about 10 years until he could find himself in a position where options were being presented to him.  Those options were being presented ONLY BECAUSE HE WAS SUCCESSFUL at accomplishing a variety of goals at which many others before him had failed.

SO...

there is a new criteria to add to education and experience and that is SUCCESSFULLY ACCOMPLISHING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES...  If you don't there is no promotion and one could face termination of employment.

LIVING UNDER THESE CONDITIONS is not a good methodology by which one manages STRESS.

Additionally, many people are awarded PhD's and decide to teach for a living and even with that amount of education, teachers never become WEALTHY...  They are financially well off, but never WEALTHY...   and, if success and happiness is based upon WEALTH, then these people are never considered to be successful or happy.

I believe after working in a career for 45 years, I can say that the happiest I have ever been is when I had eliminated my stress...  and, once stress was eliminated, I also felt like I was finally successful in life.  Success and Happiness was NOT BASED UPON EDUCATION OR MONEY, but on living a life of contentment and wanting for nothing.

WANTING FOR NOTHING goes against the concept of GREED.  Our entire economic system is predicated upon GREED.  If and when Americans stop wanting more, life as we know it will become meaningless...  and yet, that is exactly what one needs to achieve in order to be successful and happy.  Many wealthy people do not considered themselves successful because there is more money to be earned...  and, while these wealthy people have all sorts of toys, the fact that they want/needs more is an indication that they are NOT HAPPY.

What's Happening To This Country of OURS???

 Chicago carjackings more than double in January, up 180% over last year; police say most offenders are teens

'We’re having 12-year-olds commit these acts now,' a police official said

Stephanie Pagones | Fox News  reporting

Chicago saw more than 180% more carjackings in January than during the same month in 2020 -- and police believe most of the offenses are being committed by young adults and teenagers, some of whom are currently out of school due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Carjackings rose about 135% last year to 1,415 and continue at a high pace this year, police statistics show. Chicago Police Department (CPD) recorded 218 carjackings in January 2021 -- a staggering spike from the 77 reported during the same time last year, authorities told Fox News late Monday.

The startling pattern has grown to be cause for concern among police brass, who on Jan. 21 announced the creation of a team dedicated to finding those people responsible.

Officials said CPD arrest data show carjackers are most often between the ages of 15 and 20, but arrest records show they are sometimes even younger.

"We’re having 12-year-olds commit these acts now," Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan said, "and we gotta do something together as a city to stop these actions."

CPD's new carjacking team consists of 40 police officers and four sergeants assigned to work across CPD’s five detective bureaus, the department said. But the program extends beyond just manpower to include public programs and collaboration with community groups and local, state and federal partners.

"This idea of our officers confronting a 13- and 12-year-old with a gun and the most unthinkable tragedy happens is one of our concerns, but our primary concern, I want to make this clear, is for the victim," Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown said. "And so these consequences, whether you’re young or old, have to be significant in order to discourage this behavior."

Deenihan said pandemic-driven changes, such as civil unrest and the lack of fully-functioning school and court systems have contributed to the surge. He noted the lack of fear on the part of the carjackers, pointing to one involving a 12-year-old that occurred on Jan. 15, when a woman was parking her car in a garage.  TO READ ENTIRE ARTICLE, CLICK HERE...

On Being White, continued

Haper's Bazaar writer Ella Alexander writes:

McIntosh (left) is 85 and is founder of The Seed Project, which helps teachers and community members to create a “gender-fair, multiculturally equitable, socioeconomically aware, and globally informed" curricula.

"In order to understand the way privilege works, you have to be able to see patterns and systems in social life, but you also have to care about individual experiences," said McIntosh in a 2014 interview with The New Yorker. "I think one’s own individual experience is sacred. Testifying to it is very important—but so is seeing that it is set within a framework outside of one’s personal experience that is much bigger, and has repetitive statistical patterns in it."

Here, we share 20 of McIntosh's examples of white privilege based on daily experiences that we often take for granted, in the hope it offers a better understanding of this complex subject. Let us learn from this moment and to be less oblivious to unearned racial advantages.

1. I can if I wish arrange to be in the company of people of my race most of the time.
2. If I should need to move, I can be pretty sure of renting or purchasing housing in an area which I can afford and in which I would want to live.
3. I can be pretty sure that my neighbors in such a location will be neutral or pleasant to me.
4. I can go shopping alone most of the time, pretty well assured that I will not be followed or harassed.
5. I can turn on the television or open to the front page of the paper and see people of my race widely represented.
6. When I am told about our national heritage or about “civilization,” I am shown that people of my color made it what it is.
7. I can be sure that my children will be given curricular materials that testify to the existence of their race.
8. If I want to, I can be pretty sure of finding a publisher for this piece on white privilege.
9. I can go into a music shop and count on finding the music of my race represented, into a supermarket and find the staple foods that fit with my cultural traditions, into a hairdresser’s shop and find someone who can cut my hair.
10. Whether I use checks, credit cards or cash, I can count on my skin color not to work against the appearance of financial reliability.
11. I can arrange to protect my children most of the time from people who might not like them.
12. I can swear, or dress in second-hand clothes, or not answer letters, without having people attribute these choices to the bad morals, the poverty, or the illiteracy of my race.
13. I can speak in public to a powerful male group without putting my race on trial.
14. I can do well in a challenging situation without being called a credit to my race.
15. I am never asked to speak for all the people of my racial group.
16. I can remain oblivious of the language and customs of persons of colour who constitute the world’s majority without feeling in my culture any penalty for such oblivion.
17. I can criticize our government and talk about how much I fear its policies and behavior without being seen as a cultural outsider.
18. I can be pretty sure that if I ask to talk to “the person in charge,” I will be facing a person of my race.
19. If a traffic cop pulls me over or if the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven’t been singled out because of my race.
20. I can easily buy posters, postcards, picture books, greeting cards, dolls, toys, and children’s magazines featuring people of my race.

Liberals versus Conservatives

We basically have only two political parties in the USA...   the Democrats (liberal) and the Republicans (Conservative). and while some elected officials do not affiliate themselves with either political party, they typically vote with the liberals.  The liberals also represent more of the people than do the conservative because of all the FREE SERVICES that the liberals provide at the expense of the TAX PAYER even though the WEALTHY sometimes pay more taxes, unless they have found a way to shelter their money in off shore bank accounts.

ON THE SURFACE, there is absolutely nothing wrong with giving people FREE SERVICES but as with everything there are OPPORTUNITY COSTS as well as UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES, the latter only showing up 5-10 years later so association is not that immediate or influencing or even cared about.

The biggest problem with FREE SERVICES is the DEBT that is created and like all debt it will eventually have to be paid off.  Future Generations will pay off our debt and if you care about the future, those unintended consequences will serious impact our children's children as well as their children...  but, we will be DEAD and will not experience these consequences.

The other issue facing the liberals is the fact that they believe in a SMALL MILITARY and in so doing can redirect money from DEFENSE into other SOCIAL PROGRAMS and while this might has been a good thing to do 20-30 years ago, it is not the best use of resources today...   especially with the growth of CHINA, INDIA, the Middle East, RUSSIA, and North Korea who sole purpose in life is now to CRUSH the USA both MILITARILY and ECONOMICALLY.

Ever since WWII, the USA has been trying to FORCE DEMOCRACY down the throats of the rest of the world because pour AMERICAN POLITICAL LEADERS since 1950 have believed that DEMOCRACY is the only form of government under which one should live...   consequently, the USA is RIGHT and the rest of the world is WRONG.

Ironically, THAT PISSED OFF THE REST OF THE WORLD...  and, these countries have decided collectively that they should put the USA in its place...  which is why the rest of the world HATES the USA even though they are will to take OUR MONEY, OUR AID, and OUR MILITARY SUPPORT if needed.

The Conservatives are willing to protect the USA with FORCE whereas the Liberals want to make PEACE with the rest of the world, allowing them to grow and build their defenses believing that they SOMEDAY they will attack the USA...  and quite possible WIN.

If we ever reach a point in the USA where only one political party controls, we will certainly LOSE OUR FUTURE.

On Being White, continued

Oct 29, 2020

The U.S. election will be over soon but this year has surfaced deep human challenges that remain our callings — and possibilities for growth — for the foreseeable future. So this week and next, we’re taking the long view — first with journalist John Biewen, on the stories of our families and hometowns, what it means to be human, and what it means to be white. This conversation between Krista and John starts simply — tracing the racial story of our time through the story of a single life. It’s an exercise each of us can do. And it is a step toward a more whole and humane world, starting with ourselves.

John Biewen is audio program director at Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies and host of the audio documentary podcast, Scene on Radio. In that series, John has explored whiteness, masculinity, and democracy. During a 30-year career, he has told stories from 40 American states and from Europe, Japan, and India.

Find the transcript for this show at onbeing.org.

On Being White

IN 0.63 SECONDS, I RECEIVED 4,480,000,000 RESULTS ON GOOGLE AFTER TYPING IN "On Being White."

Most of the results through which I quickly browsed were all directed against the WHITE MAN because ALL WHITE PEOPLE were born into a white world of PRIVILEGE...  or, so it is assumed.

I had WHITE PARENTS who were educated and who raised me to treat all people equally as long as their behavior suggested it...  and, that is exactly how I lived my life.

My father accepted a DIPLOMATIC post overseas at an American Embassy and to tell you the truth, I have no idea if his bosses even considered a black man for the job...  but, if there were no black men available, then it would have been difficult to hire a black man for the job.

Going to high school in Cairo, Egypt, I experienced NO RACISM or PREDJUDICE at all among the students with whom I attended this school...  and yes, there were many people of color attending that school.

When I attended college in NC in 1966, that was the first time that I experienced racism and witnessed white people treating black people differently...  including professors.  However, once I enlisted into the US Navy, there was no racism expressed at all and I remember that my Communications Officer was a black man and I showed him the same respect that I showed all officers in the military.

After college, I had several jobs and I have no idea nor did I ask the person doing the hiring if I was competing with any black people.  However, when I was Dean of a proprietary school, I hired both black and white instructors as long as they had the appropriate credentials and/or qualifications...  and, in my experience, I was never put in a position where there was a white and a black equally qualified and I had to chose one over the other.

Whenever I was promoted inside the ranks of education from instructor to Assistant Dean and then to Dean, there WAS NEVER ANY COMPETITION for the position from either other whites or any blacks that were employed.

NOW...

I am being confronted with WHITE PRIVILEGE and how the WHITE MAN/WOMAN has always had the advantage over BLACKS...

I just don't see it...  making it difficult for me to believe it exists...  and yet, logically, I know it exists...  but, NOT ALL WHITE PEOPLE have had a life of privilege...  and, it is that distinction that pisses me off the most about blacks thinking I have had it easy simply because I am WHITE.

I had NO CHOICE in my BIRTH...

and I damn sure had no choice in my birth parents...

NO ONE DOES...  unless they have a direct line to GOD...  and believe that they can influence HIM.

Komic Korner Kartoons

 

Nominated for Nobel Peace Prize

 BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT HAS BEEN NOMINATED FOR A NOBEL PEACE PRIZE...

As a US Veteran, I am appalled by this action, even though this nominated came outside of the USA...  it was still made...  and, I am sure that it was made in good faith...  but, without living in the USA where the BLM movement originated, then one does not fully understand or appreciate the actually violence that BLM has generated while offering the world awareness about racism.  BUT...  BLM is causing more racism that it eliminates, simply because it is trying to bring racism to the forefront of American Life.

The fact remains that OUR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CANNOT FORCE Americans to stop HATING each other...  it can force employers to hire so many blacks and it can force public schools to accept so many blacks...  and, it can force teachers to teach WHITENESS classes in the hopes that white will stop acting like they have privilege in this country...

BUT...  that is where we are headed...   If I HATE BLACKS...  how to change my attitude and/or my behavior?

An Ancient Idea

 

Our New College Student

For my entire career which lasted 45+ years, my jobs, positions, assignments revolved around education...  either I was educating the States and its counties on the "ARTS", or I was educating employees of business and industry on how to improve processes to generate more output, or I was teaching classes to businesses and industries on a variety of issues to support their Human Resources Department, or I was hiring teachers to teach or I was teaching students in College Classes who were pursuing degrees or I was designing training programs for business and industry and education in the areas of Management, specifically Project Management.  Oftentimes, I worked with a technical design team out of New Delhi, India who provided all sorts of backroom support for companies here in America.

Over my 45 year career, I have watched how EDUCATION has been diluted to accommodate those students who did not have natural mental abilities and talents and who, would never have been accepted into any reputable University or College unless they were dependents of alumni or of a generous benefactor.  

One nasty concept that Universities and Colleges learned in the last 20-30 years was the concept that REVENUES were more important students retaining knowledge...   AND... as long as 80% of their graduates knowledgeable and able to contribute to a company...   the other 20% no longer mattered.  In other words, they could admit 20% of their student body with applicants from people who did not possess the skills or have the academic foundation to go to college.

University Administrators than put pressure on the faculty members to give these students "C's" so that they could graduate even when they did not earn the "C".

This concept first started with the PROPRIETARY SCHOOLS then gradually made its way into to the smaller 4 year schools, not just in the Southern States but all over the USA.  States that had COMMUNITY COLLEGES were authorized to admit EVERYONE as long as they could pay the tuition...  and, in some States like TENNESSEE, COMMUNITY COLLEGES are FREE OF CHARGE...

Now you have students wanting to attend a 4 year College or University as a JUNIOR...  and, it does not matter what kind of grades are made at the COMMUNITY COLLEGE as long as they are "C's" because ALL GRADES only transfer in as "C's" anyway.

If the student is a Business Major, English Grammar is no longer taught or even considered when grading papers...  neither is science, biology, chemistry, history, political science, philosophy, psychology, etc.   

And, if a student has gotten to the level of a JUNIOR, the odds are ALL FACULTY will make sure that this student graduates.

Thank God It's Friday

 T. G. I. F.

Just another Friday...

Just another weekend...

Just another day...

But... for some of us, it is a day to be remembered because this is the day that changed our lives....  that is to say, we woke up and saw the light...  the light of awareness, understanding, and yes...  enlightenment.  

Government does not control us.

We control us.

Government sets up rules and laws by which we live our lives, but Government cannot tell us when to work or how hard to work or what company to which we make an application.  Government cannot tell us who to marry, when to marry, or how many children to have.  Government cannot tell us what house to buy, which State to live in, or which community to reside.  Government cannot tell us what to believe or what not to believe.  

GOVERNMENT INFLUENCES...   but, it does not control...

SO...

while it may just be another FRIDAY...   and, another day before the weekend, and for that matter just another day...   it is a day where we as an individual understand OUR WORTH and our PURPOSE to live life as we want to live life...

Most governments LIE because they believe that the people cannot handle to truth of all that is going on in the world.  LIES are LIES not matter who tells them or for what purpose...  And...  as parents, we have lied to our children for the same REASON government has lied to us...   and, the same reason that our parents lied to us when we were young...  and, we know how that lie feels when discovered.

Today, is the day that we take control of our lives...  and, not count on the government TO TELL US WHAT TO DO AND WHEN TO DO IT.

Why Is There Existence?

You will always have one of two beliefs:

You believe in the Big Bang

OR

You believe in creation

BUT...

there is a more fundamental belief that we all actually IGNORE which is not understandable at all and that is...

WHY DOES ANYTHING EXIST AT ALL?

• Why do we have the existence of a universe?
• Why do you we have planets, sun, moon, and stars?
• Why do we have solar systems?
• Why do we have galaxies?
• Why do we existence of mankind?

What was there before the big bang/creation?

And, why did it not stay around?

Obviously, these questions will never be answered but some, like myself, will still find it curious that we have existence at all when there is a possibility that everything could still be non-existent.  And, what would be the point of anything, if it all were non-existent?

I remember sitting in Church when I was in high school thinking: why did God create a universe so VAST when HE decided to put mankind on earth?  It seems like overkill...  Mankind did not need the vastness of the universe and even if mankind developed space travel, it would still not be able to completely explore the vastness of space...  so what was the point...  other than the simple fact that GOD COULD...

Of course, I never shared my thoughts with anyone because I knew that I was not even supposed to have thoughts like these in the first place.  Back in the 60's one did not question one's parents or one's elders...  but we could disobey them...  and, that is precisely what I did.

Pondering existence versus non existence in high school was not easy since all my peers were interested in making grades, drinking alcohol, and having sex with the ladies.  None of our classes explored any type of philosophical debate unless it concerned what a writer might have written in a novel...   and even then, philosophical debate was limited to the superficial.

The vastness of our UNIVERSE is EGOTISTICAL in nature as well as ARROGANT and until we learn otherwise, actually serves no logical purpose...  especially since mankind is located on earth, in a solar system that is located in the Milky Way Galaxy.  No other solar systems are needed for mankind...  no other galaxies are needed for mankind....   and yet...