Transgendered Soldier Dead

South Korea's first transgender soldier, who was discharged from the military for undergoing gender reassignment surgery, has been found dead at her home.

The cause of death of Byun Hee-soo, a transgender rights campaigner, is not yet known.

She launched a landmark legal challenge against the military in January last year over her dismissal.

Her petition for reinstatement was rejected in July.

South Korea remains conservative on matters of sexual identity.

The 23-year-old had been receiving counselling from a mental health centre in her home province of Gyeonggi, north of Seoul. Her counsellor became concerned after not hearing from her since 28 February and called emergency services.

Ms Byun's case triggered debate about the treatment of transgender troops and soldiers from the LGBTQ community in the country.

She previously told reporters that apart from her gender identity, she wanted to show everyone that she could also be one of the great soldiers who protect the country.

All able-bodied South Korean men are required to carry out military service for nearly two years.

In December, the National Human Rights Commission of Korea said the decision not to allow her to continue to serve in the military had no legal grounds.  SOURCE:  BBC

New Covid Relief Bill -- $1.9 Trillion

PERSONALLY...  I like the fact that OUR CONGRESS is going to pass this huge bill because it is going to benefit me and my wife who don't really need the money because we are retired, but more importantly, it is going to be paid for by the WEALTHY...  who typically DO NOT WANT TO SHARE their money with anyone else unless it is a charity for a tax deduction...

I also like the fact that in order to pay for this Relief Bill, the US Government will go deeper in debt but that this debt will not be paid for by us but by our grandchildren and their children...

If this seems selfish...  then you are missing the HEART and SOUL of my SARCASM...

On May 1, 2021, the first 100 days of the Biden Administration will be over and it is my belief that the mainstream media as well as the general public will finally see and understand that LIBERAL POLITICS is not good for our country, its economy, its military, its education, and its culture.

CENSORSHIP undermines our FREEDOMS OF SPEECH and sends our country dangerous close to becoming a one party communist country who controls its citizens by controlling their livelihoods and wellbeing.   Once freedom is lost, it is difficult to get it back...

BUT AGAIN...  we always get what we deserve...

Hump Day Humor

 

Keep The Faith

"Keep the faith," was a phrase that we used in the 1960's so that our fellow classmates would continue to believe and continue to display behavior that reflected our attitudes, thoughts, and behavior...  we were liberals and had liberal values, but mainly we did not want nor did we believe that THE MAN should tell us what to do and how to live our lives.  THE MAN, at that point-in-time, was our FEDERAL GOVERNMENT...  We want a smaller government not a stronger government.  

AND...  most importantly was our DESIRE TO BE HEARD...  and in order to be heard, we MUST have our FREEDOM OF SPEECH rights....  and yet, mainstream media wants to suppress our freedom of speech...  unless that freedom of speech agrees with them...  Suppressing one's freedom of speech is what happens in THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES, Dictatorships, Communist countries, and countries that are afraid that the opposition will remove them from office.

Keep the faith also has religious undertones...  that is to say, no matter how difficult times get, no matter how much our lives are turned upside down, we can, always maintain our faith in GOD and understand that it is GOD  who will ultimately take care of us, even though we may not always understand why HE does what HE does...  "...God's will be done on earth as it is in Heaven..."

In addition to one's religious beliefs and keeping the faith there, there are one's political beliefs and keeping the faith there as well...  for people who are similar to this author's beliefs, one cannot make the claim that one is LIBERAL or CONSERVATIVE because one shares beliefs that are both liberal as well as conservative.  For example, I believe in the 2nd Amendment but I also believe that a female has the right to choose what she wants to do to her own body and that this right should not be control by the government.

Our government is be as small as possible in order to fulfil its roles and should stay out of our lives...  Our government should open doors for us, like a LEADER does, and not tell us how to live our lives or tell us what we can or cannot do.

I want to hear both side of the argument...  the liberal side as well as the conservative side, and then I want to be given some time to decide what it is that I want to believe without one side trying to push their agenda and convince me to see things their way...  It is not that simple...

Another example:  I believe that our Government should do as much as it can for its citizens as long as it does not have to borrow money to provide those services...  I also think that we should maintain a strong military presence while STAYING OUT OF THE WARS of other countries even when they request our help.  These countries should have the government that they deserve and not the government that the USA wants them to have.

KEEP THE FAITH...

What We Deserve

Joseph de Maistre, a French Diplomat and Philosopher (1790), said, "every country has the government it deserves..."

Thomas Jefferson, years later (1800) said, "the government you elect is the government you deserve..."

H. L.  Mencken, American Journalist (1940) said, "people deserve the government they get..."

So...  what does this quote mean?

It means that every group of people, a nation of people let's say, is ultimately responsible for what happens to the nation IN TOTAL but not necessarily individually...

For example, when the PEOPLE elected Donald Trump, whatever he did the people deserved because they elected him to the office of the Presidency...  the same hold true now for Joe Biden...  whatever he does we deserve because we put him in power as well...

The problem with this logic is that if the vote is 51% to 49%, then WE THE PEOPLE did not really put anyone in power  because...   WE THE MAJORITY did...  therefore, almost 50% of the the people DO NOT DESERVE THE GOVERNMENT THEY GET...

DEMOCRACY is based upon a MAJORITY and may or may not reflect the WILL of all the people.

A Rainy Monday Morning

 

Woke up this morning and the rain was pouring down in East TN...  sometimes, one might get tired of rain, but the alternative of snow or freezing rain, makes just rain a lot easier to accept, especially when the temperatures are in the 50's.

Another morning begins with FOX NEWS...  the only news media outlet that presents ALL THE NEWS not just the news that they want to public to hear...

• Cuomo is in trouble
• Immigrants at the Border
• Covid Relief that's not Covid Relief
• An end of jobs
• Higher Gasoline Prices
• Iran wants sanctions removed before negotiations
• Russians blamed for our problems
• China gets a free pass
• Children not in schools
• Teachers Unions wants COVID shots first
• Some States still locked down
• Restaurants still not open in some cities
• Criminal Felony charges removed on heroin and cocaine 

Elections has consequences...  and, it is true that the Democrats won the election...  but, will this Democratic Party with its progressive agendas be good or bad for the general public.  Only time will tell...  and, once we discover that these progressive agendas are not working will we do anything?

WAKE UP AMERICA...

Trying to Stay Healthy

Balance of Nature - fruits & vegetables in pills  --  $100/month

Prevagen - helping one's memory in pills --  $30/m0nth

                                                                                       $130/month or $1560/year or $15,600/decade

Here's the deal...

I never used Balance of Nature but during my lifetime, I WAS NEVER SICK WITH A COLD OR THE FLU and this was the case because I exercised, slept, ate what I wanted and still never got sick.   So, in my mind, this is a scam on the America getting them to spend their money on something they don't really need.

Another example of the this is Prevagen and how it helps one's memory...  In all my education and experience, I have discovered that one can TRAIN ONESELF to learn and memorize FOR FREE...  all it takes is practice and all practice takes is time.  I learned to speed read on my own and without taking a pill to help me improve that skill.

DON"T BE FOOLED AMERICA...

If you want or think you want more fruits and veges, then use the money ($1200 annually) and invest in a JUICER...  You can juice these fruits and veges and get the same benefits if you think you need them at a much less cost to you and spend that money on something else that you think you need or want.

Managing Stress

 Stress Relivers

Meditation brings short-term stress relief as well as lasting stress management benefits. There are many different forms of meditation to try–each one is unique and brings its own appeal.

Progressive muscle relaxation involves relaxing all the muscles in your body, group by group.  To practice, you can start with a few deep breaths.

Just focusing on your breath or changing the way you breathe can make a big difference to your overall stress level. Breathing techniques can calm your body and your brain in just a few minutes.

Exercise is a fantastic stress reliever that can work in minutes. Taking a walk allows you to enjoy a change of scenery, which can get you into a different frame of mind, and brings the benefits of exercise as well.

Physical touch can do a lot to relieve your stress. Hugging a loved one can be especially beneficial.

Aromatherapy has real benefits for stress relief—it can help you to feel energized, more relaxed, or more present in the moment.

Getting in touch with your creative side may have been easy for you during childhood, but if you’ve lost touch with your penchant for artwork, it’s not too late to pick it up again.

A poor diet can bring greater reactivity toward stress.  Emotional eating and reaching for high-fat, high-sugar foods can provide a temporary sense of relief that adds to your long-term stress.

Leisure activities can be a wonderful way to relieve stress - many people feel as though their lives are too busy for hobbies, games, or extra fun.

The way you talk to yourself matters. Harsh self-criticism, self-doubt, and catastrophic predictions aren't helpful.

Yoga combines physical movement, meditation, light exercise, and controlled breathing—all of which provide excellent stress relief

Gratitude helps you recognize all the things you have to be thankful for. Whether you're grateful for a sunny day or thankful you arrived at work safely, think about all the good things you have in life.

Physical activity is key to managing stress and improving mental health - there are many different kinds of activities that can reduce your stress.

If you're trying to squeeze 20 hours worth of work into 16 hours, you're going to feel stressed. Reducing your workload could be key to helping you get through the day feeling better.

Having supportive people in your life is the key to stress management. If you lack emotional support and friendship, it's important to get it.

Sometimes, the best way to reduce your stress is to cut something out of your life. Get rid of the things that are adding to your stress so you can experience more peace.

Komic Korner Kartoons

 

What's New?

SOMEONE, who gets a kick out of hacking accounts or perhaps SOMEONE who is pissed off at me for some reason, has hacked my account on my Samsung Tablet and not only setup a new access password but also has set up a password so that the tablet cannot be shut down and therefor has prevented me from setting up factory defaults that would by definition eliminate all passwords.

How clever is that???

And, while my initial reaction was to get pissed...  I have easily decided that I will just shit can this old tablet especially since it is about 5 years old anyway, and use my NEWLY APPROVED BY THE HOUSE COVID Stimulus Package of $1,400 per person to buy another one....  which is good actually because it is my taxes that have already been paid in to the IRS which will be used...

IRONICALLY, I am retired and DON'T NEED any kind of stimulus money but our Democratic Congress says that I do need this money...  so...  I will not argue with them.

BUT... I am really concerned that ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHILDREN are receiving face-to-face education when our own AMERICAN CHILDREN are being forced to stay at home and learn remotely in many States...

ALSO...   I am concerned that the Biden administration is TOO FOCUSED on Russia when it should be FOCUSED ON CHINA...  In my research, CHINA has a larger military as well as a larger Navy than the USA...  and, in the next few years will have a larger economy than the USA.  The fact that CHINA allowed the COVID virus to leave their borders does not bother me near as much as their economy and their military.

FINALLY...  I am extremely pleased that females are still allowed to have abortions, especially since most of the abortions performed are being performed on the financially lower class whose offspring if delivered would have entertained a life of crime 12-15 years down the road.

That is not to say that wealthy children do not get involved with crime BECAUSE THEY DO...  it is just that wealthy parents are able to use their financial influence to minimize the penalty or eliminate the penalty completely...  and, poor people cannot do this...  so they end up going to jail...

Increasing the minimum wage will not help that much either because as the wage increases so do prices and those people receiving a higher wage are really no better off than before....

I've Got My Eye On You

 

Freakonomics

Freakonomics applies the tools of economics to explain real-world phenomena that are not conventionally thought of as “economic.” Authored by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, Freakonomics argues that data analysis and incentives can explain a lot about human behavior, and that a great deal of what experts and conventional wisdom tell us is wrong. As they explore these themes, the authors give us some powerful—and highly counterintuitive—insights into why the world is the way it is.

The thesis of the book is not explicitly outlined, but it's there: things are not always as they seem, and conventional wisdom is often full of misinterpretations, which leads to the spread of false "common knowledge," because one often does not look into the motivations or incentives behind a situation to find the truth...

Most Americans are not aware of how incentives influence their behavior and other Americans who are aware, don't really care because caring has no bearing on how they live their lives and/or will continue to live their lives.

But,  when I read this book years ago...  I was influenced by the knowledge I had just acquired however, I did nothing about that new knowledge other than hold it inside my head...  sometimes, I shared it with others and they either did not want to believe the knowledge or did not want to believe me, thinking that I was just bullshitting them because of my previous behaviors...

Apathy or being apathetic is a terrible disease to have...

Blue State Bailout

It is no secret that States that have DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS are in financial difficulties because of their liberal fiscal policies...  in other words, these States spend more money than they receive in tax revenues from individuals, corporations, and businesses.  To any first year business student those types of policies are nothing less than IRRESPONSIBLE and STUPID...  and yet, these Democratic Managed States perceive themselves to be on the right side of humanity...  because, the Federal Government will bail them out.

HOWEVER, it is the Republicans who believe that this BAILOUT of STATES should not happen...  and, while that is a partisan view, it is also a view that is irresponsible in that what will these States do if they are not BAILED OUT by Mommy and Daddy...

Mommy and Daddy (our Federal Government) has no choice but to do this...  because if it were not done, there would be economic chaos throughout the entire United States for several years into the future...

BUT...  since we know that Mommy and Daddy must do this, we also believe that Mommy and Daddy should put controls on these Democratic Governors so that this does not happen again.  And...  while this said, I am reminded of parents who have a son or daughter that is a drug addict and no matter how often the child is sent to counseling or rehabilitation, the child always returns to being a drug addict.

I am also reminded of another example in the business community where a company has several cross-functional teams operating on a variety of critical projects for the company's long range plans and short term goals and each team consists of 8-10 members, but because they are cross-functional and each team member has other responsibilities in their respective departments, some of the team members do not do the work that the team is expecting them to do for the team.  Consequently, the other members of the team have to BAIL OUT these workers by doing their work for them otherwise the team will be ineffective and will not accomplish their goals and objectives.

This is exactly what is happening in the USA with these Democratic Governors.

Covid Relief

 

What I Learned From My Parents

First and foremost, my parents taught me to save money...  and, not just whenever possible but to put savings in the budget as a line item so to speak.

Second...  my parents taught me to eat everything on my plate, only order in restaurants that food which you are going to eat...  and, make sure leftovers are eaten before new food is prepared.

Third...  to put my faith in God and to live my life with my Christian Faith in my mind at all times.

Fourth...  never ask anyone to do anything that you could not do better yourself.

Fifth...  give 110% in everything that is done.

Sixth...  follow the Golden Rule:  do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Seventh...  stand by my convictions/integrity regardless of the outcomes and costs.

Eighth...   stay active in that the idle mind is the devil's workshop.

Ninth...  always have an appreciation for THE ARTS.

Tenth...  the knowledge gained from education is power.

My parents raised all of their children with a Democratic Party Focus and for most of my life, I was in fact, a Democrat in my beliefs and with my vote...  but, even since 1990 after I had been able  to use my MBA education for a decade, I was beginning to realize that the Democratic Party was violating many of the TEN POINTS by which we should live our lives.

On the other side of the coin, I did not agree with all of the politics of the Republican Party either and found myself seeing myself as a Conservative Liberal...

I believe the following:

• every woman has the right to choose if she wants an abortion or not
• every citizen has the right to own and bear as many firearms as s/he wants
• every citizen has to right of free speech and/or freedom to worship
• Every American has the right to have our borders protected from immigration
• Our government should pay off its debt and not increase it
• Our government should maintain a globally strong military
• Our government should unnecessarily tax our corporations and businesses
• Our government should regulate BIG TECH
• Our government maintain a TWO PARTY SYSTEM

My parents were Democrats but I am not....  and, I will stand by my convictions and my integrity...  However, our biggest problem in America is the number of wealthy people that we have and the number of poor people that we have and that this gap is getting wider not smaller...  and, as our markets turn global, this divide will worsen...

Our country should have a quality of life for everyone...  BUT...  it is not our FEDERAL GOVERNMENT's responsibility to make sure that this happens...  that is not the role of government...  it is the responsibility of those who control and build our economy...

These leaders of our economy are the ones who LACK COMPASSION and EMPATHY and at the moment don't give a damn about doing anything about it...  They are more interested in profits than in people.

Ignorance is BLISS

 

Conservative Versus Liberal

Which live represents LIBERALS?

When I was in college in the 1960's (1966-1970), I was as liberal as one could get with long hair, into a variety of illegal drugs, wearing mainly jeans and a t-shirt to my classes, and a leather jacket when cold and I had several professors lower my grades because I did not dress like a college student should dress although I never cared about proving my point-of-views back then.  I went to college in the Piedmont of NC and was surrounded by the campuses of Duke, UNC, Wake Forest, NC State and a variety of lesser known 4-year colleges like Elon College (the one I attended) which is now a University and ranks as one of the top schools in NC.

Students on the campus of Elon College were exposed to all sorts of FORUMS that included both liberal and conservative viewpoints and opinions...  In the 1990's when my daughter attended UNC, the conservative viewpoint and opinion was being over-shadowed by the liberal viewpoints and opinions...  this took only 3 decades to change and in 2010 and 2020, it has only gotten worse...  and, not only has it gotten worse, but if you have a different viewpoint, you are now my ENEMY and I don't want to have anything to do with do...  in public or in private.

There are 4 definitions of BEING LIBERAL:

1. willing to respect or accept behavior or opinions different from one's own; open to new ideas.
2. relating to or denoting a political and social philosophy that promotes individual rights, civil liberties, democracy, and free enterprise.
3. a supporter of policies that are socially progressive and promote social welfare.
4. a supporter of a political and social philosophy that promotes individual rights, civil liberties, democracy, and free enterprise.

TODAY...

being a Liberal only means #3 and all the others are ignored...

These are 4 definitions of BEING CONSERVATIVE

1. averse to change or innovation and holding traditional values.
2. (in a political context) favoring free enterprise, private ownership, and socially traditional ideas.
3. a person who is averse to change and holds traditional values.
4. a person favoring free enterprise, private ownership, and socially traditional ideas.

TODAY...

being a conservative means all of these except being adverse to change...

Manipulating the Masses

 

Technology Trends for 2021

According to Rohit Sharma of UpGrad.com, there are 8 Technological Trends for 2021 of which we should be or become aware...  

These are:

1. Artificial Intelligence
2. Data Science
3. Networking Devices
4. Electronic Ledger Blockchain
5. Robotic Process Automation
6. Virtual Reality
7. Edge Computing
8. Intelligence Applications

Of course...  UpGrad is offering courses in each one of these areas, in case you want to move towards a career in any of these areas...  however, Community College and Technical Institutes are offering the same courses and probably for a substantial reduction of enrollment fees...   I'm just saying...

With this said...  most if not all of these 8 areas are predicated upon cloud computing or storing data in the cloud so that the proximity to the user is closer thus reducing time...

Cloud computing is the on-demand availability of computer system resources, especially data storage and computing power, without direct active management by the user. The term is generally used to describe data centers available to many users over the Internet.

A WOKE Mentality

Woke  is a term that originated in the United States, referring to a perceived awareness of issues that concern social justice and racial justice. 

It derives from the African-American Vernacular English expression stay woke, whose grammatical aspect refers to a continuing awareness of these issues.

First used in the 1940s, the term has resurfaced in recent years as a concept that symbolizes perceived awareness of social issues and movement. 

By the late 2010s, woke had been adopted as a more generic slang term associated with left-wing politics, progressive or socially liberal causes such as anti-racism, LGBT rights, feminism and environmentalism. 

It has also been the subject of memes, ironic usage and criticism for its methods and consequences.  

Its widespread use since 2014 is a result of the Black Lives Matter movement.  SOURCE:  Wikipedia

Here's the deal Jake from State Farm...

Americans who happen to the BLACK only represent 14% of the American population in 2021...  and WHITES represent about 60% of the American population in 2021...

What this means Jake from State Farm...

 is that there are 4 times as many whites as there are blacks...  and, those white are here to stay in America and they are not going to give up their positions and resources just because blacks perceive that they want or need more...

America has had BLACK PRESIDENT for 8 years and America currently has a BLACK FEMALE VICE PRESIDENT...

• There are more BLACKS in professional sports than whites
• There are more BLACKS in professional music than whites
• There are just as many BLACK actors/actresses as whites
• There are more BLACKS selling illegal drugs than whites
• There are more BLACKS in prison than whites

This is an example of your WOKE Grammatical Aspect of life in America...  If BLACKS want something they tend to get what they want...  but, neither whites nor blacks (outside of the wealthy) are given anything...