Social Justice Revisited

LET'S REVIEW:
Social justice refers to a political and philosophical theory that focuses on the concept of fairness in relations between individuals in society and equal access to wealth, opportunities, and social privileges.

Right now, we are mainly focused on the fact that social justice favors the white population instead of the black population, even though there are thousands of very wealthy black Americans...

There is an undercurrent that flows through Americans between the wealthy and the not so wealthy....  which again favors the whites and the blacks point to:

• privilege
• education
• healthcare
• law enforcement
• living conditions
• available jobs

BUT....  these bitching blacks do not take into consideration:

• white senior citizens
• white handicapped
• white disabled veterans
• white christians
• white jews
• white heart patients
• white cancer patients
• white terminally ill

How do these people fair when it comes to social justice?

Why are we not including them in our bitching?

Is it because they are white?

We all have equal access to wealth...  it is just that some people want to work harder than others...   and, while there is some privilege going on, many wealthy people did it on their own without help from others with discipline and determination...

SOME HAVE THAT PERSONALITY AND OTHERS DON'T...  the government cannot change your personality through legislation and laws...  Only YOU can change YOU...

Think about your own personality the next time you think that it is all about white privilege...

AND, when you have time what about this?

Where's the social justice for all the families whose loved ones have been killed by crime and violence?

Where's the social justice for the victims of mental or physical abuse?

Where's the social justice for the victims of rape?

Where's the social justice for all the students who were bullied by other students in public education?

Where's the social justice for all the down syndrome children who were laughed at?

Where's the social justice for all the unwed mothers?

Where's the social justice for single parents?

Where's the social justice for mothers when husbands won't pay child support?

ARE YOU THE TYPE OF PERSON WHO JUST WANTS SOCIAL JUSTICE FOR THEMSELVES AND THOSE WHO LOOK LIKE YOU AND NO ONE ELSE?

Patronizing a Restaurant

 I moved to East Tennessee in 1990 from North Carolina and have never looked back...  In 1993, I was introduced to Perkins Family Restaurants where a group of us had stopped for breakfast on our way to a company outing.  

I had the TREMENDOUS TWELVE which was 4 eggs, 4 sausage patties, and 4 pancakes...  needless to say I ate everything  several cups of coffee that also tasted outstanding.

At that time, this Perkins location was  managed by a German/American named Otto who supported a rather long pigtail down to the middle of his back.  He had worked his way from busboy to cook to server to waiter to assistant manager to manager...  A few years later, he became the owner of that particular franchise and it was considered the flagship of Perkins restaurants in Tennessee.

I have been eating there at least once a month since 1993 or for 30 years in 5 months.

Today, my wife and I went to Perkins and I ordered the Everything Omelet with breakfast potatoes and pancakes and she got the magnificent seven or 2 eggs, 2 strips of bacon, and 3 pancakes.  We get this everytime.

My routine is to eat half the omelet and half the breakfast potatoes.  She gives me one of her pancakes so I take 4 pancakes home along with the omelet and potatoes.

For the ne xt 3 days I have breakfast ready to heat up in the microwave.  I have 2 pancakes each morning with jelly.

The price has gone up from $11.95 to $13.95 but the average cost of these 4 meals is under $4/meal...   Not that I am trying to save money, but the fact is that what I do does save us money...

Otto's son manages the business now as he is still the owner and believe it or not, he visits the restaurant every day.  His son keeps his hair short but when he was living at home, his father would not let him grow long hair and have a pigtail.  Otto's son smiles about that now.

THIRTY YEARS is a long time to make sure this restaurant got my/our business.  And yes, the food is really good...

Having and Using the Mind is Wonderful

Some people think that acquiring assets, adult toys, and wealth is the sole purpose of life.  

Some people think that spiritual and/or religious pursuits, meditation, and contemplation is the sole purpose of life.  

Some people think that living off the government, one's family, and/or parents is the sole purpose of life.  

Some people think that living a mediocre life and not complaining is the sole purpose of life.

Who is right and who is wrong?

Maybe both are right...

I think that having a mind and the desire to use that mind is the ultimate joy in life...  in other words...  THINKING...  and perhaps the acquisition of knowledge and/or understanding from that thinking...  is what we were really intended to do.

Unfortunately, people don't really like to think...  over analyze...  as it becomes boring and tedious to listen to someone explain what they are trying to think about...

• Should I buy this house?
• Should I buy this car?
• Should I date this person?
• Should I work for this company?
• Do I deserve a raise?
• Do you want to get married?
• How many children do you want?
• Where do you want t?o live?

And yes, those are all boring questions and the discussion could go on and on and on...

But what about LOGIC?

Logic that leads to problem solving...

problem solving that leads to solutions...

solutions that lead to growth...

growth that leads to knowledge...

knowledge that leads to understanding...

understanding that leads to wisdom...

wisdom that leads to enlightenment?

Our ancestors have been around for about 6 million years...  but, the human race only started to really evolve about 200,000 years ago...  and, civilization as we know it has only been around for 6,000 years.

THINK ABOUT THAT!!!

It only took us 200,000 years to evolve into the complex human being we are today...  for those who have studied evolution in biology class know that 200,000 is a rapid acceleration of evolution and it (logically) highly unlikely...  but possible...  maybe???

So, how did we get here?  A species this complex...

Well...  how big is our solar system?

• Our solar system is in the Milky Way Galaxy.
• There are millions of solar systems in our galaxy.
• There are billions and billions of galaxies in our KNOWN UNIVERSE...

Logically... isn't there a high probability that there are other forms of life in our solar system, and in our galaxy, as well as in our universe?

Give yourself some time to think about this concept...

Racing with Dogs

 

Renaming Clingman's Dome

The view from Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The mountain is the tallest peak in the park and sits on the Tennessee-North Carolina border. It's sacred to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, who hope to see the name of the mountain changed to Kuwahi, which their ancestors called the mountain for hundreds of years.  Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Council passed a resolution Thursday in support of changing the name of the highest peak in Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Clingmans Dome.

Long before the mountain on the Tennessee-North Carolina border was a National Park attraction, the Cherokee referred to it as Kuwahi, which translates to "mulberry place." Tribal medicine men would journey up the mountain and pray for guidance, then share the visions they had with the rest of the community.

Lavita Hill, treasury specialist for the tribe, said she and her friend, fellow activist Mary Crowe, spent the last month preparing the name change proposal for the tribal government's approval. Hill said she was inspired by Yellowstone National Park's renaming of Mount Doane to First Peoples Mountain, which was based on the recommendation of the Rocky Mountain Tribal Council.

Chasing Cat

 

Eating Pumpkin Seeds

When people think of pumpkins, most people think of those orange gourds that are fun for picking and carving during the autumn season. Pumpkins are also great for making delicious and flavorful recipes. However, did you know that the pumpkin can also be used for its seeds?

You've heard of eating sunflower seeds, chia seeds, and other various types, but it may be time to add pumpkin seeds to your list if you haven't already. The dietitians on our Medical Expert Board gave us insight into what would happen if you added them to your diet. Read on to see what the effects of pumpkin seeds are. Then, be sure to check out Surprising Side Effects of Eating Flax Seeds, Says Science.

According to Lauren Manaker, MS, RDN, LDN, CLEC, CPT, author of The First Time Mom's Pregnancy Cookbook, The 7 Ingredient Healthy Pregnancy Cookbook, and Fueling Male Fertility, pumpkin seeds contain zinc, a nutrient that supports immune health.

"Eating them consistently may help you take in enough of this key mineral and support your immune health," says Manaker.

"Pumpkin seeds are high in fiber which can be a good thing, but practicing portion control is important," says Lisa Young, PhD, RDN, author of Finally Full, Finally Slim, and a nutritionist in private practice.

If you do consume too many pumpkin seeds at once, Dr. Young suggests that it may lead to gas and stomach discomfort.  READ MORE...

LEGO Submarine

 

A Leadership Lesson

On Tuesday, Alphabet (Google) CEO Sundar Pichai (above) sent a memo to Google employees to let them know that the company would slow its hiring for the balance of the year and take other cost-cutting measures in response to worsening economic conditions. 

The memo, obtained by The Verge, is a master class in leadership and emotional intelligence and it teaches a lesson every CEO should take to heart.

Needless to say, Google is not the only tech company currently fearing the effects of inflation and a possible recession. Twitter and Netflix, among others, have announced layoffs, and numerous other companies have said that they are freezing or slowing hiring. 

But only Pichai seems to see the current market uncertainty as an opportunity to focus on what's most important, and inspire employees in the process. The memo he sent should be a model for every leader facing uncertain times like these. (You can find the full memo at the end of this piece.)

To begin with, Pichai starts the memo by thanking Google employees. Noting that 2022 is half over, he writes, "It's the right opportunity to thank everyone for the great work so far this year, and to share how my Leads and I are thinking about H2." 

Of course, thanking employees for all their great work is pretty much boilerplate for CEOs these days. Still, the fact that Pichai puts it right at the top of his memo makes it seem slightly more sincere.

Pichai then acknowledges that Google leadership is concerned about the same economic headwinds that are affecting the rest of the economy. 

Noting that Google has already hired about 10,000 people so far in 2022, he explains that the company will slow that trend for the rest of the year, focusing its hiring on what he terms critical roles such as engineering and technical. 

And there's more bad news. Noting that Googlers will need to work with "sharper focus" and "more hunger" than in better economic times, he warns that the company will need to streamline and consolidate some initiatives, and pause others altogether.  READ MORE...

Cannot Stop Now

 

Social Justice

Social justice refers to a political and philosophical theory that focuses on the concept of fairness in relations between individuals in society and equal access to wealth, opportunities, and social privileges.

The five main principles of social justice include: 

• access to resources
• equity
• participation
• diversity
• human rights

SOCIAL JUSTICE implies that American Caucasians are privileged and have always had and will continue to have the advantage over all other minorities because all of the founding father were Caucasian and owned slaves...

Is this correct or incorrect?

Is this truth or not truth?

What I don't understand is the fact that there are many multimillionaires who are BLACK and earned their wealth in professional sports, professional music, professional actors/actresses, business owners, entrepreneurs, politicians, news anchors, college and university professors, and a plethera of publicly elected officials.

We already have social justice here in America, it is just that some BLACK do not have what it takes to be successful and financially wealthy...  the same holds true for caucasians and other minorities...  it is a personality issue not a social justice issue.

Why do so many Americans who are not successful in life commit crime and violence?

Rumors of Wars

There is an economic concept called THE BROKEN GLASS THEORY...  in which the idea is presented that when vandalism breaks the window of a storefront business, it is good for the economy because that shop owner has to hire someone to replace the window...  and, the individual that is hired has to buy gasoline for the vehicle, etc., etc., etc.

Therefore, and on a larger scale WAR IS GOOD FOR A COUNTRY because a company has to be hired to clean up and then rebuild what has been destroyed.  Employees are hired, supplies are purchased, food is eaten, etc., etc., etc.

BUT...  are all wars good?

What about the war between the whites and the blacks in this country because of slavery that was stopped over 200 years ago???

How will this help our economy?

What about the war between the wealthy and the poor which really has not gotten into full swing yet but it will eventually and the poor will be relentless as the fight the wealthy who will be hiding behind their protective walls and gated communities?

How will this help our economy?

What about the war that will soon be waged against all the ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS who have broken the law to enter this country and who do not speak English and cannot find employment nor do they have any place to sleep at night except on the street?

What about the sex trafficking and drugs that these illegal immigrants bring into this country?

Do you think these illegal immigrants will sleep in the country or in the big cities?

How will this help our economy? 

Not the kind of wars you were expecting???  Well, it is doubtful that those wars will ever enter the USA...   as the USA will send soldiers overseas but after 9/11, it is doubtful anybody will be able to penetrate our borders and do that kind of damage.

Besides, our enemy is CHINA...  and, it is doubtful that China wants to finance a war...  What China wants to do is finance an ECONOMIC TAKEOVER of the USA...  as we move towards a green economy, that transition is destined to weaken us economically and will provide CHINA with the economic leverage it needs to gain the upper hand...   China will loan us more money to keep us afloat and will buy our businesses to keep them from failing...

NOT A BULLET WILL BE FIRED...

We have no fear from Russia militarily as they cannot even defeat the weaker Ukraine...

China will not let North Korea or Iran use nuclear weapons as that would screw up their game plan...  China will control the world economically...  no soldiers...  no weapons...  no bombs of anykind...

Yes...  there are rumors of wars on the horizon.

Make It In The USA Instead...

 American Products NOT MADE in America

1. Ray Ban
2. Hush Puppies
3. Arrow Shirts
4. Woolrich
5. Gillette
6. Barbie
7. Huffy Bicyles
8. Fisher-Price
9. Converse
10. Nike
11. Levi's
12. Schwinn
13. Radio Flyer
14. Rawlings
15. Etch A Sketch
16. Samsonite
17. Brach's
18. Fender Stratocaster
19. Dell Computer
20. G. I. Joe
21. Monopoly
22. Black & Decker
23. Craftsman
24. Ford
25. Chevrolet
26. American Girl
27. Gerber
28. Under Armour
29. Sardines
30. Donald J. Trump Collection

WHY?

Cost of Labor...

So...  if you want companies to bring their products back to the USA, you must understand that if you do so, it will raise the price of those items desired...

Labor costs are much cheaper in South America, Russia, China and the Asian countries than in Europe, Canada, and the US...

What is really interesting here is that the USA ranks 17th in having a low minimum wage...  most European countries have a much higher minimum wage...  BUT, American Manufacturers pay out the ass for skilled labor...

WHY?

The USA has a very high cost of living index especially in the larger cities...

Country Living Revisited

 

Don't get me wrong...  when I talk about country living, I don't mean living on a farm or living on a ranch...  I just mean outside of the city...  so, we could be talking about the suburbs...  or, perhaps even farther out where you don't have many neighbors but you are still not living on a farm or even close to a farm...  You are just living in a area of wide open spaces totally devoted to whatever mother nature wants it to be...  like the above photo...

The above photo is taken from the East Tennessee Valley...  in the back ground, you can see the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains where the fishing and hunting are excellent and where some of the best marijuana in the country is grown...  that area is also the home to some of the best moonshine in the country as well...  although that distinction is also shared with western North Carolina...

Living in the country is not associated with living with rednecks nor is it associated with inbreeding although there is a standing northern sentiment that most all southerners are inbread...  of course, most all southerners feel that New Yorkers are arrogant assholes whose only saving grace is that they are rude to everyone because they cannot distinguish between individuals...

Personally, I don't think either opinion is valid or accurate...  that is until someone proves it to be accurate and valid...  and, I am sure that happens all the time.

People who live in the country pretty much like to have space around them.  They like to feel the sun and not have it blocked by buildings.  They like to feel safe and secure.  They want their children to feel safe and secure.  They want privacy sometimes and they want to feel like they are part of a community...

Faith is a big part of country living and while one's faith is strong, country dwellers are tolerant of other people's views towards faith and respectful if it does not agree with theirs.

Of course, there is always the exception...  but, they say that the exception proves the rule...  I don't know about that...  but what I do know is that I like living in the country...

Let's Be Clear Here...

 

Just Deleting a Text on Your Phone

When you save or send photos, videos, texts and other digital messages on your devices,

that data is extremely difficult to remove, even if you delete it from your phone or computer.  

Nicolas Tucat/AFP via Getty Images

Texts and other electronic messages from the U.S. Secret Service have become a point a controversy after the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general told Congress that those records were deleted after his office had requested them. But can a text or other digital messages ever truly be erased from existence?

People delete text messages and other electronic messages for many reasons: to free up room on their device; to break contact after a sour conversation; and, from time to time, to wipe out a conversation, for one reason or another.

But deleting a digital correspondence isn't as easy as you might think. For starters, depending on the program you're using, the recipient still has a copy of the message you sent them. And that data might live on in cloud storage.

Alfred Demirjian, founder and CEO of TechFusion, has spent the past 35 years in digital forensics and data recovery in Boston. He said that once you hit send, that information will likely exist forever, especially if the government wants whatever you've sent.  READ MORE...

Horse & Rider in Water

 

NASA Releases Images

We might not be able to travel to space, but as of last week, we at least have the most high-definition images of the universe ever taken. The images shared by NASA were rendered with the new James Webb Space Telescope (JBST). 

JBST began its science operations six months ago when launched into space at the end of December 2021. However, its first batch of images are among the most stunning and clear celestial pictures we have of space so far. 

The images reveled five neighboring galaxies called Stephan’s Quintet and the Carina Nebula.  The JWST is considered the most powerful telescope ever built revealing that not all galaxies are invisible. 

During the NASA press conference held on Tuesday, Eric Smith, the program scientist for the JWST mission, said JWST’s first photos are “especially phenomenal because they were technically nothing more than practice runs.”

The first image rendered showed the galaxy cluster SMACS 0723– as it appeared 4.6 billion years ago, with many more galaxies in front of, and behind the cluster.  READ MORE...

The Pond

 

Native American Medicine Effective

Researchers have found that several traditional medicines commonly used in South Asia 

are effective in maintaining blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Several traditional medicines commonly used in South Asia, are effective in maintaining blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a new study led by experts at the University of Nottingham.

Many South Asian countries, including India and Nepal, have been using the Ayurvedic natural medical system for thousands of years. Some of the herbs included in this traditional medical system are also used in other parts of the world including Iran, China, and Mexico – to name a few.

It features a multi-pronged and individualized approach to managing health conditions that can include lifestyle modification (including diet), Ayurvedic detoxifying and purifying therapies (e.g. Panchakarma), and Ayurvedic medicines (containing plant, animal, or mineral-origin ingredients – single or in combination).


In this new study, published recently in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology, experts conducted an in-depth review to show that these medicines are effective in blood sugar control in people with type 2 diabetes. Other beneficial effects were also demonstrated in the research, including improvements in body weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and other diabetes-related parameters.

According to the scientists, it is the first comprehensive systematic review of any traditional medicine (including Ayurveda), which included a wide range of Ayurvedic medicines. The research was led by Dr. Kaushik Chattopadhyay, Associate Professor in Evidence Based Healthcare in the School of Medicine and the Nottingham Center for Evidence Based Healthcare (A JBI Center of Excellence) at the University. The team members have expertise in Ayurveda, diabetes, and this type of research, and are based in top institutes in the UK, India, and Nepal.  READ MORE...