Wednesday, March 3
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...
Tuesday, March 2
What We Deserve
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.
Monday, March 1
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.
- 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
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.
Sunday, February 28
Saturday, February 27
What's New?
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....
Freakonomics
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...
Friday, February 26
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.
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...
- 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
Conservative Versus Liberal
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| Which live represents LIBERALS? |
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.
- willing to respect or accept behavior or opinions different from one's own; open to new ideas.
- relating to or denoting a political and social philosophy that promotes individual rights, civil liberties, democracy, and free enterprise.
- a supporter of policies that are socially progressive and promote social welfare.
- a supporter of a political and social philosophy that promotes individual rights, civil liberties, democracy, and free enterprise.
- averse to change or innovation and holding traditional values.
- (in a political context) favoring free enterprise, private ownership, and socially traditional ideas.
- a person who is averse to change and holds traditional values.
- a person favoring free enterprise, private ownership, and socially traditional ideas.
Thursday, February 25
Technology Trends for 2021
- Artificial Intelligence
- Data Science
- Networking Devices
- Electronic Ledger Blockchain
- Robotic Process Automation
- Virtual Reality
- Edge Computing
- Intelligence Applications
Wednesday, February 24
A WOKE Mentality
First used in the 1940s, the term has resurfaced in recent years as a concept that symbolizes perceived awareness of social issues and movement.
- 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
Game Based Learning
What Is Game-Based Learning?
Games have been used as a learning tool for centuries. Chess was used to teach strategic thinking as far back as the Middle Ages, and the game of Kreigsspiel was invented in 1812 specifically to teach Prussian officers strategy. Beyond military strategy, the genesis of Kindergarten in the mid-1800s was Friedrich Fröbel’s ideas of learning through play.
The core concept behind game-based learning is teaching through repetition, failure and the accomplishment of goals. Video games are built on this principle. The player starts off slow and gains in skill until they’re able to skillfully navigate the most difficult levels. Games that are planned and designed well will offer enough difficulty to keep it challenging while still being easy enough for the player to win.
Game-based learning takes this same concept and applies it to teaching a curriculum. Students work toward a goal, choosing actions and experiencing the consequences of those actions. They actively learn and practice the right way to do things. The result is active learning instead of passive learning.
Flight simulators are a perfect example of the effectiveness of game-based learning. Pilots commonly use flight simulators during their training. They’re given very specific goals and practice until they can accomplish them. The result is much more effective than sitting through lectures and theory.
Game-Based Learning vs. Textbook Learning
The educational system has always been slow to change. On one hand, the fact that change is slow is a good thing, since it helps avoid the pitfalls of adopting education fads before they’re fully tested. On the reverse side, it leads to a system that is sluggish to respond to the rapidly changing technological world. The only way to increase that response rate is to drastically change the systemic approach to curriculum, which is no small task.
Keith Bockwoldt of Township HSD 214 outside Chicago talked recently with the Learning Counsel about the overall shift to digital curriculum that is happening. “Even the most advanced schools and districts implementing digital tools still have a long ways to go to achieve real transformation—it will be years,” he said. “When stepping into this arena and realizing just how many publishers and vendors are out there selling you curriculum and devices, with multiple logins and standards, it’s a huge challenge. But it’s a challenge we all must confront, understand and embrace.”
A big reason why change takes so long? Textbooks themselves. When a textbook is released, it contains all of the current information, educational methods, and theories as of when the textbook was sent to print, which is often at least a year before it arrives in schools. Since textbooks are meant to be used for years, there’s a substantial delay before curriculum can be changed and information updated.
Game-based learning is built to be adaptive from the beginning. During the production process the game is tested and adjusted to be a more effective learning tool. As new information comes out in the field or educational approaches are adjusted, the game can be changed to suit them. After the game is released, it can be updated with new information, approaches, and more. Games even have student-monitoring analysis tools which allow teachers to monitor the students so the game can be adjusted in future updates.
Tuesday, February 23
Three Times More Contagious
Under pressure as the variant hammers the jungle city of Manaus with a devastating second wave of infections, Health Minister Eduardo Pazuello sought to reassure legislators that the surge of recent months was unexpected but coming under control.
He also told a Senate hearing that Brazil would vaccinate half its eligible population by June and the rest by the end of the year – an ambitious target as the country has barely guaranteed doses for half the population.
Brazil began immunisations with vaccines made by China’s Sinovac Biotech and Britain’s AstraZeneca about three weeks ago. Pazuello did not explain how their effectiveness against the Manaus variant was analysed.
“Thank God, we had clear news from the analysis that the vaccines still have an effect against this variant,” Pazuello said. “But it is more contagious. By our analysis, it is three time more contagious.”
The Health Ministry, which has not provided information about any such analysis, did not immediately respond to a request for more information.
The Butantan Institute in Sao Paulo, which has partnered with Sinovac to test and produce the Chinese vaccine, said in a statement that it had begun studies regarding the Manaus variant but would not have a conclusion for two weeks.
The Fiocruz biomedical centre in Rio de Janeiro, which has paired up with AstraZeneca to fill and finish doses of its vaccine developed with Oxford University, said it is studying its efficacy against the Amazon variant, sent samples to Oxford and is awaiting results.
Located deep in the Amazon rainforest, Manaus has been hit hard by a brutal second wave of cases that has stretched emergency services to breaking point. SOURCE: ALJAZEERA
Monday, February 22
Approaching Conclusions
🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞
As we begin this week, we are also approaching the end of another month... the month of February... and, the reason why that is important, at least to me, is the fact that once the month of February has passed, cold weather in East TN is all but gone; in fact, according to a forecast for the month of March, weather in East TN will ONLY IN THE MID TO UPPER 50'S AND LOWER 60'S...
While this may not be important to others... it is important to me because the older I get the less I enjoy cold weather. And, the interesting part here is that while I cannot stay out in the sunlight because of health concerns, warm weather (even in the shade) is preferable to cold weather in a heated house.
As we approach the conclusion of the month of February, my age has put me in the category where I was able to get the first of two COVID VACCINE shots at my local health department. My second one is a couple of weeks away and my vaccine is the Moderna Vaccine which has a good reliability factor.
However, that does not mean that I will stop wearing my face mask in public because I believe face masks and limited capacity at restaurants is now part of our future and is here to stay... especially in doctor's offices, hospitals, and many public places were people congregate in numbers... and, not just to prevent variations of COVID from spreading but to prevent all sorts of flu type viruses from spreading.
- Distribution of COVID Vaccines
- Deal with potential increases in immigration
- Deal with increases in taxes
- Deal with the end of oil and gas as energy sources
- Deal with an increase in our national debt
- Deal with China as an economic and military adversary
- Deal with an increase in terrorism
- Deal with defunded police departments
- Deal with the effects/affects of going GREEN
First 3-D Steak
The steak was produced using 3D bioprinting technology and real cow tissue, the food-tech startup explained in a news release. From there, scientists incubated the cells to grow, differentiate, and interact, ultimately replicating a real rib-eye.
With muscle and fat similar to a traditionally slaughtered steak, the futuristic food features "the same organoleptic attributes of a delicious tender, juicy rib-eye steak you'd buy from the butcher." Aleph Farms says it can produce any cut of meat with this method, as the company sets its sights on expanding its meat portfolio.
"With the realization of this milestone, we have broken the barriers to introducing new levels of variety into the cultivated meat cuts we can now produce," said Shulamit Levenberg, a professor at Technion and Aleph’s co-founder. "As we look into the future of 3D bioprinting, the opportunities are endless."
A price point has not yet been announced for the sizzling steak, but the Daily Mail reports it will take a few years to hit shelves.
"We are executing a clear plan to achieve cost-parity for cultivation of meat products at scale," said Didier Toubia, co-founder and CEO of Aleph Farms, in a statement obtained by the outlet. "We expect to achieve this goal within five years from our 2022 soft launch, which is faster than the new generation of plant-based meat substitutes."























































