Life On A B-I7

Day #294

The number 74 is kind of special to me. That’s the number I wore in High School as an offensive tackle and defensive end. What I lacked in size I attempted to make up for with speed. It only worked when the other guy didn’t see me coming, which was often enough to be named all conference honorable mention, but not often enough to help the “Kangaroos” win the conference. It’s probably the fault of the team’s name…

Day #293

If I gave $1 for every request I receive for campaign contributions solicited by text message or email, I would not be able to pay my taxes.

While the government has a Consumer Protection Agency, that agency literally does NOTHING to protect me from over solicitation for political contributions by the government itself.

It’s time the government funded election campaigns. Relying on donors that give too much, and donors that can’t afford to give is no way to run a country.

Day #292

You don’t get good at something doing it just once. In fact, you have to be prepared to do the task over and over to perfect your technique. This doesn’t often work well for someone with a wide range of interests (or someone that is OCD). So the first step in getting good at something is making a commitment.

Day #291

AI could do a better job of deciding Supreme Court Cases than the current panel of justices could.

Of course, that means that AI would have to use as guidelines, such values as case law, moral philosophy, and ethics, all highly speculative AI abilities, at least as far as AI technology has advanced to date.

Please notice what is not needed in this skill set is political bias…

Day #290

One thing Grammarly has taught me is that I’m a horrible writer. I started a bit late and I really didn’t pay attention to grammar that closely in school. Perhaps next year I’ll try and write mo’ betta…

Day #289

ChatGPT Advises

To make a Black Manhattan, you’ll need:

Ingredients:

• 2 oz bourbon
• 1 oz Averna Amaro
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• Maraschino cherry for garnish

Instructions:

• Fill a mixing glass with ice.
• Add bourbon, Averna Amaro, and Angostura bitters.
• Stir well until chilled, about 30 seconds.
• Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
• Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Enjoy your Black Manhattan!

I prefer a dash of Orange Bitters along with the Angostura, but you have to admit ChatGPT would likely make a decent bartender.

Day #288

We are entering a period in our history where the societal vision of who we are and what we represent is no longer broadly shared. The struggle thus created is not being imposed by an external enemy but by an internal enemy. The internal enemy is not using force of arms, but instead is intentionally using lies and misinformation, both human and artificially generated, for the purpose of empowering a few without regard for the will of the many.

Day #287

Social Media is NOT reality. Too few people realize that.

It’s not the job of government to ensure we are not influenced by deep fakes (although some legislation on that issue is not a bad idea) it’s our job to be smart.

Day #286

The story of Donald Trump is the story of Oedipus. It is the story of a man brought low by his vanity, a man stripped of wealth, power and reputation, made to wallow in a bed of his own making.

Now that I have seen the results of the recent presidential debate, I could be wrong about all of this.

Day #285

If you have been convicted of a felony, blaming other people for your mistake does not excuse you. Convicted by a jury of ordinary citizens is proof of guilt. Blaming the judge or the prosecution is a vane and cowardly act.

Day #284

There appears to be a local ordinance in Redmond Oregon making it mandatory for all beards to be three inches long or longer. Tattoos are optional, not required by ordinance, but there is a movement afoot to present legislation to that effect.

Day #283

There’s nothing better than jumping on a motorcycle and going downtown to have a beer and a slider. Alright, there might be a few things better than that, but not very many.

Day #282

Always seek the advice of your physician or medical professional. Nothing I say here should be construed as advice or even necessarily smart. That’s called equivocation — I’m very good at that. Another reason why you should not take my advice: Sometimes I don’t take my foot off the gas soon enough when driving. I’ve been told that’s a bad thing; however, I’m not too concerned about that because that tends to be a problem shared by most men.

Day #281

You are the cause of whatever you are feeling. Rarely is your pain caused by another. It is you allowing yourself to feel pain.

Day #280

We all work hard to make today a good day, to fulfill our obligations, to be a good friend and partner to the ones we love, but what are we doing today to build a better future, for ourselves and for the world?

Day #279

Please give me the strength to browse less and read thoughtful material more. While you’re at it, remind me that I don’t need to use cruise control while driving. Being present in my surroundings is a good thing.

Day #278

Keep a tight rein on your tongue. Get over yourself. You are not special enough to hold yourself over other people. If you not looking out for other people, your not being responsible.

Day #277

The Ear of the Universe

The ear of the Universe is listening
Everything you say is being heard
Think carefully about your thoughts
before you give them voice.

Day #276

If I had to have a brother… I would choose the two of you… Now all you have to do is figure out if I’m talking about you, or someone else…

Day #275

Getting old is a bitch. The best way to get old is to stay young. The only way to accomplish that is to keep your mind actively pursuing new ideas and new ways of addressing the world. The body will age. The less we focus on that the better.

It’s also a good idea to avoid car washes. If your too old, the man at the entrance to the car wash with the sign that directs you “Left,” “Right” or “Forward”, is likely to hold up a sign that says… “Idiot.”

Day #274

The United States has come closer than any predecessor Democracy in achieving “a more perfect form of government.” We should continue to learn from our ongoing experience. To that end, we should consider that life appointment to the Supreme Court is not an ideal practice. I suggest it would be better if appointments were made by recommendation from a committee of Senators composed of equal representation from each party.

Day #273

James Madison, whom I admire greatly, as much for his role in the establishment of our country as for his sheer brilliance, stated in the Federalist Paper #51 (the following is my paraphrasing) that when a government is formed the first priority is to give that government the tools to guide and protect the governed, in other words, laws. The second priority, and possibly most important, is to give the government the structure required to guide itself.

Day #272

“If we don’t win this election, I don’t think you’re going to have another election in this country.”

That is a scary statement. Never in our country’s history has someone running for office worked so hard to normalize violent rhetoric, or blatantly misrepresent not only our history but also reality in general. Of course, the violence in that sentence is veiled. This candidate is a master of that technique. Don’t let this nonsense lull you into thinking he is not serious about the use of violence, he is not only willing to use violence as a political tool, but he is intentionally positioning himself so he has an excuse to use that very tool.

The other pattern in his rhetoric that is important to point out is his habit of revealing precisely what his plans are, by accusing others of having that same plan. The intent is to make it sound like he is the savior when in fact he is the perpetrator. This is the very pinnacle of shallowness, but it seems to be a persuasive strategy in the eyes of many people.

Another way of putting this is… If you vote for this candidate, you are making yourself his “Apprentice.” That is the reality for anyone who chooses to follow him. He is making younothing more than a pawn.

Day #271

There is nothing quite like seeing the country from the seat of a bicycle.

I have crossed the country on a bicycle twice and I hope to do it at least one more time. To say there is nothing quite like the experience is probably an understatement. Don’t take my word for it, give it a try.

Day #270

Any man who speaks angrily to you and succeeds in making you angry is manipulating you. You have fallen into a trap. You are being manipulated for personal gain. No man speaks anger for righteous purposes. To move people for a righteous cause, the good man will speak truth and reason.

When a society loses the ability to discern between the man who has virtue and the self-serving man, that society runs the risk of collapse.