(#5127) We liberal progressives will save our society

      The only thing of any substance, negatively I will add, that conservatives bring to our society is their wanton disregard for the rights of others. They do not like women to have rights nor do they like people of color to have rights. Evidenced by not passing the Equal Rights Amendment to our national Constitution and their constant gerrymandering of people of color to dilute the power of their vote. Now it is clear that I am correct here in my statement of fact that conservatives show superiority toward women and people of color. So why would anyone want to be associated with the republican party? Beats the hell out of me since it is clear they do not represent anything good about our species.
     I can only come to grips with why by assuming a low level of understanding about the nature of all of our struggles. I think they get their struggles but are not able to grasp that everyone else has equal or more dire struggles. Why would seniors want to gamble on eliminating their own, and their children's Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid? Because they believe that women and others are more a priority to control than their own mostly only means of income and healthcare? Seems highly illogical so am I missing something here? I don't think so because I have yet to see what that could be in all the years I have been fighting for these liberal progressive programs.
     The abortion issue has shown us that republicans say what they mean and when they say they are going to eliminate a right for anyone, believe them. Take their word for it because they are dead set on accomplishing their goal of removing rights and insurance programs aimed at helping all in our society. The deviousness of the republican party is that they let slip their intentions, then deny them before you cast your ballot, then go back to their intentions once they have received your vote. They don't like women, people of color, and even the poor to have power that in their way of thinking should not have to share, thus the evidence of voter suppression in poor counties by republicans. Democracy is not a value to them if they cannot control the outcome of how democracy operates. Again, why would you be a republican who only wants to divide and conquer? Have you lost all sense of human rights?

(#5126) We human beings can remember with pictures in our minds

      One of the most fascinating features of being a human being is being able to recall memories that are etched inside our minds with such visual clarity. There is nothing about time and space that equals that. It is a unique quality we existential beings have. Other life forms on our planet surely have memories and recall but I cannot for the life of me equate them to our ability. We can sit back in a chair or lounge and remember the happenings from long ago or from just a few minutes ago. My minds eye can see just how I observed any time and even imagine how I looked when I lived it. It is amazing what our minds can do with our memories and other imaginings.
     There are some thoughts that are memorable and some that are not. As to memorable, I can think of a girl I used to know and how knock out gorgeous she was more than 50 years ago and then see her now and still see her for the first time as a 7th grader. The juxtaposition is complex but still doable. That is the brilliance of our memories. They can be uploaded to fit into our evolving timeline. Life is really something else and living in a life that has so many possibilities for existence is even more special. I do not take any of it for granted. I just live and do not allow myself to be compartmentalized into any restricted paradigm. All things are possible, even the impossible.
     For today though I am full of reflections. I have many years to reflect upon to choose from and many memories to reconsider from all my adventures. Today is a good day for that and hopefully many more years to come are in my future. I have not lived a conventional life. I have never been married although I might well have been a couple of times if not for circumstances that interfered. I have no children for whatever reason I am not aware of but not from a lack of opportunity. I am just now settled down into a home the latter part of my life but only because age has dictated that. Otherwise moving from one place to another is still an attraction I feel. Indeed, today is a good day to reflect. :)

(#5125) Always outside the box

      When inside the box offers no answers then outside the box it is. In other words conventional wisdom can only take us mostly so far. So we need to imagine another scenario where a solution may come from. I am not one to quit on things so imagining is part of my repertoire. There is no rule book to life. Sure we have laws and ordinances that guide us in our behaviors but as to what life is all about and the big why life exists we are at the mercy of history's unknowns. So trying to imagine something unique to a problem is not unthinkable, in fact it is smart and savvy.
     Each generation of our species has added to the previous generation through imagining and amazing discovery. So it will be onward through the next generations. So thinking outside the box when inside the box is not enough is absolutely appropriate. What is inappropriate is to give up on solutions because current logic or science doesn't offer one. Our brains are amazing organs. They have yet to be fully tapped for their potential so not trying to tap that potential is wasteful and counterproductive. There cannot be any quit in our striving for understanding and evolvement. Our species has come to this point in time with much change behind us and further change ahead of us so let us get busy being that change during our time of existence.
     My life hasn't many cycles left to circle the Sun so doing nothing until my time is over is not a consideration in fact doing something is an imperative. Most of the time if I just focus on my problem at hand I do find a way to solve it even though the process is not clear to me. I just keep taking one step after another and then hope that solutions are inside the box for me to find. Otherwise I have to put my imagination to work and create a scenario where I can fix my problem even if it is against the laws of space and time. I have no other choice if I am going to solve the presently unsolvable. I am just one person doing his best to be a force in my existence so if all of us do the same hopefully together we may bring new understanding to old paradigms that frustrate us.

(#5124) The defense of Ukraine is about protecting democracy

      There are other reasons to help defend Ukraine like stopping a war criminal nation like Russia from destroying lives but in the big picture stopping Russia is about protecting democracy. Protecting the rights of a sovereign nation like Ukraine, to define it's own destiny, is a democratic principle. People who live under a social contract within borders deserve the right of self determination. What history has shown us is that when given a free and fair way of deciding a future, democracy is the dominant choice. So in the tradition of evolving our planet toward liberty, fairness, and equality of opportunity, the defense of Ukraine is well justified and clearly a prerequisite to our own survival as a threatened democracy.
     Having the right to participate in our own self determination allows us to be who we are when we decide what that is. We are not beholden to some other force from others who want to dictate to us who we are and when we will be that. Democracy gives every soul a chance to pursue their own happiness without fail. As an individual I would be ashamed if I didn't step up and fight for equal rights within a democracy nor any society that is striving for a democracy. Which is exactly what Ukraine is doing in their defense against the invasion by the authoritarian regime of the kremlin in Russia. Ukraine must prevail in this and likely will if we in the western nations who have established democracies continue to backstop them with the armaments they need.
     Ukraine right now is the epitome of the struggle for our future where people are the highest priority and leaders are our servants. The days of leaders being kings or tyrants are over and the new era of servitude is the foundation of guidance. The best of who we are as human beings can be directly attributed to democratic principles. Equality, justice, self determination, and pursuit of happiness are but a few of the principles we are gifted with when democracy is our form of government. Our species will grow immeasurably, both intellectually and spiritually, when we prevent the brutes of the world from taking our democracies and denying our rights as free human beings.

(#5123) Another 1,140 Russians soldiers died yesterday in Ukraine

      The single largest death count for a 24 hour period so far in Ukraine for Russian soldiers was 1,140 yesterday. The previous high count was 1,030 on February 7th, just 4 days ago. Since the 7th until today the death count for Russian troops in Ukraine is 4,720. Overall the death count of Russian troops in Ukraine is 136,880. That many young Russian lives are now lost because the Kremlin wanted to be greedy and steal land from another country. I don't list the dead from the Russian aggression because Ukraine does not release it's death totals but be assured that the number is if not more at least closing in on 100,000. This does not include the wounded on either side which can easily equal the death count numbers.
     The kremlin is throwing it's troops into a hail of weaponry hoping to exhaust the supply of ammunition that Ukraine has. But the west, NATO and Biden in particular are not going to allow that to happen. Russia is treating it's citizens like property, cannon fodder, and expending them with little regard to their lives. This will continue until either the Russian forces overrun the Ukrainian defenses or more likely their troop levels drop so dramatically that they cannot invade further and will be beaten back to their own borders and beyond. My money is on the Ukrainians. They are savvy, smart, and relentless in their defense of their own country.
     The desperation coming from the current Russian strategy will likely continue and although 1,140 is a really high number for a one day total it likely will be surpassed in the coming days, weeks, or months. Russia is determined to mount another offensive either in a few days or in the spring. If in the spring they will have lost all the momentum they have tried to build these last few days and the losses of manpower will have been for nothing. Which by the way is what is happening now. Ukraine is not going to fold to the Russian aggression so every Russian soul killed going forward is just for nothing at all. The putins of this world and his allies in the kremlin will soon be quaking in their shoes as their performance so far against an inferior nation on paper is being spoiled by the underdog Ukrainians actual better fighting.
     

(#5122) Big Russian push into Ukraine before the snow melts into mud

      The relentless attacks in the east of Ukraine to gain better footholds to launch a major offensive is currently underway. I suspect that Russia will want to have as much an advantage in strategic territory before they are prepared to throw all their might into an illegal and monstrous conquering of land in a neighboring country. The kremlin is already throwing away Russian soldiers as expendable to gain these footholds and will not relent on sacrificing young lives for few kilometers of soil. Best described as cannon fodder is what is happening to Russian soldiers. They are pawns in the kremlin portfolio of death and will remain so as long as they are driven by the egoists in the kremlin.
     I am not feeling sorry for the Russian soldiers who are being used like throwaway disposables but the Russian mothers and fathers of these doomed to death soldiers should be. However it is clearly apparent that the parents are not against the idea of their children being slaughtered for the kremlin's ego. No matter how they are fed the propaganda of nationalism their failure to love their children more than their pride is abhorrent and does not evoke any sympathy from me. As to the young soldiers themselves they seem to have been indoctrinated enough to disappear any critical thinking on their own part and just follow along like the lemmings they emulate.
     Within a few weeks the ground in eastern Ukraine will become muddy and almost impossible to overcome as to tanks and attack vehicles. Yet it seems that fate is not on the side of the Russian invaders as time has become their enemy. They need an offensive now to try to catch Ukraine in a vulnerable position however the mud will make that vulnerability of Ukraine less significant. Russia has once again shown that they are not a worthy adversary on the battlefield as their overall strategies are less than ideal for their ambitions. They will go ahead with their offensive and it will bog down giving Ukraine many opportunities to eliminate them as sitting ducks. Ukraine defended masterfully in the east and now Russia will rightly suffer for it's ineptitude!

(#5121) No advances by russians

      I said early this last weekend that the Russians will do all they can within this week to get their next aggressive offensive started and this week would be the tell if they will be able to do it. Well we are almost through this week and Russia has barely budged forward from the lines that existed last week. Even though they are throwing countless men forward in their attempts to set the stage for their large offensive. Instead they are losing close to 1000 troops a day to death from Ukrainian defensive fire. Through bullets, missiles, mines, and bombs the Russian advances on several fronts in the east of Ukraine are failing.
     Which takes the steam out of a Russian offensive. They still have time to get themselves into a more advantageous position to springboard their offensive but the window for that is rapidly closing. The rainy season is about upon them which would make any successful offensive much more difficult and more improbable. As long as the Ukrainian defense and small counterattack strategies hold the Russians will be left out in the cold with little to show for their loss of life and armaments this week. Which brings another dynamic into play. Some generals in the hierarchy of the kremlin are about out of patience with putin, if he is still alive, and are about to do something about it. Especially if this new Russian offensive about to begin stalls in its tracks.
     Also as each day goes by the armaments that the west has committed to Ukraine keep arriving. They are being situated as needed to not only keep Russia from getting on the threshold of their offensive but will be waiting for them if they either do get on the threshold and start their offensive; or don't get on the threshold and start their offensive anyway. However the scenario plays out the current defense of Ukrainian lines in the east is holding and making for a very uncomfortable Russian response. No doubt the Russians will keep throwing their soldiers into the Ukrainian buzz saw and the daily deaths will continue in the near 1000 deaths a day for Russian soldiers while still not getting much tangible from it.

(#5120) The kremlin underestimated Zelenskyy, Biden and NATO

      If trump had been allowed to take the presidency in 2020, putin would already be storming the rest of Europe from Ukraine. There is no doubt in my mind that trump would have nullified NATO and sat on his hands and done nothing to help Ukraine defend itself from the Russian invasion. Without help from Biden and his rallying of NATO forces, Zelenskyy would not have been able to keep Russia from overrunning them on February 24, 2022. The depth of the disgrace and dishonor trump is capable of has not yet bottomed out. Our planet would have been shifted into chaos with Covid no doubt still raging.
     What putin has over trump is still unknown but you can imagine that for trump to betray democracy the what is very important to trump. He is as callous a person that has ever been born to be able to allow the murder of untold thousands to protect his secret. The kremlin is showing itself as a bastion of cruelty and brutality. So for the kremlin to be painted with the brush of blackmailing terrorism is more than appropriate. I suspect that the Ukrainian people would have fought any takeover by Russia even if they were dealing with a trump presidency. The problem though is that the Ukrainian people likely would not have been able to stand against Russia this long.
     But Joe Biden won the presidency and with it a commitment to Ukraine that their borders are not to be breached by Russian aggression. With Joe rallying NATO and other western countries to aid in the effort to thwart Russia the difference in Ukraine being under Russian control has been mostly reversed and instead the odds are that Russia will find it is pushed out of Ukraine and vulnerable to other nations that border it. The hiding tyrants in the kremlin have been defended against and now they will feel the brunt of Ukrainian determination to right the wrongs that Russia has already inflicted on them. History will show that despite evil men with power, the good of the rest of us is too much for them to succeed.

(#5119) More than a thousand Russian troops died yesterday

      The invasion of Ukraine by the kremlin will be known as the Russia's Waterloo. The place where Russian blood runs deep into the ground. Yesterday approximately 1030 Russian soldiers spilled blood for the last time in their shortened lives. The day before 870 Russian soldiers died. It is becoming clear that the strategy the kremlin is employing of throwing their troops in front of the buzz saw that is the Ukrainian defense is a tragedy for Russian mothers. All because the kremlin wants to take Bakhmut on or before the 1 year anniversary, February 24th, of their so far failed invasion of Ukraine. The ego it takes to send countless young men to their deaths just so that the murderers in the kremlin can crow about some minor victory in Ukraine is incredibly offensive.
      At least offensive to me. What is astonishing is that the mothers and fathers of these dead Russian soldiers are not complaining or protesting. It is as if they find solace in the kremlin calling them fallen heroes more that them being alive to life a full life. The hero worship notwithstanding is just a veneer for the murderers in the kremlin to hide behind. Yet despite the obviousness of the deception from the kremlin the Russian society at large is beyond redemption for their silence. Fear can make one silent surely but when their children are being led to slaughter when does the love for their children overrule their fear?
     Many more Russian soldiers will die in Ukraine in the next few weeks and if this continues at this rate this Russian invasion may be coming to an end. Russia will have failed to achieve their goal of eliminating Ukraine from the world map and now the numbers are closing in on over 150,000 soldiers being killed in Ukraine. As many as another 100,000 Russian soldiers injured. Nearly 15,000 tanks, armored personnel carriers, and vehicles and fuel tanks have been destroyed and/or captured. This ego driven folly of invading Ukraine will be the end of Russia as anything approaching a superpower. They will be lucky if their federation of brutality survives in whole.

(#5118) Joe Biden is killing it on the economy

     The cost of things are going down in most economic sectors and the unemployment rate is doing the same at 3.4 percent nationally. More people are working for more money than ever. Inflation has been slowing down for the last 6 months and should remain doing so going forward. The cost of living is still not where we all would like it but it is not skyrocketing without a solution. With more jobs being open for employment the likelihood of increasing wages is most probable. When wages go up then so does productivity so both the worker and the owner will see increased success in the economic market.
     From the mess that trump left with a largely unchecked pandemic coursing through our veins to the loss of market opportunities ranging from bottlenecks at ports of delivery and closures of businesses due to decreased human activity of Covid related restrictions. Joe immediately set out to conquer the pandemic with policies and economic help for most of the vulnerable. He made getting antidotes to Covid a higher priority and provided free tests and shots for anyone who would take them. With Covid now under control the human activity in the marketplace has increased again and businesses that were shuttered have been able to reopen.
     President Biden has been one step ahead of every calamity that has followed the disastrous 4 year appointed president trump. If not for the steadfast focused diligence of Joe, the recovery we are in would be far less closer to being solved. If we have learned anything about choosing presidents I hope it is that the republican party is not a place to look for leadership. Not only are they insurrectionists but they are bad managers of economic importance. Their big claim to fame is to cut taxes for the wealthy which only put our national debt in a very bad place. They are still clamoring for even more tax cuts for the wealthy as an economic platform. Never again should we allow a republican to become a president of our country.

(#5117) 6 days until Russia starts the new offensive in its invasion of Ukraine

      The die is cast! The cat is out of the bag! However you want to exclaim it the Russians have been found out. Of course they would be because to mobilize a large offensive inside another country's territory requires many moving pieces. But even that isn't the whole story on the new Russian offensive. The kremlin has been talking about winning a major city before the 1 year anniversary of its illegal invasion of Ukraine. That would be in 19 days so if Russia is to capture a major Ukrainian city, Bakhmut, then they need to get going immediately. Which combined with the Russian pieces of war machine being moved into place tells us all we need for now.
     Sure there could be a feint by Russia to show force in one region while secretly building up a force in another region but with today's modern technology, spying capabilities, the chance of that is 0. So here comes the Russian offensive in the Bakhmut area. If there is one way to see the Russian strategy it is through brute force. So Russia will send in a massive amount of troops in order to capture a small area. Whatever the kremlin has to do to get to crow about taking a major Ukrainian city. The Ukrainians for their part are aware of this and have been fortifying their defensive positions for many weeks. Yet the sheer manpower Russia is willing to sacrifice in order to achieve their propaganda goal is daunting.
     One thing we should never lose sight of is that the Russian high command will easily sacrifice its troops for a victory. There is no clamoring at home in Russia for them to safeguard their men. They have been fed and believe the propaganda message of hero for all their young men who fall in Ukraine. So expect a mad rush by Russian troops in large numbers to try to overrun the Ukrainian defenses. We will see shortly how this plays out but if it fails the Russian army will be vulnerable to a counter attack that could end the last bit of Russian occupation in Ukraine. Hopefully the west and our weapons will be in place before the Russians come poring across their current positions into the Ukrainian jaws of death that awaits them.

(#5116) The Russian people won't stop the kremlin from killing their young men

      This illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine is showing the world just how callous ordinary Russian people are about their young men being killed in Ukraine. I had not thought that the Russian people would be so callous to the unnecessary death of their offspring but it seems I was mistaken. Not only are the Russian people generally for the invasion but they see it as necessary. Of course they are getting their news from state propaganda but that is what they prefer it seems. They could be getting other accounts of things from other sources but regardless they are not or are dismissive of other accounts. So the point here is that regardless of the deaths of young Russian soldiers the citizens of Russia are not going to stop the kremlin from killing more of them.
     The fact that Russia is gearing up to mobilize another 500,000 Russians through conscription tells me that the Russian people have bought into the kremlin narrative of Ukraine being allied with nazis. How that is even possible with the west supplying the weapons to Ukraine is something even the simplest of souls should see through. Yet, no sign is given that any push back to kremlin plans is in the offing. So the invasion of Ukraine will continue and daily deaths of many times well over 500 will continue. The Russians are purported to be gearing up a within weeks a massive offensive against Bakhmut because the kremlin wants to celebrate a major city capture for its one year anniversary of invading Ukraine.
     Funny how the narrative keeps changing for the kremlin since the invasion was only supposed to last a few days. Yet here we are coming up in a few weeks of 1 year. Over 130,000 Russian troops are dead with nearly that many injured. The Russian stockpiles of weapons are more depleted than not and the Russian economy is not in good shape. Yet the likelihood of a Russian retreat is no where to be seen. So we in the west must immediately make sure that Ukraine is fortified from the coming Russian assault while also making sure Ukraine can also mount a counter offensive of their own. The kremlin is showing that they have no care for civilized behavior so we must make sure Ukraine puts an end to the kremlin dream of ruling the world.

(#5115) The fundamentals of math and language are essential to living a self controlled life

      I use my math skills every day. As well my language skills. I can figure and communicate the varying problems that arise in my life. I have tried to think about how math and language have evolved in my life, especially language. I say that because of this daily blogging I do. When I do the daily blogging, it is the key to my evolvement. Fresh in the early morning when my mind has just begun to begin again after a sleep period. I have always had an imagination that basically has no boundaries so delving into words to describe my dreams and thoughts comes naturally to me. I suppose my thirst for knowledge has a lot to do with it but even so my mind is a fertile field ready to grow new ideas and concepts.
     Not the same with my math skills. I learned the hard cold facts of math when I was very young. I took pride in being able to remember how to do basic math and remembering solutions to simple calculations. As I got older and learned more about algebra and geometry I learned that applying those formulas to carpentry and other laborious endeavors I became more precise in my work product. Being able to think somewhat like a computer is important when shaping a life path of purpose and attraction. My mind is the stable where all the horses are and when it is time I let those horses out to run. Being alive is really an amazing experience but only because I can form and calculate ways to express.
     There are many other fundamental building blocks to a satisfied life but for me having the desire to being at least minimally proficient at numbers and letters has elevated my worth to myself and hopefully to those around me. I am no braggadocio outwardly about my spirit to learn but to myself I am proud that I try to master the things in my life that effect how I communicate. I want to be the master of my life and the only way I could see to do that was for me to understand the basics of math and language. All our children need to experience the delight and joy of the lightbulb moment when a confusing concept suddenly becomes crystal clear. That is what learning math and language did for me.

(#5114) I saw a young man yesterday who asked me for food

      At my house I usually put stuff out at the front of my driveway to give away because I have a lot of stuff here and will likely never use them. Especially clothes. I have grown out of my clothes over the last several decades and have not worn them since. So yesterday and today I have been gleaning out my dresser drawers of the too small stuff for me to wear anymore. I must say it is not easy letting go of some of these things. Yet, I am doing it because I know that if I ever get down a lesser size and I can wear some of this stuff I can always buy something inexpensively new. Yesterdays pile of stuff pretty much is gone except one item of summer wear.
     I put out the last of the winter wear stuff and some dress shirts that should be gone today as well. So yesterday this young polite respectful man, less than 25 years old by my calculation, came by and loaded up several items. I went out to let him know he could take whatever he wanted. Yet the first thing he did was tell me he was hungry and hadn't eaten for several days. I looked at the state of him and it was apparent that he was homeless. Not only that but he looked somewhat worn down and possibly discomforted from his hungered appearance. I said sure and went inside the house and grabbed some things that were easily available and put them in a bag for him. There are a lot of homeless here in my less affluent area so his plight was not a shock. I am also keen on knowing who is a con and who isn't and this young man wasn't.
     That little episode yesterday hit me hard later in the evening when it was getting colder outside. My conscience was letting me know that the angst I felt about giving away clothes that I could no longer wear was inappropriate and reinvigorated me to go through all my clothes and let go of any coat and blankets that I had too much an attachment. Almost shame on me for being possessive of material things in an abundance when others where struggling to survive. There is no excuse for me not to help where I can and give as is needed when I have more than enough. That young mans imagine will stick with me for some time because he personified what some homeless are struggling with and that is just to stay alive.

(#5113) Give Ukraine the planes now!

      I know there are a lot of logistics involved besides just giving the planes. But even in a scaled down version of the planes to defend Ukraine, their value to saving Ukrainian lives are immeasurable. The sensitive nature of the components of the advanced flying war craft does belie just handing over the technology. However, the massive Russian offensive that could be coming within just weeks from now demands that an air presence of an advanced nature be available. Otherwise not to supply air defense and offensive capabilities to the brave Ukrainian warriors is tantamount to being allied with Russia. Standing back and watching the Russian invasion overwhelm the Ukrainian defense is beneath contempt.
     So organizing a hurried force of air defense for Ukraine is vital to them winning this invasion with Russia. Over the next several weeks the story of this invasion will be decided. There is no time to procrastinate over fears and technicalities. The winner of this invasion must be Ukraine if our world is to start on a new path toward democracy worldwide. If not the dictators of this world will be emboldened to advance on other democracies around the world. Now is the time to stop the threat of tyrannical authoritarianism and give democracy the first real modern foothold in Eastern Europe, Asia and beyond. If we don't stop the threat of the Russian invasion of Ukraine then our own society here in America is jeopardized.
     For those who do not see the bigger picture here let me explain. Last February putin made a calculation that if he was able to steamroll Ukraine into his orbit the rest of that continent would be more likely to follow despite the threat of NATO. But what putin did not understand in his calculation is that Ukrainians are not cowards. They stood up to the Russians and then President Biden reinvigorated NATO countries to join in aiding the Ukrainian rebut to the Russian invasion. Given these two miscalculations by putin the strategy he had of dominating all of Europe is fading. But to make putin's dream of having all of Europe disappear the west must supply Ukraine now with the weapons it needs to push Russia out of Ukraine!

(#5112) Still no verified sighting of putin: Ukraine continues killing Russians soldiers at alarming rates

      The major news outlets are not reporting on why putin is "hiding" from the public. I say that is not like putin. He likes the fame and attention so for him to be letting others speak for him even about whether he is dead or not is out of character for him. When the kremlin has to rebut a claim of putin being dead then you can pretty much bet that putin is not able to speak for himself. Whether through death or incapacitation, the silence coming from the brutal dictator putin is deafening. Another question is why is the media not reporting on the possibility that putin no longer exists? Why their silence on this crucial subject? What the fuck is going on?
     I know why the assholes in the kremlin are not allowing for proof of putin being alive because they want to control the narrative whether putin is alive or dead. But the world media? What is their excuse? The kremlin can keep blaming putin if things go horribly wrong with Ukraine while keeping the status quo, instead of being truthful and reorganizing their society. That putin was allowed to destroy the Russian economy and kill off over 125,000 troops so far is irrelevant to their ultimate goal of having Ukraine for themselves. I often on these posts mention how putin's ego was the driving force behind Russia's imperialism but what I am seeing now is that putins ego was not alone. Too many in the power structure of the kremlin are just like putin.
     So instead of thinking that the death of putin would change the dynamics of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I am seeing it not having any effect at all. So this invasion is now on Russia, not the cruel brutish tyrant that served as their leader. As putin was a puppet, the kremlin is the monster pulling the strings. Russia is showing itself as a pariah state and what happens to them in retaliation for their dirty deeds is justified and coming. There is no way that the west will allow the kremlin to keep any part of Ukraine whether putin is alive or dead. So the kremlin had better be ready to accept their mantle of shame and loss that their inglorious leader was about to be crowned with.

(#5111) The 14th year of blogging for me is complete with this post.

      President Obama had been sworn into office for his first term 11 days earlier. I started my first blog post on January 31, 2009. It doesn't seem that long ago but time has a way of flying by when things are relatively good. There was a block of time for 4 years when each day was excruciating and that was during the appointed presidency of trump. But like all things bad it finally ended and that was a real lesson for all we Americans excluding the obviously deluded ones. But despite the trump interlude of madness the time spent here on this daily blog has been well worth my time. I don't force myself to do this it is more a compulsion that I enjoy.
     Tomorrow I will start my 15th year of blogging and I look forward to that. What is inescapable for me is my chance to put out there in the ether my take on humanity and what makes us tick. Again, I say we are two main things, compassionate and curious. We care and we wonder about all that is around us. Not all of us exemplify these two characteristics of the human experience but when they are not in our majority of behaviors less desirable traits of humanity arise. Like selfishness, cruelty, and uncaring. These lesser traits of humanity are born from apathy and ego. Two disturbed psychosis that are not to be admired nor emulated.
     This blog began with the idea that if we know who we are then we can adjust how we live to our principles. When we care and wonder, our lives are filled with many good attributes that bring satisfaction to our personal lives even though many problems still persist. Because we know how to live and living as we should live with hope and determination for our world gives us purpose. We are not wasting time on trying to figure out who we are as we know who we are. A species that is limited in time and space within this reality but imbued with gifts of both a physical and mental nature. We are biological probes with reasoning, analyzing and concluding attributes that are stored in our long and short term memories. We are an amazing species and all of us deserve out path to happiness.

(#5110) Still no putin while Ukraine prepares to root out Russia!

      It seems the world media is just as gullible as the right wing media in America. They keep saying putin says this or putin says that but no evidence of putin saying anything is offered. Instead they later elaborate that a spokesman or the kremlin actually made the statement. It is going on 2 weeks now without a verifiable putin sighting but the media is content to dismiss that as unimportant for some reason. I used to hold the media in high regard but nowadays it is too much a tool of the ulterior motive manipulators. until I see or here a confirmed verifiable sighting of putin I will continue to postulate that putin is dead or is in a very bad incapacitated way. In the past putin has not let his persona hide from public view and as he is doing so now can only be seen as second hand proof that he is no longer in charge.
     As the numbers increase for armaments to the Ukrainian front the expectation that a new offensive from Ukraine is imminent. There are also sounds of Russia building up a new offensive but as they are constantly losing large amounts of armaments and personnel the idea that Russia will launch some great force at Ukraine becomes more ludicrous by the day. Yet the mouthpieces from the kremlin continue to spew such nonsense. The battlefields in eastern Ukraine are entrenched and yet the losses are always heavy on the Russian side. This invasion by Russia is doomed and their last death throes of trying to bully their way into a  victory are over.
     Ukraine is done with Russia and its attempts to shout a victory over them instead Ukraine is destroying Russia every day with a thousand knife cuts. Soon Russia will have no more corners to hide behind and when that happens the full weight of the Ukrainian forces will descend on the failed state of Russia and deliver the death blow it so richly deserves. Russia gets no compassion for invading, murdering, and kidnapping the soul of Ukraine. Instead they will be dealt a severe harsh reality of justice so that they understand the consequences of their brutal inhumane behavior. The Russian people will be left with the punishment for not stopping the ego driven putin although he may already be dead.

(#5109) More than 125,000 Russian troops have died in Ukraine.

      Whether Russian army or to a lesser extent, mercenaries, the Russian invasion of Ukraine has become a killing field instead. More than 125,000 Russian military men have met their deaths since February 24, 2022. Few in their right minds could have predicted this since the invasion first began. Yet of the approximate 150,000 amassed troops on the Ukrainian border just prior to invasion less than 25,000 still exist. At the current rate of Russian liquidation on Ukrainian soil another 25,000 soldiers only have a little over a month left to live. Russia is losing this invasion and yet will not stop their attempted invasion. Their parts for war machines are hard to get and their stockpiles are rapidly being depleted.
     On the part of the Ukrainian forces only about a tenth of what the Russian total is dying, about 12,500 Ukrainian soldiers, because they are fighting on home ground and are much more motivated to kill their invaders. With the addition of western arms and the sanctions on Russia the tide has turned toward Ukraine and victory for Ukraine has become the more likely outcome. Nowhere in Ukraine are the Russians advancing with any significance and if anything they are finding their current defensive positions less secure. An onslaught of western tanks and other offensive weapons like artillery and planes are also about to be unleashed on the battlefield so any current position of Russian control will find itself tenuous at best.
     If Russia does not find a way to surrender then death is what awaits them. The western weapons and Ukrainian resolve are not beatable for Russia. If Russia continues this self destruction then come what may. More people will die and although that is heart breaking it is also significant in this way. Russia is removing itself as a feared nation. They are cracking under the jaws of death Ukraine is forcing upon them. As Russia goes down as a tepid superpower there remains now only China and the Chinese leadership seem to be of the same failed logic as the Russians. By the end of this decade there may well be only one superpower left in the world and that being we here in the US along with our strong unwavering allies.

(#5108) 10 days and still no verifiable sign of putin

      Tick tock. The days are coming off the calendar and no verifiable sighting of the war criminal putin. I have already made my opinion known and that is that putin is dead or very ill, not long for dead. The kremlin will not tell the truth no matter what but if you notice putin has not been issuing any statements first hand instead the kremlin is talking for him. For me that is the tell in all of this. Regardless though the murderous idiots in the kremlin have decided that the invasion of Ukraine is a priority for them. So whether putin is dead or not will not necessarily affect the strategy of Russia.
     I know that my last few posts have been aimed directly at the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia but let me be clear here. Nothing in the world is more important than what the outcome of this invasion will be. Nothing! So the attention given the insurrectionist republicans in the House is of little concern to me. The death and dying in Ukraine far supersedes those fools who are nothing more than a laughingstock to those of us who value democracy more than any other political system. How the outcome in Ukraine is achieved is vital which is why we who never relent on Ukraine defending and reclaiming herself continue to advocate on her behalf.
     Not only are the tanks coming and already arriving in Ukraine, but air support in the shape of fighter jets are also coming. The next 2 months will be critical in how each side prepares for the spring offensives that are surely already being planned for. With superior tanks and air support the Ukrainians will be in position to damage the forces of Russia to a degree that will cripple them for the foreseeable future. Unless of course the war hawks in the kremlin are otherwise persuaded to stop their own bleeding. With nearly 125,000 troops already sacrificed for what amounts to an overall loss of land within Ukraine it may well be that the kremlin will stop the invasion and then recoup what they can to protect the other vulnerable flanks of their borders.

(#5107) Capitalism and corruption keeping America in poverty

      The republican agenda is to help the wealthy keep and increase their wealth. Instead of allowing capitalistic markets compete fairly. So once you become wealthy you had better become a republican if you are a greedy punk! Otherwise be a democrat, who live by the motto of merit for those who earn it. Once you have made your mark in our capitalistic society there should be no advantage or privilege attached that keeps you in the money. Like all good things they end so should the enterprises that are no longer up to date. For example the energy sector and dirty coal as a energy supply. Yet we have politicians who would sell their mothers in order to protect owners of coal.
     New products need to hit the marketplace without being obstructed by old products who are trying to protect their market share. There is always the need to transition from one mode of product to an updated or radically improved one but not at the expense of tanking the new product. Capitalism works when fairness and equality of opportunity are abundant. But it doesn't work when it is manipulated to deny evolving toward smart and intelligent designs. The republican party is one where they have sold their objectivity for a price that forces them to defy logic. When the American electorate is finally tired of the failed rhetoric of division and hate is when our society will prosper beyond belief.
     Until our society is ready to turn from the republican party the messes of division and hatred will continue. We democrats are the only political party that surround our policies as best as possible around fairness and equality of opportunity. There is no selfishness nor selling of principles that underlie our mission. We want a world where there is no poverty, no hunger, no one without medical care and no one without a chance to pursue happiness. After all our nation was founded upon the principles of democracy and if we are to honor our fore parents we must continue to fight the forces of the republican party who would deny democracy to America's citizens.

(#5106) Still no verified sighting of putin

      Okay, even if putin is not dead he is surely hurting from whatever it is that is destroying him from inside. Maybe he is even suffering from his own mixture of toxic plutonium tea. Whatever the final analysis is of his ill health, the fact that he cannot appear in public or is actually already dead is what we all need to know. I know for a fact that the powers in the kremlin will lie their asses off in order to maintain some kind of an advantage so nothing that comes from the kremlin can be believed. As each day ticks off the calendar it is becoming clear that putin is done as leader of Russia whether by death or incapacitation.
     Now I could be wrong like I was with un in North Korea but this isn't that and although similar it is a much larger stage for putin not to be on especially when called out by Ukrainian president Zelenskyy. It is becoming clear also that even if putin is dead the powers in the kremlin want to continue the illegal invasion of Ukraine. The stupid was not just with the ego driven putin it is also an infection shared by the no bravery to be found worms in the kremlin. The people of Russia need to find a way to band together to turn the tables on the warlords in the madhouse kremlin. Meanwhile a reinvigorated offensive is coming from the Ukrainians to push the Russians out of all of Ukraine.
     When that new offensive from Ukraine starts there will be no stopping it. If Russia is smart, which they haven't yet shown they are, they would step back from this invasion and keep their nation intact. Otherwise Ukraine will feel emboldened to move into Russian territory and start liberating current Russian oppressed lands. Other border countries will feel the same and start to attack the wounded Russia as well. There is no good scenario left for Russia as they are losing troops at an alarming rate these last few weeks with 910 being lost just yesterday. The Ukrainian fiasco for putin is no longer his concern as he is nothing if not dead. The kremlin brutes will now be saddled with the grave costs coming down on their heads!
     

(#5105) Yard work today

      Still waiting on whether putin has died or not confirmation. Otherwise nothing much on the Internet is worth waiting around to see develop. So off to my backyard to mow the green stuff growing in different spots all around the yard. Each day I go out and curb my animal's droppings and when the mostly not grass green stuff gets high it makes it hard for me to find them. So cut those down and weed eat the hard to get at places and that will be all for today. The weather is dry for now and now is the time to cut the growth. We are expecting some more wet weather this weekend. How much if at all is still unknown. Yet I am not one to procrastinate so out I go as soon as this blog post is written.
     All my batteries on the yard cutters are charged and ready to go. I have two batteries already charged for every tool so I can replace as needed while charging the dead battery for a third go if needed. I like the battery operated lawn mower and trimmer. They are efficient and powerful enough to do the job around here. I still have my riding lawn mower that is gas operated and likely I will use it some this morning. I have my gas powered Echo weed eater but I don't use that any more. I have an electric blower for leaves but that is not needed since all the leaves have been taken care of this leaf season through the riding lawn mower with the yard sweep attached to the back and a big rake for the difficult to get at uneven elevations in the yard.
     So now it is just green stuff being mowed and trimmed. I will likely only be out in the back yard for about 2 hours or so and that is just enough to wear me out. Ease of function still requires time put in and that isn't bad for the work that will be done. Anyway, this post is mostly written and I will momentarily be out back. When I get back in I will pop a pizza in the oven with added ingredients on top. A reward for my vigilance in keeping the backyard somewhat clean of refuse and animal discharge. 

(#5104) The west needs to stop pussy footing around in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine!

      I know the west, especially several dependent countries on Russian energy supplies, need to stop trying to thread a miniscule needle eye and just do what needs to be done to help Ukraine reclaim it's territory from the invading Russian  army. There has been almost a year now of time to rework that dependence some of these countries have on Russian supplies yet they are still not unyoked! That yoke is preventing these countries from doing the right thing about supplying Ukraine because of the blackmailing Russia is doing to them. Well get out of the dependence! For the life of me some countries are just incapable of doing the right thing no matter how there rhetoric is being to the contrary.
     With all this fiddle farting fucking around the dependent countries are doing, too many Ukrainian people are being murdered by putin forces! Just stop not doing enough and get off the dependence because Russia is only in partnership with other countries in order to leverage them into their sphere of thinking and acts. Do not associate with a bully who is not interested in law and order nor rules for engagement established through the Geneva Convention. Russia is a terrorist state so any collaborating with them, no matter how indirect, is tantamount to being their accomplice in crime! The Ukrainians need the supplies to do the job of ending this failed Russian invasion and the only thing stopping them is the weakness of their allies.
    It is a weakness of choice and although the dependent countries have opposed Russia with words their deeds are less strident. The west must overcome their own fears for the future and deal with reality now. The Ukrainians should not have to beg for the tools to defeat Russia. One country has to lose so stop wiggle wagging and pick a side then go all in to help toward victory. The United States has done a lot for the Ukrainians but not enough to allow them to break the back of putins Russia. More concerning are the countries in Europe who really can make a quick and powerful difference who are sitting on their hands a bit too much whilst their fearful calculations about their dependence on Russia has gone stagnant for far too long!

(#5103) The drudgery of inequality

     For most people who have ever lived the one great accomplishment of living is to reproduce. Not all agree with this and in fact I am not part of that vast group. However I know, I and those like me, are the exception not the rule. The problem is within a capitalistic system hell bent on an antiquated survival of the fittest mentality is that most are born unequal to a select few. Because of this inequality the chasm between those who can actually afford to bring up children to an enlightened evolution is small and getting smaller. The reason is that with less money spread out among the many the chances of a quality upbringing dissipates. Furthermore the few who are given an enlightened upbringing often find themselves chasing fortune instead of honor.
     Such is the nature of capitalism. It is a functioning formula for merit and intelligence but when the intelligence is not being attained the merit is wasted on less than honorable choices. There is historical evidence of trying to map out the right course for equal enlightenment but the powers that be seem to be less enthused about being principled in that strategy. Instead they point to denigrating arguments that base themselves in condescension and belittling. An air in the nose mentality for those who are not lucky enough to be born into a family that is already well stocked in monetary advantage. Any attempt to socialize programs aimed at a fair starting point for all is debased and mocked.
     If one does not understand the historical pattern of poverty and how it is perpetuated in order for a few to maintain mastery over our democracy then shallow arguments against equality are kin to their tellers. With the rise in racism and misogyny the oppression of those who are not advantaged is again buttressed against a more egalitarian society. Our government, especially and almost exclusively within the republican party, is filled with a want to be master class instead of a servant class. Those who attain power for the sake of their own priorities are not what we need. We need a servant class of leaders who are hell bent on providing a foundation for enlightenment to foster for all.

(#5102) Tick tock

      Still waiting for proof that putin is still alive. His spokesman says he is but that isn't proof. Where is the tyrant murderer? The only way I can accept that he is alive is for him to make a public appearance. Now he has many body doubles so just seeing him from any distance is not enough. He needs to speak and be clearly visible for facial recognition to be confirmed. I can see if he is dead why the powers that be in the kremlin would want to use a hidden dead putin to keep the invasion in Ukraine from coming to a sudden halt. Because if it were known that putin was dead then many would try to stop the invasion and pull Russian troops out of Ukraine.
     If he is still alive then where is he? Is he still breathing but incapacitated? For me if he isn't functioning then that is the same as him being dead as to the power struggle in Russia. The same reasoning for the invasion powers in the kremlin. The secrecy of the Russian power structure is another example of why no country should have a dictator. It has been 2 days since Ukrainian president Zelenskyy broached the subject of whether putin was still alive and we haven't yet to my knowledge seen proof of life. Another 860 Russian troops died yesterday in Ukraine so if putin is dead then maybe the death of young Russian men will begin to stop.
     Whether putin is dead or incapacitated the invasion of Ukraine must end quickly. There is no winning this war with Ukraine as the west will make sure. The only hope for Russia now is for them to unilaterally leave Ukraine and then settle in for a war crimes commission that will begin to set straight the damnable putin and his orders to commit genocide and hideous war crimes as strategies to defeat Ukraine. The clock is ticking and as each second ticks off and no putin then the drum beat of making that known will increase. Either putin is in hiding or he is incapacitated or he is dead. We will know so no more hiding kremlin in order to accomplish your unachievable goal of world domination.

(#5101) Russian soldiers dying by the droves

      Over the last 5 days, approximately 4,010 Russian troops have died in Ukraine. The previous 5 day total was approximately 2,880 dead Russian troops dying in Ukraine. Just for some perspective, about one tenth of the Russian total equals the Ukrainian death toll to their troops. By a 10 to 1 margin Russian troops are dying for putin's ego. With nearly a total of 120,000 dead Russian troops just from inside Ukraine the obscene notion that Russia is winning anything there is absurd and closer to insanity than any other probability. With putin relying on sheer numbers as a strategy to overwhelm the Ukrainian homeland, his true reality is that of a Ukrainian buzz saw chewing up his forces at an alarming rate.
     When will the Russian people finally see that their sons are no longer going to have life on Earth as long as putin is leading their country? 120 thousand dead young Russian men has not yet made an impact on the people of Russia to the extent that they cry out, enough! If anything Russia has ceded territory in Ukraine they controlled prior to their murderous invasion on February 24, 2022. The cost of that loss of territory? So far 120,000 dead troops, not counting the injured and surrendered. 3,339 tanks are destroyed or in Ukrainian hands. 6,241 Armored personnel carriers destroyed or captured. 4,903 vehicles and/or fuel tanks destroyed or captured. 564 aircraft/helicopters destroyed or captured. 1,186 tactical UAV systems destroyed or captured. 17 warships destroyed. 2,571 Artillery systems/MLRS destroyed or captured. 220 anti aircraft warfare systems destroyed. 190 various equipment destroyed.
     That is a mighty list of destroyed and captured Russian assets that no longer are available to activate for a loss of territory in Ukraine. Giving up the blood and treasure for less than nothing surely is not a winning strategy for the ego maniacal putin. The strategy of bum rushing his troops into enemy fire is not working for putin but he continues to try. I just can't for the life of me see how the Russian troops keep following orders that will deliver them to a liquidation. There is no sense to it and if it continues the death toll will ultimately become one of the most tragic events in warfare history. It is an abomination to civilized behavior that marching troops to certain death is allowed to continue even to my way of thinking. War is war where death will occur but to throw lives away even grates my soul.

(#5100) I prefer this rumor even though it is a rumor

      You know how rumors are. They often are of a fantastic nature or a flawed one. Either way they are tantalizing for those who are not involved. Especially if the rumor is about a very bad person who is no longer with us. I saw this morning that a rumor is floating that putin is no longer alive. I must be clear here. There are two people on this planet that I can't wait to learn of their expiring. The aforementioned putin and his kiss ass boy trump. The world would be so much better off if these two callous cold blooded scourges were off the planet for good. Now I know there are others out there who are crippling our societies with their selfishness and greed but for the current time those two are the worst.
     Once I saw the rumor of putin being dead it automatically lifted my spirits. Yes, I admit that some who are possibly dead make me feel alive. It is the reality of life that when an oppression has been lifted a sense of relief and hope replace the oppression. The idea that the rumor is true has given me a sense, even if false, that my disdain and abhorrence of putin is real and deep. So even if the rumor is false I still got a bit of a charge out of it. It for me would be a precursor to things to come if I survive past putin or trump. At least my attitude is a happier one this morning no matter what the truth about putin is.
     The beauty of this rumor is that I will be monitoring the rest of the news this morning to see if any confirmation is forthcoming. Of course I will also feel a little let down if this rumor is false but the high I got off of it will still put the letdown above any way I felt prior to hearing the rumor. The reason is that I am starting to think about a post putin world where Ukraine is not under the ego of a deranged human being. Not to say that those in the kremlin who supported putin won't continue with the murderous invasion of Ukraine but at least a change at the top of Russian politics will at least cloud things for the better. I think that anyone would be better than putin and the odds are that if this rumor is true the end of Russian aggression in Ukraine may be a likely result.

(#5099) Good trouble

      Doing the right thing for the right reason is not an assured formula. How long have women been fighting for equal rights with men? How long has racism overcome our best efforts to eradicate it? How long will poverty be tolerated while the wealthy add to their wealth? How long can democracy stand when the insurrectionists are allowed to run the government? So many how long questions we have here in America. It seems that doing the right thing is not welcomed by all. For several decades I have been waiting for people who vote for republicans to rise above them and vote them out. It hasn't happened and each time for a long time I was astonished when they kept voting for republicans.
     Not any more! I expect that no matter how cruel and dishonorable republicans are their voters will tolerate them. Which speaks to why? I get that tradition is a key, because the saying of we have always voted for republicans is often heard as an excuse. Yet shooting oneself and others in the foot shouldn't be a tradition anyone would continue with once it is felt. So trying to know why anyone sees helping people as a bad thing is important to understand. I expect that the old survival of the fittest concept of me first is one reason and possibly hatred for anyone who is not like themselves another reason. But honestly it is inescapable that our lives are so intertwined and that having negativity as a default position is not productive.
     So how do we get to the point where we can illustrate the correctness of humanity? We get into good trouble. We make stands where the point is moral, ethical, and honorable, to care and wonder for our species. We do not let the worst of who we are dictate the path forward for all of us. We stand up to their demagoguery with facts and the truth of things. We get into good trouble as our default position so that any one who sees us knows that we are not the problem and instead we are the solution. Fighting the rest of our lives for what should be the manifest destiny of our species. Good people doing amazing things for all and the existence around us.

(#5098) Buying goods from Russia is fueling the illegal invasion of Ukraine

      There is no way putin can keep sending troops and armaments to Ukraine if not for the help from those foreigners who buy Russian products and services. I know we were an interconnected society previous to Russian aggression in Ukraine but to keep that interconnectedness in the face of the atrocities being committed by Russian strategy is to ally oneself directly with putin. There is no middle ground here. Either you are helping putin continue to murder civilians and do other atrocious harm or you are against him. So if a nation for example had ties to Russia for necessary products, they should be or should have been in search for alternative products from somewhere else. There is no other scenario where they can just let things be and not be held in criminal disgrace.
     Without outside money, Russia cannot sustain itself for very long. It has expenses in keeping its economy running and its people in supplies. Without outside money the Russian economy would soon collapse and any thought to continuing their invasion would be impossible. The only way to stop this madness of putin quickly is to cut off the money. Western sanctions are helping to do just that but rogue countries are bypassing those sanctions. So a penalty for bypassing sanctions must be airtight in implementation. There cannot be any passes for the unethical propping up of putin in order to make a beneficial profit when murder is the cost.
     We in the west need to make them pay who help putin continue to kill innocents. It is a bloody stain on our species that murder is considered just a reasonable cost of doing business. All those who have helped putin without trying to change that help over time, should be adjudged criminally guilty of collusion in the illegalities that Russia's putin is allowing in Ukraine. Every bit of money that is illegally going to putin and every penny that he makes from those who will stubbornly not find alternative supplies for goods that don't include Russia should also be held together in the same criminal frame. Murder is not okay as a cost of doing business despite reasoning that tries to make it so.

(#5097) My mind is willing but my body is tired

      I feel like a ton of bricks landed on me but my mind is ready to go. Such a conundrum. Aging is a real bummer when it comes to how my body is always lagging behind my thoughts. What is real sad is that my younger zest for life is now tempered and would have been perfect had I still been young. I was too zealous in life, almost like my hyper was a degree to much for me growing up. Now my hyper has slowed but my body has nearly become stagnant. I mean I still do some things that I want but not to the degree that I had done when younger. It is almost like a couple of examples I often think about. I wish my wisdom now was with me when I first started out, or my teeth would grow back in when I am old not young.
     Such it is with my body. I wish it had been less hubris at the early ages in order to maintain more of that energy now that I am older. I am only 67 but I feel every hard year of effort I squeezed from it. Most of us do not get to take life easy and still pay the bills. We have had many physically difficult and demanding jobs that wore us down over time. Plus being young we wanted to keep playing sports in various ways that added to the wear and tear of our biological forms. I think I could sleep for at least a week or more given the tiredness I carry with me. My mind is not weary like that but my body sure is. I have spent the last 20 or so years getting used to being tired most of the time as a consequence of getting older. I accept that mentally, but hate the fact of it physically.
     Every day of my life is filled with chores now. I cannot take a day off from anything if things are to be done. Sure I could arrange for someone to tick off the box of known activities I accomplish daily but the unknown ones are not easily scheduled. I am always trouble shooting something around here or in my life so there is no checklist for that. I enjoy being a closer on so many problems that arise but that in itself makes me more indispensable not less. So like this daily blog, for the vast majority of it, it is a daily task. My animals and this household need all and even more than I can give. So the idea that I can sleep in or go away for more than a day is unthinkable. I get up way too early when I am bone weary and do what needs to be done and then if I am lucky I can get a nap or two during the day before I go to sleep way too late. Such is my remedy for now.

(#5096) Still loving the deluge of rain in California

      Here I am in Sacramento California experiencing a deluge of rain this Sunday morning. Good for many reasons the least of which it is a slow day for traffic so fewer accidents because of rain is expected. Plus the drenching of our soil once again to replenish the aquifers, and the rising levels of our lakes and aqueducts to be the result of this welcoming rain. I know many workers are not happy with the rain as it effects their outside livelihoods but they will have to soldier on for the good of our state. Many a year I worked outside in weather far worse in the states of Washington and Alaska. I still got my work done albeit with more difficulty.
     My motto on this rain is keep coming. The more the merrier. It will take a lot more rain than what we have been happily getting to make up for the last decade of more than intermittent drought but this year's rain totals are surprisingly turning the tide on the depressing drought. As I watch the rain pour down like a waterfall I can only think of how much the water basins are rising because of the precious rain. We are well below our normal levels but our levels are rising giving hope to the thought that our water supply this coming year will not be a drastic situation. As well the snow pack in the higher elevations is rising as well. Our mountain runoff in the spring should be healthy and long.
     The things I took for granted when I was young like the seasonal allowances of rain is not like then now. So when we do get an abundance of rain it is like it is a gift. So watching this rain pour from the sky is refreshing and as a side note the continuity of the falling rain has been spelled by a day or so of no rain which allows the creek behind my yard to shrink from its swollen water flow. Keeping it in the creek and not in my backyard due to flooding is perfect. So rain hard for a while, take a little break, and then keep raining hard for a while again. My entertainment budget of zero is being amply filled with natures rain cycle.

(#5095) The republican manifesto of greed and cruelty

      So going after Social Security and Medicare in order to weaken both is now the big priority of the republican party. Instead of caring for the elderly who have paid into the insurance programs the republicans are looking to hurt them, being us. We who are already receiving our benefits are as soon to be a target of republicans as those who are nearing retirement. The youth of our nation are being left out completely by republicans so that when in 30, 40 years when they are eligible to retire the republicans would have them without Social Security and Medicare.
     I honestly cannot say which is more debasing about republicans, their disdain for the elderly or their disregard for the future of our youth. The republican party has become a party of cruel and short sighted individuals who live by the motto of "I got mine so fuck you!" Even though Social Security and Medicare are taxes we pay to support both programs. It is beyond me to understand why people vote for republicans because they commit so many disgusting and disgraceful acts. They are the bottom of the barrel of humanity and represent the worst of what selfishness does to a person.
     They would let many die instead of being caring. They would let many starve instead of feeling. They would deprive life itself if they saw a way to make a buck from it. Who would ever want to be known as a republican? The shame and dishonor associated with them is little felt by them because it would take a moral person to know. They are what can only be described as the dregs of humanity. I am only being fair here because their acts and intentions are not hidden. In fact they flaunt them as worthy of some repute. If ignorance and hate are to be our national identity then the time to either confront them or let them win is upon us. What will we do as a nation? Give into our worst natures and fall from the weight of our own diseased acts or do we fight like all get out to preserve what America has been known to be, a nation of immigrants, who although with some difficulty, always found a way to survive and grow together.

(#5094) Fortune favors the bold

      A Latin proverb that is more true than not. In my own life when I have done something bold and followed it up with my best effort the result was bettered for it. It is like when we seek to do great things and then put our backs to it the opportunities begin to emerge. Others see our effort and for the right reasons want to be part of it. Inspiration is gathered when we try the nearly impossible and show progress. Much like last years breakthrough in nuclear fusion technology. Once the dam breaks on a time changing concept the rest is an avalanche of pursuit. I find also, although not as prominent, are the casting aside of ancient traditions and mores.
     We are not our ancestors who fought for warmth, food and shelter. We have moved beyond those desperate times and are now less dependent upon miracles and pleadings for basic functioning. We have evolved into science and logic to survive and even dream of greater ambitions like space travel and time altering events. Not only do we not need to worry so much on just surviving but now we dream of living longer lives than ever thought possible. All because we are bold and want more than what we currently have as parameters. Our imaginations fuel our drive to create an existence that has more than existing to just live and die.
     Along the way we the many of us have found the courage to be bold. To stick our necks out for something that is greater than ourselves. I always say this, we humans are an amazing species. We have yet to prove that on a more regular basis but we have done so enough to show that it is within all of us to do so. None of us, human beings specifically, are incapable of being bold. It is our heritage. It is our manifest destiny. It is the one thing in life that raises our own estimation of ourselves. Fortune favors the bold is a proverbial statement that when seen after the fact becomes clear as to its authenticity.

(#5093) remember to post Carl!

      It is not as if I am busy or too preoccupied with doing as little as possible. It is that I am just not remembering. I even left the tab open so I could help my memory but I never did sit down at my computer after initially leaving it early yesterday morning. If I had I would have seen the open tab and acted accordingly. No excuses because this really is all voluntary anyway and for the most part an exercise on my part to do what is very difficult as it is. To write everyday somewhere above 250 words on a subject that I come up with that is either important to me or is some current or random thought crossing my mind.
     I usually write about politics but have chosen to stay away from that since the republican party has been able to gerrymander their way into the House majority. It grieves me to know that the American electorate is aware of the republican unfair and unjust ploy yet still chose to vote for them. Not only that they insurrected our Capitol and are not being shunned or banned from office. It really sickens me to think that our electorate is as selfish and brutish as the republican party now undeniably represents. So politics for me right now is like crud I would wish to wipe from my shoes. Our Presidency and Senate are the only good saving graces at the moment on the federal level and the uptick in democratic leadership in states is also encouraging but the failed republican party is damaging us from within the House.
     So trying to be relevant about a subject that strays from my wheelhouse of politics is not as simple as I would have hoped. I sit here in my chair at my desk and often draw a blank about a subject that has my motivation stirred. So here I am trying to make relevant my inability to remember to post every day when it does occur. Which by the way has been more frequent lately than in the last 13 almost 14 years. Yes, January 31 will be 14 straight years of this for me with only a handful of missed, albeit made up for the next day, postings. I think I will set up another fail safe act for every day that gives me a reminder to check off so that I don't just rely on my memory.

(#5092) I am feeling a bit anxious about my dog Billy's surgery this morning

      My Billy, 12 1/2 year old long haired Chihuahua is about to go under for 2 teeth to be removed plus a benign mass on his right cheek that he scratched open. There is another mass on his leg that I will ask the Doc to remove as well since he will be under anesthesia already. A lot of things happening all at once for Billy and it has me a bit anxious. When our pets get older it is harder to think of them not being with us and this is one of those times for me. I know in my mind that he will be fine but there is always the chance that he won't come back after I drop him off. It has happened to me before with 2 of my other pets, but those were under more dire circumstances. This is not that so he should be fine.
     Should be but no guarantees. I don't know about other people but I suspect it is the same, my pets are like children if I had any. I would do most anything to make sure they are safe and healthy. So the anxiety I am feeling is probably appropriate for the moment. Just talking about it here is helping me accept whatever outcome avails itself. I am about 40 minutes from leaving with Billy to the veterinarians so the level of anxiety is increasing. I am fine though and although anxious I am very glad that I can afford the rather expensive, for me anyway, surgery. I trust the Doctor to make sure Billy is properly cared for during the surgery experience.
     I don't know if Billy senses my anxiety but for now I don't think so because he is in the bedroom laying on the bad sleeping. I didn't give him his usual breakfast like I always do but he doesn't seem to mind right now. He will be happy to go for a trip in the car because he loves going with me places when I can take him. He is my little buddy who I have had for 10 of those 12 1/2 years. 10 years doesn't seem that long in the big picture but it is a long time for our pets. I can see some aging on Billy from when I first got him from the dog pound but his character and behavior are about the same. I expect after today another 10 years of being together may well be our future.

(#5091) Back to normalcy

 I opened my eyes this morning and looked at the ceiling where the time was projected. It was at that moment that I remembered I was back to having power in the house. We here in the house were without power for almost 2 days but when you have a disruption in your schedule like that it reveals some things. Like even though there was no power I found myself reaching for the light switch most every time I went into a room. It is just mechanical for me and stopping it was not easy. I did laugh at myself for my unconscious movements and tried to remind myself that we have no power in those switches right now.
     I also became aware of how hard it is to sit in the dark with little to do. I am someone who needs to be somewhat active. So doing things helps even if having to have a flashlight with me most of the time. Outside during the day time hours is normal but with the weather being so windy and rainy there were few things I could do other than necessary ones. So eventually I put one of my reclining chairs up against the big window to the front and just sat there looking out into view. One saving aspect here was that my gas supply for the water tanks and the furnace was not interrupted so plenty of hot water and heat for the home, the stove just needed a lighter to get the burners going.
     So getting showers was fine but of course needed to be done in the light of day that was coming through the bathroom window. Having my coffee early in the morning was really missed so that cup this morning was really appreciated. I just plugged in the electric skillet and fried up a couple of eggs and made a pancake. Just because I could. Here I am sitting at my keyboard typing this post whereas the last few days have been anxious for me because I knew I wouldn't be able to make a post for each day the power was out. I got through it after not succumbing to all the thoughts about how I could make a post by going mobile. Enough Carl, relax and let things happen without trying to control them. lol.

(#5090) A big push in Ukraine by Ukraine and Russia

     It seems now that there are two pushes by each country to take control of the Russian invasion. This week will likely decide which nation can grab the mantle of victor. With it's push to take the gateway city of Kreminna and liberate it from the Russian forces, Ukraine is poised to control a vast section of vital Ukrainian territory. On the other hand further south, the Russians are trying a last ditch effort to retake Bakhmut and reestablish a morale building victory in a vital city to Russian ambitions. The defense of both and the offensive of both will play out over the next week.
     If Ukraine can hold its fortified position in and around Bakhmut then the Russians will have thrown their best fighters into loss a that will denigrate their morale instead of bolster it. We will see how the Ukrainian defense of Bakhmut thwarts the Russian all out advance. As to Kreminna, the Russians know that if Kreminna falls their dreams of empire in Ukraine fall as well. From Kreminna the Ukrainians can advance into the rest of their homeland with the upper hand. Russia will be forced to further retreat toward to their own borders. Ukraine is already advancing on Kreminna and if things keep at this pace Kreminna will fall back into Ukrainian hands.
     Russia is making its move on Bakhmut with some success securing some strategic ground and putting the Ukrainian defenses at high alert. It seems that the two battles will be eternally linked in deciding the outcome of this horrific putin invasion. My money is on Ukraine because when it comes to fighters on the ground the Ukrainians have shown that fighting on Ukrainian soil to save the nation of Ukraine inspires them to heights of focus that the Russians can only dream to experience. This week, by the end of next Sunday should go a long way toward deciding this invasions outcome. Again, Ukraine is fighting for their lives and the Russians are fighting for putins ego. Bet as you will!

(#5089) Make up post for electrical outlet yesterday

     Yesterday I couldn't write a blog post on my page because the night before the power went out. We had winds up to 70 miles an hour and we here in the Sacramento Valley are not used to such wind force. Well as you can imagine many trees and fences were blown about contacting power lines and generally making a mess of the electrical grid. Our local service provider SMUD, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, a non profit electrical utility here in the city of Sacramento had it's hands full. 300,000 accounts were affected by this storm and getting everyone their lights back on was a Herculean chore. We were expecting our power to be out for at least another 3 or 4 days. Yet earlier this evening our lights powered back on.
     I can tell you that it wasn't just the power to our homes that was a major problem. The old growth Oak trees that didn't withstand the forceful winds also took a hit. Many streets were impassible all over the city with many of those trees taking out power poles. But what I saw yesterday and today was uplifting. The people came out of their homes and got dirty trying to clean up their little section of the mess. Even I was out doing whatever I could yesterday and today to make it safe out there for those who had to be out. This morning I even got to be a voluntary traffic control man who guided traffic up the road to a detour around a large Pine tree the was laying across Del Paso Blvd.
     It only took the city work crew an hour to clear the mighty tree from the road and clear up all the debris so that traffic could continue. Since I have nothing much to do when it is dark outside so I sit in my recliner chair that I have put at the front window so I can see out into the night. So when the people across the street suddenly had their string of holiday lights come to life I immediately perked up, geared up, and went outside to Del Paso Blvd. There I saw a SMUD work crew working a on a power pole and then within minutes I looked back at my house and the lights were on. All of us standing out in the cold on this dark evening spontaneously broke out into a clapped filled Woohoo outburst. Good stuff my friends. :)

(#5088) What calamity lies ahead in the House

      Now that this latest fiasco of republicanism has ended in the house what lies ahead? Surely not governing as we saw with the 15 votes to eventually elect a dismal character as republican majority leader. Instead of negotiating with democrats to do a compromised agenda over the next 2 years the republicans ramrodded a coalition with their extreme right wing flank that at best will not destroy them and at worst will. My money is on the worst case scenario. At this point we don't know yet what concessions the weakling mccarthy appropriated to his unruly right wing but we do know it had to be substantial.
     So over the next 2 years we will see the most garish led House since I don't know when. The lowlife mccarthy will have to have democratic votes to get anything passed in the next 2 years and for that to happen he will have to bypass his own right wing. If he can that is, because we don't know the extent of his compromises. Surely though the idea that anything meaningful for the American people being offered by republicans in the House over the next 2 years is moot. There will be nothing other than investigations and wasted House floor time. I also expect a massive amount of absurd floor speeches that aim at accusing democrats of everything under the sun that is wrong with America.
     The saving grace here is that most of the important necessary work to keep the government open and the debt ceiling work is done for a while. So our nation will be able to survive for the next little while. the House controls the money we spend for keeping government functioning so when we are at the place of needing the House to hold up it's obligations to our society is when we will see the real test of how bad this republican majority in the House plays out. In the meantime I hope that some current House seats will come open due to criminal probes so that special elections can then reverse the republican majority. Wishful thinking at this point but it really is all I have to cling to until 2024.

(#5087) In the last 16 days nearly 11,000 young Russian soldiers have been killed inside Ukraine

      The death toll for Russia of it's armed forces reached 110,250 since the beginning of the invasion putin instigated without provocation. Murderer putin wanted to take Ukraine under its influence and power but Ukraine said no and here we are. With 110 thousand young Russian soldiers dead with at least that many who are wounded and maimed. So close to a quarter million Russian youth have been ravaged by this ego driven illegal invasion of putins. That number is astronomical. Consider again that "only" 58 thousand Americans soldiers died in Vietnam over a 10 year period. This Russian invasion of Ukraine by putin is not even a year old yet.
     There is no way Russia can sustain these kind of casualties. Russia is said to have had 1 million active duty soldiers with another 2 million in reserve. But think of it this way, not all of those soldiers are combat soldiers, many are support personnel for the actual fighters of which there are far fewer today than in February 2022 when putin first invaded Ukraine. With most of the elite Russian forces having been killed off the remainder of troops for the invasion are less experienced and more afraid of dying knowing what they know now. Which is why so many of the Russian troops left in Ukraine are surrendering instead of being cannon fodder for the inept Russian leadership.
     Russia continues to call up its reserves but these reserves are not capable of fighting the experienced and motivated Ukrainian forces. More shedding of Russian blood onto the Ukrainian ground is expected and in larger quantities. More young Russian soldiers will be liquidated and still putin sees himself as invincible. It is sad to watch from afar the devastation being wrought on the Ukrainian people but just as much it is difficult seeing the madman putin send his youngsters into certain death. The Russian people are an embarrassment for giving into their dictator without stopping him with every cell in their bodies. They allow putin to kill off their offspring without a demand that he stop that can be heard anywhere!

(#5086) I haven't watched the House vote for it's speaker

      On facebook I see that there is not a speaker elected yet after 7 votes and counting have been taken. Desperate kevin mccarthy is trying to get the job but he cannot get the required 218 to lead the House. All 212 democrats have voted for Hakeem Jeffries and the republicans with their current 121 votes are unable to get to 218 on anyone. The real problem here for republicans is that mccarthy will not stop trying to get the posting and each time he tries he keeps coming up short. 7 times now and who knows how many more times he will keep trying. He said in the beginning that he would keep forcing a vote with him as leader until the small cabal of opponents to him relent.
     That doesn't sound encouraging when after 7 votes he hasn't won. Yet again today they are voting with him on the ballot. I won't watch the shit show because for one I despise the insurrectionist republican party with every fiber of my being and secondly, the idea of watching a train wreck doesn't satisfy any need I have. So as I scroll the news feed on facebook I get the current state of affairs as many of my friends there are fascinated by the ineptitude that republicans are plainly willing to show the world. I am not a vindictive person so I again don't want to spend any time as entertainment watching the brazen idiocy coming from the republican party.
     I assume something will break eventually and at that time I will be satisfied to learn the results. All I know is that if republicans had not gerrymandered the hell out of federal districts the republican party would not now be the small majority in the House. So all of it in that chamber of Congress is a bit of a nightmare and that nightmare is showing itself in its inability to even begin the 118th Congress. I hope that those who voted for republican House members can see the effect of their vote as it is they who supplied us with a most inept republican party. Elections matter and republican voters deserve as much blame for this current fiasco as the republican members of the House!

(#5085) Taking care of our pets

      Yesterday I learned my dog Billy needs two teeth removed and some minor surgery on a cyst that he scratched open. A thousand bucks worth of work. I am of limited income so my first reaction was one of a little despair. I always knew in the back of my mind that something concerning my 4 animals would jump up some time and make itself known. So I was not taken aback by the estimation of the work I was just saddened a bit because the cost has a real affect on me. Well I have ways of taking care of the costs and as of this morning began one of those ways. I expect I have done what is needed but a small loan from one of my credit cards is a responsible decision.
     I don't want to wait for other options to emerge because I don't want my Billy to have to be uncomfortable any longer than necessary. This short term loan will be paid off quickly reducing the effect of the decent interest rate I was able to secure. I don't like having to pay for things on credit or with loans but sometimes the unexpected needs a different approach. I love my dog Billy and anything that hurts him hurts me. I have had him for 10 years now since I got him from the dog pound. He was 2 1/2 years old then so he is getting up in age but despite his age he is still a rambunctious long haired Chihuahua rabble rouser. :)
     I will make sure his diet is less difficult to eat with two of his teeth coming out and for about a week he will have to wear a collar to protect himself from his own scratching on his cheek where the cyst was. I have asked around and find that the cost of the surgeries is low compared to what others have experienced. My Veterinarian is a good guy whom I have been with since he first went into business. We have shared some heartache over pets of mine he could not save from debilitating injuries. I think he understands that I don't have a lot of money and that I care about my animals. All in all I expect Billy will be fine soon and for that I am so very grateful.
     

(#5084) No deserves and no guarantees, just do the right thing and do no harm!

      This existence of ours is just what it is. Nothing more and nothing less. We don't get any privilege being in it other than the life we have. Without life we would not be here with the ability to learn and understand this natural environment. So just being alive is all of our starting point and nothing else. One of the great abilities we humans have is to be able to imagine. When we look around ourselves we are marveled at our planet and the skies above us. Where we see the foundation of life here with water, food, shelter, and possibilities we begin to order our lives in ways that enhance our survival. This planet is readily made for housing us and keeping us from much harm.
     Where we begin to move ourselves away from the basics of our existence is when we try to think we are less than our possibilities. We have become a species that now has given itself to an apparition in the form of a god. I say apparition because it is the closest thing to a ghost while also being omnipresent. A figure that has over time become the one and all of who we are. Yet many of us do not succumb to that way of thinking or as has become lack of thinking because we know that reality is not based upon a supernatural being. We are born of ourselves with a limited time and space expiration. We are not children or a creation of an immortal divinity that has no observable presence, yet too many do.
     Yet my fact based opinion is likely the minority of we human beings. Such is the allure of a master who controls our lives. I don't get it myself. I understand the desire for a god in the lives of many but not the need of it. Our human being species will never expand beyond our myths, mores, superstitions, and conspiracy theories if we are not able to shake off the fear that allows for them to exist in the first place. I am fine with coping methods for personal struggles but not as heavenly golden rules and the only way to get to a safe harbor. We are alone on this planet as a byproduct of environment, physics, and biological combining. We exist and know we exist, that is our one claim to an advancement that is not dependent upon mystery to force a definition.
     

(#5083) Doing good Samaritan things beats capitalism for the sake of capitalism

      I am not going to rust nowadays instead I am keeping busy with my house and yard while also doing good deeds for people without. I have tried to lighten my load by doing a whole bunch of nothing but that isn't who I am. I need to be busy doing something of value because that is my choice. Not value to me except the feeling of accomplishment but of value to others to show them that there is still some people in this world who are not in it for capitalism. I don't need much to survive and I live thusly. So when opportunities come where I am in a position to do for others who don't have what few luxuries I have then I jump to attention.
     I wish the wealthy would understand this because they are in a far better position to help people who are without than I am. But if those of us who are not wealthy still find the time to help others then at least we are not like the slacker wealthy who only seem to want to make more money or control lives that are not theirs. They are in the quantity business and those like us are in the quality business. Quality of life is far superior than accumulating quantity. I know I kind of mixed that up a bit but the point is clear enough. So today I was again doing my part to make someone else's life better and in this case helped out another through it. Plus I got a bit of value for all the effort. A win, win, win. It rarely works out that way but when it does the feeling is exceptionally good.
     Money is a means for barter and trade whereas relationships built on happiness and good will are of more value to me. Not all are like me in this instance but that is their hill to climb. No judgement but a lesson to be learned is in the telling of it. One final thought about the Samaritan approach to living is that what is expressed out through giving when possible is an inner reflection of what is inside. There is no chaos nor presumption of ulterior motive. It is raw and real, to help when help is needed is not a strategy nor a future chip for something else. It is done and then forgotten because the next opportunity to help someone is coming down the road and I need to be aware of it.

(#5082) Logic and common sense beat myths, superstitions, and conspiracy theories every time

      Maybe this new year will see the beginning of the end of the hysterical thinking that has myth, superstition, and conspiracy theories at their root. It is my new years hope for our world. When logic and common sense are applied together there is no room in reality for the fantastical out of nowhere. Sure there is much we don't know but if the unknown, when learned, is not run through the process of logic and common sense then it becomes much like the decayed thinking of ancient fear mongering. Just another distraction from enlightenment and the evolution enlightenment provides.
     A world that is devoid of obstacles that are not real is where we need to be. We are not perfect humans nor will we ever be but if we don't at least strive to be then our gift of being amazing is wasted. We will end up as just another species that failed to deliver on the simple ability we have attained. There is no other species observed in this existence that has our human being qualities. We are the top of the evolutionary chain of not only intelligence but adaptability due to our intelligence. Our physical bodies are less structured to withstand the forces of the Universe than other Earthly species' but our minds protect us because we can invent and create tools that elevate our physical abilities.
     There is nothing observable in myths, superstitions, and conspiracy theories that help us through this existence except to maybe console our fears. Yet our fears are not a danger to us unless we stop using logic and common sense. So filtering out the unbelievable and the ridiculous in order to keep logic and common sense as our path forward is all of our greatest priority. The sooner our species accepts our rational place in time and space the sooner we not only conquer our own fears but the sooner we capture our greatest achievements yet to be discovered. The anchors of myth, superstition, and conspiracy theories need to be cut away so that our species can move forward into our manifest destiny.