20819 days Ramblings of a Grumpy Ol’ Man

Happy Birthday…. 365.245614035088 days in a year times 57, countdown started at 7:05 in the morning, on the 24th of April 1949, in Dublin, Texas time.

This is a lot of days to be living a life. Understandably the first few years are a bit lost somewhere in the grey matter. I suppose a hypnotist could get me back there, if I set my mind to let him do so. Although it would be neat to go there, I think I would want him to regress me back to my previous life and run through my thoughts of that life’s passing. A complete review to see how my Karma followed me into my present life, and if I have really learned anything that would propel me into my next life at a higher stage.

I saw a documentary last night on Discovery Channel here in the Netherlands and they were discussing the unravelling of DNA and our genes. Seems each gene has a memory of where it came from either you Mom or Dad, and it is either turned on or off like a light switch. Now get this some genes travel from your grandparents, and we are susceptible to various conditions they may have had since there genes were pasted to there off spring and so on and on and on. Amazingly interesting.

I recently got an email. One of those type that play off your guilt and beliefs. Making you feel guilty if you do not forward it to ten or so others. If you do not then you are not a true believer. I have also receive junk mail of a similar format for the hungry or on politics. Who puts these out and Why? Do they have a way of tracking who did, or who didn’t and then report them to the authorities.

Maybe I find myself questioning things, and belief systems especially the the major religions of the world. For instance here in Holland it has been found that the mosque of the Moslem religion are teaching hatred of the Western World. It is not in the Koran folks, not what I know of it anyway. So, I ask what are these folks doing here in the west then? Then on the other hand there are those, who dare go to church on Sunday, the holier than thou type of people, who then take advantage of their fellow pew dwellers come Monday. Are these true Christians? I think not. What hypocrites.

Between Religion and Politics when I look at the history of the world they are at the top of the list of being the primary reason for all the wars and the countless deaths. It is not their fault but the twisted minds of the extremist left and right of center and their misguided interpretation of Church and State.

If we would only learn from our history on this planet instead of repeating it over and over we would all be much better off and be living in harmony and fairness through out the world.

Social Problems. I first noticed this in the study of Sociology some years back. It is my minor of my first college degree. I originally had to get this book as a supplementary book for a class in Sociology it was a book of titled “Social Problems . It described the current social problems related to our country, and what we faced in dealing with these issues. I kept collecting the book as I noticed the edition of it had changed. After gathering a few of them I noticed the same problems were there year after year with nothing being resolved. Here are a few items that are reoccurring, Mental Illness, Crime and Criminals, Poverty Amid Affluence, Racism, Prejudice, and Discrimination, Problems of Eduction, Work and the Economy, and Urban Problems. The only thing if any that changed was the labeling of the problems. Guess there was not enough ready money to be made and still not, as the book is now in its 10th Edition and the same problems are with us.

Politics. I saw the Movie “Braveheart” with Mel Gibson a few times. You know the one, where William Wallace, a commoner, unites the 13th Century Scots in their battle to overthrow English rule. Well William was betrayed and killed. He was treated just as the government politic kills any other soul, who attempts to open the our eyes and the eyes of our leaders. All in the hope someone will listen and take action to change things for the better, ie Martin Luther King, John and Robert Kennedy, Gandhi, and oh yeah let us not forget, Jesus. I do not believe we will ever learn, as we would have to overcome in and all of the Seven Deadly Sins , and the one I see as the most deadliest GREED.

I first saw things change during the 80’s and it has continued and evolved into the “ME” stage. Here we are Ego tripping on whiter teeth, tan salons, and then condemning smoking in bars, while we step outside and breathe the industrialized exhaust polluted air. Go figure. It is all a distraction. The ad companies and marketing researchers have all picked up on. it too. We have all gotten to the point, where we only want to look inward, so we do not have to see outward. The attitude of “ME” has infected our nations too. We spend millions if not billions on programs and building all kinds of fences to keep people out of countries, while we have robbed and pillaged the countries these folks are trying to leave. WAKE UP, they would not want to climb fences, and pay thousands of dollars to be snuck over our borders, or die in freight containers, if they had a means to care for their families and have a future in their own country. Does anyone really think, they enjoy climbing barbed wire fences? Oh and one more thing while I am here, has anyone questioned if anyone is being fined for paying those who get through to our promise land below minimum wages, or for that matter our own citizens having a Living Wage to begin with.

“Hunger in Texas? Where?” our governor, before Perry asked. My God man didn’t anyone brief you on the demographics and census information of the state, could you not have taken enough interest to read it yourself. Hello….. it is not only Texas, but through out America, and the politics continue. Just read the “Foodlinks Newsletter” for a few months, at the TEFAP Alliance website, which gives you a bi-monthly picture of Hunger in America and what is happening. ( http://www.tefapalliance.org )

Alright we are not informed or care to get informed with the facts. Maybe the average Joe just does not have the time to find them. So if he is lucky he gets five to ten minutes of news from his local TV channel, or the subject of the day from CNN or MSNBC or better yet the choreograph dogma of the day from Fox news. Better yet he can tune in to the radio, and listen to some zealot of the far right, that convinces him that anyone who does not think, talk and talk like them are traitors to their country. Here in Holland I get more in-depth reporting on what is going on in America than when I do when I am in America, not to mention the BBC and there reporting and documentaries.

Where is objective reporting. Where is truly investigative reporting? With the exception the McNeil/ Lehrer “News Hour” on PBS, the rest of our televised news does not present the news in an objective way. The news casters always seem to add their comments or question to help color our thoughts. The amount of time used to present the news is minimal, time it. Take any news on television, CNN for example, time it you get five minutes, ok maybe ten minutes at tops, ever half hour, and this for the news of the world. And then they beat it like a dead horse for days. Alright all ready I have heard this news. This is a news channel, hello. What about our local TV News?

The local news weather and sports, OK 5, 5, and 5, the rest of the time is taken up with announcers calling each other by there first names and advertisements. How about the subject matter, is anyone concern about the plight of America. i.e. its National debt and how that effects us all. What about so called social security and our elderly living off next to nothing and paying more for their prescriptions and going with out proper groceries to maintain their health. What about the homeless. I know the governments here in Europe have their problems too, but there are no homeless here unless they chose to be and the elderly are properly cared for. What about the present administration taking food out of children’s and old folk’s mouths, and cutting back on other social programs, just so the rich can get tax cuts. Get Out of Here. I want hear more about issues that affect the peoples of our country and not about war.

So meanwhile, the average Joe regurgitates and unknowingly perpetuates these five minutes of so called news, with other Joes at the local coffee shops through out America each morning, along with the local gossip about how Johnny lost his job and then his wife and kids, and then went bananas and shot up Mickey D’s. For what? Guess he just went off, slipped a gear crazy, if you ask me, he picked up that M16 hunting rifle, and just went mad.

Show me the MONEY!!! Israel and Palestine Millions if not billions, Hurricane Katrina FEMA, and New Orleans Billions, Tsunami Billions, Enron Millions, CEO Salaries ( the average CEO’s pay increased by 27% last year try the “How long does it take a Top 500 CEO to earn your pay?” at http://www.makeworkpay.org/ .) and golden handshakes Millions, if not Billions. My question is, “Where did it go ?” By the way, I am not sad that Kenneth Lay had to sell all his million dollar homes, and now has to live in a million dollar condo, with his wife, and three cars. Boo-hoo !

Cost of Living Wage and Minimum Wage vs. Prices. Every thing has gone up, except the minimum wage. And the politician can vote themselves raises, yet fight any increase in the minimum wage. In the western world there is a widening gap, between the Rich and the Poor or the haves and the have not. Sure our pay has gone up over the years, but when compared to prices of the cost of housing , automobiles, education and the ratio does not look the same. And the minimum wage, is a joke, I think one could call it the guaranteed poverty wage, for it is not enough for one to live on. I believe each State Government should pass a law governing a Living Wage, which is Mandatory to be adjusted each, and every year based on the economic and inflation figures, specific to the county’s and their Cities. I found a good discussion going at this site http://www.thetalentshow.org/archives/002409.html .

Nuclear Power and Iran. Where are the Facts, please. Who anointed George W. Bush to make Little America out of the Middle East? Now to be honest with you I think the leader of Iran is a little extreme, but where does Israel come off, saying that Iran would endanger their people with a possible Nuclear Strike. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black, what about the Iranian People, saying the same of Israel. By the way Israel are we questioning the nuclear capabilities of Israel ( http://cns.miis.edu/research/wmdme/israel.htm ) . And has anyone asked how Iran would deliver a Nuclear bomb. Maybe there would be a new meaning given to a Suicide bomber. What about North Korea, are they to tough for George and Donald to take on, or are they just to far away from the middle east and the OIL.

Junk Mail. Emails, and the stuff we get in the Mail. At least the Junk Emails I get automatically go to my trash folder, the daily tons of circulars we get goes from my front door to the back door and to the blue paper bin, to be taken away by the trash men. It is not bad enough that there are 10 minutes or more of advertisements between and during our Radio, News and TV programs, then we get it through our mail boxes, not to mention the Sunday Paper. How many trees does this take away from our world, and how much oxygen does it take from us.

Customer Service sucks. I guess I am from the old school and although I like many of you go through the menus and cent per minute phone calls when trying to get service over the phone, I do not like electronic voices giving me a list of options, which when taken, just leads to another list of options. Then when and if I get to a REAL person on the line they usually have been taught to speak to me as if I am a fool, and repeat the company line, instead of listening to what my issue is and trying to resolve it. Then when you ask to speak to their manager / supervisor, he or she is not in or is on the phone, or they are not allowed to let us. Or they put you on hold, and you listen to music, and their advertisements of what a great company they are and how they are dedicated to helping you. Then they come back on and tell you that they will be passing you to someone else who can help. Then the wait and the music , etc. and finally this other person comes on, and you have to go through explaining who you are and what your problem is and everything again. Then if the buck is not pasted again you are given some excuse for not getting the service you are requesting. It all leaves me with the lingering question, “Why did I put myself through this again?”

These are just some of the things which are turning Uncle Mike is into one of those Grumpy Ol’ Men.

By the way, who is collecting the 0..245614035088 days we have been losing each year, not to mention all the similar number of cents in interest, and dollar to euro conversions?

© 2006 Texas Tortilla Factory – Mike Vauthier