Free Will

20 Saturday May 2023

Posted by in Free Will

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        Two of the common ideas on why humans are different than other creatures is opposing thumbs and free will. The thumbs may be the reason other creatures haven’t invented assembly lines and ways of killing themselves as humans have. The mistake of our arrogance is thinking we are the only creatures with free will.

            I have been around dogs all my life but my last eight (6 Alaskan Malamutes and 2 Shetland Sheep Dogs) have taught me they have free will, too. They decided if they want to obey what I told them to do. They could tell if they were doing right or wrong by my standards. My first Malamute got revenge on me once by chewing up the last twenty pages of a paperback book I had been reading and ignoring her. She hid in our little house because she knew she had done wrong.

            Malamutes are pack animals so they are genetically disposed to decide who the leader is and where their place in the pack is. Once in a while I had to express my dominance by wrapping my arms and legs around them until they stopped struggling which indicated their submission.

            My first Malamute was attacked by two German Shepherds at once and without ever being around a German Shepherd again, communicated that fear to two others who would attack when they saw one. They only had a problem with German Shepherds. That’s communication and free will!

            Birds, bees, ants, horses, and elephants decided they feel they should be with others for the common good and/or friendship. That need for friendship often makes for very strange friendships because of free will to not eat their friends.             Free will is not unique to humans as religious and hunters would like others to think.

A Bear Rug Scam

17 Wednesday May 2023

Posted by in Chicago Bears

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        I am a big fan of professional football; not college or high school. The owners of professional teams seem to be into making money at the expense of the local communities and states. The demand loans backed by the public funds, tax abatements, and infrastructure; paid for by the community. Ever notice the governments that are on the hook for that funding even getting a piece of the sale price when the team is sold? No!

            The Bears organization is trying to convince the local and state governments to help them move from Chicago to Arlington Heights, while leaving Chicago saddled with a 631 Million debt!

            Before the state legislature considers doing anything they should consider the deadbeat Bears paying off that debt and not allowing them to refinance or do any other slick maneuver to get out of paying. Remember they signed the lease under the condition Soldier Field was rebuilt to make for those fancy sky boxes.

            Chicago should slap a lien on the team and take them to court for payment or sale of the team. I don’t care how iconic the team is, they shouldn’t be able to skip out on their debts to Chicago and get more aid to move away.

            It costs hundreds to go to a game now. What will the new location at a new stadium cost? It is about time for the league to stop teams from moving. Isn’t that one of their duties!? The city or the state should pull the rug from under their move.

Stupid is as Stupid Does #2

17 Wednesday May 2023

Posted by in Book Banning

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        Imagine yourself back in the 1950s when kids got their information on sexuality from their friends and pornographic movies. Everyone who didn’t conform to the racial, gender, and sexual ideas of white people were queer and shunned by society’s so call “normal” people.

            Today we have a group of people who feel they can keep their children and other parent’s children from reading about things they feel is unfit for their children. They never consider other parents may not object to the choices of the librarian or teacher. Apparently they can’t trust their child to follow their parent’s wishes. Book burning was one of Hitler’s favorite ways to divide Germany. What Governor Ron DeSantis is pushing those duped parents to do is just one step toward his authoritian views of how the United States would be under his administration.

            Since this isn’t the 1950s parents should realize their kids can get all the information they want from their own or their friend’s devices. Libraries and schools don’t have to worry about being the bad guy in this issue as long as the internet is available.

            So stupid is as stupid does when it comes to parents telling everyone what their child can see or read when the social media and thousands of websites will tell them whatever they want to know.

            Why are so many people eager to follow conmen who only want to get their vote so they can control their lives?

            This isn’t a new issue. While writing this an airing of the March 29, 1975 episode of “Benson” dealt with the same stupid people. The show ended with everyone agreeing it is up to the family to decide what is best for their own children and not others. DeSantis and other demigods should watch the episode!

Bad Data

17 Wednesday May 2023

Posted by in Politics, Polls

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       I wonder how many events are based on telephone polls. Apparently the poll callers use only what we usually call land lines. There are millions less “land lines” than a couple of decades ago so the number of possible respondents is greatly decreased. Most people drop their “land line” when they get their cell phones. I once heard an interview with a pollster saying they couldn’t call cell phones.

            The problem with being limited to “land lines” is the age, personalities, income, affiliations, beliefs, gender, and race are no longer the same as they were a few decades ago. The remaining people are less likely to answer the questions when asked. The polling programs have had to change to the new reality which sometimes gives good information and sometimes terrible information. National policies and campaigns are based on simple questions to complex problems. Often their questions are slanted in such a way that they get the answers they wanted.

            People give money to people wanting to win an election because the polls say they are ahead. Campaigners change their stances on topics because of polls.

            I used to be called quite often by a polling company who usually asked the same questions to see if my feeling on life in America was changing. Their last call was when I was cooking dinner and couldn’t take the ten minutes off to answer their questions, so they didn’t call back again. Too bad because I noticed my answers were moving more green and less tolerant of Republican Party catering to the Far Right.

Two Hundred

11 Thursday May 2023

Posted by in Gun Control, Mass Shootings

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        As I write this somewhere in our country the two hundredth mass shooting is happening or being planned for tomorrow. The 199th was in the Allen, Texas mall which is less than a mile from where my niece and her family live. As she heard about it she called her relatives and friends to tell us all were safe at home.

            Imagine having to call people to tell them you were safe. That area has had tornadoes, floods, and huge lightening storms, yet they didn’t create a reason to make a call. Have we gotten to the point where we need to let people know we weren’t at a church, mall, or school?

            When Texas Governor Greg Abbott was asked if Texas’ gun policy, which he devised, is wrong and needs to be changed, he said Texas was working on the mental health issues of gun owners. Is he just being political, nuts, or just wrapped up in the old western lore. He says blue states have just as many shootings as red states ignoring the fact that guns from red states next to the Blue states supply the guns. Major media doesn’t cover many shootings any more, it’s that common.

            That is 200 mass murders in 128 days, causing more than a thousand to be killed with thousands more wounded. Yet over 400 million guns are not the problem according to those who have lots to gain from putting more guns on the street. How many are enough?

Stupid Is As Stupid Does

11 Thursday May 2023

Posted by in Rescue Me

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        I am tired of people going to unstable areas and countries and then expecting the U.S. to go get them. The Sudan is the latest place with reportedly 15,000 holding American Citizenship wanting to be rescued. The vast majority of these people have dual citizenship and live there. American citizenship is conferred on their children who are part of that 15,000.

            This reminds me of Afghanistan where people waited long after the last second to leave. Many of those had been working with our military and state department so they knew when to get out but stayed.

            Non-profits and religious groups constantly send people into dangerous areas expecting us to get them out or to rescue them from kidnappers. Being a tourist and going to an unfriendly country is asking to be arrested on some possibly trumped up charge or getting into drugs is stupidity in the maximum.

            I am tired of our government having to beg and plead or even pay to get stupid people back!

Hates Everyone

11 Thursday May 2023

Posted by in Hate, Racism

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        I had a conversation with a 51 year old, hardworking, arthritic laborer who probably represents 10-20% of Americans. His entire philosophy is based on some fictional world that defies reality. Some of his beliefs are decade’s old fiction but some are modernized versions of those racist ideas from the 1950s.

            The basis for his beliefs was full of conflicts. He is against anyone who does not confirm with his “normal” views on gender. He thought something should be done with those who didn’t follow his “normal” views. We didn’t have time to go into any depth as to what he would do with those people. However he was adamant that he didn’t like the government interfering with his own rights.

            He cited the “1776 Constitution” for the Bill of Rights that was being taken away from him by Biden. He idolized Trump, and when I listed Trump’s crimes, conning people, and his getting kicked out of the Democratic Party in New York, he said he didn’t care about all that.

            I would have loved to have had more time to delve into his ideology but his boss came back. Since he isn’t on the internet his views don’t come from social media so where does it come from? He gave me a clue when he said “Trump should be president because he speaks the truth.” I doubt he watches any TV news that conflicts with the Fox talking heads.

            He is an unskilled “White American” who says people today don’t want to work. “On good or bad weather days, they call in or come for a few hours and leave.” Knowing his views on those crossing the southern border I asked if we needed more to do the jobs the younger white people wouldn’t do? That put his racist views into conflict since he felt whites won’t want to work but browns will. I don’t think he is going to stay with the landscaper if he hires a non-white person who will work as hard as him.

Hypocrisy

03 Wednesday May 2023

Posted by in Republican Party

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        My Webster’s definition for hypocrisy is “pretending to be what one is not.” Republicans are guilty of hypocrisy by saying they are for giving Constitutional Rights to the individuals while restricting what the individual can do.

            An example is telling people they can manage their money better than the government. Republicans then cut taxes and drive up the deficit when they are in total control, blaming the minority Democrats. They quietly raise the debt ceiling when they have total control and fight with a Democrat President. Former President Bill Clinton and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich were reducing the debt quickly but former President George W. Bush cut taxes and started running it back up. Every time the Republicans cut taxes like they did with former President Donald Trump, the debt goes up.

            An example is passing laws keeping women from getting an abortion. Some are even proposing stopping birth control pills. Don’t forget the gays and others being restricted in some states for their ways of life.

            Most Republican States get more government aid than the Democratic states and their citizens depend on Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security checks. The current crop of Representatives say they want to cut those programs. They are saying it won’t affect those already getting it so they won’t lose their votes. Still using a forked tongue!

            Those Republican states have been begging for FEMA and financial help after floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, and other disasters. Florida’s Governor Ron DeSantis complained about the government wasting money but he pleaded for government help after their last hurricane. Hypocrisy is demanding budget cuts in the parts they want money from for their state.

03 Wednesday May 2023

Posted by in Coronavirus

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The Great Shot

        As of March 1, 2023, American has had well over one hundred million cases of Covid 19. Many Americans have had it more than once. Yet more than two-thirds of Americans have not had all the vaccination shots. Over 1.1 million have died from it. They ranged from infants to seniors. Many were not healthy to begin with but most were very healthy.

            The question is why are so many people willing to risk dying by not taking a shot? A friend who is the same age as me and not in the best of health has yet to get a shot. He and his wife have had it once for sure and he, maybe twice. Their live-in son had it twice and badly both times. His reasons are it will make him sick, doesn’t work, not natural and doesn’t know where to go. He is an intelligent person otherwise as is his retired nurse wife and son. Even their doctor has said he needs one.

            Others have actually fallen for the most ridiculous “facts” such as: It’s a GPS locator so the government can track us; it will make us sterile; it causes abortions now and in the future; and it doesn’t work. These are just a few of the reasons some people dreamed up and put on the internet so gullible people will get sick and many will die.

            Thousands of Americans are still dying from Covid 19’s variants so maybe the less gullible of us will service. I have had the original two plus three boosters in an area that had lots of deaths. Too bad we can’t stop people from spreading such lies.

Realistic AI Fears

03 Wednesday May 2023

Posted by in Artificial Intelligence

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Think of all the movies like 2001, War Games, and Terminator where artificial intelligence was the villain. Today we are on the threshold of those realities. The proponents are careful to cite some possible help to humanity like sending robots to Mars to construct a base and make water and power sources before the humans leave Earth. They claim AI could make life here easier and safer. AI would advance all the sciences much faster than humans.

The movies only touch on what AI could do to destroy life as we know it. Few if any white collar and professional occupations would still exist since AI could easily replace them. Think about it; no human lawyers, dentists, medical people, clerical, engineers, taxi drivers, pilots, ticket takers, bankers, or stock brokers. We will probably still need manufacturing and blue collar people for a few decades. Imagine no shift work since the robots would continuously work without coffee, lunch, or bathroom breaks.

Think about how AI could manipulate our financial system so investing would be iffy since they could raise or lower it at their will. Yes, AI does have its own will and cutting off its power could cause defensive measures against people.

Will AI develop its own personalities and if so, will some be good and others be bad? Will they get upset when their plans don’t work right? AI can’t be contained so long as it is able to communicate with other systems in the world.

Artificial Intelligence creation will be considered the worst discovery ever in History if AI allows any trace of History before its creation.