And, So It Begins

Actually, it started a long time ago, with the fringe monthlies that didn't kowtow to the Established Thinking.  There have always been those, largely mimeographed sheets of paper staples together, circulated by the convicted.

Don't know what a mimeograph is?  Ask your granny - maybe your great-grandpappy.

Or, just Google it.

The Samizdats did it, even earlier, with their revolutionary documents re-typed, from one to another.  Think of the work it would take to reproduce a book by re-typing it, or copying the book into longhand.

I teach American kids for whom cut-and-paste is too much work.

The trend accelerated with the introduction of fax machines.  What, they're lame technology?  Tell that to the Chinese youth that spearheaded the Tiananmen Square revolution.  They did that armed largely with fax machines to spread the word.

Oh, sorry, you probably CAN'T tell them - they are dead, in prison, or cowed into submission.  A few are still under house arrest or living abroad.

Fast-forward to recent times.

Today's kids use their cell phones to organize their social and political activity.  There is a downside to their method.  It is ephermal - lasting but a short time, and with no quick way to archive the conversation.

However, the videos/Vimeo/Snapchat means they most like to use have been mastered, and used to spread the memes of the Left.

Where does this leave blogs?

You are unlikely to make a financial killing with political blogs.  Sorry, that's just the way it is.  If money is your prime motivator, get a sales job.

The real effect of the political/cultural blogs is to Spread the Learning.  To provoke thought, to educate younger people about historical events that they have MIS-learned, and to build coalitions.

Alternative Ways to Spread the Learning:

• Pass on videos - on Facebook, on Google+, on your and others' blogs.  They should be SHORT, memorable, and educate the viewer.  Think of Andrew Klavan, Bill Whittle, and other Conservatives who currently dominate the media.  You could try producing your own, if you are inclined.  If so, send me a message, and I'll respond.


• Circulate static media - someecards, LiberalLogic101, photos with captions, etc.  To the above places to circulate, try SnapChat - the under 21 crowd ALL use it.  Your objective is simply to provide an alternative voice/meme for people to pass on.  Remember, the goal is to Spread the Learning.


• Read HARD copies of political/cultural books, and pass them on to your friends/library/school.  By doing so, you will maximize the effect of your buying dollar.


• Continue to educate yourself.  Read, discuss, take notes.  Try meeting with others in a book club, if you can.  If that's not possible, try the Ace of Spades online book club.  It's primarily for fiction, but you can also look around to find a like-minded group of readers for political/cultural discussions.  Try Joining Conservative Mentors, or another group - they exist in a wide range of philosophies.  I've also joined the Bible-a-Thon, which is set up to complete reading the entire Old and New Testament in a year.


• Right now, Facebook is experiencing a pushback from those on the Right who are concerned about its evident Leftist bias.  But, let's get real - Conservatives skew older, and FB serves to keep up with the kids and grandkids.  There have been rumblings about an alternative FB, but I haven't seen it happening yet.  There are some things we could try:
  
  
  
  • Migrate to Google+
  
  
  • Try to set up a No Facebook Day - pick a date at least 2 months in the future, and publicize it via - I love this - Facebook.  For 24 hours, set your picture to the logo, and refuse to use FB.
  
  
  • If successful, try setting one day a week - Sunday would be appropriate - to NOT use FB.  Again, make your reason clear with a picture logo, and a statement about your decision.
  
  
  
  

Feel free to add any further idea to this list.

Day 3 of Enforced Bed Rest

I'm still home, taking it easy.  My arthritic knee is still experiencing inflammation and pain.  With pain meds, and anti-inflammatory meds, I am improving, but S-L-O-W-L-Y.

I've been on a movie binge:

• Live Free & Die Hard


• Working Girl


• Sneaker

The last, I'm watching now.  One of the few really accurate and interesting movies about technology.  A more recent favorite tech movie is The Net (horribly outdated - tech is moving fast).

It's funny.  Many of the 60's and 70's Liberals/Progressives have become wealthy.  They ARE the Establishment.  Yet, they persist in positioning themselves as SJW (Social Justice Warriors), whose only aim in life is to help the "Little People".



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I like this poster.  I may make it my new motto.

Feeling Old

I'm hobbling around today, thanks to a bad knee (osteoarthritis and a torn meniscus).  This week, I had a bad flare-up of the problem, and on Tuesday, I finally gave up, went back to the doctor, and got some heavy-duty meds.  And, a few days off work.

It's a grim prognosis - if it doesn't get better, surgery is in the future - either for repair of the meniscus, or complete knee replacement.  Either option has a healing time of about 6-8 weeks, and physical therapy, as well.

After this weekend, I'm going to get serious about weight reduction.  Just 20 pounds off the knee would make a huge difference.  I'm going to re-arrange my bedroom to have some space to stretch and exercise while watching TV.

While I'm sidelined, I plan to work out the upper body - I can use the Bowflex and resistance bands (I promise to be careful, and not injure myself like Harry Reid).

Bad Knee Leads to Bad Back...

..Bad, bad, back!  I'm out today from work (hate to do that, but I really am in bad shape).  Can't get into the doctor's until Monday, so, need to call off for that day, too.  AND make up some lessons that the kids can do without me.  It's more work than going to work, so, usually, I just suck it up.

Not today, though.  I'm a big baby about severe pain.

Since I didn't take work home with me, and I really don't like TV, I'll plan on catching up with my web reading and blogging.

Then, later, after lunch, maybe a little Roku.

Originally Posted on Facebook, but...

...then, I realized that I hadn't said all that I had in me, so, here's my thinking:

• 
  
  
  
  • WHY should we all be yelling? Loud and clear - also, sending message, telephone call, and, yes, PAPER mail (The more work it is for us, the more likely our representatives/Senators are to take notice of our displeasure) to Congress/Senate.From Facebook.
  
  
  • Because
  
  
  • "The cynical and dystopian view?
  
  
  • One of the unavoidable dominoes will be broad censorship. Once the deprioritization of broadcast packets leads to the epic traffic jam that will reduce the Web’s US speeds to worse than those found in Europe, the government of the day will, once again, have to “save us” from this “unforseen” outcome and their clever plan will include limiting who can “legitimately” have bandwidth preferences, since clearly “legitimate” news outlets need to bypass the buffering jams that will afflict TV signaling and once dot-gov starts adjudicating who’s a “real” news or other “essential” service, licensing will naturally follow, and then “standards” of what is “acceptable” traffic.
  
  
  • At which point, whichever political party is in power at that time will have the distinct advantage of licensing whomever they deem to be more politically correct in their eyes. “Neutrality” on the ‘Net? Yeah, not so much."
  
  
  • Please SHARE as widely as possible.
  
  
  • http://noisyroom.net/…/net-neutrality-young-fool-only-now-…/
  
  
  
  


• As usual, Breitbart is at the front of this,

The scariest part?

Obama has nationalized the banks, student loans, housing, healthcare and now the Internet. Americans walk around fancying that they live in a Republic that is no more. Marxism rules the red, white and blue now.

It's time for me to order this:

Focusing on the Most Important Things

1. Family - the major part of my energy for the next year will be to keep my far-flung family in my thoughts, and to show that by regularly calling, texting, emailing, and - yes - sending short notes in hard copy (there is nothing like the lift you get when you receive something in the mail WITHOUT a translucent window).  Family also includes my long-suffering husband, whom I need to make a top priority.


2. Financial - this includes selling our second house, organizing records, and reducing debt.  All of this is necessary, if I plan to make our goal of retiring in 2-1/2 years.


3. Work - setting up files (and weeding out old ones), making appointments for grade entry and planning, scheduling all mentor meetings, labeling my stuff and sub-dividing it into smaller boxes, with lessons inside.  I spend too much time trying to find stuff, and I'm tired of working in a cluttered environment.


4. Home - clean, organize, and repair.  Really, the biggest part will be weeding out junk.

Notice that there is nothing there about politics?  By necessity, I will have to carefully manage what little time I have left.  So, I will be scheduling my once a week posting, and only occasionally posting more.

Nearing Halloween - Strike That - It IS Halloween

It's the dread of teachers everywhere, right up there with pre-Christmas inability to concentrate.  And, it's not just limited to elementary-age kids.  High school students spend hours talking about their costumes, and carrying around treats for their friends.

Although Michelle Obama's Grim Substitutes, the vegetable tray and other low-calorie treasures, may stop that.  We've been told - officially - NOT to bring in treats.  For ANY reason.

I never thought sugar and fat would become the New Crack.

I've never been that into Halloween, post-elementary age.  Until well into the 1980s, it was a relatively minor holiday.

No more.  Adults and teens have taken over the grim festivities, with gruesome body parts, truly repulsive costumes, and weeks - even months - of planning for the parties.  It's chance for women to unleash their Inner Slut, men to experiment with Cross-Dressing, and for all to use conspicuous consumption as a signal of their Elitist Status.

Eh.

Don't like horror movies.  Don't enjoy dressing up.  Hate parties, for the most part.

Not my holiday.

The funny thing is that this all comes at a time when few believe in Hell, most think their "sins" are not an offense against God, and many try their Wildean best to avoid the appearance of aging, and throw money in a futile Faustian bargain at doctors, trying to avoid their inevitable death.

For all that many enjoy the Lion King's Circle of Life song, they can't quite see themselves as nearing the end of that Circle.  And, for those without spiritual underpinnings, that "endless" circle is broken.

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10/31/2014

I started this several days ago, just was too busy to finish.  My bloglife is a lot like that lately - not that I'm not interested, just too busy.

Which, is OK with me right now.  In the past, I hovered over my blogs.  Were enough people reading them?  Had I responded to a political issue?  In short, did I put my 2 cents in?

Eh.

I still have strong feelings.  But, more often now, I've found other people (in REAL LIFE) who are willing to listen to me, and respond in their turn.  Taking the blogging discourse into real life is FAR more satisfying.

Plus, over time, I've found those on Facebook and Twitter who are simpatico - some of them friends or family offline, as well, others - not.

So, even though I still have a burning desire to have my say, I - more often than not - can get that in other ways.

Right now, I am tired.  Weary of the political ads, the "issues", the "news" clawing at my attention.

Work is tiring - not bad, but truly fatiguing.  I'm temporarily overscheduled - mentor stuff, grading, planning, and, now, getting signed up for a Gifted & Talented course - or, rather TWO courses - that I have to take to teach the Honors classes next year.

I'm 2-3 years away from retirement.  By that time, I likely will be REALLY ready for the rest.

At that point, I will - FINALLY - have time to write.

Which is my plan.

A Blog You REALLY Have to Put on Your Daily List

I've long been a fan of Francis W. Porretto's writing, both his blogs and his fiction.  Please, consider adding his blog to your list of frequently checked sites.

How to work with Liberals/Leftists?  He has some good advice:

Compromise is potentially constructive only when it's strictly about means: i.e., when the two sides angling toward a compromise sincerely agree on the end to be sought, and are both willing to allow that they might be wrong about what means would best serve that end. Under those conditions, everyone involved will be watching the outcome and judging the means applied by that standard alone. When the ends are opposed to one another,compromise must disserve one or the other. It cannot be any other way.

If your end is political liberty -- the maximum possible freedom from coercion or constraint for peaceable persons -- there's absolutely no reason to "dialogue" with persons whose end is an expansion of State power. Compromising with statists means promoting their end, which is the exact opposite of your end. Yet many a freedom-minded person will feel a tug toward such a "dialogue," and the ideal of compromise, despite the clarity of the above. This is the Nice-Guy Trap in action.

We're indoctrinated practically from birth about the goodness of "sharing," and how Nice Guys should "try to see both sides" -- of everything. Nice Guys mustn't declare others to be The Enemy even when The Enemy has already done so in the plainest possible ways. That's because confrontation is bad, don't y'know. At any rate, it's unpleasant, which in modern "thought" amounts to the same thing.

Hidden beneath the Nice-Guy Trap is a pair of steel jaws that can snap any principle cleanly in half. This is so obvious as to be tautological: He who compromises on principle has surrendered it to some other end.

There's more, and I suggest you read it.

This is a BAD Idea!

Honestly, you'd think that one of the requirements for people working in government today is a COMPLETE IGNORANCE of the Constitution!

There seems to be no other way to explain this boneheaded decision:

FCC to "monitor" news broadcasts for bias

Even more EXCITING, the firm that the FCC is looking at to conduct the study of the media, specializes in "social welfare".

Here's a link to the actual proposal.  I'm not that concerned about them looking at what they call "Critical Information Needs" - that's examining the actual content, and comparing it to how well it matches what the public has a need to know (assuming, perhaps unrealistically, that our Leftist government minions can fairly judge that) - but, that the major focus of the study seems to be on "perceived" needs.

Whose perception is going to take precedence?  Leftists?  Minorities (including transgender, transexual, bi-, undecided, Arab-heritage - the RIGHT kind, the Muslims, not those "icky" Christian Arabs, those with quasi-psychiatric diagnoses that are PROUDLY used to excuse horrible behavior, et al)?

I'm confident that this will be used as a club to eliminate non-Leftist media.

BTW, isn't it funny that the ones that seem to be getting most enervated about this are NOT the Old Media, but the New Media?  Who says the MSM haven't outlived their purpose?

Just About Caught Up on the Internet!

I, like so many in the South, have been largely snow-bound for days.  Without the many snowplows,, de-icing substances, and, even, snow shovels (I had to explain what they were to my students on Tuesday - they'd literally never seen one), it's taken quite a while to begin clearing up the mess that the recent snowstorm dumped on us.  Power is out in many places (not our area, thank God - although we DO have a gas-powered generator - AND plenty of gas).  Crews are working non-stop to restore it - if you see a crew in your area, bring them out hot coffee and cocoa, would you?

I've had plenty of time to catch up on current news, political issues, and various sundry pursuits.  I'm totally caught up on sleep.  I would have done more housework, but I burnt my hand rather badly, trying to make a white sauce.  There is schoolwork, grading and planning, but I just don't feel like it yet.

So, I'll be blogging today.  I have some ideas that I'd like to flesh out, some issues that I'd like to more fully explore, and some long-suppressed rants to write down.

I'll also be adding some links to Amazon - if you're thinking about ordering something, would you access the site through me?  It helps cover the cost of this website.  I'll put some of my favorite books, with links, on the side.

Check back during the day.