Time to abandon all media and the internet

 The time has come from me to abandon all media.  It's like the government and mainstream media is out to disrupt American culture as we know it.  Just read an article about a transgendered woman (a guy) complaining that men aren't masculine enough.  Really?  This person is part of the problem.  I don't understand how this person can say this with a straight face, much less how the media can report on it.  What gives?

I'm also confused about the government's role in our society.  Liberals look for government to be the solution to the problem.  Conservatives view government as part of the problem.  I do not understand how the government thinks it's their role to decide if Elon Musk's compensation is too much.  I don't understand why they think they can advance an agenda through regulation.  I don't understand why the government is deciding why a business can or cannot merge with another because it harms the consumer?  I don't understand why the government isn't enforcing immigration laws that are on the books because they disagree with them.  I don't understand why our government is doing things without consent of the population they supposedly represent. 

I don't understand the DEI movement - from everything I see it is just repackaged racism against white people.  The government wants people to have opportunity whether they've earned it or not.  I'm tired of segments of the population seeing the world through the lens of racism.

Something is broken in society.  The politicians go to tactic is to gaslight america.  The economy is doing great.  No it's not.  If it was inflation would be going down.  Core inflation is on the the decline.  Who cares if people are spending a higher percentage of their paycheck on energy, food and shelter.  Once again - the advancement of an agenda through regulation.

How is it possible for the political class to continue operating the way they have been when they're the most hated group of people, next to immigrants, in america?  

Confused about the push to mainstream marijuana and other illicit drugs.  Why?  Because america has a drug problem and it's easier to legitimize it than enforce the law?  

California wants to put governors on cars that prohibit the vehicle from going more than 10 mph over the posted speed limit.  It's the government's job to restrict freedom.  I don't get it. 

Alarmed at the number of vaccines available in general and the continuing media coverage of covid.  Recently read an article stating those treated with HGH are now getting dementia.  I will not take another injection.  I'm still pissed I was forced to get a vaccination to keep my job and they didn't fire those who didn't.  WTH?  These new vaccines are the work of the devil in sheep's clothing.  The covid shot didn't work.  We were lied to.  

DON'T TREAD ON ME.

In Joe Biden's America

 <-PASSWORD PROTECT->

Bias

 Bias is defined as a prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.  I started thinking about bias and how it colors perception.  For example, I have a strong, conscious bias against electric cars and their drivers.  I see electric cars and their manufacturers as being fraudulent and deceptive.  I see their owners as being liberal, stupid and gullible virtual signaling eggheads that have bought into the hoax of climate change who have more money than common sense.  I'm sure electric car drivers see me as an unenlightened, stupid conservative redneck.  Is either bias accurate?  

Walking through a public space and saw an obese person sitting at a table eating a double cheeseburger and fries, drinking a soda wearing baggy clothes looking akin to a car cover not a wardrobe.  I perceive this person to be lazy with intense body odor, bad breath and rotten teeth.

Father forgive me for I have sinned. Help me to be more accepting and less judgmental to those I do not know.  Amen.

More thoughts on John Williams

 I found a series of interviews with John Williams on YouTube.  If I close my eyes listening to John Williams talk he sounds like Steve Jobs.  Genius's think different than the rest of us with their profound intelligence and way of looking at the world.  I find that interesting.

I've been collecting John Williams music since we got our first cd player when I was a kid.  Collection now has over 100 titles.  Some of them our film scores and others are recordings with the Boston Pops playing music by other people.  Just an all around fan of his work.

I still haven't heard all of his work.  One thing I find interesting is even though I've had access to much of his work, there are some albums I haven't previously been interested in.  Think of it was the "deep cuts" of an artist.  The more obscure, less popular work produced by any given artist.  Think of albums like "War Horse", "Seven Years in Tibet" or "Nixon."  Ive seen those albums in record stores but none of it generated interest with me...  Until recently...

In the fan group circles there's always speculation about what the next expanded release might bring.  Someone suggested Nixon.  I went to YouTube again and found some videos of different album tracks.  What a wonderful, more obscure work...  That led me to try listening to Seven Years in Tibet.  Another wonderful and obscure work...  I will say these are not the types you leave the theatre humming the theme too.  These both require a different kind of listening and they are striking and quite impactful.  Not popular and still amazing.

Interesting how the world works.  Perhaps I wasn't ready to spend time with these albums or get acquainted with them until now.  And once I'm ready, the universe sends them to me... Revealed to me when the time is right.  Another thing I find interesting is I've got albums from movies I haven't nor intend on ever seeing.  I"m not interested in the movie - I'm interested in the music.  Not much of a movie fan, more of a music fan.  Don't need the first to enjoy the latter.

One album I hope gets released would be that of the sketches John Williams composes on his piano for each of his works.  He composes with pencil, paper and a piano.  From a different era. Hearing snippets from interview segments, I think it'd be interesting to hear all the harmonies without the colors of the orchestra.  On the same instrument.  I bet it would be amazing.

Baldrige Quality Award

 I've been interested in the Baldrige award for quite some time and the quest to improve quality and become a top notch organization...  Rudy's in Austin was owned by a franchise and they won the award in 2010.  St. David's Hospital in Austin also won the award in 2014.  What if an airline set out to win the award or be recognized performing as a high quality organization across all facets of their business?  Can it be done in an industry as complex as an airline where there are so many variables outside of their control?  Serving different kinds of customers?  Operating in 100's of locations in shared tenant environments.  I think it'd be quite an undertaking and I wonder if it's possible.  Who would be willing to try it and how long would it take and how much would it cost?  How would you get a 20,000 person workforce marching in the same direction sharing the passion to meet the challenge?  It would be so cool.. that would be the ultimate!  

Paul was Right.

From 1965 spoken by Paul Harvey:

If I were the Devil . . . I mean, if I were the Prince of Darkness, I would, of course, want to engulf the whole earth in darkness. I would have a third of its real estate and four-fifths of its population, but I would not be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree, so I should set about however necessary to take over the United States. I would begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: “Do as you please.” “Do as you please.” To the young, I would whisper, “The Bible is a myth.” I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what is bad is good, and what is good is “square.” In the ears of the young marrieds, I would whisper that work is debasing, that cocktail parties are good for you. I would caution them not to be extreme in religion, in patriotism, in moral conduct. And the old, I would teach to pray. I would teach them to say after me: “Our Father, which art in Washington” . . . If I were the devil, I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting so that anything else would appear dull an uninteresting. I’d threaten T.V. with dirtier movies and vice versa. And then, if I were the devil, I’d get organized. I’d infiltrate unions and urge more loafing and less work, because idle hands usually work for me. I’d peddle narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. And I’d tranquilize the rest with pills. If I were the devil, I would encourage schools to refine young intellects, but neglect to discipline emotions . . . let those run wild. I would designate an athiest to front for me before the highest courts in the land and I would get preachers to say “she’s right.” With flattery and promises of power, I could get the courts to rule what I construe as against God and in favor of pornography, and thus, I would evict God from the courthouse, and then from the school house, and then from the houses of Congress and then, in His own churches, I would substitute psychology for religion, and I would deify science because that way men would become smart enough to create super weapons but not wise enough to control them. If I were Satan, I’d make the symbol of Easter an egg, and the symbol of Christmas, a bottle. If I were the devil, I would take from those who have and I would give to those who wanted, until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. And then, my police state would force everybody back to work. Then, I could separate families, putting children in uniform, women in coal mines, and objectors in slave camps. In other words, if I were Satan, I’d just keep on doing what he’s doing. Paul Harvey, Good Day.

Perfection

This is the last weekend the family is together before my oldest heads back to school.  We wanted to go out to eat and narrowed it down to two choices.  Chilli's or Olive Garden.  We set out for Chili's because we had a gift card...  Got there and it was a mess.  Hardly anyone working, a line, staff complaining about being short staffed, kitchen being slammed, etc.  So put our name on the list and after hearing the staff continuing to complain, we decided to leave and go to Olive Garden across the street.

There was a wait at Olive Garden, too.  No big deal.  When we were seated our waiter came and introduced himself and he was most professional, polite and attentive.  Good enough.  We ordered and he brought the salad and breadsticks.  And a bowl of pre-grated cheese for us to share.  Nice touch.  He said he didn't like reaching over people to put the cheese on.  OK.  Anyway, the food was awesome.  It was brought out and we all shared our meals...  Our waiter checked in with us a few times.  At the end we asked for some boxes and he brought out a bag of breaksticks to take with our boxes.  Another nice touch.  Then he brought us the bill and had the mints in a wine glass.  Another nice touch.  I thanked him for his service, paid the bill and left a generous tip and shook hand when we left.  At the exit, I spoke to the manager and told him everything was perfect tonight and Prince (our waiter) was spectacular.  Everything was on point.  They nailed it.

It turns out we should have just gone to Olive Garden to begin with.  It was perfect.  Almost like it was meant to be.  My expectations were completed exceeded during our meal.  It was most refreshing.  Sometimes things just work out that way.  It was a great meal.

In other news my amplifier has been acting up in my stereo.  It took about a week to find someone who was willing to work on it.  I was referred to a few places and in my initial interactions, they were not interested in working on it and some said that parts would be difficult if not impossible to find.  Really - it's a bunch of transistors and capacitors.  Not much proprietary stuff in device but whatever.  I found a guy in the local audiophile club that actually wanted to work on it.  He works from his home and we met in a post office parking lot.  A little odd, but OK.  He's backed up by about 3 weeks.  That's fine.  Take your time.  He said I had a good amplifier and he said he would likely be able to fix it.  Cool.

I decided to go to some local stereo stores.  One was an analog repair place that sells restored unites for the 70s.  The other was the place I bought our home theater system.  I explained I had an amp that was flaking out and discussed my system and what to do if the amp couldn't be fixed,  Both stores said I had an incredible system that was definitely worth fixing as opposed to replacing parts of it. My entire system cost less than a new replacement amp of similar power and quality when I bought it all used over time.  

I spent about 5 years putting my two channel rig together.  Buying what I could afford, enjoying it, flipping gear when I found another upgrade at a good price...  Three or four different sets of speakers, two or three different receivers, and one amp along the journey.  It's kinda cool to have the guys that deal with this stuff everyday compliment my system based on the gear alone.

After we went to the Olive Garden we bummed around a shopping center and went into a bookstore.  They're selling cds and vinyl records.  My oldest was really interested in the records.  I found that interesting seeing how neither he nor I have a record player.  I was shocked at how expensive records are.  20-30 dollars for a record.  I buy used cd's for 3-12 dollars on average.  I guarantee you my used cds will always sound better than a second hand record.

Oh... and while I was at the vintage stereo store, this guy came in with a stack a receiver, a turntable and two speakers.  He bought a new cartridge for his turntable it wasn't happy with it and Brought the entire rig into the store.  Turns out this dude had all his stuff wired wrong.  Like the record player was plugged into the wrong input of the receiver.  The wire to the speakers wasn't connect properly and the turntable wasn't grounded.  The employee patiently talked him through what was wrong and plugged everything in correctly.  He got everything working and the customer was happy as pie with his modest system and scratchy record.  That's cool.  But my question is this.... what kind of grown ass man doesn't know how to properly connect audio components and speaker wire?  Like seriously.  If you don't know how to connect it, are you even worthy of having it?  Stick to streaming from your phone.  At the same time we all start from somewhere.  I've been around audio gear all my life.  My Dad was into it a bit, too.  Setting up a stereo comes natural to me.  For as much as I know, this guy's modest little system will ignite a passion in music and stereo enjoyment.  I'm still shocked that a grown ass man had no idea how to connect audio components together.  It's like not knowing how to connect a monitor to a computer.  Young men today aren't real men.  They're a genetic mutation of what it means to be a man.  Too much estrogen in the water?  I don't know. There's something wrong with them.  Maybe they lack suitable role models.  My wife tells me I'm intolerant and display toxic masculinity.  If this is the world we live in, we need more, not less, masculinity.  On another note, I wonder if the guy even needed a new cartridge for his record player to begin with?  It' was probably fine and he had it all connected wrong to begin with and wasted the money to have a new cartridge put on his record player.  

Also, there was a lady at the vintage stereo shop picking up a marantz receiver she had serviced.  She was complaining about the sharp corners of the metal faceplate on her unit.  The technician mentioned you could get a wood cover for the reciever that would be flush with the faceplate.  She looks at him and says she doesn't like would and she would rather have rounded corners on the faceplate.  Like what?!?!  Why did she even bother having the unit repaired if she didn't like it to begin with.  Maybe she liked the sound of her marantz? I dunno - it seems peculiar that someone would spend $750 dollars fixing a piece of gear they don't like...  My entire system cost a few dollars more than her repair bill.  Mind blown.

Then there was this guy at the office...  A full grown man incapable of reasonable human interactions, wearing his pajamas in public and carrying a stuffed rainbow color unicorn.  This is the fall of America and the destruction of the family unit right before our eyes.  

Tin Roof Ice Cream

 BlueBell is putting out their famed Tin Roof flavor for a limited time.  Vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce and dark chocolate covered peanuts.  It's one of the classic blue bell flavors that's been discontinued for some reason and released in limited quantities.  I read it is out again earlier this week.  Tonight we wen to the grocery and I wanted some.  I got the last container in the store.  Waiting just for me.  It made for a pleasing evening.  One of life's little pleasures.

You should do it

 Tonight my wife and I were talking and she suggested I bite the bullet and go see a real John Williams concert with him conducting.  There are two of them scheduled.  Both in February.  One in Philadelphia and one at Carnegie Hall.  Tickets are expensive.  She kept trying to talk me into it stating he's getting old and his days are numbered...  His music means so much to you...  etc...  I started looking at tickets and while I could do a once in a lifetime splurge to see John Williams, I don't think I am emotionally equipped for an experience of that magnitude.  I looked at the tickets.  I thought about it and I just said I don't think I can do that.   Just thinking about being in a concert hall as he takes the podium and I get all choked up emotionally - the tears start welling up.  My voice cracks as we talk a little more about it.  No, I don't think I could process the experience.  I think I'd just start crying from being completely overwhelmed and not having the capacity to keep it together.  I don't want to experience that.  It would take days to return to a normal state after a complete short circuit.  My brain would be fried and it would take some time to regain my emotional and mental set point.  Am I depriving myself of a once in a lifetime opportunity?  No.  I'm protecting myself.  Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.