As time goes by I fear the effects of the Internet on our society more and more.
This incredible tool has brought people together from across the
planet. It's been used to communicate, to improve life, to opening up
a good thing to so many good people.
But an attitude many take when using the Internet, especially
under-age teenagers, is that it's OK to lie about your age so that you
can do whatever you want to do. And you learn as a user of the
Internet that you don't have to tell the truth to get something that
you want. You learn to maintain your anonymity, but often times it's
better to lie or provide information that can be disconnected from you
rapidly.
In a lot of cases, especially on social media sites, this leads to
people making comments that would get them punched in the mouth if you
made those comments in person.
I remember someone had left a comment on a YouTube video about how the
creator's mother's birth canal was like a cave and that image haunts
me today.
For a long time but wasn't so concerned about is the fact the Internet
has the but as it seems deeper and deeper into the cracks of our
society concerning the sprouts very dangerous fruit
Here more and more people are caught doing something that there not
supposed to be doing the phrase they didn't say I couldn't do that!
Because our society thrives on Cortese's blitz court decisions drive
real life activities lawyers get paid lots of money to write stupid
freezes like caution contents of this cup of hot coffee may be hot.
Where I work we have to have parking stickers to get in the gate.
Recently we had one of our employees drive through the gate and be
allowed to drive through the gate and parked in a brand-new vehicle
that he had bought the night before. No parking sticker at all. When
he came up to get a new parking sticker he told us about it and said
you didn't think they let me in but I went ahead and pulled up at the
ages, waived the right through. He tried it just to see if he would
be stopped. And because performance levels so many jobs and the
expectations are set so low the repercussions of not just doing a job
correctly are hardly ever meted out this guy just made it right
through the door secure facility.
I remember we had a exchange student from China for all that was a
totally different experience for us as a family, but one of my
observations was that he was more than willing to falsify anything to
get what he will. When he was told that he had to apply for something
he just kinda filled out the application with whatever information he
felt like inside it were the parent or guardian was supposed to sign
it because he just figured nobody would check.
I know that we've had this throughout our history is a country in the
society. They just seem to be getting a lot worse. Because trust is
already so low the trust level of our society is going lower and lower
and lower nobody trusts their own family and lawlessness continues to
use.
I hope that people will strive to do the right thing and be honorable.
Especially the people that I'm around. Because that's what I'm doing.
Thursday, February 29, 2024
Monday, February 12, 2024
Plating food ~
The continual changing of the English language is perturbing at times.
But sometimes it's just funny!
I've been thinking about the word "plate" and how people serve up food. I was thinking about how the English language gets used incorrectly and nouns become verbs.
When someone is taking food out of a dish I learned that was dishing out the food. In the past few years, though, "plating" food has become the way people have said this concept. "I put it on your plate" gets shortened to " I plated the food". "I am plating it for you."
What happens if someone calls a plate a dish? Then they would have to say that I dished food for you and if someone were to say that the others would look at them and wondered if you insulted or talk bad about it? An initial thought would not be that you took food from a pan and put it on a dish so that someone could eat a portion of it.
I guess what's happening is more and more words are visual and everything is in context. But if you don't know the context of how something is being used and you can't see what they're doing if they say they're doing it for you can you keep up with the language?
I guess I need to calendar some time so that I can capture my thoughts on this. Funny!
I've been thinking about the word "plate" and how people serve up food. I was thinking about how the English language gets used incorrectly and nouns become verbs.
When someone is taking food out of a dish I learned that was dishing out the food. In the past few years, though, "plating" food has become the way people have said this concept. "I put it on your plate" gets shortened to " I plated the food". "I am plating it for you."
What happens if someone calls a plate a dish? Then they would have to say that I dished food for you and if someone were to say that the others would look at them and wondered if you insulted or talk bad about it? An initial thought would not be that you took food from a pan and put it on a dish so that someone could eat a portion of it.
I guess what's happening is more and more words are visual and everything is in context. But if you don't know the context of how something is being used and you can't see what they're doing if they say they're doing it for you can you keep up with the language?
I guess I need to calendar some time so that I can capture my thoughts on this. Funny!
Sunday, January 28, 2024
E-books ~
I have been reading e-books for a long time.
I remember in 1999 I had a Texas Instruments personal organizing device that had calendar and calculator and notepad and other things on it. It was one of those calculator sized devices that had a flip cover on it and was basically a personal organizer. And I would put e-books on it and read it as I rode the bus and train in the Washington DC area.
I graduated from that to my Handspring visor devices. They ran the PalmPilot operating system and allowed me to carry e-books on them. I used the graffiti text capture software so much that I can still to this day right on a notepad in graffiti style writing and read it even though it looks weird.
But I read e-books on my Handspring Visor devices. I bought them instead of the PalmPilot because Palm Pilots were way too expensive and Handspring Visor was bucking the system and offering devices that were more expandable at less cost. I remember getting a handful of plug-in devices for my Handspring visor. One of my favorites was the GPS plug-in. I would watch as we drove down the road and my GPS would calculate where we were even though I didn't have a map or anything. I would plug in coordinates and capture coordinates as we traveled. Which I still do today.
But I digress. E-books. Now I use Amazon Kindle e-books almost exclusively. I still purchase some PDF e-books and then read them on multiple devices. I take my e-books from Amazon and convert them to text so that I can do what I want with the text. I usually if I really want to read the book completely will run the text through text to speech software and listen to them. Or have started using a couple of e-book readers to read my text files and converted Amazon Kindle e-books. It all gets very complicated. And I love it!
But e-books have become my main way of consuming books. I have two Kindle paper white waterproof E-ink readers that I use. Why two? Because if one craps out I want to be able to keep reading on the other one. Even though I can read all my e-books on my phone using the Kindle app and on my iPad using the Kindle app there also. Or I can read them in text files on any device that I want to read on.
But I like the Kindle Paperwhite readers because they use e-ink, they're completely visible and easy to read in bright sunlight or in the dark with their backlight, and they're waterproof so I can take him in a pool or tub and not worry about them getting fried. Although I haven't tested that rigorously!
But I love e-books and I love the ability to be able to read electronically and carry a library with me wherever I go. It's bad enough that I can search the Internet and get any piece of information that I want almost instantly, but I prefer to carry lots of books with me so that if I want to read something or review something that I read a few years ago I can just pull it up anywhere.
I love modern technology!
I remember in 1999 I had a Texas Instruments personal organizing device that had calendar and calculator and notepad and other things on it. It was one of those calculator sized devices that had a flip cover on it and was basically a personal organizer. And I would put e-books on it and read it as I rode the bus and train in the Washington DC area.
I graduated from that to my Handspring visor devices. They ran the PalmPilot operating system and allowed me to carry e-books on them. I used the graffiti text capture software so much that I can still to this day right on a notepad in graffiti style writing and read it even though it looks weird.
But I read e-books on my Handspring Visor devices. I bought them instead of the PalmPilot because Palm Pilots were way too expensive and Handspring Visor was bucking the system and offering devices that were more expandable at less cost. I remember getting a handful of plug-in devices for my Handspring visor. One of my favorites was the GPS plug-in. I would watch as we drove down the road and my GPS would calculate where we were even though I didn't have a map or anything. I would plug in coordinates and capture coordinates as we traveled. Which I still do today.
But I digress. E-books. Now I use Amazon Kindle e-books almost exclusively. I still purchase some PDF e-books and then read them on multiple devices. I take my e-books from Amazon and convert them to text so that I can do what I want with the text. I usually if I really want to read the book completely will run the text through text to speech software and listen to them. Or have started using a couple of e-book readers to read my text files and converted Amazon Kindle e-books. It all gets very complicated. And I love it!
But e-books have become my main way of consuming books. I have two Kindle paper white waterproof E-ink readers that I use. Why two? Because if one craps out I want to be able to keep reading on the other one. Even though I can read all my e-books on my phone using the Kindle app and on my iPad using the Kindle app there also. Or I can read them in text files on any device that I want to read on.
But I like the Kindle Paperwhite readers because they use e-ink, they're completely visible and easy to read in bright sunlight or in the dark with their backlight, and they're waterproof so I can take him in a pool or tub and not worry about them getting fried. Although I haven't tested that rigorously!
But I love e-books and I love the ability to be able to read electronically and carry a library with me wherever I go. It's bad enough that I can search the Internet and get any piece of information that I want almost instantly, but I prefer to carry lots of books with me so that if I want to read something or review something that I read a few years ago I can just pull it up anywhere.
I love modern technology!
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
Bible belief ~
One of the challenging parts about being a Christian is what I believe
about the Bible. I believe that the Bible is God's word. That it was
written by people guided by God. And that when we read the Bible we
can learn more about God than we could ever learn any other way.
One of the hard things I experience is when people pick and choose from the Bible. Friends that are quick to quote scripture in certain subjects don't want to read other parts of the Bible or don't want to hear about other parts of the Bible that say what they're doing shouldn't be done. A lot of people say "that's in the Old Testament so it doesn't apply anymore" but then will quote from the Old Testament and say this is how you want to live your life this is what you should do. Same book in the Bible, just different chapters and verses that don't fit what they're doing with their lives.
Some people take to heart the law and the festivals and have a big time saying "we're becoming more like the Israelis". This is what the Jewish people did so we should do the same things!
But when I read the Bible and I read history I read that the Jewish people turn away from God over and over and over. And that Jesus freed us from those restrictive boundaries saying nobody could do all those things. Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one gets to the father except through me.""
I just find it interesting that the same people that will claim freedom will also claim restriction so that they can justify what they feel think or believe.
I prefer to develop my personal relationship with God and to lean on what Jesus taught was the greatest commandment. To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And to love your neighbor as you love yourself.
Challenging!
One of the hard things I experience is when people pick and choose from the Bible. Friends that are quick to quote scripture in certain subjects don't want to read other parts of the Bible or don't want to hear about other parts of the Bible that say what they're doing shouldn't be done. A lot of people say "that's in the Old Testament so it doesn't apply anymore" but then will quote from the Old Testament and say this is how you want to live your life this is what you should do. Same book in the Bible, just different chapters and verses that don't fit what they're doing with their lives.
Some people take to heart the law and the festivals and have a big time saying "we're becoming more like the Israelis". This is what the Jewish people did so we should do the same things!
But when I read the Bible and I read history I read that the Jewish people turn away from God over and over and over. And that Jesus freed us from those restrictive boundaries saying nobody could do all those things. Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one gets to the father except through me.""
I just find it interesting that the same people that will claim freedom will also claim restriction so that they can justify what they feel think or believe.
I prefer to develop my personal relationship with God and to lean on what Jesus taught was the greatest commandment. To love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And to love your neighbor as you love yourself.
Challenging!
Saturday, January 20, 2024
Don_t get in my way ~
Our country the United States of America for many many years the motto
identified with "don't tread on me". "Freedom, justice, and the
American way" was an awesome statement that generated a lot of
attention and income for marketing agencies.
But in the past several years I've noticed that the motto has changed. Now it seems to be more like "don't get in my way".
I see it in the abundance of mind-numbing activities and treatments. I see it in the constant search for distraction and activity to go and boast about. I see it even in the liberal movements that are getting so much attention lately like transgenderism and socialism and the like.
"Don't get in my way" says that any rule guidelines for decorum are to be ignored as we step past the safety tape saying "do not cross". You see people dying as they step out on a ledge or hang from a rock or get too close to the lion that they jumped the fence to get in the cage with.
"Don't get in my way" smacks of disrespect and we see that in day-to-day interactions and we see it amplified on social media.
I hope that we can teach more people about truth and true justice for all not just subgroups. And I hope we can get the American way back on what our founders hoped it would become.
But in the past several years I've noticed that the motto has changed. Now it seems to be more like "don't get in my way".
I see it in the abundance of mind-numbing activities and treatments. I see it in the constant search for distraction and activity to go and boast about. I see it even in the liberal movements that are getting so much attention lately like transgenderism and socialism and the like.
"Don't get in my way" says that any rule guidelines for decorum are to be ignored as we step past the safety tape saying "do not cross". You see people dying as they step out on a ledge or hang from a rock or get too close to the lion that they jumped the fence to get in the cage with.
"Don't get in my way" smacks of disrespect and we see that in day-to-day interactions and we see it amplified on social media.
I hope that we can teach more people about truth and true justice for all not just subgroups. And I hope we can get the American way back on what our founders hoped it would become.
Sunday, January 14, 2024
Loved Johnny Carson ~
I remember Johnny Carson when I was growing up.
My parents would have me go to bed by 9 PM. I would fall asleep listening to the stories told and Hill Street blues and other mystery programs. Taxi was one of them.
But on nights when I couldn't fall asleep or I woke up for some reason I would listen to my parents watch and listen to the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
I loved it! I loved his delivery, I loved the way he would introduce guests, I loved it when I could stay up as I got older and watched him interview guests. It was amazing!
Now in our modern society I can pull up Johnny Carson shows on YouTube anytime I want. I tend not to until they show up in my suggestions. And when they show up enjoy watching and listening to him do his thing.
It's fun watching Johnny Carson introduce and then interview comedians that I have enjoyed over the years. All the big names, all will little names that became big names, it's amazing!
But Johnny Carson remains the center of the comedic universe that I grew up with. Ed McMahon sitting off to the side chuckling and encouraging. But Johnny was the main event.
It's fun watching Johnny Carson now! Sad that he's gone and nobody even comes close to the way he was, but fun.
My parents would have me go to bed by 9 PM. I would fall asleep listening to the stories told and Hill Street blues and other mystery programs. Taxi was one of them.
But on nights when I couldn't fall asleep or I woke up for some reason I would listen to my parents watch and listen to the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
I loved it! I loved his delivery, I loved the way he would introduce guests, I loved it when I could stay up as I got older and watched him interview guests. It was amazing!
Now in our modern society I can pull up Johnny Carson shows on YouTube anytime I want. I tend not to until they show up in my suggestions. And when they show up enjoy watching and listening to him do his thing.
It's fun watching Johnny Carson introduce and then interview comedians that I have enjoyed over the years. All the big names, all will little names that became big names, it's amazing!
But Johnny Carson remains the center of the comedic universe that I grew up with. Ed McMahon sitting off to the side chuckling and encouraging. But Johnny was the main event.
It's fun watching Johnny Carson now! Sad that he's gone and nobody even comes close to the way he was, but fun.
Sunday, December 31, 2023
Books I read in 2023 ~
When I was a manager it helped my bosses understand what I had done to improve myself over the year when I would share the business books I had read during that cycle. So I thought I'd share with you my accomplishment:
I read 24 books in 2023!
I wasn't as focused on learning about "self-improvement" this year so there was quite a bit of fiction involved. I varied some of it so I could learn about different parts of the world, which was fun.
I've gotten to where I try to only read ebooks now. This makes it easier for me to read wherever I go since I have them on my phone as well as the iPad and Kindles.
My Kindle app likes to give awards for my reading accomplishments. I'm over 280 weeks in a row of reading as well as over 300 days straight reading in the Kindle app. And at this point I've had over 13 weeks of "perfect weeks" by reading each day of the week. Woohoo!
So here is a list of the books I read in 2023:
- 21 Prayers of Thanksgiving by Rachel Larkin
Fun to do leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076W2S9L3/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- Age of Vice by Deepti Kapoor
I've wanted to learn more about India for several years, so I dove into this book. Interesting story of privelege and corruption across the country.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09WZSLSX6/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- Avenue of the Dead by Brian L Porter
Fun to learn more about Mexico City and the ancient civilizations in Mexico!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00PE2XHBS/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- Bird By Bird by Anne Lamott
Anne Lamott is an amazingly honest voice and I enjoy reading her open letters to the world about her life.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SEGI8Q/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- Confess, Fletch by Gregory McDonald
Fletch is a fun charachter. This book was just as much fun!
https://www.amazon.com/Confess-Fletch-Mysteries-Book-ebook/dp/B0C4C4HFHS/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=confess%2C+fletch&qid=1704044358&sr=8-3
- Controversial Essays by Thomas Sowell
One of my favorite thinkers. I actually bought this book for two of my sons and told them to put it in their bathroom as a reader for when they are sitting on the pot.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001E52S96/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- Forgiveness by Jeff Daws
Great book that we went through as a study of forgiveness.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CD2XDS9W/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- God, Improv, and the Art of Living by MaryAnn McKibben Dana
This was a very good book though it is funny to read about turning "living in the moment" into an approach to life. Fun!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B091K7F21S/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- Journey Back To Watooka by Steve Connolly
We are planning a mission trip to Guyana and I read this book to learn some history of the country. I learned a lot!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CCB5YJQ/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- Letters of Advent by Klint Pleasant
A great way to work through the Advent season leading up to Christmas. I have enjoyed this book for the past two years.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09J1TZNVW/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- Life In Five Senses by Gretchen Rubin
I've followed Gretchen Rubin's growth as an author for several years. This book expanded my thinking on how I experience life.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B6Z5LGYW/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- Mexifornia by Victor Davis Hanson
A fascinating book about the impacts of illegal immigration in California and in the rest of the United States. I highly recommend it!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01EB74DG4/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- No Plan B - A Jack Reacher novel by Lee Child and Andrew Child
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09PMZ93DT/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- Rising Tiger by Brad Thor
I wanted to learn more about India and China and the friction over there. This was a fun ride to learn stuff on!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09JPJ4V8X/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- Stop At Nothing by Michael Ledwidge
Good adventure-mystery. I enjoyed it!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RR9SXZV/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- Swarm by Guy Morris
Fun continuation of an AI story I've been reading.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08LCN41YV/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- The Blue Zones by Dan Buettner
Longevity stuff. I enjoyed the NetFlix show so I got the book.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BXBF7N4N/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- The Comfort Zone by Kristin Butler
Interesting take on how to accomplish things by staying in your comfort zone instead of becoming uncomfortable.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BCP2Y48Q/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- The Cuckoo's Calling (Cormoran Strike 1) by Robert Gailbraith
I bought this book in 2013 but finally read it. Great characters and story, though a bit tedious to work through.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AA20E5Y/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- The Drifter by Nick Petrie
Good mystery similar to the Jack Reacher books by Lee Child.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00SA5KHEG/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- The Escape Artist by Brad Meltzer
Fun ride!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06VXWPQ1N/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- The Ultimate Bathroom Reader by Bill O'Neil
Fun book!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B099ZL67WL/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- Titanium Noir by Nick Harkawa
Good science fiction for near-future stuff. I enjoyed this book a lot!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B9WPF9NQ/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- Wild About You by John Eldridge
Great devotional for couples that I've enjoyed all year!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09L5WJK3H/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
- You Will Be Made To Care by Erick Erickson
I bought this back in 2016 but finally read it in 2023. Still relevant and so informative!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01AR541A2/ref=kinw_myk_ro_title
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