Thursday, August 27, 2015

Excercising Our Brains

Exercising Our Brains

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Sun, shade and color

If your brain is functioning at normal levels, you are probably wondering why anyone would subject themselves to the barrage of misinformation shouted at them 24 hours a day on cable news and talk radio?

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We can see Lassen again

Have a few of our friends, family, (and some political figures), become mindless zombies? Is there something seductively hypnotic about experiencing decades of one sided opinion loaded with hate and disdain for civility that hijacks people’s humanitarian souls?

Can they be awakened to reality and the beauty of this world we live in?

That would be nice.

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Beauty survives during drought

Last night, P & J produced some entertaining and heartfelt music at the Post Office Saloon and Grill. There were moments of melodic magic between the 2 guitars and the vocals. It was like being enveloped in a nurturing cocoon of creative sound. You would have enjoyed it too, had you been there at the time.

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Clouds, jet, moon, flag

I saw this video about Monsanto, and felt the need to share it with you. After all, their name is written on my birth certificate;



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Lone clover

There is a good article explaining the difference between our economy and the stock market. It points out that the economy is reality whereas the stock market is a place where a small percentage of the population gamble by guessing what the economy will or won't do at some point in the future.

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Lassen during sunset

If you are a teenager, have a teenage child or grandchild, you really need to read; The Teenage Brain by Francis E. Jensen. If you don’t read this book, you are doomed to continue the generational cycle of misunderstanding and frustration caused by thinking that teenagers have a fully functioning adult brain.

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Colors in the drought

Humans won’t complete the connections to the frontal lobes for a fully functioning brain until they are approximately 25 years old, (sometimes not even then). The frontal lobes are necessary to generate insight, judgement, self awareness, abstract thinking, logic, reasoning, and all the tools we need to savor the gift of being human.

Today’s Video;


The Love Of Playing Music

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Removing The Cloak Of Sorrow

Again

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Friday Moon

It is a Sisyphean task to climb the mountain of success and acceptance if you are clothed in sadness and self loathing. I know. I learned from experience.

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Thirsty rose

Each day would make that cloak heavier and more foul, yet I would resignedly awake to put it on again and again.

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Closer Look at Friday Moon

With prodigious amounts of various elixirs, I could ignore the stench of self pity and proudly imagine that being miserable was a badge of honor. At least until the euphoria vanished along with what little money and imagined self respect I might have had for a brief flickering moment.

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Drought Resister

It took a lot of years, many helpful people and renewing my subscription to the cosmic consciousness before I could shed my cloak of sorrow. No man or woman could stop me from digging a deeper hole once I had fallen to the bottom. It took what the big book of AA calls acquiescing to a higher power, as I recall.

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I didn’t realize how much the alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes had altered my brain chemistry, and consequently my inner voice. It has taken several years of not introducing their influence in my cellular structure to find a bit of clarity.

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Beauty in the midst

Lies, denial, and misbehaving were so easy with the chemicals in my blood, brain cells and spirit, that I never gave any weight to the suggestions that I was doing physical and psychological harm to myself and others.

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Sunday moon

I was living high in the moment, denying I was a hustler while I was hustling. I still find character flaws that I didn’t know I have. That’s part of my cost of admission to peace of mind, spiritual fitness and feeling good.

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Sunday moon close up

For some reason, I was compelled to write about this part of my life as today’s post. I hope it helps you, me and some people we know and love.

Today’s Video;


Good Grief

Friday, August 21, 2015

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Finding Clarity In Obfuscation

Answers In The Questions

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Pink Zinnia

The pallor of wildfire smoke produces a low contrast, muted color environment that makes photography challenging in the north state these days. I am reminded of life in coastal communities where fog and low clouds persist. Where boats and buildings must be painted in bright colors so as not to be indistinguishable in the primarily gray atmosphere.

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Treetop Crepes

The sunlight Tuesday was weak but temperatures continued to stay a warm 105 degrees. That is not at all like the coastal communities where I have lived. We were happy when it warmed up to 65 on a summer day.

Warm weather is another reason I am happy to be living in Redding. Although, it is supposed to cool down to the upper 80’s next week.

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Yellow Zinnia captures a falling leaf

I may have mentioned my observations of the excessively long, drawn out 2016 pre-election postulating that has been wasting peoples time and patience since 2014. (It is making lots of money for False-news and it’s echo chambers, though)

So I feel it is important that at least one voice speak with measured reason and researched information regarding the presidential election, and those who seek to be leader of the free world.

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Flowers in bed with each other

Not one of the Republican hopefuls has the necessary qualifications to occupy any public office. However, since they are willing to accept the corporate funding it took to get them this far, it is not wise to ignore them completely.

Yes, I know, The Donald is telling us he has no corporate sponsors, but he is in the race as entertainment and is not an actual RNC presidential candidate, (although his candidacy would guarantee a Democrat landslide win).

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Orange ya glad I included this pretty zin

The republicans are throwing the most mud at the most qualified presidential candidate in the history of our democratic nation. Of course I mean Hillary Clinton. She has spent her entire adult life becoming the greatest statesman we have in America.

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Song Interrupted - (taken with my iPhone)

The only other person in this race with valuable ideas is Bernie Sanders. He is a force for good and stands up for the American people. I think he is an especially effective Senator and his absence would likely weaken our side in the Americans vs Banksters battle that democrats are beginning to win.

I think he should keep stating his message through the debates, convince his followers to vote for Hillary and then return to the senate where we know he can do great things.

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Morning glories in smokey afternoon sunlight

So that’s what I see on the political horizon regarding the 2016 elections.

There is important government business that needs to be done now. We need to complete the Iran nuclear program treaty and make sure all our nation’s infrastructure and public agencies are fully funded.

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One day I’ll trade my Azera for an electric vehicle

Now, let us begin dismantling our offensive war department, reinstate the draft, dump Homeland Security, keep closer tabs on the CIA and FBI, eliminate subsidies for fossil fuel conglomerates, and invest fully in sustainable energy research and development.

Today’s Video;


Sunday, August 16, 2015

Day At The Movie

On TV, Anyway

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“...and furthermore”, cried the treetop bird

When I was younger, I would spend days and nights on end watching movies on TV.

Now I feel I am wasting time if I am not doing something that requires more than just looking at a TV screen. I suppose muting the commercials might be loosely considered as interaction, but there are so many actual actions I can do instead of just watching TV for 2 or 3 hours.

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Unstoppable drive to bloom

Like writing, playing music, shooting pictures and video, editing pictures and video, repairing broken items or writing a blogpost. I could even have been organizing and sorting through some of the accumulated stuff I tend to gather in assorted piles.

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Just noticed this nest stuck on a tree, Saturday

It was one of the Die Hard movies, specifically designed to keep my attention, and it did. Every scene was predictable, but done in such a way as to keep this person's mind on the edge of his seat.

Still...I might have gone to the lake to take some pictures, or someplace where I could sing outloud without disturbing my neighbors. Instead, I was loafing this afternoon at home.

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Treehouse bird in the bush (bramble?)

I am a bit saddened to see that Yahoo news has become just another right wing propaganda outlet. At least one Yahoo news article a day repeats the lies about the financial stability of the Social Security and Medicare programs.

Anti Social Security and anti Medicare stories are cooked up by anti government sources who want to get their capitalist free market hands on the $3 trillion Social Security trust, and they are really upset that Medicare is financially healthy thanks to the success of “Obamacare”.

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Red rose last week

Sorry to see Yahoo has gone the way of all TV news, the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Christian Science Monitor and The New York Times; They have become nothing more than echo chambers for right wing propaganda.

Today’s Video;


Defund The War Department

Saturday, August 15, 2015

Paws For Reflection

Wipe Your Feet, Toto

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Afternoon Redding sunshine

Been reading about barometric pressure and humidity. My interest was piqued by forecasts that showed yesterday’s mild temperature of 90 with smoke filled skies was happening at the same time as a high pressure event.

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Protected driveway rose

Further research revealed that high humidity accompanies high barometric pressure because the air molecules press upon the water molecules and hold them close to the earth. This causes the heat index to increase and the ‘feels like’ temperature to feel higher than the actual reading.


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Agapanthus colorful exit

The reason I find the forecast for the next 10 days interesting, has to do with the barometric pressure dropping today as the temp rises over 100. The pressure continues to fluctuate, but the overall trend continues with lowering barometric pressure so we can look forward to a week of 100+ degree weather.

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White driveway rose

The good news is that low pressure allows moisture to rise, along with particulate matter, chemicals, and other molecules contained in our smoke filled sky above Redding. We could be breathing cleaner air here in the north state for the next few days. Yay.

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Red sunlight on red rose

I wrote to the chairman of the FCC regarding his disregard for the laws that were in place to protect us from predatory practices by phone companies that want to replace copper wire with more profitable fiber optics.

My email was ‘answered’ by a staffer, or computer-bot, that directed me to a site where I can put in a bid to operate fiber optic phone services. Very funny.

I guess I have to try another approach to save our dependable, existing copper wire phone systems.

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Evening sun

Making a spectacle of political primaries has allowed the foxes into the henhouse and taken voting away from the people of America. Our elections are now decided by a few crazy billionaires. The televised debates are just a shiny object/game show to divert attention from what is actually in progress.

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Brave new rose

Today’s Video;


I Could Wile Away The Hours

Sunday, August 9, 2015

What Makes Us Special?

Arts and Sciences

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Beauty In heat

Even tiny microbial life forms fight for survival, individually and as armies.

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Still blooming

When we kill, wage war, defend territories or fight for family and possessions, we aren’t doing anything more than bugs do.

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Smokey sunshine

So, what makes us special?

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Fecundity abounds in the Redding heat

Not societies. Not haves and have nots. Not tradition. Not sex. Not even love songs. These are things that were part of life millions of years before hominids appeared on earth.

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Pink cascade

Nearly all life forms have mating calls. It is even possible that microbes encourage reproductive activity with song. We just can’t hear them, yet.

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Bees love these roses

What makes us special, then?

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A look at our future

Sciences and the Arts

Our ability to record what we have learned so future generations can advance their knowledge, talents and skills.

We have even enhanced the methods we use to record and present what we know.

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Fresh new rose

We have the means to make Earth a garden of Eden, but we glorify tiny brained behaviors like war and domination instead. We have the tools we need to improve ourselves in the vast stores of historical records available at the tap of a fingertip.

What a waste of our ability to create harmony.

Today’s Video;


Peace And Understanding