Thursday, September 29, 2005
Justice
I thought he was going to take over for Sandra Day O'Conner. How does the new guy get to be boss? I do not understand. Rehnquest died after Roberts was selected to replace O'Conner. Something seems fishy to me. Something has seemed fishy to me for a long time. The Bush ripples in this American pond are going to be felt the rest of my life...fishy I tell you, fishy. I do not have the first bad thing to say about Roberts. I do not understand. The Chief Justice is a major player in the Government. Does one president get to decide who leads the Court? Is that tuna I smell, or are we getting screwed?
Wednesday, September 28, 2005
Healing has started
Now that the death toll is in and the goat/scapegoat has answered questions, we are starting to laugh nervously at the world once more. A friend sent this to me along with another photo that has this same guy crossing Abbey Road with the Beatles all with tubs of Heineken. It is a crazy world, but it is all we have.
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
Dicked
This man seems like he would make my matters worse to make his better. Jedited Pink Floyd lyrics overlayed to cope with my fuel woes. It had to be done.
Monday, September 26, 2005
Respected Friend
One of my very best friends in the whole wide world is a craftsman of the highest caliber. He is originally from west Tennessee, but I have known him over twenty years as he settled in south Knoxville (I told you he was smart). This guy builds world-class custom horse jumps all over the southeast. I hope I do not offend him by posting this, as I did not get prior permission (he is on my mind today). I am also guessing he built most of the ones I captured and hundreds more I did not.
He and I first met at a performance art exhibit in the mid 1980’s. It was not an acting performance though; it was an event where artist construct these huge structures then ignite them. You enjoy the once only performance of an elaborate structure set ablaze. The day we met I had earlier suffered a 15,000 volt 60 milliamp electric shock to my chest that made me lose consciousness for a few seconds, so my ears were still ringing (Jed, learns the hard way once more). I was feeling the joy that comes from a near death day, as I have had a few. I have heard it said that men think about sex and death at least thrice as often as women do and therefore prove it.
I was sharing that story with him and we hit it off quite well, since we were at a freaky sort of event anyway. The years passed with us going to Greatful Dead shows and co-constructing shelters for our little tribe of travelers.
He and his wife allowed me to spend early spring through early summer at their home directly after my divorce, for which I am very thankful. Their home sets on an impressive piece of land that served as a retreat for my post family man mental healing. The longsuffering they had for me and my raw emotional being at that time will always be a treasure to my life’s memories.
He is also a very creative writer who wrote under the pseudonym Earl N., for which all of his junk mail comes addressed. He and I have many similar views on writing aspects also, except he is much better at it. We both refuse to constrain to the composition rules that college insist is the only way. We agree it does not fit the way folks who tell stories…tell stories. So college was not our path to enlightenment as much as digging and cutting away at the earth was.
He travels most of the time building creative structures for rich folks, but when he is home, we pick up quickly where we left off. I wish he had time to do the web log thing, because his talent for telling a tale is awesome.
He and I first met at a performance art exhibit in the mid 1980’s. It was not an acting performance though; it was an event where artist construct these huge structures then ignite them. You enjoy the once only performance of an elaborate structure set ablaze. The day we met I had earlier suffered a 15,000 volt 60 milliamp electric shock to my chest that made me lose consciousness for a few seconds, so my ears were still ringing (Jed, learns the hard way once more). I was feeling the joy that comes from a near death day, as I have had a few. I have heard it said that men think about sex and death at least thrice as often as women do and therefore prove it.
I was sharing that story with him and we hit it off quite well, since we were at a freaky sort of event anyway. The years passed with us going to Greatful Dead shows and co-constructing shelters for our little tribe of travelers.
He and his wife allowed me to spend early spring through early summer at their home directly after my divorce, for which I am very thankful. Their home sets on an impressive piece of land that served as a retreat for my post family man mental healing. The longsuffering they had for me and my raw emotional being at that time will always be a treasure to my life’s memories.
He is also a very creative writer who wrote under the pseudonym Earl N., for which all of his junk mail comes addressed. He and I have many similar views on writing aspects also, except he is much better at it. We both refuse to constrain to the composition rules that college insist is the only way. We agree it does not fit the way folks who tell stories…tell stories. So college was not our path to enlightenment as much as digging and cutting away at the earth was.
He travels most of the time building creative structures for rich folks, but when he is home, we pick up quickly where we left off. I wish he had time to do the web log thing, because his talent for telling a tale is awesome.
Saturday, September 24, 2005
H.A.A.R.P.
I have no idea what to think of this HIGH FREQUENCY ACTIVE AURORAL RESEARCH PROGRAM to control earth's weather patterns. I first learned of this from a caller to talk radio who was commenting on Katrina and the conspiracy to reap profit from fuel prices.
I have read some of the links that I have found on HAARP, and it stands to reason that by creating waves in this atmospheric pool that one could control the weather like a ripple in a pond (you just need a very big hand). Storm systems are low spots that let the violent conditions of outer space come closer to the surface of our planet. Conversely the high waves are stable thicker coverage of atmosphere making nicer conditions. The change of the pressure points cause the flow to rapidly move causing wind and the frontal systems that make the news hourly. The swirls at the edges are the wicked storms like the hurricanes and tornadoes. Watching a paddle in the water next to your canoe is a representation from the Jed school of oversimplified observation (Jed-self proclaimed "Prophet of the Obvious").
I have heard some scholars on the early books of the Bible talk of the very long lives of humans attributed to a much thicker and consistent atmosphere that could have existed many years ago. In fact, in the discussion of Noah and the arc, it was said in early translations that rain had never occurred before that time. His building of a boat away from a body of water was extremely abstract to the people who had never seen more than a constant mist that kept the earth green. This thicker blanket on earth may have kept even more space rays away from humans. Toxins and oxidants were also much less prevalent adding greatly to a lifespan.
If you have time, help me to understand if this HAARP thing is real from your point of view. I am gullible and not as well read as most folks, and I have my own self learned ways of viewing things. I welcome the input of anyone reading this little web log. Send me links and your thoughts if you find this topic interesting or ridiculous.
Thursday, September 22, 2005
Crack Me Up
This Bush shot made me giggle for an hour and snort for an additional half hour. I wish I had thought of it. Notice the President seal on the tail. Looks like it was a sad song too. Is that an Fu# chord he is strumming?
If you have time read this: Banquet of Shame
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Tool
The boss told me to go get hand tools to call my own yesterday. I now have a set-up similar to the picture above except my tote is red and black. It really rocks to work for a very established workplace (think of it they have been in the business of managing the city's propertys for almost 200 years) they have the bugs worked out on who does what, when, where and how.
There is no question about chain of command in the departments. That in itself is very unusual for me, in civil service we are ranked and ordered neatly. It offers no room for conjecture or struggle. It is a clear path to advancement.
Tuesday, September 20, 2005
To The Moon
We might as well go explore space for the future of mankind. There will always be the same old problems down here on earth no matter how much effort we expend. Poverty, injustice, war, fear, hate, graft, opression and so on, are as constant in this world as anything else we know.
This time when we go to the moon it won't be your grandaddy's lunar landing! Them NASA folks sure know how to dream!
Monday, September 19, 2005
Daughters
I love my daughters! They are in my eyes all that has possibility. The struggles I have faced with divorce and the corrupt child support system will never snuff the light that beams from my heart when I call their names.
From the left:
Camry (the oldest May 14, 1992), Raina (the step April 30, 1995) and Castle (the youngest August 18, 1995)
I hope they know someday what they mean to me! I know they will learn as I did only after becoming a parent.
I wanted to post this letter I wrote to the system. I wanted to share this after reading a post from Jaysus and Mary Chain who knows a system of the down when he sees one. Have faith my friend it will work out somehow!
To: Virginia (Gina) T. Lodge, Tennessee DHS Commissioner of Child Support,
I would like to call to your attention an inconsistency within the State of Tennessee Child Support Enforcement System in collecting child support, as a matter of procedure and not with due process. This incident has prompted me to terminate my relationship with my former employer of over four years, who was obligated to make wage deducted child support payments on my behalf, and whose tardiness in making those payments to your system forced me to take legal action against my employer and resign. I did this in response to several Blount County State Child Support Office administrative hearings, subpoena to Circuit Court, and loss of liberties. In this case the officials insisted it was my responsibility not the State of Tennessee to collect from the employer.
If the State believes it is in my children's best interest for me to have child support payments deducted through my employer instead of receiving it directly from me, it is illogical that I should have to do the State's enforcement job. It is not me who stands in arrears, as my payments were deducted from my pay involuntarily.
I realize the complications with the Child Support system are daunting, but I feel I need to make my issue known publicly and to lawmakers. I would welcome a meeting with you or other correspondence regarding this issue directly.
Please do not refer me to my local office with an impertinent form letter. The issues with which I am concerned are not things they are equipped to remark on or modify.
This is a paragraph from the letter to beg the bank who owns my house to hold back foreclosure:
I was unable to make an unemployment claim on the job I had previous to the contract job due to the fact that I had to exit that employment as they were collecting from my pay State mandated child support payments and not sending them to the State. The State of Tennessee has the right to demand payments from employers on the behalf of the employee, but they do not have the power to enforce those payments from said employers (due to business influenced lawmaking). The State only has power to enforce the payments from the non-custodial parent and insisted I had to incur the cost to collect from my employer. Therefore I attained a lawyer to settle that dispute and discontinued my relationship with my former employer. The appeals process with the unemployment system allow that, while it served my purpose to discontinue this employment, it was not valid grounds to make a claim on their insurance program.
Here is an old angry Jed poem to display the anger one suffers from the drone effect our system perpetuates:
Nothing evil stands forever, use your anger to live another way.
Curl back your lips to show your painful teeth.
Survive to see them that hurt you, hurt someday!
For the love of God don't make matters worse, play dead when the Grizzly System sniffs you over! Turn the other cheek at least seventy times seven!
Saturday, September 17, 2005
Constitution Day
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
New Shoes
This shows you how simple I am. I started my new job in Facility Services for the City of Knoxville. They will give me two pairs of shank and toe boots per year, work pants to wear, city publc services printed tee shirts, two embroidered jackets and collar work shirts(and clean them for me). That rocks!
I am the type of person enjoys working outside with my hands. I can't deny who I seem to be. If I like to dig holes, cut wood, run a back hoe, weld steel, paint, construct and enjoy the challenge of fixing an air conditioner or toilet, then it is not really a loss that no one values me monetarily. I value me, and I have new boots!
I have done nothing to make matters worse today, and that feels good!
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
Goat Award
I don't know if Mr. Brown is a scapegoat or just a goat.
Either way you did a heckofa job there Brownie!
Monday, September 12, 2005
Thank you Mr. Fish
This cartoon says it all. As you know Jed has been on the fence about disliking anyone even if the evidence is strongly in favor of it. I have learned one thing, you can hardly ever belive what you hear, your own eyes can fail you, but if it smells rotten don't even consider eating it.Well my nose got a whiff and it is rotten. Please vote for Democrats in the upcoming elections, your very life and country depend on it!
It helped me to look at it this way - If no matter whom you elect is going to squander the public monies, you best elect the ones who are going to waste it on the public you are in. America has become a place where you can only have the amount of justice your check book can fund. If you are less than filthy rich you best vote Democrat. A famous blogger (I will not mention him as to not misquote him) said, "If it is truly government for the people, by the people. Why would you want less government?"
God please help America our beloved home!
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Kings Dream
I was reading my favorite web log, and he used a term that, for many reasons, set my wheels on a certain train of thought. The single term “feet of clay”, in reference to leadership, was the fuel of thought for this post. I had not heard that term in most of ten years. I always assumed, when I heard this clay comment, it was referring to procrastination of someone. Example: stuck in the mud or clay.
I later discovered it was a biblical reference to King Nebuchadnezzar and the council of Belteshazzar (Daniel) and a dream. In the dream the King saw a large statue with a head of solid gold, chest and arms of pure silver, belly and thighs of bronze, lower legs of iron, and the feet were a mix of iron and clay. A rock broke from a mountain, hit the feet which gave way, and smashed the entire statue into bits. The bits were so small the wind wisped them all away. The rock then turned into a huge mountain that covered the whole earth.
The feet, mixed of clay and iron, were thought to represent a divided kingdom in a later time, mixed with strong and weak factions.
Many teachers of this book allow that this mixed media statue was a timeline prophecy of Babylon as the gold head, Persia as the silver arms and chest, Greece as the bronze belly and thighs, Rome as the iron lower legs and the feet were the division of Rome and the weakness that would bring it down. The ten toes of the feet were ten nations to follow. The rock and big mountain was thought of as God reclaiming the earth. This story leads from the Old Testament to further connect to the book of Revelation at the end of the New Testament.
The dream is interesting to me because the colossus was built from the most common elements at the feet to the least common at the head. It sounds like an affordable project to start and an expensive one to finish. Shows you Jed's simple mind.
There is the question of which toe is America. I guess the U.S.S.R. has done been toed...I crack me up!
Friday, September 09, 2005
Military force
I have been reluctant to comment on the whole Katrina nightmare. As I have outlined before, I am too poor and ignorant to offer these types of opinions. The voices in my head (and on every media source) will not leave me alone.
My Dad was in the Army for a few years in Germany during the Korean war. He always told me he did not want me to join. "If you don't have to, don't do it!", he would say. Well I never had to, so I did not, but I sure respect their awesome force, meticulous training, and I am thankful for the protection.
If the Commander-in-Chief, on Americas behalf had asked the Navy, Army, Air Force, Marines, Coast Gaurd and National Gaurd to go right away and stabilize the area, set up communications, get the people fed and mobilized, we would have none of this banter. The details could have been worked along the way after humans were removed from harms way. Even my simple Red Cross training, says first determine if there is danger for the person(s) you are going to help, if yes move them even if it hurts them, it is better than letting them get finished off by the current danger.
All the boss would have had to say to his highly trained well equipped troops is, "Get it done NOW!" on Tuesday the 30th. They were sitting there waiting on orders. Why he did not militarize the rescue the instant the levee broke we will never know.
It doesn't matter what the Mayor says or any local government says...the freakin Marines are here under the President's orders to do a job and you best yield to 'em, 'cause they are protecting Americans!
Our Armed Services have a clear chain of command that would not have been so messy. If the military ran like Washington D.C., we would have planes that don't fly, boats that can't float and men that won't work.
As rough as things are getting in this world for Americans, we should consider a General for a president the next time we get a chance to vote. I was ready to see Wes Clark go further last time, as I think Iraq would be over by now if he had the Oval office seat. Perhaps some other economic issues would be worse, but I can't see how.
Or matters might be much worse, who can say?
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Need a hero?
Where did all the mega-smart people go? Do we not have any Ben Franklin's in this generation spewing wisdom like a busted water line on a county road? Where is that one quintessential thinker every generation seems to have?
We have our Stephen Hawking scientist, our Bill Gates capitalist and our (insert your own canidate here) philosophical types, but we do not have that one fella who has put the all the deep thinking parts together and offers workable everyday solutions. Does this person exisist in Norway or China? Did we drop him on his head when he was a baby? Kill him in a cell phone related car crash? Fail to offer him an education and he is living on the street?
We need to mold one up like a hive of bees making a new queen with royal jelly, if we don't have one drowning in the system this very second.
Wednesday, September 07, 2005
Gas ration
I have been hearing a lot of babble about gas prices, and wonder if we will have to go to the ration system once used in World War II. I had never seen any of these ration cards or stamps. I wonder if this was a fair way to conserve commoditys. Price fixing and free market gouging are not a good answer thus far.
Did it just make matters worse?
Did it just make matters worse?
Tuesday, September 06, 2005
Who to do
It is getting near that time of year for me to start thinking of who to place on our Jack-O-Lantern. Last year was Ray Charles and before that was Johnny Cash. I always try to find a person who passed in the year from Halloween to Halloween. I look for an artist, netural in politics, someone who is very well known by their face. Bob Denver "Gilligan" passed today. So he is likely for our pumpkin. I am working on a pattern I will have to darken one side of his face in order to bridge all the parts.. (see image)
I was considering Hunter S. Thompson "Gonzo", but his face is not very well known and I could not very well do the Ralph Steadman version from "Fear and Loathing".
Looking for ideas here! Think on it for me.
UPDATE: I think on review and comments and reading GWB's post that Bob Denver was marooned with the "Gilligan" face, but he prefered the "Maynard G. Krebs" face. These projects are to honor the dead so I think if I do Mr. Denver I will do this one.
As always, trying not to make matters worse!
Monday, September 05, 2005
Parts of the body
I remember this old symbolic story of the body parts having an argument about who was most important. I see a correlation between this story and the body of people we call a country.
In the story (as I remember it) all the body parts were boasting their attributes to one another to prove they were the most important to the over all performance of the human body. The anus was the least spoken member of this argument and was soon singled out in the discussion as being the least useful member. The brain being the most articulate won the debate as the highest unit of the overall necessity for the body. The anus feeling dejected went to a dysfunctional level of productivity. It only took a few days for the disgruntled asshole to shut down all the other parts of the body. The brain ended up pleading to the ass to end the strike as soon as possible and he and all the others will never again see his duty as useless.
I make this connection in review of ignoring a certain Gulf port in its needful time. The dockworkers that live at poverty level wages are very important to our country. Their seemingly useless family members (that our Homeland Security ignored for days following the disaster) were the port workers support system of hearth and home. This country needs people to work at whatever station they are allotted. The resentful benevolence of the highest functioning parts of this cultural body will soon turn humble in a new found appreciation for the port they ignored as outlined in the afore mentioned fable.
Just as we are missing the productivity of one port, we will soon miss the middle segment of our people as they are squished to the lower end by greed from the privileged class. Please do not misread my thoughts on the privileged citizens. They work very hard and deserve a better environment to function properly, very much like the brain. Our leadership needs to focus on the majority of the body since their natural attributes burden them with the power to lead.
Cancer consists of rogue cells that overwhelm the body in a simple systematic self-reproduction. Our political process has become a cancer of type for the body, insomuch as, it reproduces its own dysfunctional cells with illogical and contradictory law making.
If I were born with the attributes of a brain cell I would offer solutions to this body. As it stands, I feel I may only be a muscle cell or, at my highest level , a retina cell.
Sunday, September 04, 2005
Loan Shark
I explained how we were in danger of loosing our house due to a few months of sour income opportunities and a couple years of circumstances in this post. The reality is starting to set in hard with the cost of things on the rise after Katrina, it is apparent now that we will never catch up.
Anyway I have a funny story from the antics of high finance:
This guy from U.S. Capitol Mortgage Company calls me last week and wants to help. I tell him we are past the point of help, we are soon to bankrupt. He keeps after me saying how that is the kind of people their company is, they help folks recover by lending them the money they need to see them through the low spot. I told him our life story and how we are barley able to keep food on the table and a roof even with our combined 100 hours a week labor. He goes on to say that they will be able to pile all our backwards debt into a lump and the payment will give us breathing room in our budget. I gather and scan many hours worth of documents to send him.
He calls my boss Friday and tells him he needs to reach me, he has some great news that is going to make my holiday weekend a great one. When I call him back he says I am approved…for a payment that is 50% higher than the one I am having a bitch of a time making now. I say "What the hell have you wasted our time on over here, that is no option, that is certain death." Hell fire if you want my house just make a damn offer on it!
Now, I had detailed with great passion how I needed a breathing room of a loan payment and he had said that I could consider an interest only loan. He really got my hope pump going. I thought that would be a way to make the next two years, as my wife gets her degree and I get settled in with the initially low paying city job. He explained Friday how the past two years on my credit score did not allow that kind of loan. So I said "the logic is skewed!" "You can offer me a loan that is half again as high as the one I barely make when all the world goes my way, but you can not offer me a loan with a lower payment which will be much easier to make while things are so tight."
Thanks for wasting my time U.S. Capitol Mortgage.
At least if I lived at the flooded coast I would be dead or Allstate would be there. They were there before the Red Cross could get in.
I know, I know, self pitty only makes matters worse.
Anyway I have a funny story from the antics of high finance:
This guy from U.S. Capitol Mortgage Company calls me last week and wants to help. I tell him we are past the point of help, we are soon to bankrupt. He keeps after me saying how that is the kind of people their company is, they help folks recover by lending them the money they need to see them through the low spot. I told him our life story and how we are barley able to keep food on the table and a roof even with our combined 100 hours a week labor. He goes on to say that they will be able to pile all our backwards debt into a lump and the payment will give us breathing room in our budget. I gather and scan many hours worth of documents to send him.
He calls my boss Friday and tells him he needs to reach me, he has some great news that is going to make my holiday weekend a great one. When I call him back he says I am approved…for a payment that is 50% higher than the one I am having a bitch of a time making now. I say "What the hell have you wasted our time on over here, that is no option, that is certain death." Hell fire if you want my house just make a damn offer on it!
Now, I had detailed with great passion how I needed a breathing room of a loan payment and he had said that I could consider an interest only loan. He really got my hope pump going. I thought that would be a way to make the next two years, as my wife gets her degree and I get settled in with the initially low paying city job. He explained Friday how the past two years on my credit score did not allow that kind of loan. So I said "the logic is skewed!" "You can offer me a loan that is half again as high as the one I barely make when all the world goes my way, but you can not offer me a loan with a lower payment which will be much easier to make while things are so tight."
Thanks for wasting my time U.S. Capitol Mortgage.
At least if I lived at the flooded coast I would be dead or Allstate would be there. They were there before the Red Cross could get in.
I know, I know, self pitty only makes matters worse.
Saturday, September 03, 2005
Waiting
I saw a photo on the news of a lady waiting for help. So I opened the digital paint box and did this to emblematize waiting too long on anything from Washington.
Friday, September 02, 2005
Writing spiders
I was huffing a much needed tobacco treat (on break today) counting my blessings, whittling on my worries and feeling plain tired of all the troubles inside and out. I was trying very hard to shake that "Atlas with one arm tied behind his back" feeling while watching and sharing my smoke with a spider. This was not just any spider it was a writing spider. If you are from a part of the world that does not have a spider like this (photo below I ripped from some place on google images) I want to share a kids tall tale that was circulating amongst us 8 to 12 year olds and I assume it still is, in some form over in Hamblen County.
We were always told that if your name was voiced in the witness of a writing spider the creature would inscribe your name on her web and you would soon meet your doom. As we got older the tale would grow with our power to reason, in hopes of keeping the fear/torment alive for the pleasure of picking on smaller younger kids (just passing along what we suffered). We had an answer for every question a kid would ask about the eight-legged monster.
Yes, of course we would try and get rid of school teachers by talking loud about mean ole Mrs. ________ while looking at the eerie little blood sucker (left blank so Jed does not suffer anymore karma running over his dogma accidents).
Example:
"That ain't names that’s just a squiggly line!", the new kid remarks.
Older kid replies, "Have you ever seen them newspapers that stuffs fireworks boxes?".
"Yes", says the doubting kid.
"Can you read that Chi-knees writing?", asked the wise kid.
Before the new kid could reply the wise kid blurts out, "Well then, why do you think you'd be able to read spider writin' then?
This is the earliest form of a web log.
It is a crazy world out there...you know what you have to do to fit in. Please don't fit in, it will only make matters worse.
We were always told that if your name was voiced in the witness of a writing spider the creature would inscribe your name on her web and you would soon meet your doom. As we got older the tale would grow with our power to reason, in hopes of keeping the fear/torment alive for the pleasure of picking on smaller younger kids (just passing along what we suffered). We had an answer for every question a kid would ask about the eight-legged monster.
Yes, of course we would try and get rid of school teachers by talking loud about mean ole Mrs. ________ while looking at the eerie little blood sucker (left blank so Jed does not suffer anymore karma running over his dogma accidents).
Example:
"That ain't names that’s just a squiggly line!", the new kid remarks.
Older kid replies, "Have you ever seen them newspapers that stuffs fireworks boxes?".
"Yes", says the doubting kid.
"Can you read that Chi-knees writing?", asked the wise kid.
Before the new kid could reply the wise kid blurts out, "Well then, why do you think you'd be able to read spider writin' then?
This is the earliest form of a web log.
It is a crazy world out there...you know what you have to do to fit in. Please don't fit in, it will only make matters worse.
