Diary: Who effing knows.

[degringolade]

 

Side Note, In my never-ending desire to try out new things because "new is better", as usual, I ran into the usual problem when one approaches problems, that to do something requires thought and effort and any attempt to decrease those two just produce a shoddier product.  As always, this blanket assertion will cause screaming heebie-jeebies among many, but the exceptions to this rule that they will bring up usually are peripheral and questionable.  It is an aspect of the unending desire of "more for less".  In very few cases are the short-cuts adopted anything other that the "wrong way".

So here I am, typing into a strange looking, two dimensional "box" on a website which comfortably uses what everyone who doesn't have a blog here would refer to as "obsolete".  But by adding a couple of minutes to my time doing this, I can format the 1's and 0"s that I am inconveniencing to show up on a screen elsewhere the way that I want them to.  But the cost for this vanity means that I need to spend a couple of minutes every day moving bits around so that I can access in a way that this time-tested system allows.

I have been thinking lately about the way that empires rise and fall.  Mostly I have been reading and thinking about how this kind of thing happened in the past.  I am not particularly impressed by a lot of the writing done in this vein.  It seems that the writing either A.) Tries to tell you that we are heading down the path of (insert currently defunct empire here) or B.)  that we are different than those antiquated fools of the past.  I can't say that I am particularly fond of either approach.

I'm wondering where we are headed.  Things are looking dicey, but I can't say that the problems are insurmountable or that the current leadership here in the US are hopeless.  The problems can't be solved by the actions and policies that got us here, and by "here" I mean the five year block (2.5 years behind, 2.5 years ahead) that is really current history.

I "feel" that we are reaching an inflection point in history.  The poor dumb bastards who are in charge are as clueless as we are and are bound by their inaccurate attempts to make sense of what is happening.  But, just to make certain you know where I stand, they probably know more and are more rational than the "common man" on the streets who everyone feels should be listened to.

There comes a time where the world changes directions.  How we will get through is unknown.  What we are experiencing right now is an extended argument concerning shares of the pie alongside building of walls to presumably guard current share.  Let's see how it works.  

Comments

Encouraging peace and kindness

[emily07]

…currently my reaction is encouraging peace(fulness) around me as much as I can. In Vienna there is a „Sinphonie-Orchester“ who gives a very prestigious concert on new-years day (lots of waltz-music). It is brosdcasted through the whole of Europe and this years condutctor was a very enthusiastic guy from the french part of Canada. The conductor customarily gives new years best wishes and this year he underlined that kindness is crucial (if I understood corrctly) and I thought that I‘ll do my best to Implement that word in this year. So best wishes from over here!

plus ça change...

[chefxh]

The desire to make themselves appear, as a Nation, most respectful of the rights of others forces these gentlemen to toy a little with their prey before devouring it, although when all is said and done, they will do so, in one way or other.

Dr. Jose Vicente Concha, ambassador of Colombia to the United States, in regard to negotiations with the US for the Panama Canal Zone. Circa 1902.