For the first time in a couple of days I have eaten semi-solid food, some mashed potatoes, dumplings and a little chicken chopped in. As light and easy as it was, it is still sitting in my stomach. I don't like the stomach flu. I did enjoy eating though.
So I am sitting here feeling full. I decided to look at the statistics for the blog. I have no explanation for them. Blogger tells me that the site has been viewed as follows:
United States - 2,505 views
South Korea - 195
Canada - 131
Ukraine - 44
Netherlands - 35
Switzerland - 31
Belgium - 31
France - 28
United Kingdom - 24
Japan - 20
The most read post was "Carl Jung, Gnostics and Jim Carey". The second most read post was on "Pastor Carol Daniels". I am glad that the Pastor Daniels post was read, I believe more needs to be done on the case. In August the blog received 1,069 views, that is a record for my little blog. Kinda neat, I didn't know I could look at the stats.
Recently we have had views from Germany, Australia and Israel. I would love to know who in Israel read it and if it had anything to do with my postings on the retirement funds. LOL. How did you people find me?
I should point out that the stats only go back to June of this year. I also want to point out that the blog only has six listed followers. That means there are many more lurkers out there than we knew. Now even if we assume that since I had started this blog we have had a total of twice as many hits, that is still 5,000 views since it began. By no means is this a "popular" blog, many blogs have millions of hits, still I am fascinated that someone in the Ukraine or Japan would read it at all.
What caused people to read the post on Jung and Jim Carey? I don't have many readers, not attempting to, I just write about things that I see in the news and think about. I do try to mix it up and sometimes I get in a rut. I will keep trying.
For those who do read it, thanks.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Fish out of water story
I have written before about strange animal attacks, here are two new ones for you.
Woman attacked in boat by a fish.
Man killed by goat.
I want to remind people that early this year, for the first time in history, a grown adult was killed by a coyote and people were killed by cows (stomped to death) in three separate incidents in England.
Oh, by the way, according to Wikipedia, this is the only reported death of a human by a mountain goat.
Woman attacked in boat by a fish.
Man killed by goat.
I want to remind people that early this year, for the first time in history, a grown adult was killed by a coyote and people were killed by cows (stomped to death) in three separate incidents in England.
Oh, by the way, according to Wikipedia, this is the only reported death of a human by a mountain goat.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
The Beginning
I remember turning the corner. My father was driving, it was December and it was very dark, we were in the hills, no street lights. Fleetwood Mac played on the radio, it was "Gold Dust Woman". I could see the full moon, it was very bright. Around the corner was nothing other than darkness and a very steep downhill drive. We continued.
Stomach Flu
Based on what my body is doing, I would say I just have the stomach flu. I don't anticipate leaving my room much. Glad I cleaned my bathroom, seeing it more than I intended. Can you imagine having the stomach flu when people used bed pans?
You know how when you have a fever you sometimes have the strangest dreams. I did that. Everytime I fell asleep I would have crazy dreams. Some have claimed that our bodies release DMT when we sleep, I have no idea; but, I did have some crazy dreams.
I have attempted to read the news and scrimp together something to say; but, I fear I am not up to the task. I find what is going on in France interesting, the French still love a good riot. The issue being faced by most of the world, at the same time, is at what time should you be allowed to retire. How long should we work the slaves?
Some people have this discussion while talking about years of service or age of retirement. I prefer to view it as percentage of your life. If we agreed that people should retire at 55 or 65, in different parts of the world that would equate to percentage of their life. Could be 99% or 70%. Mind you, the people who benefit from our later retirement don't have to work now.
If we look at percentage of life we can then find fairness based on the risks associated with our jobs. This would allow us to adjust fairly over time. We could also adjust based on how much preparation one put into getting their job. If one spent 8 years in full time college and risked all that money, they should probably be allowed to retire a little earlier.
What if you could get a bonus in early retirement rather than cash if you made a sufficient amount for your company (enough for profit and to cover your earlier retirement), would you work harder? What if you got to choose which you got, earlier retirement or cash?
The kids in France protesting having to work until they are 62 rather than 60, I would like to know what they are proposing. It is being proposed that I will have to work till I am 60 rather than the 55 I signed on for. Actually, I don't get full retirement till 59 with 30 years in. I don't get anything for all the years I worked in private industry, the money I put in was a gift to non-civil servants. I am paying for your retirement.
There has been talk recently about being able to expand peoples lifespan to 800 years, how long should you have to work before you retire in that environment? Given the current world population, can we afford for everyone to live to 800 years and retire at 70?
Would you want to live till you were 800 if it meant working the same job till you were 750? Work is not freedom, work is slavery. Work is necessary and it is good for us. The less we require, the less work is needed to produce it. When I look at a Playstation 3, I don't see the four hundred dollars it costs, I see a day and a half of work (or how ever many hours). I see it as work, a trade off.
Please dear reader remember I have a fever. My brain is swooshy. What do you do when you retire? I never had a great plan, I figured I would do consulting work, part-time. My job is to find problems and solutions, I don't know how you turn that off. If your job is to cut hair it is a little easier, you stop cutting hair. A pastor once said to me that he couldn't retire, his job was to talk about God and he didn't see how he could shut that off. Does any of this fit into the retirement equation, maybe, maybe not.
Some people have what they call "bucket lists", things they want to do before they die. I don't really understand that, the lists never include what really matters. The lists tend to be about traveling or having some adventure. Rarely do people pick, helping at least 100 people.
In days gone by, before there were corporations, people worked till they died. They wanted to benefit their families and friends. The jobs changed; but, to not be productive was seen as bad. We cling onto life in the hope of being rich, what a shame. We should cling on to life in the hope of being useful to others.
There is a movie called "Bubba Hotep", it stars Bruce Campbell. He plays Elvis. IN the movie, Elvis is mistaken for an imitator who dies in an accident, this allows the real Elvis to go unknown through the world. He ends up in a nursing home in Texas. A mummy attacks the residents and he fights it off. Sounds crazy; but, it is a great movie. The movie is about dying.
My favorite scene in the movie is in the beginning. Elvis is lying in his bed at the retirement home watching, in quick motion, the world spin around him, he is no longer a participant. I watched my father die and that scene really hit home. It is the point in time when you just wait to leave, when you are done here. I am not there yet.
I believe this level of awareness, this world, is but a passing phase. That belief does not lend itself to materialism (if truly believed). If you believe that this is all there is then you might be willing to work for 750 years in order to have 50 years to make your bucket list. Seems crazy to me. Be well.
You know how when you have a fever you sometimes have the strangest dreams. I did that. Everytime I fell asleep I would have crazy dreams. Some have claimed that our bodies release DMT when we sleep, I have no idea; but, I did have some crazy dreams.
I have attempted to read the news and scrimp together something to say; but, I fear I am not up to the task. I find what is going on in France interesting, the French still love a good riot. The issue being faced by most of the world, at the same time, is at what time should you be allowed to retire. How long should we work the slaves?
Some people have this discussion while talking about years of service or age of retirement. I prefer to view it as percentage of your life. If we agreed that people should retire at 55 or 65, in different parts of the world that would equate to percentage of their life. Could be 99% or 70%. Mind you, the people who benefit from our later retirement don't have to work now.
If we look at percentage of life we can then find fairness based on the risks associated with our jobs. This would allow us to adjust fairly over time. We could also adjust based on how much preparation one put into getting their job. If one spent 8 years in full time college and risked all that money, they should probably be allowed to retire a little earlier.
What if you could get a bonus in early retirement rather than cash if you made a sufficient amount for your company (enough for profit and to cover your earlier retirement), would you work harder? What if you got to choose which you got, earlier retirement or cash?
The kids in France protesting having to work until they are 62 rather than 60, I would like to know what they are proposing. It is being proposed that I will have to work till I am 60 rather than the 55 I signed on for. Actually, I don't get full retirement till 59 with 30 years in. I don't get anything for all the years I worked in private industry, the money I put in was a gift to non-civil servants. I am paying for your retirement.
There has been talk recently about being able to expand peoples lifespan to 800 years, how long should you have to work before you retire in that environment? Given the current world population, can we afford for everyone to live to 800 years and retire at 70?
Would you want to live till you were 800 if it meant working the same job till you were 750? Work is not freedom, work is slavery. Work is necessary and it is good for us. The less we require, the less work is needed to produce it. When I look at a Playstation 3, I don't see the four hundred dollars it costs, I see a day and a half of work (or how ever many hours). I see it as work, a trade off.
Please dear reader remember I have a fever. My brain is swooshy. What do you do when you retire? I never had a great plan, I figured I would do consulting work, part-time. My job is to find problems and solutions, I don't know how you turn that off. If your job is to cut hair it is a little easier, you stop cutting hair. A pastor once said to me that he couldn't retire, his job was to talk about God and he didn't see how he could shut that off. Does any of this fit into the retirement equation, maybe, maybe not.
Some people have what they call "bucket lists", things they want to do before they die. I don't really understand that, the lists never include what really matters. The lists tend to be about traveling or having some adventure. Rarely do people pick, helping at least 100 people.
In days gone by, before there were corporations, people worked till they died. They wanted to benefit their families and friends. The jobs changed; but, to not be productive was seen as bad. We cling onto life in the hope of being rich, what a shame. We should cling on to life in the hope of being useful to others.
There is a movie called "Bubba Hotep", it stars Bruce Campbell. He plays Elvis. IN the movie, Elvis is mistaken for an imitator who dies in an accident, this allows the real Elvis to go unknown through the world. He ends up in a nursing home in Texas. A mummy attacks the residents and he fights it off. Sounds crazy; but, it is a great movie. The movie is about dying.
My favorite scene in the movie is in the beginning. Elvis is lying in his bed at the retirement home watching, in quick motion, the world spin around him, he is no longer a participant. I watched my father die and that scene really hit home. It is the point in time when you just wait to leave, when you are done here. I am not there yet.
I believe this level of awareness, this world, is but a passing phase. That belief does not lend itself to materialism (if truly believed). If you believe that this is all there is then you might be willing to work for 750 years in order to have 50 years to make your bucket list. Seems crazy to me. Be well.
Sick and Tired
It is two o'clock in the morning. I have the flu. I had a nice little fever going for awhile, don't know if it is over just yet. Fever make me cold. Funny how we can be hot and cold at the same time, this one made me nauseous. It is not helped by the fact that it is cold and it is thundering and lightning outside.
I have a meeting tomorrow that I am going to miss. I spent two weeks getting ready. Sounds like a drag doesn't it. While laying under the covers freezing (something I really dislike), I think how glad I am that I am not living on the streets with a flu in the rain and cold.
Because I couldn't sleep I wrote an e-mail to the people I was supposed to meet with. This will be a short post. One of my assistants also has the flu so I guess it is going around. Somewhere, here in the desert, there is a homeless person with this flu. He probably doesn't have a computer. I think his night will be worse than mine. I will probably feel better sooner because I can lay in my bed. In the morning I can have some warm tea and orange juice, he may not.
I hope this post finds you well.
I have a meeting tomorrow that I am going to miss. I spent two weeks getting ready. Sounds like a drag doesn't it. While laying under the covers freezing (something I really dislike), I think how glad I am that I am not living on the streets with a flu in the rain and cold.
Because I couldn't sleep I wrote an e-mail to the people I was supposed to meet with. This will be a short post. One of my assistants also has the flu so I guess it is going around. Somewhere, here in the desert, there is a homeless person with this flu. He probably doesn't have a computer. I think his night will be worse than mine. I will probably feel better sooner because I can lay in my bed. In the morning I can have some warm tea and orange juice, he may not.
I hope this post finds you well.
Monday, October 18, 2010
10/18/10
On this day in 1985, Nintendo released it's first game machine. I played it. I played Hogan's Alley, it was a shooting game. In two days it will be October 20th. I got married October 20, 1985. I had just graduated from law school.
When they released the NES, I was getting ready for the wedding. I was 25. Life looks different when your 25, you see the future in front of you. You see risk of failure and you wonder if you are up to the task, if you can take care of your family. Scary thing. At 51, I can say I took care of my family. They never went without.
I look at the last 25 years and could not have seen how things turned out. I look forward to the next 25 wondering what will happen next. Be well.
When they released the NES, I was getting ready for the wedding. I was 25. Life looks different when your 25, you see the future in front of you. You see risk of failure and you wonder if you are up to the task, if you can take care of your family. Scary thing. At 51, I can say I took care of my family. They never went without.
I look at the last 25 years and could not have seen how things turned out. I look forward to the next 25 wondering what will happen next. Be well.
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