Simple Truths beyond Pearls

On this day of Christmas, the birthday of Jesus, some say the founder of Christianity, said: 

“Do not give what is holy to dogs, neither throw your pearls before swine, that they may never trample them under their feet and turn around and rip you open.” 

Joe offers these words to all serious bloggers and commentators of integrity that are constantly pilloried by the disingenuous, stupid, moronic and inane commentator that hopes to express his/her profound opinionated ignorance. Take solice that not all are of their ilk. These simple truths make a great response, so use them with Joe's blessings.

Pearls of Wisdom? 

1. Peace is the fruit of activity, not of sleep.
2. No discussion can throw light if it wanders from the real point.
3. To teach, one must know the nature of those whom one is teaching.
4. It is an essential thing to have a fixed point from which to check reality now and then.
5. Not the greatest master can go even one step for his disciple.
6. An answer brings no illumination unless one asks the right question.
7. You will be free when you follow your heart without perturbance.
8. Paradise is within us all, and whosoever shall know himself shall find it.
9. Experience is a journey, not a destination.
10. Every man must act in the rhythm of his time...  such is wisdom
11. Discernment of truth does not grow in empty minds.
12. Always look for a fixed point, something you know is stable  ...yourself.
13. True teaching is not an accumulation of knowledge, it is an awakening of consciousness.
14. Growth doesn't depend upon the will of the intellect, but on the intensity of the inner urge.
15. Listen to your convictions even if they seem to absurd to your reason.
16. Our senses serve to affirm, not to know.
17. Knowledge is consciousness of reality, and reality the laws that govern nature.
18. The only active force that arises out of possession is fear of losing the object of possession.
19. The nut doesn't reveal the tree it contains.
20. Seek peacefully, you will find.
21. Understanding develops by degrees.
22. We mustn't confuse mastery with mimicry, knowledge with superstitious ignorance.
23. If you would build something solid, don't work with wind.
24. Routine distorts vision...  Each man thinks his own horizon is the limit of the world.
25. All thought comes from within, but the Master gives the keys.
26. Experience will show you, a Master can only point the way.
27. By knowing one reaches belief. By doing one gains conviction. When you know, dare.
28. A Master does not teach, but guides the seeker back on course when they stray.
29. Knowledge is not necessarily wisdom.
30. The seed cannot sprout upwards without simultaneously sending roots into the ground.
31. The key to all problems is the problem of consciousness.
32. The truth that links the divine to the mundane is incomprehensible to the cerebral intellegence.
33. Every man is rich in excuses to safeguard his prejudices, his instincts, and his opinions.
34. A seed can't reach its potential without receiving corresponding energies from the sky.
35. Popular beliefs must be examined in order to discover the original thought.
36. Each truth you learn will be, for you, as new if it had never been written.
37. Grain must return to the earth for new growth to begin.

More pearls?

Pearls? No. The pearls are those insightful people that can understand and apply the meaning of these self-evident truths in their daily reality. They are a rare, enlightened being in this dark-age world. They know that everything is about something different.

--Joe

Humbug SoHum Elite

This seems like a good time and place to make the following observations about a couple of Southern Humboldt Blogs. Blogs are essentially an online person's place of residence; a kind of alter ego home. When you open up that home for commentary you post a “Welcome” sign on your front door that says, “Please come in and speak to me and my guests.” Since visitors are invited guests, they should act like guests and be treated like they are, welcomed guests. Welcomed guests and hosts alike are first and foremost decent and respectful of the individual rights of all legitimate people to exist. Rarely do you ever read a “Welcome” sign that says: “ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK.” Yet that is exactly what I have encountered at two prominent (if you consider all the commentary posted on their blogs to mean anything) Southern Humboldt blogger's abodes. They talk or write like they are some kind of self-righteous, supreme authority on all things in God's creation. An old logger might say, "They think their crap don't stink!" They invite or entice you in to have intercourse, to make commentary. In Joe's situation, make “observations,” no intercourse. When the payoff isn't satisfactory, doesn't produce what they expected or wanted, they then use that opportunity to tell you what a pile of dog crap they think you are. Then when you have the temerity to object to their personal diseased characterizations and demeaning accusations of being everything from the lowest form of slime to a psychotic imbecile they delete your response. Rarely will they ever tell you that you are NOT welcome and to not come back with anymore talk. They hope you'll come back and say something so they can publicly ridicule you some more.

My most recent experience with “assaulting the messenger” was with Eric Kirk, SoHum Parlance II. I realize Eric Kirk lives in own little dreamworld and can't handle getting his cage rattled once in awhile, like most of us. Going at me personally to justify censoring my observations prompted this partial response:

Since I know you’ll read this, let me say that when you open the door to your blog and invite everyone in including Anonymous people to denigrate, demean, slander and personally assault with foul, hypercritical and lying accusations then remove the response because it offends your pussy sensibilities you make your blog a whorehouse.

Not all blogs are corrupt, petty, mean-spirited, narcissistic, obtuse, and belligerent. Some wordmeisters do a fair job when they stick to what they know. Others like Brilliant Branscomb post comments like this: December 17, 2008 at 10:38 am - Ernie Branscomb (South Fork Ernie)

“Early on in the Arab world, they make great strides toward science and civilization, but recently they have become somewhat complacent. Some would say that they are no longer keeping pace with the modern world, indeed some would say that they are becoming a backward tribe of people, and they are starting to harm the progress toward civilization.” “Some would say” that ancient society, "Arab world," is uncivilized because it rejects Democracies “modern” anarchy, mob rule and corruption? We all know how Brancomb's ancestors modernized the North American Indian population.

The problem here with the both of these guys and the reason for their online conduct is that they are basically racist and dehumanize people and their societies to justify their intolerant racist actions. Like all racist warmongers when they can't support themselves they immediately attack their victims.

I posted this response because I went back to Erik's blog and asked him a third time to explain himself. I noticed that he's been back to that thread several times after I asked. Normally Joe has no time nor any tolerance for the rude and indecent behavior of the type encountered with these two prima donnas. However, after Erik left his little rat droppings all over both of my blogs, apparently trying to make some point, I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately, "discernment of truth does not grow in empty minds."

ADENNDUM :: Thursday, January 8, 2009

The Humbug Bloggers in Humboldt encompass a nifty little social club. A classic example of who these people are is the list on the sidebar of The Humboldt Herald. Pretty much says it all when you compare lists on other local Humboldt blogs. Joe vainly keeps checking for his blogs to magically appear, but no such luck . . .

I recently came across another good example of this "Good-ol' Boy Club" posted recently at 

Ernie's Place. His title, as far as Joe Blow observes, is in fact, Nothing New. His "list" is a-typical of "The Club," however. Here's a couple more similar blog links. If that's not enough, check this one out. "Do you like local history, droll humor and a sensible outlook?" From this guy's blog? Really? See what I mean?

--Joe

HumBug Blogger Elite

I started to write about my observations of the local "HumBug Blogger Elite" and their nice little cadre or club of butt-smeller's and pot-licker's. (Matthew 7:6) Joe Blow and his Reports had been around for awhile now and enough time had passed to allow the local bloggers ample opportunity to show their true colors.

I posted links to as many local blogs that I found current, relevant and of interest, which is an ever-changing landscape. I checked to see who and how many of these and other local bloggers returned the favor; linking the Joe Blow Reports on their blogs. I also made periodic observations on subjects of interest; doing a kind of "PR" job. The HumBuggers are real good when it comes to touting fellow club members, as well as discriminating and blackballing. In all, I got a pretty good cross section of who's who, and what's what. I even found a couple of troglodytes and a few of their troll family members. Mostly, though, I found decent, respectable, conscientious, and thoughtful bloggers and commentators. ADENNDUM::Friday, Dec. 12, 2008: Here's a real good example-blog with an appropriate article, "Scratch Your Creative Itch: Start Blogging" Always some great pictures too!

Then I got my Tuesday Times-Standard and found James Faulk's article: "The nature of this endeavor." I noticed lately that I make it a point to look for him. Anyway, after reading what he said I decided to let him speak for me on this subject. He does a real good job. Here's what he said in its entirety.

The nature of this endeavor
James Faulk/The Times-Standard
Posted: 12/09/2008 01:31:33 AM PST

Sometimes offering opinion in this community is like shouting down a well -- you do it for the pleasure of hearing your own voice, but in the end it does little to penetrate the dark.

Certainly, you'll get reaction.

Online, it'll come from trolls who have nothing better to do than insult your mother, your physical appearance, and your dog simply because that's what they learned in prison.

Occasionally, there are thoughtful, intelligent responses posted in the online comment forums, but then those people are pounced upon by the late-night Web addicts who prefer negativity to reasoned, but respectful, debate.

In print, you get better reasoned comments, from faithful readers who actually take the time to compose letters to the editor with well-chosen arguments and a strong point.

They may take issue with your opinion, but since their name is attached to their letter, they generally stop short of vulgarity. Accountability goes a long way toward making sure people play nice.

But after seven years at this job, in various newsroom roles, I can say with certainty that the tenor of civic discussion is on the decline.

People are much more prone to abuse these days, and it's not just limited to writers of columns and editorials.

Reporters work for days on a story, asking every question in the book and banging the disparate details into a relatable story. It's not a cakewalk, folks, and it can be torturous work. In the end, like in every other profession in the world, reporters do their best given the constraints of the day, and the end results vary accordingly.

And here's the comedy. Reactions from the public include plaudit calls from happy readers, congratulatory e-mails for a job well done, respectful requests for additional information, angry diatribes about the supposedly long-abused ethics of modern journalism, and disgusted catcalls about this or that reporter's relatives and the genetics of mediocrity.

In the end, as every journalist learns, leather skin is the reporter's first prerequisite.

While the tone of criticism has changed over the years, due in part to the armor afforded by online anonymity, the vast majority of readers know that day in and day out we in the news business do the best we can with the tools at our disposal.

Some days we make mistakes, other days we succeed beyond our wildest expectations.

That's just the nature of this -- and almost every other -- human endeavor. And as I say in response to every breed of reader reaction: Thanks for reading. Let's do it again tomorrow.

It bears repeating and Joe Blow and his Reports join Mr. Faulk in, "That's just the nature of this -- and almost every other -- human endeavor. And as I say in response to every breed of reader reaction: Thanks for reading. Let's do it again tomorrow." Amen!

--Joe

The Price of Justice: Hurt Feelings!

Working in my yard, hear the tell-tale sound of a car coming around the corner a block away not even slowing down for the stop sign. As I stand up to look at the accelerating car bearing down on me approaching a very blind intersection and I know they, usually a young woman, but not always, have no intention of slowing down, let alone stop. Once in awhile when they notice me looking at them as they pass by, they give me the finger! I had a guy in a fancy Cadillac do it out the sunroof the other day. Hey, all I'm doing is looking at them. Then around the corner they go. I often wonder what they think I might do if they ever got into a wreck or hit someones kid coming or going to school. I have thought about buying a rope . . .

The consequences of people's calloused disregard for the law in something as simple as stopping at a stop sign, "no damned stop sign's going to tell me what to do" is ever-worsening anarchy. Innocent people die and all anyone worries about are how bad the murdering criminal feels.

So far we haven't heard how bad this guy, Alan Bear, feels, a man that went out of his way to cause the death of Greg Jennings. Why has it taken the DA nearly four months to enforce some justice? Is it because this guys name is "Bear" and he's from Hoopa? You can read the latest installment, "Ghost Bike" in the North Coast Journal's December 4, 2008, issue. The Green Wheels Blog posted, "His name was Greg Jennings" and their latest update: "Motorist Charged with Felony Manslaughter in Death of Cyclist"

The NC Journal and Green Wheels also posted a Special Meeting: December 8, 2008, where the The Humboldt Bay Bicycle Commuters Association sponsored a special forum titled: A Community Forum to Promote Safety for Cyclists: Seeking Solutions for Helping Motorists & Cyclists Share Roads & Highways. Joe sympathizes with their good intentions. However, all to words blogs, news paper articles, forum and meetings can produce, despite some probably very good practical suggestions, will never correct the problem until the state of anarchy is dealt with. Motor vehicles are a deadly weapon, essentially no different than a loaded gun. Neither is inherently dangerous when used properly. Yet, when the user shows a calloused disregard for what is "proper," both can kill and do so on a regular basis.

Proper us of these deadly weapons, to a large degree, are defined by law. A partial definition of anarchy is: "a state of lawlessness and disorder (usually resulting from a failure of government)." A classic example of a "failure of government" is in the Cheri Lyn Moore murder. Here the branches of "failed government," the County and City Supervisors and Council, the Courts and their Judges, District Attorney and police all have a vested interest in protecting themselves. More importantly, all those people that want to and do run stop signs with impunity, all they can think and talk about are the poor, hurt feelings of the criminals. The following is a classic example posted December 6, 2008, on the Humbold Hearld. "Cheri Moore case dismissed":

Anony.Miss Says:
December 6, 2008 at 10:52 am

She has a callous nature because she acknowledges that cops have feelings? The cops I know definitely have feelings, fear for their lives, and worries about the results of their behavior. (Emphasis by Joe) I think they walk a tightrope every day trying to balance being tough enough to the ones that need it and having empathy for those who need a more gentle treatment. Not yet knowing which type they are dealing with when asked to make a split second judgment is every day work for them.

Heraldo Says:
December 6, 2008 at 11:03 am

They cannot credibly claim they didn’t know who Cheri Moore was, what her mental state was, or that she was terrified of cops.

Sure cops have feelings, maybe even Terry Liles has a heart in there somewhere. But Delaney’s comments appear dismissive of the families of those killed — in this case unnecessarily — by police.

The most dangerous condition any community can imagine is a police force working 24/7 on the edge of paranoia because of "fear for their lives." Why then would or could any of us expect these people we pay to protect our rights put their lives at unnecessary risk just for a stupid stop sign?

When all the people can think about and enforce are their touchy-feely emotional points of view to the complete disregard for law and justice, the community has hung these people out without a parachute. Bottom line? They're on their own and we're on our own, judged and convicted well AFTER the FACT by whatever people FEEL inclined to do. Good intentions trumps the law everytime.
[Image Source] Times-Standard about Terry Liles: DA's decision leaves questions in its wake.

--Joe

More Light - Less Pearls

Wise words come in many sizes, shapes and forms. Here are some more "Simple Truths." Enjoy!

1. If you defy an enemy by doubting his courage, you double it.
2. The body is the shrine of divinity.
3. Know the world in yourself, never look for yourself in the world.
4. Understanding develops by degrees.
5. There grows no wheat where there is no grain.
6. The seed includes all the possibilities of the tree.
7. All is within yourself, know your most inward self and seek its equal in nature.
8. The way of knowledge is narrow.
9. A pupil shows by his own effort how much he deserves to learn.
10. Each truth you learn will be for you, as new as if it had never been written.
11. Never believe a word without putting its truth to the test.
12. Images are nearer reality than cold definitions.
13. Lead your neighbor to truth for they may one day lead you.
14. It is no use whatsoever preaching wisdom to men: You must inject it into their blood.
15. One foot isn't enough to walk with.
16. Knowledge is consciousness of reality, and reality the laws that govern nature.
17. For every joy there is a price to be paid.
18. The gift of knowledge is so great that no effort whatsoever could hope to deserve it.
    
19. Everyone finds himself in the world where he belongs.
20. An environment must be suited to the age and men to their environment.
21. Physical consciousness is indispensable for the achievement of knowledge.
22. The only thing that is humiliating is helplessness.

Bloggers and commentators alike might broaden their horizons by a review from time to time.

Bright Light of Truth, Sacred and Holy - a Pearl

--Joe

Be Thankful - It's Good For What Ails You

"EVERYTHING IS ABOUT SOMETHING DIFFERENT"

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:15 NIV)

--Joe

Good Advice for the Young at Heart

"Teach them to say 'NO'. Not a miserly 'No,' but the life-affirming 'NO' of those who hate bullies and petty rules." Never grovel because people are famous or powerful. Read tyrants as though you were a detective and learn to say 'No'. It's not global warming that will destroy us, it's gullibility."
Words of wisdom from Tarzie Vittachi.

--Joe

Bright Light of Truth, Sacred and Holy - a Pearl

[What makes a man or a woman a sacred or holy pearl? You might find the answer contained within some of Joe's Rules. The Rules speak for themselves.]

'The Lord our God is one Lord; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, thy whole soul, thy whole mind, and thy whole strength.' (Mark 12:29, 30 WNT)
The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:29, 30 WNT)

`The first of all the commands [is], Hear, O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one; and thou shalt love the Lord thy God out of all thy heart, and out of thy soul, and out of all thine understanding, and out of all thy strength -- this [is] the first command;
the second [is] like [it], this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself; -- greater than these there is no other command.' (Mark 12-29-31 YLT)

"A new commandment I give you, to love one another; that as I have loved you, you also may love one another. It is by this that every one will know that you are my disciples--if you love one another." (John 13:34, 35 WNT)

“Now this is the basis for judgment, that the light has come into the world but men have loved the darkness rather than the light, for their works were wicked. For he that practices vile things hates the light and does not come to the light, in order that his works may not be reproved. But he that does what is true comes to the light, in order that his works may be made manifest as having been worked in harmony with God.” (John 3:19-21 NWT)

1. “Do not deceive yourselves; no one makes a fool of God. You will reap exactly what you plant.” ( Galatians 6:7 GNT)
2. “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” (NIV)
3. (“Do not be misled: God is not one to be mocked. For whatever a man is sowing, this he will also reap; because he who is sowing with a view to his flesh (idolatry, homosexuals, murderers, liars, hatreds, etc.) will reap corruption from the flesh, but he who is sowing with a view to the spirit will reap everlasting life from the spirit. (Legitimate individuality, a living soul)

"Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces." (Matthew 7:6 NIV)
(“Do not give what is holy to dogs, neither throw your pearls before swine, that they may never trample them under their feet and turn around and rip you open.” -NWT)

“Stop judging that you may not be judged; for with what judgment you are judging, you will be judged; and with the measure that you are measuring out, they will measure out to you.” (Matthew 7:1, 2 NWT)
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (NIV)

“No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house.” (Matthew 5:15 CSB)

“So let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works, and may glorify your Father who [is] in the heavens.” (Matthew 5:16 YLT)

Four Agreements:

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word
Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

2. Don't Take Anything Personally
Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

3. Don't Make Assumptions
Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4. Always Do Your Best
Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret.
(by don Miguel Ruiz)

Some Proverbs:

1. The wise are glad to be instructed, but babbling fools fall flat on their faces. (Proverbs 10:8 NLT)
2. To hide hatred is to be a liar; to slander is to be a fool. (Proverbs 10:18 NLT)
3. The godly give good advice, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense. (Proverbs 10:21 NLT)
4. The godly speak words that are helpful, but the wicked speak only what is corrupt. (Proverbs 10:32 NLT)
5. Without wise leadership, a nation falls; with many counselors, there is safety. (Proverbs 11:14 NLT)
6. The LORD hates people with twisted hearts, but he delights in those who have integrity. (Proverbs 11:20 NLT)
7. A woman who is beautiful but lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig's snout. (Proverbs 11:22 NLT)
8. If you search for good, you will find favor; but if you search for evil, it will find you! (Provers 11:27 NLT)
9. The words of the wicked are like a murderous ambush, but the words of the godly save lives. (Proverbs 12:6 NLT)
10. Fools think they need no advice, but the wise listen to others. (Proverbs 12:15 NLT)
11. A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted. (Proverbs 12:16 NLT)
12. The LORD hates those who don't keep their word, but he delights in those who do. Proverbs 12:22 NLT)
13. Wise people don't make a show of their knowledge, but fools broadcast their folly. (Proverbs 12:23 NLT)
14. Arrogance leads to nothing but strife, but wisdom is gained by those who take advice. (Proverbs 13:10 CSB)
15. Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true, there is life and joy. (Proverbs 13:12 NLT)
16. Wise people think before they act; fools don't and even brag about it! (Proverbs 13:16 NLT)
17. If you refuse to discipline your children, it proves you don't love them; if you love your children, you will be prompt to discipline them. (Proverbs 13:24 NLT)
18. Do not answer anyone stupid according to his foolishness,m that you yourself also may not become equal to him. (Proverbs 26:4 NWT)
19. Have you seen a man wise in his own eyes: There is more hope for the stupid one than for him. (Proverbs 26:12 NWT) or,
20. Trembling at men is what lays a snare, but he that is trusting in Jehovah will be protected. (Proverbs 29:25. NWT

Some simple truths plagiarized by Joe:

1. Every man is rich in his excuses to safeguard his prejudices, his instincts and his opinions.
2. Social good is what brings peace to family and society.
3. A man's heart hold his own truth.
4. Each truth you learn will be for you, as new as if it had never been written.
5. Envious greed must govern to posses and ambition must posses to govern.
6. Seek the source of truth not the image of it.
7. What you are doing does not matter so much as what you are learning from doing it.
8. Every man must be in the rhythm of his time, such is wisdom.
9. The honest stage a society can reach is when its leaders are chosen by their ability instead of their wealth (or color of their skin).
10. In every vital activity it is the path that matters.
11. A man's heart hold his own truth.
12. Leave him in error who loves his error.
13. True sages are those who give what they have, without meanness and without secrets!
14. A man must learn the fact that everything he does will have its consequences.
15. Sound skepticism is the necessary condition for the discovery of truth.
16. The best and shortest road towards knowledge of truth is nature.
17. Popular beliefs must be examined in order to discover the original thought.
18. A seed can't reach its potential without receiving corresponding energies from the sky
19. There are two kinds of error: blind credulity and piecemeal criticism.
20. What reveals itself to me ceases to be mysterious for me alone, if I unveil it to anyone else, they hear mere words.
21. Growth doesn't depend on the will of the intellect, but on the intensity of the inner urge.
22. Never believe a word without putting its truth to the test.
23. To gain knowledge you must first gain peace.
24. Listen to your convictions, even if they seem absurd to your reason.
25. Judge by cause, not effect.
26 Peace is the fruit of activity, not of sleep.
27. People bring about their own undoing through their tongues.
28 Love is one thing, knowledge is another.
29. To know means to record in one's memory, but to understand means to make part of oneself.
30. Exuberance brings action, but the inner light grows in silence and concentration.

If you made it this far, good for you. Joe lives by these rules and applies, as he see's fit, the simple truths contained that make a bright pearl. How many of you can say the same?

--Joe

The Antichrist Declares War On Majority Rights

On a sunny Sunday morning as I sat down to savor my morning brew, I was confronted with this Times-Standard headline: "A CHANGING LANDSCAPE" followed by, "Half of eucalyptus trees along Highway 101 corridor to be cut" and "The new civil rights movement." A changing landscape alright; a destructive change.

Here's your declaration of war right, from the mouths of civil terrorist:

Local businesses and individuals that contributed to the “Yes on 8” campaign were also targeted at Saturday's protest, with some speakers calling for boycotts.

”Support the businesses that supported us,” Susan McGee urged the crowd, drawing loud cheers of support.

Linda Atkins, who won a city council seat representing Eureka's 2nd Ward on Election Day, also urged those in the crowd to use their power as consumers to effect change.

”We have a big economic impact on this state -- let's use it,” she said.

Atkins told the crowd that the proudest moment of her life came when she recently married her wife at the Humboldt County Courthouse.

Included in this is the posting on the Humboldt Herald, for one, the names and addresses of those and I quote: "SUPPORTERS OF PROP H8te (ARCATA & EUREKA):"

The will of the people means nothing to the thug bully. All he or she cares about is getting his or her way. There's usually only one way to deal with bullies and these people, and I use the word "people" loosely, would be wise to remember that when they go military on their relatively peaceful neighbors.

It's one thing to take Democracy into other parts of the world and force them to convert, destroying their culture and religious beliefs held for thousands of years, depriving them or causing the to forfeit their legitimate right to exist. It is an all together different situation when you try to force a depraved sub-culture on your own people, destroying or at least trying to destroy the very basis for their and your existence.

These "people" are not interested in civil rights, or any other right you can think of. They want legitimacy and equality to all other members of society. Unfortunately, they are fighting a losing battle no matter how many people think or believe "these people" are endowed with unalienable Rights. That God or Universe our founding fathers believed granted all "people," excluding women, blacks and homosexuals of course, has spoken. A plague is upon them and they are a cancer in our society. When you vote such "people" into office you bring the very essence of corruption into halls of government. The lines are being drawn and drawn deeply.

So goes the eucalyptus trees, so goes the people; mostly young people, I'd say.

--Joe

Is Hyperinflation A Reality?

This person, Melinda Pillsbury-Foster in her November 9th article, "Are Your Ready for Peace, Prosperity, and Good Will?" seems to think it is and gives the following suggestions for preparation.

Pay off your mortgage if possible or find the means for at least lowering your exposure by moving to a fixed interest rate loan.” Now I advise you to take steps to cancel your mortgage; nearly all mortgage documents contain fraudulent terms and can be canceled if you understand the law. Canceling your mortgage keeps money out of the hands of foreign banks and with Americans.

“Get ready to look for the investment opportunities that will soon be available to ordinary people for lower cost alternatives in energy, transportation, and other off-grid technologies.” This is still true. Do it.

“Can you grow your own food? Look into starting a coop, bringing in locally grown farm food. Join with those around you; this will build a community of cooperation that will bring both security and provide the means for local control.” The resources for doing this on smaller spaces are now greatly increased. Liquid Probiotics is one of several products that can remineralize your soil and so provide food for you and your family that will actually improve your health.

“Growing and eating locally will reduce your exposure to reliance on food that is shipped in from off shore, perhaps bringing in with it diseases or toxic substances, and also mean more security for you and those around you in a steady, clean, supply of food.” Truer every day and you need to take action.

“Make sure you know what your children are learning. Schools now routinely turn out students who are functionally illiterate, suited only for the kinds of jobs they envision for our posterity. Dumbing down was part of their agenda.” How many children today can build their own radios? Our children need to know practical physics. How many can pass the routines tests on the Constitution given to kids in the early part of the 20^th Century?

“The best indicator for future success in life is how early you have your first job, not how many degrees you accumulate; education has become about symbols over substance. Tesla had no degrees and never attended college. This generation of children will be finding out what it means to work the hard way. Nothing about the policies that have extended childhood far into the twenties have been about protecting children; those policies are about control.”

“At the same time you need to come together with others in your community to take back control. Use persuasion; true community is about including and caring for everyone voluntarily.” Coming together in community is essential of those now in danger are to survive. America began as people governing themselves from their own communities. It worked because the principles are true. People are careful with their own hard earned cash. People will do the right thing when they control their own time and wealth and are free to choose.

“Look at your local police. You pay their salaries. If they are focused on a militarized agenda, converting you and other citizens into criminalized targets, ignoring your Constitutional rights under the coloration of 'gang control' you need to take action. The Constitution is for all of us.” More obviously true every single day.

“We need to take back control of our courts. Understand the bait and switch that took place and study the common law that is America's real heritage for enacting justice and lowering the transaction costs of conflict and crime. A crime has not taken place if there is no victim.” Study the Constitution and the Common Law and teach your children.

“The Sheriff in your County is the highest Constitutional law enforcement authority. If you can't trust him, remove him and elect someone who will be willing and able to tell the Feds to stay out. Expect them to move rapidly on their agenda to assert control over regional areas and state governments. Be ready to react accordingly.” Now, you need to be ready.

“Lastly, start thinking about the many ways that same Corporate Elite has conned us, manipulated us continue their predatory behavior. Through the stock market, through the mortgage industry grab, through the continued rackets they run in every place they touch our lives.

Count up what they have cost you, when, where and who. Make a record. Gather together all of those accounts that show how they have stolen from you, done all within their power to suck you dry. .

There will be an accounting and you need to be ready.”

Does any of this mean anything to you?

--Joe

Joe Blow and the Eureka Reporter

When Joe Blow moved back to Eureka after some time away and moved into his new home, he found a stack of soggy old newspapers piled up behind his backyard fence. The name was The Eureka Reporter and they were delivered free of charge to anyone that wanted them. I guess somebody didn't get the message. It wasn't long before the Times-Standard called with a good offer, and always the one to support the local community, we began getting both newspapers.

It didn't take Joe long to figure out the the ER was a whole lot like Fox News, "We Report, You Decide." It didn't take Joe long to decide that what the ER reported was born-again, militant fundamentalist, fanatical religious Republican believers, with all their hate and fear mongering diatribe. True to their nature they blamed the victim. They preached individual responsibility and personal rights while all the time gutting anyone and everything that made some semblance of personal integrity and self-sufficiency a reality. Personal accusations and self-serving lies were their mainstay. And the Times-Standard, for the sake of some moron's idea of fairness and tilted balance, continues to enable that garbage. True to their nature the gutless enablers roll on.

Joe's first observation on his Wordpress Report was about the Editor, Glenn Franco-Simmons written under "The High Priest Of Trash." Not only did the Arkley's use their money, influence and this so-called Constitutional Right to promote and produce this kind of garbage, they allowed every other kind of fear and hate mongering in the form of a blank paper to print letters from the general public. That kind of stink hit everyone that supported this so-called conservative point of view, all those that advertised or did business with The Eureka Reporter and everyone that supported those advertisers and businesses.

Well, Joe got their last edition this morning and it was a blank page! Up in the top left corner it said, "What if we never existed?" The answer to that question is obvious, we'll never know now will we?

In the top right side is the word "Priceless." Down at the bottom right corner is says "1,225 issues of priceless community coverage." Joe says, rather emphatically, HE CAN'T DISPUTE THAT!

--Joe

No Commentary? Well, maybe a little comment

Joe's idea of meaningful political commentary was expressed in the Times-Standard paper this morning. It is a bit long winded, but it seems this guy has the right idea about the Republican "Believers" and the Democrat "Hopers." Democratic polotics in America is more religious than most people are willing to accept. Beliving and hoping go hand in hand, you know? Joe seems to think this kind of meaningful change could produce something a whole lot more substantive and practical. The kind of a peaceful revolution Dave Berman talks about on We Do Not Consent that includes such high-minded ideals like "truth," "justice," and "liberty for all." Pie in the sky stuff.

The Eureka Reporter had an Op-Ed by Alexander Cockburn called "Change that means something?"

ADDENDUM :: Saturday, November 1, 2008

WHOOPS! Thanks Fred. Thanks to you I was able to find an ER link.

No wonder I couldn't find the article on the T-S website for a link. Wouldn't want the Times-Standard to get a bad reputation.

--Joe

Why No Election "Commentary" on the Joe Blow Report?

Because World events are driving America right now and sucking on that "voting" placebo won't help. That's why!

While the Republicans and the Democrats conspire to sellout America, the rest of the politicians talk and talk and say nothing. More than that, they DO NOTHING!

Well, nothing "real" leaders would do . . .

They compromise, conspire, enable, betray and sell-out, if you call that "nothing."

Did you watch the third Obama/McCain debate? What did you see? A competent display of real manhood? Really? Joe says he saw two females dressed up to look like men, sitting side by side at a table saying things to one an other that any real man would not have taken for one second. But then, what do you expect? Obama is fairly clueless about his father and McCain sold his manhood to the North Vietnamese, that is if he ever had any. (Addendum :: October 23, 2008 - McCain and the North Vietnamese and why they must be in hysterics right about now.)

These guys are America's best answer to what George Bush and his cadre of Elitist's did and continue to do to the American people?

What did they do? Read this: Ex-Asst. Treasury Sec. Paul Craig Roberts on Wall St. Bailout: “Has Deregulation Sired Fascism?”

Read for your self: Bush: Credit thaw 'going to take awhile' -- What happen to all the urgency?

There's an ill wind a blowin' folks!

ADDENDUM :: Sunday, October 19, 2008

Here's another reason Joe doesn't waste his time and energy: The article on page A5 of the Sunday Times-Standard, "Who gets to vote amidst fraud, shifting demographics?" or the original title listed here in this reprint: Mickey Mouse Won’t Try To Vote

ADDENDUM "A" :: Sunday, October 19, 2008

“For months before the 2004 election, my mantra was: vote for anybody but Bush or [Sen. John] Kerry. The same advice applies this year. Vote for anybody but McCain or Obama. Imagine if every single person in the United States who chose to vote this fall refused to select the Republican or Democratic candidate. Not only would we be able to finally start breaking their monopoly, but the powers-that-be wouldn’t be able to fall back on votescam because nobody would have voted for their two-headed candidates. In light of how close our country is to a major meltdown due to decades of corrupt rule by the Democrats and Republicans, destiny is now in our hands. Don’t throw your vote away by supporting Obama or McCain. This year, make it count.” -- Read the rest of this article.

ADDENDUM "B" :: Monday, October 20, 20008

Politics and voting does nothing to solve this problem: (one picture worth a million words!)

. . . and this fellow explains some of the reasons why.

When you look at the number of respondents on this blog, Joe wonders if anyone will get his point!

We borrowed this picture from SoHum Parlance, where he got: "Photo comes from here." We hope they don't mind.

--Joe

Joe Took A Nap

Yep! He took a nap. He got tired of listening to all the blather and just tuned out for awhile.

Problem was, he didn't realize that the world had changed while he was napping. Unfortunately, the lunatics are still hogging our streets, pedestrians and bicycle riders are still threatened daily, not to mention the hungry homeless. Our homes and businesses aren't worth as much as they were, but our garbage is.

Joe is always amazed at how the poor and middle-class Americans beg the Republican Elite to take their money and their children's money too. Guess they didn't expect to be thrown out into the street did they?

Oh well, just do a little rioting for food and they'll all find themselves in a concentration camp somewhere in S. Palin's Alaska.

--Joe

The Real Economy, REALLY?

James Faulk wrote in the Times Standard Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008 under: The real economy

The Web is alive with screaming headlines about this or that financial giant going out of business, closing its doors in the face of an economic maelstrom that started somewhere between America's housing and its bubble.

Accompanying the multitude of stories online, in print and on television are blurbs from the various political candidates of all shapes and sizes who loudly proclaim that there is indeed a problem, and that only they -- not that other guy -- know how to fix it.
There was a bubble, and it burst. The explosion left a mess, and it's covered all of us with a three-inch layer of dung.

Times like these, Alan Greenspan takes to the air waves and says, “This is the worst I've ever seen.”

The market is panicking, Fannie and Freddie are befuddled and failing, and all the other financial giants of the world are just trying to stay afloat by selling themselves to Bank of America, who remains impervious to the bad economic times because of their enormous size and overdraft fees.

This is the big picture, and to most Americans, it remains absolutely meaningless. That is, the fate of various financial institutions is meaningless versus the reality of making ends meet. Most Americans don't require massive amounts of capital to get out of bed in the morning, get their kids to school, or get themselves to work.

But they do need a job, or maybe even a raise, to buy enough milk for breakfast in the morning.
to them is the monthly budget, and whether there is enough money in the checking account to handle the car breaking down, or that tooth that needs to be pulled.

For the people I know, the real people with zits and beauty marks, this is the real economy. And this is what needs to be addressed by the leaders of our city, our state, and the nation. Gas costs more. Food costs more. Going to the park costs more, and we all make the same if not less.
This is famously the land of opportunity, but the only opportunity currently offered by our system is to accrue more debt, and become further enmeshed in payments, late fees and interest rates.

The time has come to change, but who's willing to make it? That's the decision before us this November. But then again, judging by the choices, how much change are we willing to make?

His question in closing is, "How much change are we willing to make?" Well lets see what some other people have to say about what's really happening. Take a look at what these people have to say and see if do not come to the same conclusions as Joe does.

US Seizes Control of AIG with $85 Billion Bailout

So, all of you "real people," you know who you are? You're the ones with the "zits and beauty marks. Is the real economy "gas," "food," and "going to the park"? When it comes to your paltry problems you "real people" aren't even in the equation.

Mr. Faulk is right when he says, "This is famously the land of opportunity, but the only opportunity currently offered by our system is to accrue more debt, and become further enmeshed in payments, late fees and interest rates." What he doesn't say that really matters is that is exactly what is happening to our govoernment. Interestingly, he doesn't say who is responsible either.

Do you really think the Elitist Rulers of this nation are that stupid that they give one damn about "real people"? Read this the next chapter in this monumental betrayal.

US Readies Largest Bailout to Date in Financial Crisis

The Bush administration says it’s preparing a new massive new intervention in the US financial system. Under the proposed move, the government would buy up distressed loans from troubled banks and other lenders. The plan is said to be similar to the federal buyout of leftover properties in the savings and loan scandal in the 1990s. The cost could end up dwarfing the multi-billion-dollar government bailouts of financial institutions Bear Stearns, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and American International Group. Democrats also say they are pushing for greater relief for struggling homeowners facing foreclosure. On Thursday, congressional leaders gave bipartisan support to the effort after meeting with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Democrats have agreed to passing legislation by next week.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: “We just had what I believe was a very
productive meeting, where we heard from the administration and from the chairman of the Fed, an initiative to help resolve the financial crisis in our country.
We—our purpose is to do that and, in doing so, to insulate Main Street from Wall
Street and recognize our responsibility to the taxpayer, to the consumer and to
people all across our country.”

Earlier on Thursday, the Federal Reserve also announced it would inject some $180 billion in loans on the global financial market through foreign central banks.

So now the government speculates on worthless paper.

--Joe

Public Safety OR Police Safety?

This is part of the front page of the Eureka Reporter Sunday, September 13, 2008, edition that greats you. Handsome devil, isn't he?

The picture is captioned: Public Safety. The notation under the picture reads: "Sgt. Ron Sligh of the Arcata Police Department and his police service K-9, "Zari," have been working together since his first day on duty, Aug. 3. Zari is trained and certified in searching for subjects, both indoors and outdoors, and handler protection and suspect apprehension. Daniel Solomon/The Eureka Reporter

Read what Karen Wilkinson says in "Pooch On Patrol" below and you will readily see that Zari's primary purpose is to protect officer Sligh. There's nothing wrong with the police protecting themselves as they "serve" the community. Let's keep the facts straight and the "BS" to a minimum. I realize that's a big stretch for the folks at The Eureka Reporter. What Ginger Campbell is quoted to say, "For Arcata resident and APD volunteer Ginger Campbell, helping the department finance such costly dogs is a quest that benefits the community at large" is completely contradicted in the rest of the article. Unfortunately, there is a more insidious aspect of using dogs the same as there is in using a tazer. Notice: "They keep the violence level way down." "People are more likely to come out of a dark building if they know a dog will be let loose." "Zari just had to bark and the man gave up."

Public Safety is all about getting the "suspect" to validate or legitimize the police action thereby justify the use of such instruments of coercion. Who are these "suspect criminals" whose lives and persons are of so little value?

--Joe

The Paranoid Elitist's Strike Another Blow For Democracy

Well, now we all know who's lives are more important at the Humboldt County Courthouse don't we? Anyone entering that building that is NOT a police officer is automatically degraded into some substandard potential "threat" to WHO? Must be the Judges and their protectors.

Do you expect justice from that kind of ingrained prejudice?

If so, think again. You are nothing more than "American" collateral damage.

These Elitists have had several years to brainwash the gutless traveling public to go along with this subterfuge. There are some of us that don't fly exactly because of these new impositions and what they force one to become supposedly for our (my) safety. Why then would I want to enter the Courthouse and subject myself to that kind of degradation for some kind of just resolution?

Joe says such a situation forces the law abiding to seek alternative methods for dispute resolution whether they like it or not. When the deck is stacked against you, only a fool continues to play the game.

--Joe

"Cut Back" or Tax Increase in Eurekaville

It's been months since that noisy, dusty ol' street sweeper graced the front of my property. Up until then you could set your watch on the consistent weekly passé. Like others in this town, when the neighbors trash began to build up we spent an afternoon gleaning and preening. It nearly filled a thirty gallon garbage can. That added cost is a tax increase.

The City Counsel, according to the report, says this is necessary in order to "free up funding to fill positions in its police and fire departments." If so, then two questions: 1) Did they fire the street sweepers they are replacing? And 2) Will we see a direct positive police affect in the community equal to keeping the city CLEAN?

If what I see going on out in front of my home every day and on the streets of Eurekaville is any indication, I'll keep the street sweepers. At least I'll be able to sleep easy knowing their no "garbage" roaming around polluting my neighborhood.

Street sweeping cut back
The Times-Standard
Article Launched: 08/29/2008 01:16:37 AM PDT

If Eurekans want to keep the streets in front of their homes constantly clean, they might be wise to pick up a broom.

The city recently announced that, beginning Sept. 1, it will be dramatically scaling back street sweeping services in its residential areas. In adopting this year's fiscal budget, the City Council opted to reduce street sweeping services in the city to free up funding to fill positions in its police and fire departments.

While street sweeping had previously been done weekly in residential areas, it will switch to a monthly schedule beginning in September. The sweeping will be conducted during the first week of every month, and a full schedule of what areas of the city will be swept on which days is available on the city's Web site, www.ci.eureka.ca.gov.

In order to increase the effectiveness of sweeping, the city is asking residents to remove their vehicles from the streets on sweeping days and to keep the street free of yard waste, trash and illegal driveway approaches, such as concrete, metal or wood ramps.

The city is also asking residents to refrain from piling leaves in the street, as it could potentially damage the street-sweeping vehicles.

--Joe

Jungle Law Rules Supreme In Eurekaville

Democracy, as an instrument of government, is worthless when people become the law, and that, without any accountability. The Law of the Jungle becomes the defacto government. Those that rule are those with the POWER. Read for yourself who has the power in Humboldt County.

Judge tosses Douglas, Zanotti manslaughter charges
Thadeus Greenson/The Times-Standard
Article Launched: 08/27/2008 01:30:57 AM PDT

Judge throws out involuntary manslaughter case
By KAREN WILKINSON, The Eureka Reporter
Published: Aug 26 2008, 11:03 PM · Updated: Aug 27 2008, 12:06 AM

Everyone that sees "DISMISSED" knows in his or her heart that Humboldt County Superior Court Judge John Feeney legally granted every police officer in Humboldt County the licence to kill with impunity.

When "Feeney began Tuesday's hearing by saying he believed the grand jury indicted without sufficient probable cause to establish that the defendants had committed an illegal act or a lawful act in a criminally negligent manner" he superimposed his judgments over the findings of the people. He made the Grand Jury system a mockery. He also put this community on notice, you are all on your own when you can be gunned down on a mere "belief."

The most disgusting and disingenuous statement observed to date that defines the "police" attitude justifying this whole tragedy was a quote by "William Rapoport, who was representing Zanotti in the matter. '(This case has) destroyed a huge part of these men's lives for the last nine months, and it's time they go some relief. ... They've had a cloud hanging over their heads for no good reason other than someone's political aspirations.'" The report goes on to say: "Douglas and Zanotti were not immediately available for comment." I would guess not!

Not when this clown, Rapoport can dismiss life and law with such casual and calloused disregard.

ADDENDUM: Wednesday, August 27, 2008 :: Comments in The Eureka Reporter as reported by Karen Wilkinson. Note: "Attorney William Bragg, who along with William Rapaport and Greg Rael, represented Douglas and Zanotti, said he expected the dismissal, adding the case shouldn’t have been one in the first place. He cited overwhelming case evidence on the defense’s side and said Feeney made the decision based on the law." HOWEVER, Mr Greenson for The Times Standard quotes the Judge to say, "The court's sympathies are extended to the friends and family of Ms. Moore for her tragic death, but the court cannot find evidence of any criminal conduct by Chief Douglas or Lt. Zanotti." The Judge didn't quote "law." He acted on his opinion. Judges are NOT the law.

Karen Wilkenson continues: "The defense attorneys filed motions starting in June seeking to have the case dismissed. The motions stated Gallegos misrepresented the law to the grand jury and didn’t provide evidence that would have helped justify the men’s decisions in the standoff." Joe contends that if Mr. Gallegos "misrepresented the law to the grand jury and didn’t provide evidence" he did so deliberately; he's hardly that stupid, incompetent or politically motivated.

His concluding statement in The Eureka Reporter indicates that he has his priorities or legal responsibilities a bit sqewed. Note: "While he understands the support the former EPD leaders received from others in law enforcement, Gallegos said there’s also an obligation to Moore’s family. He hopes the judicial determination will bring closure to her family, the community and those involved." If his sworn Oath of Office means anything, his first priority is to the Law and then to the community. While it is a tragedy for the Moore family it is a bigger tragedy for the community. No "judicial determination" in and of itself "brings closure." JUSTICE brings closure!

--Joe

How The Stupid Rule

. . . and rule, and rule and rule -- regardless of whose in office.

I'm not sure if this makes my point, but on the lite-side . . .

The Wrecking Crew: Thomas Frank on How Conservatives Rule

Columnist and author Thomas Frank joins us (Democracy Now) to talk about his latest book, The Wrecking Crew. Frank writes, “Fantastic misgovernment of the kind we have seen is not an accident, nor is it the work of a few bad individuals. It is the consequence of triumph by a particular philosophy of government, by a movement that understands the liberal state as a perversion and considers the market the ideal nexus of human society. This movement is friendly to industry not just by force of campaign contributions but by conviction.” Read the interview to learn how Ronald Regan and GHW Bush dominated Bill Clinton's agenda and how G. Bush Jr. has setup the next President.

We're not just talking about Conservative Republicans either.

Obama, the prince of bait-and-switch
24 Jul 2008
In his latest column for the New Statesman, John Pilger describes the devaluing of civilian casualties in colonial wars, and the anointing of Barack Obama, as he tours the battlefields, sounding more and more like George W. Bush. Read on . . .

In the New York Times on 14 July, in an article spun to appear as if he is ending the war in Iraq, Obama demanded more war in Afghanistan and, in effect, an invasion of Pakistan. He wants more combat troops, more helicopters, more bombs. Bush may be on his way out, but the Republicans have built an ideological machine that transcends the loss of electoral power – because their collaborators are, as the American writer Mike Whitney put it succinctly, "bait-and-switch" Democrats, of whom Obama is the prince.

And continues . . .
Those who write of Obama that "when it comes to international affairs, he will be a huge improvement on Bush" demonstrate the same wilful naivety that backed the bait-and-switch of Bill Clinton – and Tony Blair. . . .

And concludes: Eleven years and five wars later, at least a million people lie dead. Barack Obama is the American Blair. That he is a smooth operator and a black man is irrelevant. He is of an enduring, rampant system whose drum majors and cheer squads never see, or want to see, the consequences of 500lb bombs dropped unerringly on mud, stone and straw houses.

Locally we find the same mentality in the Times-Standard, Friday, August 8, 2008, pg. A4:

"Mortgaging our children's future" -- Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should be sliced, diced, and privatized. And, Change we should worry about. Rejection of the Republican Party today is not a rejection of limited government and traditional values. How do the stupid rule? They use "faith-based initiatives." She calls these "faith-based" ideas, opinions or beliefs "these great American principles" (limited government and traditional values) that have absolutely nothing to do with common sense or the facts. Some great smoke-blowing, or is it a slick bit of "bait and switch"?

And now if, you like to buy real local-grown food, this is a real casualty of the short-sighted and stupid: "Trouble in Paradise: Arcata farmer's market vendors need support." Time-Standard, My Word by Janet Sclar, Friday, August 8, 2008.

Read this article if you like to buy real tomatoes and then you'll know why people drive to Crescent City to shop at Home Depot and Walmart. With the gas prices the way they are, it's a bit of a stretch to believe it's because they're saving money. She concludes her Word by saying: "If sustainable decisions cannot be reached then the markets, and their vendors, will not survive and the next time you want to buy a real tomato, not caught up in some larger-than-life controversy over its origins, it won't be available here!"

--You reap what you sow according to Joe

The Lies Of Hiroshima Are The Lies Of Today

By John Pilger ---- On the anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, John Pilger describes the 'progression of lies' from the dust of that detonated city, to the wars of today - and the threatened attack on Iran.

When I first went to Hiroshima in 1967, the shadow on the steps was still there. It was an almost perfect impression of a human being at ease: legs splayed, back bent, one hand by her side as she sat waiting for a bank to open. At a quarter past eight on the morning of August 6, 1945, she and her silhouette were burned into the granite. I stared at the shadow for an hour or more, then walked down to the river and met a man called Yukio, whose chest was still etched with the pattern of the shirt he was wearing when the atomic bomb was dropped.

Read on if you've got the guts . . .

Addendum Thursday, August 7, 2008: South Korea Commission Probes Civilian Massacres by US in Korean War

Is this our legacy? The butchery of innocent women and children?

--Joe

Security Sickness

Read the Sunday, August 3, Editorial in The Eureka Reporter carefully and see if you can find the flim-flam. The title is: "Creeping Internet regulation." To the casual reader you might conclude that the recent ruling by the FCC against the big telecom company, Comcast, was a subtle infringement or posed a serious infringement on Net Neutrality. You might . . .

Notice: "Ostensibly, Comcast did this to customers who often transferred large files because it was concerned that the files might contain illegally copied music or films." Comcast actually assaulted Net Neutrality causing the ruling, because someone, a rare few big downloaders "might" infringe upon them.

Joe recently read on a local blog, SoHum Parlance, the following advice (legal apparently) about search warrants under "Tooby Raids Imminent. Duck and Cover": "Many people who were caught up in last month's raids were innocent of any crime, but a search is justified under the law simply on the basis that there is reason to believe your home contains evidence of a crime." "Reason to believe, he says. Innocent people are legally persecuted, harmed and in some cases killed on a "belief" that "illegally," what? Yeah! What justifies that kind of wanton, rubber-stamp conduct by those empowered to protect the innocent? The same kind of psychotic paranoia that subordinates common sense and makes everyone complicit, security sickness. The kind of common sense that protects the innocent rather than deal with them as mere casualties of war.

Today, all that's needed is for someone to "believe" that you are involved in a "suspicious activity." Something as simple as taking or trying to take a couple of pictures and you will find yourself infected with a current strain of "security sickness." You can read about real "creeping regulation" here. The kind of "creep" that hits all freedom-loving and law-abiding Americans right where they live.

Don't you just love The Eureka Reporter's great snake oil?

ADDENDUM Monday, August 04, 2008

One of the more obvious symptoms of “Security Sickness” is, “If you believe that what you say in good-faith is true then you are NOT a liar.” Why the news media has no credibility or why you can’t trust the Eureka Reporter to print the facts. Or the Eureka Reporter’s facts speak for themselves when they use a quote from a corrupt Republican Dark Age Crusader (John Boehner, R-Ohio, the House minority leader) to justify their worthless opinions.

“FCC Rules Against Comcast For Blocking Web Access”

Read for yourself where Craig Aaron (Communications Director for Free Press) says, in part: "Well, this ruling that happened on Friday, which is really a landmark, a historic precedent, was the result of an incredible grassroots movement to draw attention to these issues of an open internet. . . ." You can read the rest of the interview here.

ADDENDUM: Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Another symptom of the disease: Mcain suggests military-style invasion modeled on the surge to control inner city crime. You think, when the sickness is full blown, we'll get "Iraq inner city" crime with car bombs, suicide bombers and rampant executions?

--Joe

Guilty As Accused

Ever hear the expression, "A picture is worth a thousand words"? How about two pictures worth a million words?


Is Diane Batley responsible for plastering this guy's guilty mug all over the Eurek Reporter's front page as one of her first duties?





Court: Miller Trial <--------> Diane M. Batley, Editor

If so, good job. We wouldn't want to take a chance that any prospective juror that sees this picture could find this guy anything but guilty now would we? Otherwise, why is he presented before the public and prospective jurors in a prison-guilty monkey-suit all shakled up like some raving lunatic ready for his tar and feathering? He's guilty! End of story.

End of his story, but not that of Ms. Batley or The Eureka Reporter. I'm sure they will provide much grist for the mill.


ADDENDUM Wednesday, August 13, 2008: Innocent Until Proven Guilty.

This is the front page picture in the Time-Standard, "Gundersen's wife held for her safety, ..."

No monkey suit and chains here. Is that because the jury's already been selected?

-Joe

Speak Truth To ... What?

... or Joe Blow and His Observations

Joe Blow says it plain and simple, right at the top of this website: Making Comments Count -- This report is about observations and not about opinions. Opinions are mostly worthless. With that in mind, if you want to comment on something posted, please click on the "Comment" link at the end of the each post.

Just so no one misunderstands Joe adds the following a little further down the web page: More About Joe Blow -- Please be aware that the Joe Blow Report speaks for itself. You may or may not agree, but just remember, that is your issue. The Report is offered as a free gift to whomever desires to read it. Please accept it as such. The Report respects the rights of all individuals to be who and what they are. All the same there are consequences for what each individual does and does not do. If the Report stimulates a little thinking, it has fulfilled it's purpose.

Joe Blow fully understands that whatever is posted on the Internet or printed in newspapers or spoken on television or on the radio bears the responsibility for being PUBLIC property, albeit sometimes copyrighted. Let's hope that those Joe observes and reports about understand that as well. In other words, if you do not want to read or hear about someones observations, keep quiet! Or if you're going to stand up on a soapbox in a public place and spout off you'd better be ready for a rotten egg or two.

Now that's simple enough, right? He doesn't make many comments on other blogs, but when he does he follows the above criteria - no exceptions even when there's commentary that aggravates and disgusts . . . to put it mildly.

For the uninitiated, the dictionary defines "opinion" as follows:
-noun
1. a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.
2. a personal view, attitude, or appraisal.
3. the formal expression of a professional judgment: to ask for a second medical opinion.
4. Law. the formal statement by a judge or court of the reasoning and the principles of law used in reaching a decision of a case.
5. a judgment or estimate of a person or thing with respect to character, merit, etc.: to forfeit someone's good opinion.
6. a favorable estimate; esteem: I haven't much of an opinion of him.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

—Synonyms 1. persuasion, notion, idea, impression. Opinion, sentiment, view are terms for one's conclusion about something. An opinion is a belief or judgment that falls short of absolute conviction, certainty, or positive knowledge; it is a conclusion that certain facts, ideas, etc., are probably true or likely to prove so: political opinions; an opinion about art; In my opinion this is true. Sentiment (usually pl.) refers to a rather fixed conviction, usually based on feeling or emotion rather than reasoning: These are my sentiments. View is an estimate of something, an intellectual judgment, a critical survey based on a mental examination, particularly of a public matter: views on governmental planning.

Observe" (root of observation) is defined:
–verb (used with object)
1. to see, watch, perceive, or notice: He observed the passersby in the street.
2. to regard with attention, esp. so as to see or learn something: I want you to observe her reaction to the judge's question.
3. to watch, view, or note for a scientific, official, or other special purpose: to observe an eclipse.
4. to state by way of comment; remark: He observed frequently that clerks were not as courteous as they used to be.
5. to keep or maintain in one's action, conduct, etc.: You must observe quiet.
6. to obey, comply with, or conform to: to observe laws.
7. to show regard for by some appropriate procedure, ceremony, etc.: to observe Palm Sunday.
8. to perform duly or solemnize (ceremonies, rites, etc.).
9. to note or inspect closely for an omen or sign of future events.
–verb (used without object)
10. to notice.
11. to act as an observer.
12. to remark or comment (usually fol. by on or upon).

—Synonyms 2. note. Observe, witness imply paying strict attention to what one sees or perceives. Both are “continuative” in action. To observe is to mark or be attentive to something seen, heard, etc.; to consider carefully; to watch steadily: to observe the behavior of birds, a person's pronunciation. To witness, formerly to be present when something was happening, has added the idea of having observed with sufficient care to be able to give an account as evidence: to witness an accident. 4. mention, say. 6. follow, fulfill. 7. celebrate, keep.—Antonyms 1–3, 6–8. ignore.

Joe says, an opinion is conjured in the mind. Most opinions today are "faith-based" beliefs, and jaded emotional judgments, rarely touching upon reality. Observations require the personal responsibility of a cognizant witness. Opinions are influenced by personal likes and dislikes either of the subject, the object or both. A casual observation, on the other hand, could care less. Furthermore, opinions have more to do with lies whereas observations deal more with truth.

Truth is defined as:
1. the true or actual state of a matter: He tried to find out the truth.
2. conformity with fact or reality; verity: the truth of a statement.
3. a verified or indisputable fact, proposition, principle, or the like: mathematical truths.
4. the state or character of being true.
5. actuality or actual existence.
6. an obvious or accepted fact; truism; platitude.
7. honesty; integrity; truthfulness.
8. (often initial capital letter ) ideal or fundamental reality apart from and transcending perceived experience: the basic truths of life.
9. agreement with a standard or original.
10. accuracy, as of position or adjustment.
11. Archaic. fidelity or constancy.
---Synonyms: These nouns refer to the quality of being in accord with fact or reality. Truth is a comprehensive term that in all of its nuances implies accuracy and honesty: "We seek the truth, and will endure the consequences" (Charles Seymour). Veracity is adherence to the truth: "Veracity is the heart of morality" (Thomas H. Huxley). Verity often applies to an enduring or repeatedly demonstrated truth: "beliefs that were accepted as eternal verities" (James Harvey Robinson). Verisimilitude is the quality of having the appearance of truth or reality: "merely corroborative detail, intended to give artistic verisimilitude to an otherwise bald and unconvincing narrative" (W.S. Gilbert).

Regarding "truth" most Christian believers know about truth, right? "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14 NIV) A history of this man's life clearly demonstrates that those learned people, those arrogant, self-righteous, complicated and convoluted scholars that did not agree with him opined greatly about his "truth" or "observations."

As far as Joe Blow is concerned the following quote says it all about him and his observations, "Truth is a comprehensive term that in all of its nuances implies accuracy and honesty: "We seek the truth, and will endure the consequences" (Charles Seymour)."

--Joe