A Letter To My Younger Self And The Perfect Game

Youth is wasted on the young.

GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

There is no letter to my younger self. This post began with that idea, and I have to mention it for the rest of the post to make sense. I am sorry if I have disappointed you, Gentle Reader, with this false advertising.

I abandoned the letter to my younger self because it didn't make sense. I was going to tell my younger self not to make certain mistakes as if I could go back in time and create a perfect life. The problem is that I didn't know the mistakes were mistakes until I made them. I won't get into Back To The Future time loop stuff if I actually succeeded in sending the letter. If I succeeded, I wouldn't make the mistakes that made me write the letter in the first place. Life is always lived in the forward gear.

The other point is that correcting yesterday's mistakes would have only allowed me to make new mistakes. The bottom line is that mistakes are inevitable and inescapable. The only advantage of youth is that it makes you able to survive those mistakes. The advantage of age is that you have a body of experience culled from surviving those mistakes. Essentially, you are writing a letter to your future self to not repeat the mistakes of the past.

There is no point in hitting the reset button because there is no such thing as the perfect game. Games are just ways to make mistakes and survive another day. I have learned this from playing checkers. I have gotten better at that game because I have learned from all the games that I lost. I have failed my way into winning a few games at a time. I don't always win, but I always learn. It also helps with my TBI recovery.

I am not a winner in life. I am just a survivor. I take it one day at a time. I am still in the game. I am still learning from my mistakes because I make new ones. I just don't repeat the old mistakes. I also learn from the mistakes of others. Reading about their experiences is akin to living multiple lifetimes. This is why I recommend reading as an activity. Reading makes for a deeper life.

I still make mistakes today. I just make sure they are new mistakes. I know to not make the old mistakes again. There is no perfect game, but you can always get better.

Good Advice From Other People

I always pass on good advice. It is the only thing to do with it. It is never of any use to oneself.

OSCAR WILDE

I listen to other people all the time. Some of the advice has been good. Most of it has been bad. I have decided to chronicle the good advice and share it here.

1. Never buy Apple.

In the nineties, I decided that I needed to buy a computer in order to go on the internet which was a new thing back then. I had my heart set on an Apple Macintosh. My apartment mate at the time had one. I had used one in high school and decided that Apple was the way to go. Two people disabused me of that silly notion. The first was my younger brother who is an engineer who told me to get a PC. The second was my friend Brett from work who was a gamer who told me the same thing. Don't waste your money on an Apple.

Apple computers are popular among liberal arts types, but PCs are what a true nerd wants. I ended up buying a Compaq laptop that I used for mostly liberal arts types stuff, but I was very satisfied with that box. I used it for more than a decade. In that time, the Mac I was going to buy became obsolete. I got more value from my boring PC than I was ever going to get from a sexy Apple product.

Unfortunately, I forgot this lesson when I bought an iPod touch and an iPod nano. Apple bricked those devices for me in hopes of me upgrading. I defected from my brief fling with the Apple cult. I should have listened to that old but excellent advice. I have not made that mistake again.

I still use a flip phone, but I would choose Android over iPhone if I ever had to get a smartphone. We use Chromebooks and a desktop PC running Windows 7. Apple is forbidden in my household. I hate the company with a passion.

2. A man without a truck is like a man without a you know what.

Men do manly things, and most of those manly things require a pickup truck. I drove a truck in high school and loved it. Somewhere, I got bad advice and started driving cars. Finally, I got a truck again and will never go back to driving a car. Unfortunately, I don't know when I will go back to driving again. But that's another story.

A co-worker said the thing about the you know what, and he was absolutely correct. A man without a truck is close to worthless. Get a truck.

3. You don't need 4WD because you're never leaving the pavement.

This advice came from my friend Brett who told me to get a PC. He drove a small Nissan pickup truck with 2WD. I told him I wanted a pickup truck badly, and he told me to not waste my money on a 4 wheel drive because you're never leaving the pavement. He was right. I have 2WD and have never regretted not having 4WD. I felt this mostly at the gas pump as I got 2 miles more per gallon than I would have with the 4WD.

This advice taught me that you should equip yourself for your most common needs and not your biggest possible need. I know one day that someone will call me in a snowstorm with his Jeep mired in a mudpit upside down and ask to get pulled out. I will tell him to call a wrecker service or one of his Jeep buddies. This option is still cheaper than owning a 4WD vehicle that would just get stuck, too.

4. You look like an idiot in that hat.

This advice came from my wife. I think she said it in a nicer way to spare my feelings, but I don't have any feelings. By the way, she was absolutely correct.

The hat in question was one of those light colored panama hat fedoras that you would see Barney wear in his civilian attire on The Andy Griffith Show. Here is what that looked like:

Barney was probably able to pull it off, but I probably looked more like Otis the Drunk who wore a similar lid but grungier. I was trying to find a hat that wasn't a ball cap that you would wear with a suit. I am not a fedora guy. Instead, I went with a flat cap which is just a nicer version of a ball cap. Personally, I call it a flap jack like the pancake.

5. You can't turn a whore into a housewife.

The bar is a terrible place to find a life partner. Virtually all of the men at the bar told me this nugget of advice, and it is totally true. The best place to find a wife is at church which means that you need to go to church, too. A good wife is a religious wife. If she doesn't go to church, let her go.

6. Wherever you go, there you are.

This advice was like the last piece of advice on whores and housewives I have heard from various friends and co-workers. Moving away from your problems doesn't work because your biggest problem is yourself. I can't recall anyone solving a problem with a move or a relocation. I know I didn't.

7. It's just a big hole in the ground.

I had a chance to go see the Grand Canyon in person. I asked Brett what he thought I should do. Brett had seen the Grand Canyon in person. He said it was just a big hole in the ground. I have never seen the Grand Canyon in person, and I don't even care. This indifference also applies to the Eiffel Tower, the Great Pyramids, Machu Picchu, and other wonders of the world. You get a better view on a screen without the sweat and expense of getting there.

8. Crack an egg in it.

This advice came from Travis, a co-worker and a friend. I was telling him about eating ramen and how it was cheap but not filling. He told me the secret was to crack an egg in it while you were cooking it. The hot soup would poach the egg and give it some filling protein. From that point on, I cracked an egg in my ramen.

When I switched to a plant based diet, I switched from the egg to frozen peas for that protein punch. My wife deserves the credit for that substitution. You can also add tofu and other vegetables. I combine ramen and lentil soup for the same effect.

9. Get that watch.

For decades, I wore the Timex Ironman digital watch. That watch was overkill for me as I rarely used any of the additional features. But it gave me the time, a stopwatch, and a countdown timer that I used. I don't think I ever used the split timer.

My dissatisfaction with the watch came in Maryland in 2016. There was the seasonal time change, and I went to my watch to make the adjustment and could not make it. This was because the plastic button was gummed up with grime from the job. I used my pocket knife to whittle off the outside of that plastic button to get to the metal pusher underneath to change the time. I resolved then and there to find a better watch.

I found that better watch on the wrist of a Marine who was also a co-worker. The watch was the Casio F-91W. He didn't tell me to get it verbally, but its presence on his wrist told me all I needed to know. It was a cheap watch, but I liked that it had those metal pushers instead of the plastic buttons. I did some googling and discovered the value of this watch. (This particular watch is a favorite of military personnel in basic training who buy it on the fly from the exchange. The watch switches from basic time to military time with a push of a button.) I went to Walmart and got one the next day.

Needless to say, that watch changed my life of telling time. I have bought more Casio digital watches, and I am loyal to the brand now. I don't have any animosity towards the Timex Ironman, but I am not an athlete. I like my nerd watches especially the cheap ones.

Casio F-91W

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casio_F-91W

10. Get a Chemex.

This advice came from my brother-in-law who is a coffee snob. The Chemex is a glass jar with a funnel at the top and takes heavy filter paper. He said it made the coffee taste better, and I agree. The Chemex makes better tasting coffee than my old Mister Coffee which I decluttered soon thereafter.

I think coffee machines are disgusting. This would be the Mister Coffee as well as those K-Cup devices. I heard they breed bacteria. The Chemex is not a machine, so there's nothing disgusting about it. It is essentially a glass jar. It takes longer to make a pot with the Chemex, but it is worth the extra time and effort. I don't think I will ever go back to the Mister Coffee.

11. Cut a cigar in half.

I don't smoke, but I knew a coworker who liked to smoke cigarillos from the convenience store. These are small cigars that he would cut in half with a pen knife to make them shorter. He said you should never relight a cigar and smoke it because it ruins the flavor. By cutting the cigarillos in half, he had a better chance of smoking a fresh cigar. He also had the same philosophy on his sandwich which he cut into four pieces and would eat throughout the day.

The lesson for me was to not hesitate to cut things in half. For instance, I will pause a podcast in the middle and finish the rest later. Otherwise, I fall asleep and miss the second half. I also cut my sandwich into four pieces though I usually eat the whole thing. I don't binge watch TV shows or binge read books. I take small bites and spread it out. I find this practice increases the enjoyment.

That's it for good advice from other people. I might have more tips in the future if I ever remember them. I might even get more good advice between now and then. I will pass it along when I remember it or receive it.

The Futility Of Catholic Evangelism

Preach the Gospel at all times; use words when necessary.

ATTRIBUTED TO SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI

Saint Francis probably never said this. The Franciscan Rule says, "Let all the brothers, however, preach by their deeds." Regardless of the source, it is good advice. We should practice first and preach second.

Of all the religious orders, I find the Franciscan orders to be the most appealing. This is because of the emphasis on charity and simplicity. Unfortunately, many Franciscans today emphasize socialism and sodomy. It is best to call them Fakeciscans. They practice and preach heresy. Only the Society of Judas outdoes the Fakeciscans. But I am getting ahead of myself here.

I don't do Catholic evangelism. I try to preach by example because you can't go wrong with that. I find words are worthless. Trying to tell anyone anything is just a colossal waste of time and breath. This is especially true when it comes to the Roman Catholic faith.

Sometime after my conversion, I encountered a lady on my job who liked to argue her religion with anyone who would take the bait. She belonged to some Protestant sect that believed in going to church services on Saturday instead of the Lord's Day which is Sunday. I stayed out of it until she asked me what day I went to church. I told her Saturday because I go to the vigil Mass. (My wife is not a morning person, and I don't feel like fighting with her over going on Sunday mornings. Plus, I find the Saturday night Mass to be more peaceful and pleasant.)

I didn't want to lead this woman astray in her errors, so I explained to her why Christians worship on the Lord's Day. She asked me what church I attended, and I told her the Roman Catholic Church. That's when she slapped me in the face with the claim that I went to the church full of child molesting priests. It was a cheap shot and a low blow on her part, but I stopped talking to her at that moment. I never talked about religion with her again. I know I had a look of profound sadness on my face, and I could tell she was stricken in her conscience over the cheap shot. But what could I say? She was absolutely correct.

There is nothing I can say that can overcome that scandal. NOTHING. Some Catholic apologists will point to similar scandals with other churches, little league sports, English boarding schools, and the Boy Scouts as a defense. This amounts to saying that the Catholic Church is no better than anything else in this sick world. It is a ridiculous argument.

Some Catholics will say that the Church is the spotless bride of Christ. I agree with this. But that spotless bride is clothed in the muddy dress of sodomite and perverted priests and bishops that make up the institutional church. The simple fact is that the world can't tell the difference between the wheat and the weeds. The best you can do as a faithful and devout Roman Catholic is to be the wheat. This means closing your mouth and living out your faith.

Talk is cheap, and actions speak louder than words. I don't actually believe that my good actions speak louder than the bad actions of others. When Protestants see that my wife and I are devoted to our faith, that emboldens them to evangelize us because they see us as Baptist evangelicals trapped in a false church of pedophiles.

I do have one "convert" to my credit. He was someone who also slammed me over the sex abuse scandals in the Catholic Church. But he saw the change in my life when I converted from atheism to Catholicism. He wanted it, too. He entered the Roman Catholic Church, and I was his sponsor. His conversion didn't last long as he had no intention of giving up pornography, masturbation, and fornication. All my efforts did was turn a backsliding Baptist into a nominal fake Catholic. I regret that and wish I could undo that. He head faked me, and he is dead to me now.

Those two stories are why I am out of the Catholic evangelism business. I will always preach by my example whether I like it or not. I have to make sure that example is a good example and not a bad example. As for words, I post them here on the C-Blog. In the real world, I am stone silent on matters of faith. I say absolutely nothing. My wife points out to me that she knows of no one who was argued into the faith, and that includes me. What makes the difference are those good actions. Her sincere Catholic faith made me want to be a Catholic, too.

Every so often, someone will express an interest to me in Catholicism. That's when I tell them to read Catholicism For Dummies, watch EWTN, or surf the Catholic Answers website. Those were the resources I used in my own conversion. Not a single person has taken my suggestions. They were not sincere in their interest. I am glad those resources exist because it saves me from wasting my time. I am not getting punked again by insincere people.

If someone is truly on the path to conversion, no scandal or lack of information will stop them from entering the Church or reverting to the Catholic faith. This is because of prevenient grace. Those with ears to hear let them hear.

We still get conversions even in these wicked and scandalous times. That is the Holy Spirit at work. There is no marketing strategy at work here. There is no clever argument or winning debates. Man speaks to the ear, but God speaks to the heart. I have learned to trust that God will draw those to Him who truly love Him and will obey Him.

I pray for the conversion of all human souls. I don't wish eternal damnation on anyone. But that is not up to me. And I know that there is no excuse for those who refuse to believe. Once you know the truth, you are obligated to respond to that truth. As for me, I will endeavor to preach by my practice of what I believe. That is my strategy for Catholic evangelism.

***

EWTN

https://www.ewtn.com/

Catholic Answers

https://www.catholic.com/

Catholicism For Dummies

https://content.e-bookshelf.de/media/reading/L-17885143-67f1f549ee.pdf

The Power of Modest Ambitions

By faithfully working eight hours a day you may eventually get to be boss and work twelve hours a day.

ROBERT FROST

Once upon a time, I had a keen interest in stock picking. I decided that my route to fortune was going to be as an investor. Of course, I didn't have any money at the time, but I figured you had to start somewhere. I started teaching myself everything I could about investing, and I decided to emulate the greatest investor of all time, Warren Buffett. I subscribed to Buffett's value investing philosophy, read his annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholder letters, and learned from Buffett's teacher, Ben Graham. It was a valuable education in finance and business and was not a waste of my time.

What was a waste of my time was being an active individual investor. Without a sizable chunk of capital to manage, you would be better off spending that time working a second job instead of reading SEC filings. I remember my brother who was also interested in trading stocks telling me candidly that he made more money from his day job than he did trading stocks. That was also the story with me. I came to the conclusion that I was better off putting my money into a mutual fund and letting them manage my investments.

There are more mutual funds in existence than there are stocks on the stock market. What I thought would be a labor saver was as laborious as picking stocks. I was tasked with picking winning mutual funds. That's when I discovered the truth that most actively managed funds underperform the S&P 500. The ones that outperform do so almost out of pure luck. This was the thesis of A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton Malkiel. I did not want to believe it, but the numbers didn't lie.

Needless to say, that book and the Efficient Market Hypothesis sparked a debate that goes on to the present day. Even Warren Buffett has argued against the EMH, but he does recommend investing in index funds for the "know nothing" investors like me. Whether the EMH is real or make believe, the reality is that I am one of those know nothing investors who is better off investing in low cost index funds. I am not Warren Buffett. John Bogle of the Vanguard Group took Buffett's place as my investing guru. Bogle popularized index fund investing, and his legacy lives on with the Bogleheads.

I share this story as an example of ambitions. I began with a great ambition but moved to a modest ambition. This is not the only time this has happened to me, but my investing story gives the outline of how I end up moving from great ambitions to modest ambitions. It always begins with a dream. The dream hits reality. I resist the reality until the moment of capitulation. Then, I accept that reality with a dose of humility and end up better off for it.

For me, the moment of capitulation came when I accepted that I was not Warren Buffett and was never going to be Warren Buffett. I don't know if Buffett is a genius or just a lucky coin flipper. I know that I am not a genius, and I have shit for luck in life. So, I am a humble index fund investor now. I also ask myself a fundamental question. How much money do I really need in life? Buffett is a multibillionaire. Bogle was just a multimillionaire. I could live as a multimillionaire. Those additional zeroes are just for bragging rights.

A recent podcast from Walking Is Fitness reminded me of the power of modest ambitions as Dave tells the story of how he moved from being a runner to becoming a fitness walker. Dave became a runner to get into shape in middle age. He was a runner for five years but always hated it. He had begun walking after the runs to meet a step count goal and discovered that he loved walking way more than running. That first mile of running was the worst for him. It was the worst for me, too.

Dave gave up running for fitness walking and has no regrets. But he did confess that for a brief moment he mourned the loss of the running life that he was putting to sleep. Dave enjoyed the races and the finisher's medals and the sense of community among runners. He was going to be giving that up. That was Dave's moment of capitulation. The reality is that the daily grind of training for those events was awful and miserable. Walking was pleasant and fun. The great ambition of being an athlete gave way to the modest ambition of being healthy and mobile into old age.

I don't want to call Dave a hero, but I consider him a hero for taking the bold move of swallowing his pride and embracing walking as his primary fitness activity. I think this country would be better off following this same path. The reason there are so many marathons and road races is because running needs that motivation to keep runners running. Without it, running is just pure misery.

My last example of replacing great ambitions with modest ambitions was my decision to give up the dream of homesteading and become a humble backyard gardener. My accident and traumatic brain injury necessitated this move on my part. I am failing now to keep my lawn mowed while my wife does the gardening. A homestead would have been a colossal disaster versus the modest disaster of my life right now. If you're going to fail, fail in a small way. It gives you a better chance at a comeback.

You could say that my moment of capitulation came with the TBI, but it comes now as I confess that I would have failed at homesteading without the TBI. The reality is that I am given to workaholism and wanted to glut myself with an endless supply of labor. This is insane. It's sad that it took getting my brains smashed in to remedy this insanity.

It is better to take small wins than huge losses. People who tell you to go big or go home are fools. The other fools are the ones who take on a loser mentality because they chose modest ambitions. This would be the "know nothing investors" who take the market's average return or those suffering from failed runner syndrome because they don't have trophies and finisher's medals. This would be the backyard gardener who is "just" a gardener. The reality is that great ambitions are the folly of vain and stupid people. Modest ambitions allow you to escape the trap of vanity and stupidity. That is the power of modest ambitions. Those modest ambitions and moments of capitulation have turned out to be some of the best decisions I ever made in life.

Mr. No Fun

Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy.

H.L. MENCKEN

My wife thinks I still retain some of the traits I had when I was a Calvinist in my twenties. This is because I seem to be against having a good time. I think she is wrong on this one, but I understand why she would draw that conclusion that I am Mr. No Fun. This is because I am against many of the things that people think are fun.

The first thing I don't do is drink alcoholic beverages. I have had a few drinks in my life until I developed gout in my forties. The pain of that condition forced me to give up having a cold beer. Later, I became a traumatic brain injury survivor that gave me another reason to be a teetotaller. Brain damage and alcohol don't mix. I don't care to keep other people from drinking. I'm just no fun at parties now.

The second thing I am against are big boy toys. I live in a place where working class men love to buy fun things on credit like boats, RV campers, Jeeps, motorcycles, ATVs, and on and on. These things see action for a season until they end up collecting rust and dust somewhere from disuse. Sometimes, they get repossessed because these idiots lose their jobs and the ability to make those monthly payments.

I am also against the REI types as opposed to the Bass Pro Shop types who spend less on their toys but also less time with them because they require human power. This would be mountain bikes and kayaks and hiking gear. They buy gear that never touches the water or the trail, but they will strap it all to the roofs of their Subaru Outbacks to parade around town each weekend. It amounts to a toy parade.

The third thing is my plant based diet. I do not eat meat, dairy, or eggs which is an even bigger reason why I am no fun at parties, dinners, and other social events. I do not care to change my diet to be more social because I think destroying the bathroom on a meathead diet would not be a good thing.

The fourth thing is my disdain for professional sports. You have steroids, concussions, rigged games, gambling influences, anthem kneelers, and criminal athletes that belong in prison. Consequently, I can't make the Superbowl party.

The fifth thing is my loss of love for travel. My wife probably hates it more than me because she is the principal driver now. She floats the idea of going on a cruise, and I remind her of diarrhea and vomit soaked adventures because one of the passengers boarded with the norovirus. I don't care to do this.

I am definitely not fun. I was going to defend myself pointing to fun things I do now, but it amounts to listening to the radio in the dark with my eyes closed as I destimulate my damaged brain. When I feel silly, I play my kazoo for ten minutes or until my wife shuts me down.

What I can say is that my lack of fun is not because of lingering Calvinism or Puritanism. I am Mr. No Fun because I got old. Then, I got busted up. I have already had my fun in life. I am laying low now until the Lord calls me home.

Annoying Things 3

The only thing worse than being annoyed is not being able to express it.

LEO MARTIN

Gentle Reader, it is time once again to share my irritations. This may be irritating to you. If so, I apologize. Actually, I don't care. I know you will read every bit of this post.

1. Button up shirts with the sleeves cut out

I am not a fan of the Larry the Cable Guy trick where a perfectly good shirt gets mutilated for the sake of ventilating one's pits. I keep my sleeves on my shirts. I think the sleeveless thing is totally trashy.

2. 1111 guy on 38lsb

There is a guy who gets on CB channel 38 lower side band, keys the mic, and plays "1-1-1-1" repeatedly on the air which effectively jams the channel. He is the biggest jerk on the CB today. Even the back to the bench guy on 19 is not as annoying as this guy.

Why 38 Lower Sideband sucks lately... where's the FCC ???

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJZK1K2eLvI

3. The Luminous Mysteries

The Luminous Mysteries is one of those JP2 innovations that the Polish pope felt was needed because our Lady did an oopsie when she gave the Rosary to Saint Dominic and left out these mysteries. Personally, I stick with the traditional rosary like my old priest did. He never said anything against JP2, but he knew this wasn't right.

4. "Invincible" people

I run into people all the time who think injury, illness, and death happen to other people. It is never going to happen to them. The worst are the ableists who don't understand my TBI. It must be sweet living in that state of delusion. It will be sweet to watch that change dramatically for these idiots when their time comes.

5. Singers who talk too much

I can't stand when a folk singer or country singer will preface the song they are going to sing with a story that is longer than the song. Just shut up and sing.

6. Nose rings

There was a lovely young lady at the grocery store who mutilated her face with a gigantic nose ring. I couldn't believe she got hired. Why do this to yourself?

7. People who say 50 is the new 30

50 is not the new 30. 50 is the same old 50 even if you still look 30. Old age is not fun.

8. Content creators trying to get paid

I was listening to a YouTube video when the creator stopped at the halfway point to tell me that I would have to pay for the last half. Needless to say, I did not pay. Breaking the treat in half might fool the dog, but it doesn't fool me. I am cool with advertising and donations. Beyond that, I am not paying. I don't do that with my content here which is still FREE. Just pray for me and my intentions. Thanks for reading.

9. Drink responsibly

I hear this or read this on various alcoholic beverage advertisements that encourage you to drink irresponsibly. This little tagline at the end is just a CYA move on the part of the beverage makers. No one is fooled by this.

10. Radio on Sunday mornings

Protestants in my area buy up the bulk of the airtime on the radio to broadcast their church services. I am Catholic and go to the vigil Mass on Saturday nights. On Sunday morning, I want some classic country music. I can't get that music because of those church services.

11. Protestant Zionists

This would be evangelicals like Ted Cruz who believe we should fight and die for a nation that is 90% atheist because they are God's chosen people. Catholics know better. I knew better even when I was a Protestant. It would behoove these zionists to read the New Testament to get the full story.

12. Avant garde classical music

Once in awhile, I will be punked into listening to what I think is music that ends up being noise. It takes about 20 seconds. It sounds like a classical piece because it uses classical instruments. Then, the piece derails from there, and I am changing the station. This is why I collect real classical music on CDs now. I can't count on public broadcasting to keep this music alive.

13. Echoes

Echoes is a "soundscape" program on NPR stations that pretends to be music but isn't. I had my Brian Eno phase once upon a time, but I am very much over that now. I do use an ambient CD for purposes of sleep, but that's as far as it goes for me. At the end of the day, I want music instead of pleasant noise.

14. Jews who say the New Testament is antisemitic

The responsibility for the death of Christ falls upon the entire human race. God forgives. Because Jews do not accept Jesus Christ as their Messiah, they also wish to deny their role in killing him. I don't really care if they think this way, but I draw the line at censoring or banning the New Testament.

15. Bono from U2

Bono raises a lot of money for his charity which he guilt trips the rest of the world into funding. How much of those funds actually go to help people? You will be sickened when you find out. Bono is the epitome of narcissism, hypocrisy, and self-delusion.

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=h_&q=bono+hypocrite&ia=web

16. Musical overproduction

This is a criticism of Rick Beato over today's music. Because of modern technology, the music recordings are perfect which makes the songs sound sterile. People actually want good but imperfect. I don't know why, but I agree. Record it live in the studio or in a concert.

17. Gender confirmation surgery

This is what they call it on NPR news. This is why I don't listen to NPR news. Mutilation is mutilation no matter what it is called.

18. People who complain about renting and people who complain about owning.

What people want is a home they own but don't have to maintain. Such a thing does not exist. At the end of the day, you maintain the property or pay someone else to do it for you like the landlord. Stop wishing for what can never be.

19. Pet owners who spare no expense for their pets.

This would be chemotherapy for your cat with cancer. Who pays for this?!

20. FM on CB radio.

The FCC allowed FM on CB radio. Radio makers could legally sell their European radios into the American market. This was convenient. No one in America uses FM on CB radio. You might as well put airplane wings on a Jeep. It's never going to fly.

21. When rich people go begging.

A certain former televangelist told his audience that if he didn't get a million dollars he was going to be on the street. I've never had a million dollars, but I seem to be able to stay off the street.

22. Sig owners.

I remember when everyone eschewed the boring Glock in favor of the Sig. Now, the Sig is being dumped for being the first handgun that doesn't need a trigger pull to go off. But it does look sexy in comparison to the Glock.

23. Ranked choice voting.

I don't know how this scheme works, but it works badly.

24. Stephen Colbert.

It's OK to not be funny. It's not OK to lose $40 million a year with your failure to make people laugh. Now, they are laughing at him.

25. Berets.

I'm not a fan of this style of hat. I was miffed when the Knights of Columbus made the switch. I admire the Marines Corp for eschewing berets claiming they were for sissies.

Thus ends the third edition of annoying things. I am certain to return with more irritation. Thank you, Gentle Reader, for not being annoyed with me.

Black Pill Conservatism

Right after liberal Democrats, the most dangerous politicians are country club Republicans.

THOMAS SOWELL

Thomas Sowell is the most quotable conservative that has ever lived. I am not sure what makes him so quotable, but he captures in a sentence what others could not say in an essay. Consequently, he is the most memed conservative with those awesome quotations.

Conservatism is not a popular ideology. It never has been and never will be. It will always be the minority opinion. Why does it persist? This is because reality persists. Conservatism is reality based politics. I will go on to discuss black pill conservatism which is the explanation for the permanent minority status of reality.

1. Thirds

The electorate can be divided into thirds. Roughly one third is liberal and votes Democrat. Roughly one third is conservative and votes Republican. This leaves the final third which are the swing voters. Those swing voters are the reason the country goes in one direction or the other. It also explains split ticket voting results and the change in Congress during every midterm election. Swing voters have no ideology and no loyalty. Basically, they want low taxes and full government benefits. They vote for whoever tickles their itching ears. This is never going to change.

2. Gridlock

When government is divided, conservatism triumphs. Conservatism wins when politicians say no instead of yes. Anything that limits government power is to the good. If you doubt this, look at those times when government was not divided but had Republicans in charge. Those times were not much different than when the Democrats ran things.

3. Taxes and government spending

Any scheme that aims to cut government spending is doomed to failure. Those cuts need to happen, but reality says those cuts are not going to happen. But you can cut taxes. A tax cut is always good because it keeps money out of political hands and in the hands of the people who actually build things and buy things. Tax cuts are also the easiest way to appeal to swing voters.

The national debt will never be repayed. Default is the inevitable outcome. When the government goes bust, you want to have gold and silver on hand as a hedge against that inevitability. The upside is that a bankrupt government becomes a small government.

4. Imperfect candidates and the lesser of two evils

Some folks think the answer is to vote for some perfect third party candidate or independent. I watched people do this in the nineties with Ross Perot which essentially gave the election to Bill Clinton. The reality is that these idiots threw their vote away.

There are no perfect candidates. You might as well write in your own name on the ballot. You can't say that you don't perfectly represent your own views. The reason we don't do this is because we know that amounts to throwing away your vote. Instead of voting for the perfect good, vote for less evil. It matters.

Why can't people vote for the lesser of two evils? This is because they don't want to compromise on utopia. Gentle Reader, there is no utopia. If you still cling to that fantasy, you are an idiot who will end up with the greater of two evils.

5. RINOs

There are no DINOs. Democrats promise to do evil and keep the promise. Republicans promise to do good but do not keep the promise. The reason for this is they need votes to get elected but also campaign donations. Donors and the voting public rarely agree on anything which is why Republicans leave you with broken promises. When they keep their promises, they lose elections.

There are honest and principled conservatives. They almost never win. I don't want them to change on their honesty and principles, but I know they are outnumbered by the corrupt politicians. This is why the RINO will persist as a creature of American politics.

6. Christian basis for conservatism

The conservative political philosophy grows out of the Christian ethic. You will find that the most principled conservatives are usually the most religious. Unfortunately, religion has taken a beating in the Republican party and among conservatives. Today, most Republicans are essentially pro-choice on abortion and soft on the rainbow perversion. Without God, you don't have conservatism or civilization. It is imperative for conservatives to put faith before politics.

Conclusion

I am black pilled on politics and on conservatism. I do not think our woes will be solved through politics and policy changes. Ultimately, this country is spiritually bankrupt. Our broken political system is just a symptom of that bankruptcy. I will continue to fight the good fight by writing and voting. Ultimately, I am going to pray because that is what truly makes a difference.

The Hotel And The Prison

 Imagine a set of people all living in the same building. Half of them think it is a hotel, the other half think it is a prison. Those who think it a hotel might regard it as quite intolerable, and those who thought it was a prison might decide that it was really surprisingly comfortable. So that what seems the ugly doctrine is one that comforts and strengthens you in the end. The people who try to hold an optimistic view of this world would become pessimists: the people who hold a pretty stern view of it become optimistic.

C.S. LEWIS

I came across this quotation when I was a Protestant. Nothing in it conflicts with my present Catholic worldview. I tried to reject it when I was an atheist, but my optimism finally turned back into pessimism which is why I am a Roman Catholic today. The bottom line is that you can never make a heaven out of this world, but you can find moments of relief. This is essential to finding some measure of temporal happiness in this life.

The problem with high expectations is that they almost always end in disappointment. With low expectations, you get the opposite. You are pleasantly surprised when things go well. You didn't see that good thing coming. My life has been mostly miserable and awful. But I have had my shares of pleasant surprises. The low expectations make them more pleasant.

I think this is why old people tend to be happier than young people. They live with diminished expectations after a lifetime of disappointments. They consider themselves fortunate to still be alive. They look to the next life for their happiness instead of this life. They take their pleasures in simple things.

Life comes in seasons. There are seasons of suffering, and there are seasons of joy. If you can accept this, you will feel better about it all. Take the seasons of life as they come.

All things have their season, and in their times all things pass under heaven.  A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted.  A time to kill, and a time to heal. A time to destroy, and a time to build.  A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to dance.  A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather. A time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.

A time to get, and a time to lose. A time to keep, and a time to cast away.  A time to rend, and a time to sew. A time to keep silence, and a time to speak. A time of love, and a time of hatred. A time of war, and a time of peace. What hath man more of his labour? I have seen the trouble, which God hath given the sons of men to be exercised in it.

He hath made all things good in their time, and hath delivered the world to their consideration, so that man cannot find out the work which God hath made from the beginning to the end.  And I have known that there was no better thing than to rejoice, and to do well in this life. For every man that eateth and drinketh, and seeth good of his labour, this is the gift of God. I have learned that all the works which God hath made, continue for ever: we cannot add any thing, nor take away from those things which God hath made that he may be feared. That which hath been made, the same continueth: the things that shall be, have already been: and God restoreth that which is past.

ECCLESIASTES 3:1-15 DOUAY-RHEIMS

The Magic Of The Median Income

Your income can grow only to the extent that you do.

T. HARV EKER

There are two things I noticed in life. The first were people who made very little money from their jobs, but they would eventually increase their earnings to a satisfactory level. The second were people who made a lot of money from their jobs until they were laid off or terminated unexpectedly. These things happened on such a regular basis that I had to learn why things were like this. This is when I discovered the magic of the median income.

The median income is essentially the average that people earn for a given geographic area. Some make below while others make above that median. Employers pay as close as possible to the median income to attract or retain employees. Those employers who pay above the median income are under pressure to cut that expense to something close to the median income for the sake of profits. Those making less can expect to make more while those who make more can expect to make less.

It is important to keep the median income in mind because it will inform your strategy for making money and saving money. If you make less than the median income, know that you will find it easy to make more money if you keep at it. Conversely, if you make above the median income, it behooves you to bank that windfall instead of loading up on car and boat payments. I've seen so many blue collar workers adjust their lifestyle to the new and unsustainable income thinking that it was permanent. Eventually, there will be a reversion to the mean.

The best way to go is to adjust your lifestyle to a place far below the median income and keep it there. This generates savings no matter the situation. You can't lose with this strategy. Some people will never be able to do this because of character defects and stupidity. This is why so many are there to offer you things you want with same day financing. This provides steady work for the repo man.

The wrong strategy is to think that you just need to make a little more money. In the long term, this is a losing strategy. The pull of the median income is like trying to push a marble up the side of a bowl. That marble wants to roll back down to the bottom of the bowl, and it takes energy to try and keep it towards the top. It is best to let it settle to where it wants to be and adjust your spending downwards. That bottom of the bowl is the median income. Don't fight it. Embrace it and make it your friend.

CB Radio Versus GMRS

There’s nothing like a good cup of coffee and a clear radio.

ANONYMOUS

The CB vs GMRS debate is an apples to oranges comparison for me. This is because I see GMRS as a walkie talkie instead of a replacement for CB radio. How did this debate begin? It began with the Jeep subculture.

I despise Jeeps. I have hated them for my entire life. They ride rough. They are hot in the summer and ice cold in the winter. You can't haul tools, equipment. or supplies in them like you can with a good ol' pickup truck. And most Jeep owners spend a lot of money and time to buy these things and trick them out in order to go flip them over on the weekends in the backcountry. Just being a Jeep owner makes you an idiot right out of the gate.

When you flip your Jeep over in the desert or wilderness, you will need to call for assistance. The problem is that many of these remote areas don't have cellphone coverage. This requires having some kind of radio to call out to your friends who also need the same kind of radio. For a generation, their preferred radio was a CB radio. Then, the GMRS radio started to gain traction as an alternative.

The GMRS radio has clear sound instead of the static you hear on AM CB radio. That is the upside. The downside is that the crystal clear sound of GMRS gets wiped out by obstructions. This is why desert areas out west like them while folks on the eastern side of the USA can take it or leave it.

The biggest cheerleader for GMRS is a fellow on the NotaRubicon channel who makes wildly entertaining and hilarious videos. They are also profane at times. He slams on CB radio guys like me and "sad hams." Here are some videos of his that I found interesting:

Jeep Rollover And Off-Road Recovery at Hammer Down Trail - Cougar Buttes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sZpoltuv5Wo

This video illustrates the pure idiocy of the Jeep cult that I already mentioned.

CB vs HAM for Off Road 4x4 Use: Which Is Better?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8z53Z4PIM8

This video shows that Randy was a lot more charitable to CB radio once upon a time.

Why GMRS Can Never Become As Bad As CB Radio - Another Reason That GMRS Is Better Than CB Radio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNCfWoWhLLI&t=87s

The essence of this argument is that no one is talking on GMRS for various reasons. Consequently, no idiots are talking on GMRS. That can always change.

CB Radio For Emergency Comms & SHTF - Why A CB Radio Can Be Good For Preppers for WW3 Or Disasters

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2JTLG02GJI

This video shows Randy's comedic side but also makes the point that I make about CB radio being great for prepping.

I will point out the most glaring flaw of having a CB radio or a dedicated GMRS radio hardwired in your Jeep. It is difficult to talk on these radios when your Jeep is flipped over with a destroyed antenna. In that scenario, I recommend having a walkie talkie.

The GMRS radio is essentially the FRS walkie talkie radio you can buy in blister packs at Walmart and sporting goods stores. Hunters and families with kids love the FRS radios because they are cheap, easy to operate, and require no license to operate. The GMRS radio is the FRS radio on steroids with more power and repeater capabilities. It is still easy to operate but requires an FCC license but no ham radio style test. The interoperability of FRS and GMRS radios is a selling point.

Where I disagree with the GMRS fanboys is on the claim that GMRS is a replacement for CB radio. It isn't. It can complement CB radio as a walkie talkie option, but it is never going to have the same popularity of CB radio.

CB radio is like the VHS videotape format. The Betamax format was superior but never went anywhere. I can say the same thing for Blu-ray disks vs DVD or the Dvorak keyboard vs the QWERTY keyboard. You can see the virtues in the new format except the one glaring drawback. People already owned one format that was good enough for their needs. Why upgrade?

CB radio is good enough for most people needing radio communication. Consequently, there are many more CB radios in circulation than GMRS radios. Where GMRS radios have found adoption is in the niche of the Jeep cult. As long as your Jeep group has GMRS/FRS radios, you are good to go. When you hit the highway, you are better off even with something like an ancient 23 channel radio that gets channel 19.

If I owned a Jeep and went offroading, I would get the radio my peers were using whether it was CB or GMRS. I'd probably get both. But I am not a Jeep enthusiast. I just stick with a CB radio.

If I needed a walkie talkie, I prefer MURS to FRS/GMRS. MURS is not popular which is great for two way communication. It is also stone simple to operate. That whole thing with privacy codes and repeater channels on GMRS confuses me.

The bottom line is the radio you need for any situation depends upon what everyone else is using. There are more people on CB than GMRS. GMRS is going to be mostly for two way communication. For everyone else wanting to talk to the world, CB radio is the better fit.

UPDATE: Randy posted another CB versus GMRS video:

Why GMRS Has Replaced CB Radio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVLQOqsaFac 

Obviously, I disagree. Some combox commenters also disagreed. Here are some of those comments:

I have both CB & GMRS. There is zero highway information available on GMRS. There are still drivers on CB channel 19 and traffic information and Smokey reports are still available. It varies regionally with the good ole boys in the southeast the most active. Your idea of using GMRS channel 19 to replace CB 19 has not caught on. Just so you know, I thought that was a good idea.

***

<——— truck driver here. I have a cb, gmrs, and ham radio in my truck.i get use out of all 3 radios on the road but CB is still hands down the most used radio out on them highways and byways. Got my first HT cb radio from my grandpa in 1994. Was a crystal channel radio. Current offerings of HT CBs are junk for sure.

***

Ok, one more comment! In the last few years traveling the lower 48 in my truck I have heard more GMRS simplex traffic than I have HAM radio, but more cb than the others! 146.520 have heard people keying up maybe 4 times this year, GMRS 16 and 19 several times as well as several times for Cb! What I have noticed is calling out for a cber gets you a contact every few minutes! I have well over a 100 repeaters programmed in my radios and repeaters do well.

***

As far as GMRS radio goes, I bought a couple of them and have NEVER heard anyone talking on them. I've tried testing the distance between them and it was about as good as a kids walkie talkie and this was when they were set to 5 watts. I'm sure they serve a purpose, however a cell phone is king for communication for me. CB radio would be my second choice. With 2000 watts on my base station I can talk to stations all over the country. I can also use my mobile with 800 watts to talk a good distance locally, long distance skip and can call for help if needed. I know many off road guys say they use GMRS, however I can't hear them around here which tells me they must be very short distance without using a repeater. I don't like the fact that you need a big antenna for CB if you really want to get out, but that's the way it is. As you know, SSB is another great option which can reach further. I tried liking GMRS, but I haven't been impressed with what I've seen.

***

You have done well to talk yourself into your opinion here, though let me just say that while GMRS has is practicalities, it is incapable of doing what 11 meters (CB) does.  CB will never die, take a listen when the skip rolls and tell me how are ever going to shut that down.   By the way CBers are the king of AM mode, they've got it down way more than HAMS or other people that are radio professionals.

***

There are websites that have a waiting list after purchasing a cb base station antenna of up to 12 weeks. The hobby of cb is very much alive.... Walcott cb shop, trucks cb sales, bells, and even Amazon will sell out of popular cb's frequently

***

I have both, but the CB still gets more use.  Not many truckers still run them, but some do, and they continue to save lives in that you can hear about upcoming road conditions or broke down vehicles blocking a lane before you get there.  There is the possible argument to be made about states with “handheld communications device” laws that make gmrs handhelds illegal to use (and the associated large fine) whilest driving vs CB being a vehicle mounted communications device and legal.  With the hills and forests around here, GMRS does outperform CB but not by much.

***

I think it depends on the area. GMRS does have a following here in Western PA but the terrain doesn't allow for long distance comms unless you have a repeater. My girlfriend and I tested FM CB and got better range with FM CB simplex as opposed to GMRS simplex.

***

There is one truck driver on the road with gmrs. I’m a trucker. I’m an avid gmrs user. I am the only one with gmrs in a kenworth. Not once in 20 yrs have I came across another gmrs trucker.

***

Global Sales of CB radios in 2024 was approximately 206 million dollars. 2024 Global sales of GMRS Radios was approximately 131 Million Dollars. These are facts. You should be a bit more informed before you post bullshit.

***

A few truck drivers still use CB but few of them use GMRS,  so GMRS didn't replace CB. A4 watt CB compared to a 50 watt GMRS and the different frequencies make GMRS a better radio, but the fact I can drive across country with  a GMRS in scan mode and get nothing, but a CB will have chatter all the way, not for the faint of heart or those with delicate ears.. A good understanding of bad Spanish helps too.  I used to talk skip on my old CB base station, I have yet to do that with my GMRS  base station. CB isn't dead it just smells that way

***

CB is still king of the road! I’ve heard nothing on GMRS channels 19 & 20 while on a roadtrip to Florida recently.

***

Be smart, use both.

***

Yea CB has way more people on it compared to gmrs. I got tired of listening to the gmrs world because the only thing people wanna talk about is their signal reports and how many antennas they have. Describing each by their model number and serial number. NO ONE CARES PEOPLE THAT YOU GET ON EVERY DAY WITH THE SAME DISCUSSION ON ALL YOU AMAZON ANTENNAS. And you wonder why there are way way more people talking on CB. ITS MORE INTERESTING. Biggest waste of money ever on gmrs liscense. I’ll stick to 6-80 meters.

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GMRS Vs. CB Radio for Local Communication (Test #1)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwoRWU5UeJc

CB Radio vs GMRS Radio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZJTqKH7vLE

The Second Most Valuable Life Skill

How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.

MARCUS AURELIUS

The most valuable life skill is developing the ability to cut bad people out of your life. This reduces the harm these people cause, but it does not eliminate the harm they have done. You may not go back to those people in the world, but you do go back to them in your mind. Additionally, you may have been harmed by a total stranger who cares nothing for what he has done to you and lives as if they are guilty of nothing. This can be infuriating leading to fantasies of revenge. You want to even the score. This is when you need the second most valuable life skill which is learning to let it go.

Letting it go is not the same as "forgive and forget." You can only forgive and forget when the person who has harmed you expresses remorse for their crimes and sins and asks for forgiveness. I have had people apologize to me for things, and it feels really good to forgive them and forget about it. That's the way it is supposed to be. But it's not the way it is.

Most people who harm you don't care. They are cold and sociopathic. You will never hear them apologize or ask for your forgiveness. Sometimes, when they are caught, they might give an insincere apology. I have gotten a lot of those. The worse thing you can do is let them get away with that. This is cheap forgiveness which is a trait of Protestants who believe God is in the cheap forgiveness business. He isn't.

You have to accept that people who harm you are not going to try and make amends. They go through life doing hit-and-runs, and you didn't even get the license plate number. That's just the way it is. Life isn't fair. I know this from vast personal experience. I just choose to let it go. Move on with your life and quit tripping over what is behind you.

Life is not fair, but God is just. You may have the desire for revenge, but revenge should never be your business. As the Good Book says,

Revenge not yourselves, my dearly beloved; but give place unto wrath, for it is written: Revenge is mine, I will repay, saith the Lord. But if thy enemy be hungry, give him to eat; if he thirst, give him to drink. For, doing this, thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head. 

ROMANS 12:19-20 DOUAY-RHEIMS

The reason we leave revenge in God's hands is because God is good at it. Nothing you can do to your enemy will ever match what God can and will do to that person. Either that person will repent and be forgiven which is awesome. Or, that person will not repent and go to eternal damnation. There is also the temporal punishment due which may be paid in Purgatory. Purgatory is the same as Hell except it has an exit door going to Heaven. This is why it is better to pay your debts here instead of there.

The way you pay your own debts is to suffer what these people have done to you without taking revenge. We are all guilty of something. We forget this as we beg mercy for our sins but justice for everyone else's sins. You can demand mercy, or you can demand justice. You can't have it both ways. The measure of mercy you show to others is what God will show to you.

It can be hard to let it go, but it is the smart thing to do. Most people who seek revenge ruin their lives in the process in ways far worse than the original offense. You will also find that you get nothing back that you lost.

God fixes everything in the end. We are called to be patient until then. No one gets away with anything. This includes you. Just practice patience, meekness, kindness, and mercy. If you do this, things will go well for you, Gentle Reader. You will have no regrets at the end of life.

Charlie's Dad Hat Collection

The term "dad hat" originated because this style of hat was often worn by older men, especially fathers, who valued function over fashion. The casual, unpretentious look of these hats made them a practical choice for daily activities. However, the dad hat has since transcended generations and is now a popular accessory in streetwear and casual fashion.

NAVJOT VIRK

I first started wearing ball caps when I was in elementary school. I remember them being trucker hats with the mesh in the back. I stopped wearing these hats in middle school because they weren't cool. I also was becoming the mop head as I had thick hair. This leads to hat hair if you wear a hat. I just ditched the hat.

Hats would return to my melon by my late twenties as the mop head evolved into the snakehead. I remember a guy in college who wore a yellow golf cap over a thick mane of blonde hair. This hat was raggedy, but I caught a glimpse of his head underneath. He was starting to lose the hair.

I don't have any vanity issues over male pattern baldness, so I don't wear a hat to hide what I have embraced. But when you shave your head, those lids come in handy for covering your melon when outside in the sun or the cold. That's when I started wearing ball caps again.

Some of the original caps were athletic style hats with a Nike swoosh, the Adidas three stripes, or the Under Armour logo. For some weird reason, I identified as an athlete even though I wasn't. I decluttered those hats later as I came to the realization that I was not an athlete whatsoever. That's when I bought a Carhartt canvas cap that became my standard workwear hat. It was black but turned to chocolate brown from the sun and the sweat. I lost that hat somewhere, and I miss it. It was very durable.

This is the hat that replaced the original Carhartt hat. I have worn it for over a decade now, but my wife said it was time to be retired. It is fraying apart. I will probably buy another one. This hat was found at Tractor Supply.

I found this hat at a Dollar General. I don't wear hats for sports teams, but I will wear one for my alma mater. I like camouflage even though I have never been hunting in my life. The only deer I have killed has been with my car. The reason I like camo colors is because hood rats have taken to wearing sports hats as gang apparel and will shoot you over it. I've never seen a hood rat in camo, so I think I'm safe from a drive by.

This is a swag hat for the NRA. I never wear this hat in public because it is overtly political and will trigger deranged lunatic leftists. I follow a gray man strategy of being as boring as possible. I mostly wear this hat for dirty jobs around the home like painting. I support the right to self-defense. I just don't want to have to practice it.

I found this hat at Goodwill. Standard Horizon makes marine radios. I do not own a marine radio or a boat.

This is another hat I found at Goodwill. I do own a John Deere lawn tractor, but I would still wear the hat even if I didn't. You often see these hats as trucker hats, but I can't wear trucker hats because they allow your bald head to get sunburned. This is a full cover dad hat.

This is a swag hat for the Wedgewood Pharmacy which supplies meds for veterinarians. I found this one at Goodwill. It is khaki which is also a top color choice for me. Light colors deflect more sunlight. You will also notice the missing button on top of the cap. I remove those buttons from all my dad caps because they hurt when I bump the top of my head into something.

This is a swag hat for a walk for breast cancer. I did not walk in that event. I just found this hat at the Goodwill. It was khaki, and it was clean. The pink palmetto tree is a plus.

That's it for my dad hat collection. I will add updates if I get more hats. Check back in the future.

Neither Isolationism Nor Imperialism: The Conservative Foreign Policy Of Peace Through Strength

In peace prepare for war, in war prepare for peace. The art of war is of vital importance to the state. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence under no circumstances can it be neglected.

SUN TZU

After the Holy Bible, I consider Sun Tzu's The Art of War to be essential reading. The wisdom in that book is simple yet profound. I read from it often and have made it a basis for many of my strategies in life. This particular quotation contains the peace through strength strategy in a nutshell. Peace is not a given. You must gain peace through strength. Conversely, weakness is provocation. Recent history bears me out on this.

Isolationism is the naive belief that other countries and foreign actors will leave you alone if you leave them alone and mind your own business. This is the utopian pipe dream of those with a libertarian political bent. I wish it could be this way, but it isn't. You have to give other countries and foreign actors the incentive to leave you alone. This is why a country must maintain a robust and constant national defense.

President Thomas Jefferson learned this lesson with the Barbary Pirates. I think of Jefferson as the most libertarian of the Founding Fathers with his "entangling alliances with none" quotation. Unfortunately, reality demanded that Jefferson create the US Navy and the US Marine Corps to go kick Barbary butt. Those Barbary pirates believed they had a positive duty from the Koran to attack American ships and enslave their crews. They were never going to mind their own business.

The War of 1812 also showed that isolationism was never going to be as the Brits decided to try kicking American butt again. Weakness was provocation, and the USA had to fight once again to remain free. This has been the state of affairs ever since. By World War I, Americans were weary of fighting and dying in foreign wars. This led to a resurgence of isolationist feelings at home. Pearl Harbor would end that.

Some believe that FDR knew Pearl Harbor was coming and sat on his hands and let it happen to sway hearts and minds into battle. I think the mere planning of such an attack was enough to justify going to war with Japan and with Nazi Germany, Japan's ally. No leader should ever let such an attack happen if it can be prevented. The only prevention for such attacks is to be prepared for them.

The famous line goes that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. It is sometimes credited to Thomas Jefferson, but it may as well have come from Sun Tzu. We are free only because of the job our men and women in uniform do for us each day.

If isolationism is the error of libertarians, imperialism is the error of those who lean left in their politics. By nature, Marxists and progressives cannot allow liberty which is why they support an ever expanding state of tyranny. This tyranny does not end at a country's borders but will spill over into other countries. This was certainly the case with the USSR and Communist China. The neoconservatives here at home were former progressives who decided that war was a good thing especially if it was an imperial war of conquest. The ultimate goal of this imperialism is the establishment of a one world global government. This is the utopian delusion of the left wing. Neoconservatives are just progressives masquerading as conservatives.

Neoconservatives proved their stupidity by invading Iraq after 9/11. That was a stupid, senseless, and unnecessary war. We can debate Vietnam and Korea because of the Soviet menace, but Iraq was war purely for the sake of war and conquest. We lost a lot of lives over there. What did we achieve?

The neocons will claim that containment doesn't work except that it does. The USA contained the USSR for the entirety of the Cold War. Peace through strength won the Cold War. This will never be enough for imperialist warmongers. They intend to rule over others no matter what. This is why someone wrote, "An evil enemy will burn his own nation to the ground to rule over the ashes." This quotation is attributed to Sun Tzu, but it doesn't appear in the Art of War. I believe Sun Tzu would agree with it.

Neoconservatives want forever war. For them, peace comes not from containment but from total subjugation of the enemy. They cannot and will not say no to war. These people are insane.

It is difficult to thread the needle between isolationism and imperialism. This is the cross of being a conservative. We do not have the luxury of arguing for a utopian position. We have to argue using facts and reality. The facts and reality show that isolationism and imperialism do not work. What does work is eternal vigilance. I hope we never forget this. History shows that we will.

The Show Horse, The Race Horse, And The Work Horse

Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people.

W.C. FIELDS

I am not an equestrian or a horse lover, but I am fond of horse and mule analogies. I'm not sure where I picked up this habit, but I did spend 7 months working for a feed merchant in a small town with a prominent horse industry. One of my best analogies is that of the stallion and the mule. You can ride a stallion to death. It will run until its heart explodes. You can't do that with a mule. The mule will do good work for you, but it will not allow itself to be worked to death or mistreated. I used that analogy many times on the job as I watched management work the stallions to death which was the stallions deciding to quit while the rest of us mules stayed and quietly labored for years. I lost count of those stallions.

Outside of work, I like to use the analogy of the show horse, the race horse, and the work horse. I see a lot of blue collar men who are confused about their identities and can't decide what they are and want to be in their lives. I know what they should be, but they don't listen to me much like the stallions didn't listen to the mules.

The show horse is the working man who decides he needs to spend money on fancy cars, boats, RV campers, motorcycles, and whatever else his credit limit will afford him. For them, the optics are what matter. It doesn't matter that most of these toys go unused. What matters is being seen in possession of working class status symbols. Naturally, this delights the bankers and finance company professionals. Later, it delights the repo man.

The race horse is the working man who sees himself as some sort of competitive athlete. These are the guys working on their golf games as the bank forecloses on their homes. These are the guys who compete in bass fishing tournaments that don't even yield enough prize money for them to justify the purchase of those expensive bass boats. At some point, the fantasy fades for them as they let the golf clubs rust and the fishing rods collect dust as they watch the real thing on ESPN.

The work horse is the working man who sees himself as a working man. Instead of buying a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, he buys a lawn mower and starts a mowing and landscaping business in the hours he has when he gets off work. Instead of buying a Jeep to flip over in the woods, he buys a boring pickup truck, so he can haul tools, supplies, and refuse.

I identify as a work horse. My brain damage has greatly killed my capacity for work, but it has not killed my love for work. I have worked with a lot of show horses and race horses in my time. But I have known some work horses who became my heroes. The irony is that the only difference between the three horses is self-delusion. The show horses and the race horses work but end up broke. The work horses are secure because they don't blow money on their fantasy selves.

Nobody wants to be what they are. This is why you have this 3 horse thing. I think being a work horse is the best thing you could ever be in life. It must be some trick of the Devil that turned working men into such self-hating individuals. They trade humility for foolishness. This message will certainly fall on deaf ears, but it is the most important lesson I have learned from all my years working. Embrace who you are. Know thyself.

You can be a show horse, a race horse, or a work horse. You can't be all three of them. Reality won't allow it. Let hard work be your sport and hobby. Be the work horse.