Corporate vs Governmental Big Brother
George Orwell's 1984 has not just been here - it's creeping further into our lives like a cancer. Today, I happened to be out at the Discount Drug Mart on the corner of Wallings and State Roads in North Royalton, OH at about 10:03 AM.
I bought some sinus medicine because I had a splitting headache from all the pollen as well as the humidity following the rains in the past 2 weeks. As I checked out, the girl had informed me that I had to fill out a form with my printed name, signature, street address and provide my drivers license identity. JUST FOR FREAKIN' OVER-THE-COUNTER SINUS MEDICINE !!!
Some feel that this type of privacy invasion is OK if it stops the home made "meth" labs. I ain't one of them!
First - we allow our priveledges to be encumbered by seat belts. HELLO!!! There aren't any on motorcycles - yet BIG BROTHER can pull you over and fine you for not wearing one!!! Now THIS???
The time has come to halt the ever encroaching corporate and governmental BIG BROTHER!
What Happened to our FREEDOM!???!
Tuesday, May 16, 2006
Twenty Five years ago today, I got married. It was a wedding with 17 months of planning and saving. In the end, we broke even on the spending. Neither of us won - except for four great kids.
It was the innocence of an era gone by. Two people, doomed to fail as a couple, blissfully ignorant of life's challanges ahead, married anyway. Despite the age difference, clashes fom family members and just plain old not knowing any better. Life has taught me that myeslf, today's world and marraige are not a compatable entity.
Life in these past 25 years has embittered me, made me grow much more introverted and I learned a genuine dislike for the falseness of today's plastic people society. More people voted for the American Idol than did for president. What's that tell you about the future of America?
Today's society is not one I subscribe to. I don't care what Hollywood does. I don't care about the celeb couples and their cheating. I don't stop everything at work to chat with a co-worker about the latest Hollywood Gossip. I don't spend my employers money foolishly on taking 1.5 hours to discuss the carb count of todays lunch that we are also planning on company time.
I don't even care to acknowlege today's twenty-something crowd as human. They are, rather, an enigma of today - mutants that have no clue about values and are truly the result of our own "keep up with the Jones's" competitive spending. They learned their sins by watching the yuppies of yesteryear. Bad career models!
I don't care a rat's ass about Game Cube, X-Box, Ipods or any technotoys. I don't care if you have a 1.5 million dollar custom built house that you built on the backs of your employees while neighbors the street over have a house 1/10th the value, maxxed out their credit cards and can't afford their own life long family home's mortgage. It's the struggling American Realist that I would take as a personal friend over the plastic gucci in a pretentious palace.
It was the innocence of an era gone by. Two people, doomed to fail as a couple, blissfully ignorant of life's challanges ahead, married anyway. Despite the age difference, clashes fom family members and just plain old not knowing any better. Life has taught me that myeslf, today's world and marraige are not a compatable entity.
Life in these past 25 years has embittered me, made me grow much more introverted and I learned a genuine dislike for the falseness of today's plastic people society. More people voted for the American Idol than did for president. What's that tell you about the future of America?
Today's society is not one I subscribe to. I don't care what Hollywood does. I don't care about the celeb couples and their cheating. I don't stop everything at work to chat with a co-worker about the latest Hollywood Gossip. I don't spend my employers money foolishly on taking 1.5 hours to discuss the carb count of todays lunch that we are also planning on company time.
I don't even care to acknowlege today's twenty-something crowd as human. They are, rather, an enigma of today - mutants that have no clue about values and are truly the result of our own "keep up with the Jones's" competitive spending. They learned their sins by watching the yuppies of yesteryear. Bad career models!
I don't care a rat's ass about Game Cube, X-Box, Ipods or any technotoys. I don't care if you have a 1.5 million dollar custom built house that you built on the backs of your employees while neighbors the street over have a house 1/10th the value, maxxed out their credit cards and can't afford their own life long family home's mortgage. It's the struggling American Realist that I would take as a personal friend over the plastic gucci in a pretentious palace.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
From time to time, get caught up in memories of when I was a kid. We all do it. Some are happy ones, others aren't. Some memories mean nothing, others mean a great deal.
As I have said - on my website - on this blog - I LOVE the month of May... the rebirth after the final depths of winter's dying grip and the return of the sun, th flowers and the leaves. Right now - THIS VERY MOMENT - I should be spending every sunny day outside... forget the work! Work is a four letter word! But I don't.
And then, Nights like tonight find me in deep thought.
We see our country diversly divided... As Robert McNamera said in his 1995 book: "a great American tragedy... ...a period in which the nation found itself deeply divided both politically and culturally"...
Except he isn't talking about today.
But rather, 36 years ago Tomorrow - May 4, 1970 - one of many defining moments in the death of my generation's innocence. It's hard to believe it was THAT generation who fought for their rights with civil disobedience, protests and marches gave way to this sickening over indulgent spend-thrift generation of today. My parents would surely have called today's spend-a-holics as SPOILED BRATS. I tend to agree.
The reflection becomes very sobering when you compare that to the blatant, often repulsive, obsessive, and pretty much mindless spending of today's Under age 45... buying public. Hummers, Ipods, Digital Satillite Radio, Camera phones - any senseless fad trinket - or any new $1.5 million home in the midst of those costing 1/10th that.
In the early 70's folks "dropped out", choosing to leave the gore of flagrant capitalism for more earthly pursuits like herbal remedies, a simpler way of life and health foods. Noone over 30 was to be trusted. I say hike it by 15 years and reverse it!
Now-a-days the mindless mid-management office workers spend 2 hours planning lunch, as well as that night's bar hopping spree - all on company time. The company, of course is no wiser, because senior management is away from the helm of a runaway ship that customers can no longer catch. (No I'm not talking Enron here... ...rather something a LOT closer to home).
I'm by no means a socialist. I like my trinkets and baubles too, albeit they be modest, rustic and quite antiquated as compared to today's "keep up with the Jones's set".
But who am I? just a rambling 50 year old - - Thanking GOD that I don't have to grow up in a time when a tank of gas could run you what my parents paid for a monthly rent when they were these kids' age.
I know I'll NEVER own - or be able to afford housing I own. I know I am probably driving my last new vehicle. I know I'll have to work as long as I live - because there is no such thing as retirement any more. I know I will NEVER be management, or ever own my own business - because I don't have the killer instinct to slit my customers' throats or build my palace on the backs of my underpaid employees. I know several employers who do that though. I was even foolish enough to believe I owed them my loyalty for allowing me to work there. It was by the grace of my sweetheart that I finally - after a number of years - took off the rose colored glasses and realized I have been a fool.
No - looking back to 36 years ago tomorrow gives me the feeling we truly are DEvolving. Civilization will collapse in upon it's own over-consumption. Then where will all these talent-less MBA, Middle managers be?
BOWHUNTING.
LOG HOME BUILDING
TRAPPING
FARMING
That's what I think I better concentrate on.
I'll be the teacher back in the one-room classroom.
Where children will come to learn about the society that distroyed itself through spending, and the government that lead by example - over-running itself with debts.
As I have said - on my website - on this blog - I LOVE the month of May... the rebirth after the final depths of winter's dying grip and the return of the sun, th flowers and the leaves. Right now - THIS VERY MOMENT - I should be spending every sunny day outside... forget the work! Work is a four letter word! But I don't.
And then, Nights like tonight find me in deep thought.
We see our country diversly divided... As Robert McNamera said in his 1995 book: "a great American tragedy... ...a period in which the nation found itself deeply divided both politically and culturally"...
Except he isn't talking about today.
But rather, 36 years ago Tomorrow - May 4, 1970 - one of many defining moments in the death of my generation's innocence. It's hard to believe it was THAT generation who fought for their rights with civil disobedience, protests and marches gave way to this sickening over indulgent spend-thrift generation of today. My parents would surely have called today's spend-a-holics as SPOILED BRATS. I tend to agree.
The reflection becomes very sobering when you compare that to the blatant, often repulsive, obsessive, and pretty much mindless spending of today's Under age 45... buying public. Hummers, Ipods, Digital Satillite Radio, Camera phones - any senseless fad trinket - or any new $1.5 million home in the midst of those costing 1/10th that.
In the early 70's folks "dropped out", choosing to leave the gore of flagrant capitalism for more earthly pursuits like herbal remedies, a simpler way of life and health foods. Noone over 30 was to be trusted. I say hike it by 15 years and reverse it!
Now-a-days the mindless mid-management office workers spend 2 hours planning lunch, as well as that night's bar hopping spree - all on company time. The company, of course is no wiser, because senior management is away from the helm of a runaway ship that customers can no longer catch. (No I'm not talking Enron here... ...rather something a LOT closer to home).
I'm by no means a socialist. I like my trinkets and baubles too, albeit they be modest, rustic and quite antiquated as compared to today's "keep up with the Jones's set".
But who am I? just a rambling 50 year old - - Thanking GOD that I don't have to grow up in a time when a tank of gas could run you what my parents paid for a monthly rent when they were these kids' age.
I know I'll NEVER own - or be able to afford housing I own. I know I am probably driving my last new vehicle. I know I'll have to work as long as I live - because there is no such thing as retirement any more. I know I will NEVER be management, or ever own my own business - because I don't have the killer instinct to slit my customers' throats or build my palace on the backs of my underpaid employees. I know several employers who do that though. I was even foolish enough to believe I owed them my loyalty for allowing me to work there. It was by the grace of my sweetheart that I finally - after a number of years - took off the rose colored glasses and realized I have been a fool.
No - looking back to 36 years ago tomorrow gives me the feeling we truly are DEvolving. Civilization will collapse in upon it's own over-consumption. Then where will all these talent-less MBA, Middle managers be?
BOWHUNTING.
LOG HOME BUILDING
TRAPPING
FARMING
That's what I think I better concentrate on.
I'll be the teacher back in the one-room classroom.
Where children will come to learn about the society that distroyed itself through spending, and the government that lead by example - over-running itself with debts.
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