C. Henry Martens's Blog, page 13
December 9, 2016
Truth be Told
©2016 C. Henry Martens
A collection of thoughts and quotes jotted down as life passes by.
Good design is very often beyond the designer's grasp. They don't have the ability to design for the market as they are stuck on designing to impress each other, those with deep pockets that provide funding, and those few that really care about chrome and shiny bits. Lucky for them that the rest of us can use enough of what they make that we buy what they are selling.
All good leaders have to lie, cheat, and steal to do their job well. This is something that most people seem to not understand. The thing that separates lousy leaders from good ones is their intentions. Those that listen and represent ALL of the people, city, county, state, nation, world... to the betterment of everyone are the good guys. Those that represent their donors, their own pockets, and especially their egos, are the bad guys. Unfortunately, the ones that intend to represent people instead of donors are rarely elected, much less reelected.
It's easier to see the truth when you realize that you have chosen a veil to see the world through, and then purposefully remove the veil.
Theodore Roosevelt: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
There is a very large change in attitude over the years with people using selective reasoning in choosing what they see as right, and even ethical. It's like a bunch of young parents protecting their child, even though they know their kid did the wrong that they are accused of. I hear people all the time, screaming in protection of the second amendment, proclaiming loudly that they are supporting the Constitution... and all while they are making excuses for the breaches of the fourth amendment. And this can be said just as easily in reverse depending on which party is yelling loudest at the time.
Reality is independent of what human beings perceive. We either see it accurately or we don't. We either understand what we see, or we don't. We either accept what we see, or we don't. We, ourselves, are the problem with having the perception of different realities, because we are human and want to make reality as we see fit. If we don't see, understand, and accept reality for what it IS... in our pride we change it. But only humans are so mentally insufficient that we believe the changes are real.
Mark Twain: “It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.”
The world population was 2.5 billion in 1950 and 6.7 billion in 2008. The earth was already warming uncontrollably at the turn of the twentieth century. At the present population the practice of recycling, driving electric cars, and building wind farms is purely symbolic.
What cracks me up is that we all fail to see the humor in it when we are caught out believing something that just ain't so. It is a universal that humans will rally around a falsehood when on the other side of truth, rather than simply change their mind in support of the truth.
Yes, we are survivors, and yes we are breeders... but once we have wasted the last critical resource we will have to find another way to continue to exist, or we will die.
Sorry, can’t find a good attribution for who said this: “People are more offended by labels, swear words, opinions, and middle fingers than they are by famine, warfare, and the destruction of our environment.”
All organizations have their faults. It does not matter what organization it is. The best way to repair those faults is to recognize them and speak up. The most sure way to be labeled a traitor to the organization you would like to make successful is to point out the faults in it and try to repair what is wrong. The extreme loyalists in any organization are the people most likely to make the organization fail.
Click here to receive the Apocalypse Observer Newsletter in your inbox
www.readmota.com
To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
A collection of thoughts and quotes jotted down as life passes by.
Good design is very often beyond the designer's grasp. They don't have the ability to design for the market as they are stuck on designing to impress each other, those with deep pockets that provide funding, and those few that really care about chrome and shiny bits. Lucky for them that the rest of us can use enough of what they make that we buy what they are selling.
All good leaders have to lie, cheat, and steal to do their job well. This is something that most people seem to not understand. The thing that separates lousy leaders from good ones is their intentions. Those that listen and represent ALL of the people, city, county, state, nation, world... to the betterment of everyone are the good guys. Those that represent their donors, their own pockets, and especially their egos, are the bad guys. Unfortunately, the ones that intend to represent people instead of donors are rarely elected, much less reelected.
It's easier to see the truth when you realize that you have chosen a veil to see the world through, and then purposefully remove the veil.
Theodore Roosevelt: “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
There is a very large change in attitude over the years with people using selective reasoning in choosing what they see as right, and even ethical. It's like a bunch of young parents protecting their child, even though they know their kid did the wrong that they are accused of. I hear people all the time, screaming in protection of the second amendment, proclaiming loudly that they are supporting the Constitution... and all while they are making excuses for the breaches of the fourth amendment. And this can be said just as easily in reverse depending on which party is yelling loudest at the time.
Reality is independent of what human beings perceive. We either see it accurately or we don't. We either understand what we see, or we don't. We either accept what we see, or we don't. We, ourselves, are the problem with having the perception of different realities, because we are human and want to make reality as we see fit. If we don't see, understand, and accept reality for what it IS... in our pride we change it. But only humans are so mentally insufficient that we believe the changes are real.
Mark Twain: “It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.”
The world population was 2.5 billion in 1950 and 6.7 billion in 2008. The earth was already warming uncontrollably at the turn of the twentieth century. At the present population the practice of recycling, driving electric cars, and building wind farms is purely symbolic.
What cracks me up is that we all fail to see the humor in it when we are caught out believing something that just ain't so. It is a universal that humans will rally around a falsehood when on the other side of truth, rather than simply change their mind in support of the truth.
Yes, we are survivors, and yes we are breeders... but once we have wasted the last critical resource we will have to find another way to continue to exist, or we will die.
Sorry, can’t find a good attribution for who said this: “People are more offended by labels, swear words, opinions, and middle fingers than they are by famine, warfare, and the destruction of our environment.”
All organizations have their faults. It does not matter what organization it is. The best way to repair those faults is to recognize them and speak up. The most sure way to be labeled a traitor to the organization you would like to make successful is to point out the faults in it and try to repair what is wrong. The extreme loyalists in any organization are the people most likely to make the organization fail.
Click here to receive the Apocalypse Observer Newsletter in your inbox
www.readmota.com
To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
December 2, 2016
At Least There Was No Jar Jar Binks (Star Wars: The Force Awakens)
©2016 Kari Carlisle
Warning: Major Spoilers, as if everyone hasn’t already seen it but me [sigh]
It is with some shame that I must admit that I have only just seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens a few days ago. It was seeing Star Wars in 1977 that led me down the path of sci-fi fan, and the only explanation I can offer for my current behavior is that I live in a very remote area and now rarely see movies in the theater anymore.
Backing up a bit, I was nervous about Disney taking over the franchise. But then I was excited that J.J. Abrams was involved in the first Star Wars movie being produced and felt confident that there would be no Jar Jar Binks shenanigans. So when I finally had an opportunity to watch the film, that was probably the first thing I said to my husband after it ended, “At least there was no Jar Jar Binks.”
That being said, you can say “At least there was no Jar Jar Binks” about every movie ever made except, what, three? So don’t consider that high praise for The Force Awakens. What I can say in praise of it is that it was a lot of fun to watch.
I really didn’t plan to watch it with a critical eye. I did just want to sit back and enjoy watching the movie. It was the middle of the day, so I closed all the blinds (we have black-out blinds) and turned off my phone ringer. Even the dogs left us alone (amazingly), and the only interruption was a bathroom break (too much coffee).
Several minutes in, I felt like I was watching a remake of Star Wars. All of them. The film stayed true to the rules of the Star Wars universe, as I expected. But the characters felt like shadows of old characters, and there didn’t seem to be any originality (with one exception, hang tight…). It felt like returning to an old home town and vaguely recognizing people and places, only I was recognizing characters, spaceships, robots, and aliens. Even the planet (Jenga? Something like that?) was JUST LIKE ANOTHER PLANET we’ve seen.
It was fun, but I kept waiting for the Big Moment, the Big Surprise, the Big Twist, the J.J. Abrams take on it. It never came. I even forgot they were looking for Luke the whole time. It was like one big side track. Any “big” revelations were predictable and not very well revealed. The “Darth Vader” lookin’ guy is Han’s son? With Leia? Yeah. Oh. The girl who runs a lot is Luke’s daughter? Yeah. Oh. Oh, then they’re cousins. Okay. Only she’s really good at the force, and he sucks at it. Got it. Okay.
The one character I really liked and felt was somewhat original was Finn. Yes, the one character whose name I remember. He’s original because he gives a face to all those faceless stormtroopers. Unfortunately, he’s also way too much like Han Solo in that they share the same flaw (don’t care about your cause, just want to do my own thing) that they both overcome (because it’s the right thing to do).
And what can I say about Han? Harrison Ford did a fabulous job of resurrecting him, and though I did an unbelievably fantastic job of avoiding spoilers before finally watching it, Han’s death is the one thing I accidentally found out about in advance. So I was more pissed than sad. No tears for Han.
Will I watch it again? You bet! It was fun, but I probably won’t watch it the 30+ times I’ve seen Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. And I’m told there are two more Star Warsmovies I haven’t seen yet? I can’t keep up - I’m starting to feel like Yoda (the one from Empire, not the young CG one from those other three movies).
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To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
Warning: Major Spoilers, as if everyone hasn’t already seen it but me [sigh]
It is with some shame that I must admit that I have only just seen Star Wars: The Force Awakens a few days ago. It was seeing Star Wars in 1977 that led me down the path of sci-fi fan, and the only explanation I can offer for my current behavior is that I live in a very remote area and now rarely see movies in the theater anymore.
Backing up a bit, I was nervous about Disney taking over the franchise. But then I was excited that J.J. Abrams was involved in the first Star Wars movie being produced and felt confident that there would be no Jar Jar Binks shenanigans. So when I finally had an opportunity to watch the film, that was probably the first thing I said to my husband after it ended, “At least there was no Jar Jar Binks.”
That being said, you can say “At least there was no Jar Jar Binks” about every movie ever made except, what, three? So don’t consider that high praise for The Force Awakens. What I can say in praise of it is that it was a lot of fun to watch.
I really didn’t plan to watch it with a critical eye. I did just want to sit back and enjoy watching the movie. It was the middle of the day, so I closed all the blinds (we have black-out blinds) and turned off my phone ringer. Even the dogs left us alone (amazingly), and the only interruption was a bathroom break (too much coffee).
Several minutes in, I felt like I was watching a remake of Star Wars. All of them. The film stayed true to the rules of the Star Wars universe, as I expected. But the characters felt like shadows of old characters, and there didn’t seem to be any originality (with one exception, hang tight…). It felt like returning to an old home town and vaguely recognizing people and places, only I was recognizing characters, spaceships, robots, and aliens. Even the planet (Jenga? Something like that?) was JUST LIKE ANOTHER PLANET we’ve seen.
It was fun, but I kept waiting for the Big Moment, the Big Surprise, the Big Twist, the J.J. Abrams take on it. It never came. I even forgot they were looking for Luke the whole time. It was like one big side track. Any “big” revelations were predictable and not very well revealed. The “Darth Vader” lookin’ guy is Han’s son? With Leia? Yeah. Oh. The girl who runs a lot is Luke’s daughter? Yeah. Oh. Oh, then they’re cousins. Okay. Only she’s really good at the force, and he sucks at it. Got it. Okay.
The one character I really liked and felt was somewhat original was Finn. Yes, the one character whose name I remember. He’s original because he gives a face to all those faceless stormtroopers. Unfortunately, he’s also way too much like Han Solo in that they share the same flaw (don’t care about your cause, just want to do my own thing) that they both overcome (because it’s the right thing to do).
And what can I say about Han? Harrison Ford did a fabulous job of resurrecting him, and though I did an unbelievably fantastic job of avoiding spoilers before finally watching it, Han’s death is the one thing I accidentally found out about in advance. So I was more pissed than sad. No tears for Han.
Will I watch it again? You bet! It was fun, but I probably won’t watch it the 30+ times I’ve seen Star Wars, Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi. And I’m told there are two more Star Warsmovies I haven’t seen yet? I can’t keep up - I’m starting to feel like Yoda (the one from Empire, not the young CG one from those other three movies).
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To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
November 23, 2016
Science Fiction Convention: MileHiCon
©2016 C. Henry Martens
Science fiction is a blast, and conventions are fun just to watch the people, so combining scifi with a gathering of authors and science nerds is a great way to spend a few days. Throw in the fantasy crowd, many in costume, and you have a real treat.
This particular convention, MileHiCon, was held at the Hyatt Regency on Tufts Avenue in Denver. The location was impressive, if somewhat inconvenient for the kind of gathering. Lots of people waiting for slow elevators, and an awkward area for the author’s venue. But the discussion rooms, vendor, and art area were fine.
I had the privilege to attend several presentations and panel discussions. One of the things I really enjoyed was that the audience participated. No lecture was boring, no panel was limited to those in the front of the room, and everyone shared ideas.
Ray Buland, a recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal for his work in creating the US National Seismograph Network and awarded personally by the President, gave an entertaining Brief History of the Earth. Did you know that nine tenths of the Earth’s history happened before any life was present? How about that the moon showed up fairly early, and even though it is made of the same stuff as our planet, no one has figured out how it formed? When he spoke of the electromagnetic field and the inner core rotating, and how it is necessary to life and even the manufacture of oxygen, I was fascinated.
Dr. Buland’s charming and lovely assistant (his wife) sought me out later and offered an invitation for drinks that evening. Unfortunately I had to decline as I would already be hundreds of miles on the road home. One of those true regrets in life that circumstances get in the way of.
I also enjoyed the panel discussions on Conspiracy Theories and Genetic Engineering. Lots of food for thought and some ideas for short stories.
I had made arrangements to share a table with another author for a couple of hours, and the facility was cramped and hidden behind a pillar. My compatriot and I hit it off immediately, and we decided to “break the rules” and move our table to where it could be more easily seen. The Powers That Be descended… but in the end we convinced them that we were unnecessarily hidden, and a compromise gave us a better vantage.
I offered a prize of $100 dollars to anyone who could answer a simple question about my three books, but had no takers. However, I did have several people download all three as free e-books, on the spot, with the promise they would give me reviews. Ain’t technology wunerful? I also parted ways with several print books, the most popular There Where the PowerLies, but all three finding homes depending on people’s interests.
So far… no reviews (You know who you are, lol).
Overall, a good time of stimulating conversations with intelligent and inspiring people, punctuated by belly dancing performed by several curvy ladies in alien/space inspired costumes.
Fun…
Click here to receive the Apocalypse Observer Newsletter in your inbox
www.readmota.com
To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
Science fiction is a blast, and conventions are fun just to watch the people, so combining scifi with a gathering of authors and science nerds is a great way to spend a few days. Throw in the fantasy crowd, many in costume, and you have a real treat.
This particular convention, MileHiCon, was held at the Hyatt Regency on Tufts Avenue in Denver. The location was impressive, if somewhat inconvenient for the kind of gathering. Lots of people waiting for slow elevators, and an awkward area for the author’s venue. But the discussion rooms, vendor, and art area were fine.
I had the privilege to attend several presentations and panel discussions. One of the things I really enjoyed was that the audience participated. No lecture was boring, no panel was limited to those in the front of the room, and everyone shared ideas.
Ray Buland, a recipient of the Distinguished Service Medal for his work in creating the US National Seismograph Network and awarded personally by the President, gave an entertaining Brief History of the Earth. Did you know that nine tenths of the Earth’s history happened before any life was present? How about that the moon showed up fairly early, and even though it is made of the same stuff as our planet, no one has figured out how it formed? When he spoke of the electromagnetic field and the inner core rotating, and how it is necessary to life and even the manufacture of oxygen, I was fascinated.
Dr. Buland’s charming and lovely assistant (his wife) sought me out later and offered an invitation for drinks that evening. Unfortunately I had to decline as I would already be hundreds of miles on the road home. One of those true regrets in life that circumstances get in the way of.
I also enjoyed the panel discussions on Conspiracy Theories and Genetic Engineering. Lots of food for thought and some ideas for short stories.
I had made arrangements to share a table with another author for a couple of hours, and the facility was cramped and hidden behind a pillar. My compatriot and I hit it off immediately, and we decided to “break the rules” and move our table to where it could be more easily seen. The Powers That Be descended… but in the end we convinced them that we were unnecessarily hidden, and a compromise gave us a better vantage.
I offered a prize of $100 dollars to anyone who could answer a simple question about my three books, but had no takers. However, I did have several people download all three as free e-books, on the spot, with the promise they would give me reviews. Ain’t technology wunerful? I also parted ways with several print books, the most popular There Where the PowerLies, but all three finding homes depending on people’s interests.
So far… no reviews (You know who you are, lol).
Overall, a good time of stimulating conversations with intelligent and inspiring people, punctuated by belly dancing performed by several curvy ladies in alien/space inspired costumes.
Fun…
Click here to receive the Apocalypse Observer Newsletter in your inbox
www.readmota.com
To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
November 18, 2016
Practical Gifts for the Homesteader and...
©2016 Kari Carlisle
Yep, it’s that time of year. Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday – everyone’s favorite holidays, right? Well, once you have gotten all of that out of your system and you’re at a loss as to what to buy for certain folks in your life, consider these ideas. These are practical gifts for the homesteader, the prepper, the hobby farmer, the survivalist, and the outdoor enthusiast.
Cast Iron AnythingSturdy, will last forever, and easy to maintain if you know what you’re doing, this is the go-to cookware for the practical person. Throw in a few pounds of beans and top it with a bow.
Small StoolAn unusual gift choice but incredibly versatile. Select wood, not plastic, and make sure it’s well-made. You might have to find this in an antique shop to meet those specs, but a good stool is well worth the effort to find. Be sure to let the recipient know what lengths you took to obtain such a wonderful find – that’s part of the gift. Besides just reaching the top book shelf, a stool can be used for reaching the top roost in the coop, sitting while milking the goats, a little help on the potty for going #2 (dead serious), and at the very worst, a decorative display.
Raw HoneyI’ve mentioned this in a previous post, but you really can’t go wrong with raw honey. It’s used as a sweetener for tea and corn bread (yum!), but you may not be aware that it can be effectively used to treat wounds and has a perpetual shelf life. Make a gift basket with tea and corn bread mix, or pair it with first aid supplies. You can’t go wrong.
Hiking Socks, Hats, GlovesFor the gift giver, these are super easy to buy. For the most part, you don’t have to worry too much about size, and since this is an insanely practical gift, you don’t even have to worry too much about style (but I'll take Jayne's hat any day!). For the homesteaders, et. al., they can’t have too many of these things because they can be difficult (or time-consuming) to make themselves, and they wear out quickly.
Scissors, KnivesQuality and/or quantity and all different types and sizes are needed. Homesteaders need a lot of these accessible all over the homestead. Can’t have too many.
Duct TapeNot only in silver anymore, duct tape is a life-saver. Maybe literally at times. Duct tape last a long time and can be used as splints, for repairs, and even to seal ducts! Imagine that! It even saved the life of that guy stuck on Mars. "Duct tape is magic and should be worshiped" (The Martian).
BandanasGoogle “uses for bandanas” and you’ll see why this is such a great gift. Mine are all packed away in a box, and I can’t find them, so if you don’t know what to get me for Christmas, this would be appreciated.
As you can see, these ideas will fit into any budget. Build a gift basket with several of them, or mix and match with other less practical items for fun. Here are a few add-on ideas to get you going:
Cast Iron + cookbooks, cooking utensils, beans and rice, gourmet oil…Small Stool + grabber, gardening tools, apron, toilet paper roll cover…Raw Honey + ceramic honey pot, scone mix, tea and antique cup, pet first aid kit…Hiking Socks, Hats, Gloves + stainless steel water bottle, day pack, camping supplies…Scissors, Knives + homesteading book, carrying pouches…Duct Tape + Gorilla Glue, tool set, first aid book, The Martian on Blu-Ray…Bandanas + stick (get it?), essential oils, fanny pack, whistle, small solar panel…
Use the comments section to tell us your gift ideas for the homesteader/prepper/hobby farmer/survivalist in your life…
Click here to receive the Apocalypse Observer Newsletter in your inbox
www.readmota.com
To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
Yep, it’s that time of year. Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday – everyone’s favorite holidays, right? Well, once you have gotten all of that out of your system and you’re at a loss as to what to buy for certain folks in your life, consider these ideas. These are practical gifts for the homesteader, the prepper, the hobby farmer, the survivalist, and the outdoor enthusiast.
Cast Iron AnythingSturdy, will last forever, and easy to maintain if you know what you’re doing, this is the go-to cookware for the practical person. Throw in a few pounds of beans and top it with a bow.
Small StoolAn unusual gift choice but incredibly versatile. Select wood, not plastic, and make sure it’s well-made. You might have to find this in an antique shop to meet those specs, but a good stool is well worth the effort to find. Be sure to let the recipient know what lengths you took to obtain such a wonderful find – that’s part of the gift. Besides just reaching the top book shelf, a stool can be used for reaching the top roost in the coop, sitting while milking the goats, a little help on the potty for going #2 (dead serious), and at the very worst, a decorative display.
Raw HoneyI’ve mentioned this in a previous post, but you really can’t go wrong with raw honey. It’s used as a sweetener for tea and corn bread (yum!), but you may not be aware that it can be effectively used to treat wounds and has a perpetual shelf life. Make a gift basket with tea and corn bread mix, or pair it with first aid supplies. You can’t go wrong.
Hiking Socks, Hats, GlovesFor the gift giver, these are super easy to buy. For the most part, you don’t have to worry too much about size, and since this is an insanely practical gift, you don’t even have to worry too much about style (but I'll take Jayne's hat any day!). For the homesteaders, et. al., they can’t have too many of these things because they can be difficult (or time-consuming) to make themselves, and they wear out quickly.
Scissors, KnivesQuality and/or quantity and all different types and sizes are needed. Homesteaders need a lot of these accessible all over the homestead. Can’t have too many.
Duct TapeNot only in silver anymore, duct tape is a life-saver. Maybe literally at times. Duct tape last a long time and can be used as splints, for repairs, and even to seal ducts! Imagine that! It even saved the life of that guy stuck on Mars. "Duct tape is magic and should be worshiped" (The Martian).
BandanasGoogle “uses for bandanas” and you’ll see why this is such a great gift. Mine are all packed away in a box, and I can’t find them, so if you don’t know what to get me for Christmas, this would be appreciated.
As you can see, these ideas will fit into any budget. Build a gift basket with several of them, or mix and match with other less practical items for fun. Here are a few add-on ideas to get you going:
Cast Iron + cookbooks, cooking utensils, beans and rice, gourmet oil…Small Stool + grabber, gardening tools, apron, toilet paper roll cover…Raw Honey + ceramic honey pot, scone mix, tea and antique cup, pet first aid kit…Hiking Socks, Hats, Gloves + stainless steel water bottle, day pack, camping supplies…Scissors, Knives + homesteading book, carrying pouches…Duct Tape + Gorilla Glue, tool set, first aid book, The Martian on Blu-Ray…Bandanas + stick (get it?), essential oils, fanny pack, whistle, small solar panel…
Use the comments section to tell us your gift ideas for the homesteader/prepper/hobby farmer/survivalist in your life…
Click here to receive the Apocalypse Observer Newsletter in your inbox
www.readmota.com
To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
November 11, 2016
Paranormal Activity
©2016 Kari Carlisle
When I was a kid, I once saw glowing eyes on my bedroom wall. To this day, I can’t explain what it was. Was it a “ghost?” I doubt it, but then, who knows? Over the years, I’ve occasionally contemplated it. I’ve thought it was probably lights from a passing car. But wouldn’t I have seen the same glowing eyes on a regular basis?
I was afraid of ghosts when I was a kid. It didn’t stop me from terrorizing my friends, though. When a friend and I planned a slumber party one time, we rigged a rocking chair to rock when we pulled a string and set it rocking after we hit play on the tape recorder we had recorded typical ghost “woooo” sounds on. Scared the bejeebers out of everyone.
Other than the glowing eyes incident, I never really had any paranormal experiences growing up. In recent years, I heard some unexplained voices at a previous workplace, once corroborated by someone else. But though I remain a skeptic, apparently I’m still afraid of ghosts.
I enjoy watching SyFy Channel’s Ghost Hunters, mainly because I like how they try to debunk things, but I’m always intrigued when they capture compelling evidence. I recently rented an old house for my staff and me to stay in on a business trip. Two of my staff captured their own compelling evidence.
On our first night, we all slept well. In the morning, however, one of my staff came to me and said she caught a strange voice on her sleep app that records her sounds and sleep patterns. She played it for me several times, and sure enough, there was a male voice. We couldn’t make out exactly what was said, but it was definitely not her.
Then another staff member came forward and said someone threw a quarter at her in the middle of the night. She said she felt something hit her foot and then she heard it bounce off the metal bed rail and hit the floor. In the morning she saw the quarter lying there. We all went into her room, and there it was. We could not figure out where the quarter came from or how it could have charted its midnight course without an intercessor. Later, someone looked it up online and discovered that ghosts throwing coins at people is really “a thing.”
Both my staff members also reported cold spots and the feeling of being touched by something. That night, they slept with their lights on.
When I went to bed, I shut the door, turned out the light, and said a prayer for protection. The prayer worked. I didn’t get bothered by any paranormal activity. No, it was my own imagination that did me in. Before I could fall asleep, it seemed like the room got darker, and I felt like I was being smothered. Just the blanket I had firmly around every inch of me so as not to “expose” myself to the ghost. And then there were the nightmares. I don’t remember details, but I kept waking up, heart pounding, afraid to open my eyes in case I might see something I didn’t want to see.
By the light of day, it all seemed so silly. What exactly was I afraid of? I’m so brave while I’m watching Ghost Hunters, imagining myself walking around a supposedly haunted house for half the night, debunking strange events and collecting evidence of – something – from another dimension. And there I was, cowering under the covers. I can laugh about it now, but I don’t think I’ll rent that particular house again.
The morning after the second night, getting ready to leave for home, I was washing my hands in the bathroom, and I felt like something was blowing on my face. I looked up in the mirror, and sure enough, a tuft of my hair was moving as if there was a breeze. The window must still be open. No, the window is not open. A vent? No. I looked at my image again, just one little tuft of my hair blowing. But why? I tucked it behind my ear and high tailed it out of there.
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When I was a kid, I once saw glowing eyes on my bedroom wall. To this day, I can’t explain what it was. Was it a “ghost?” I doubt it, but then, who knows? Over the years, I’ve occasionally contemplated it. I’ve thought it was probably lights from a passing car. But wouldn’t I have seen the same glowing eyes on a regular basis?
I was afraid of ghosts when I was a kid. It didn’t stop me from terrorizing my friends, though. When a friend and I planned a slumber party one time, we rigged a rocking chair to rock when we pulled a string and set it rocking after we hit play on the tape recorder we had recorded typical ghost “woooo” sounds on. Scared the bejeebers out of everyone.
Other than the glowing eyes incident, I never really had any paranormal experiences growing up. In recent years, I heard some unexplained voices at a previous workplace, once corroborated by someone else. But though I remain a skeptic, apparently I’m still afraid of ghosts.
I enjoy watching SyFy Channel’s Ghost Hunters, mainly because I like how they try to debunk things, but I’m always intrigued when they capture compelling evidence. I recently rented an old house for my staff and me to stay in on a business trip. Two of my staff captured their own compelling evidence.
On our first night, we all slept well. In the morning, however, one of my staff came to me and said she caught a strange voice on her sleep app that records her sounds and sleep patterns. She played it for me several times, and sure enough, there was a male voice. We couldn’t make out exactly what was said, but it was definitely not her.
Then another staff member came forward and said someone threw a quarter at her in the middle of the night. She said she felt something hit her foot and then she heard it bounce off the metal bed rail and hit the floor. In the morning she saw the quarter lying there. We all went into her room, and there it was. We could not figure out where the quarter came from or how it could have charted its midnight course without an intercessor. Later, someone looked it up online and discovered that ghosts throwing coins at people is really “a thing.”
Both my staff members also reported cold spots and the feeling of being touched by something. That night, they slept with their lights on.
When I went to bed, I shut the door, turned out the light, and said a prayer for protection. The prayer worked. I didn’t get bothered by any paranormal activity. No, it was my own imagination that did me in. Before I could fall asleep, it seemed like the room got darker, and I felt like I was being smothered. Just the blanket I had firmly around every inch of me so as not to “expose” myself to the ghost. And then there were the nightmares. I don’t remember details, but I kept waking up, heart pounding, afraid to open my eyes in case I might see something I didn’t want to see.
By the light of day, it all seemed so silly. What exactly was I afraid of? I’m so brave while I’m watching Ghost Hunters, imagining myself walking around a supposedly haunted house for half the night, debunking strange events and collecting evidence of – something – from another dimension. And there I was, cowering under the covers. I can laugh about it now, but I don’t think I’ll rent that particular house again.
The morning after the second night, getting ready to leave for home, I was washing my hands in the bathroom, and I felt like something was blowing on my face. I looked up in the mirror, and sure enough, a tuft of my hair was moving as if there was a breeze. The window must still be open. No, the window is not open. A vent? No. I looked at my image again, just one little tuft of my hair blowing. But why? I tucked it behind my ear and high tailed it out of there.
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November 4, 2016
Movie Review: The Revenant
©2016 C. Henry Martens
I thought The Revenant was one of the most accurately filmed and choreographed movies ever. The first scene where they were hunting an elk, on flooded ground in the forest, was brilliant. Also nice to see a film with real, time period type horses instead of Andelusians or quarter horses. The brutality was something most films pass over, too, and in this case it added to the tale. I've been a fan of the Hugh Glass story since I was a little kid, and although the movie took some artistic license, it did his memory proud.
I have to wonder why they used such poor special effects in the bear attack scene. The artwork was clumsy at best, and distracting otherwise. Certainly not in keeping with the quality of the movie as a whole.
There were a couple of scenes that were added to make the point that white/Indian relations were not good. Some of that made good movie making, and the point was driven home… but some was unnecessary and became over done.
The original tale is brutal, and the film began with that true to life, and shocking for Hollywood, realism. But in the end the story was manicured and lost something in the process.
I believe the film is an important contribution to movie making, but it will disturb some people and I predict will not sell particularly well on DVD. If you like realistic, gritty and sometimes unpleasant reality, then this movie offers a pretty accurate look in short doses piled up on top of each other.
Stars? 5 despite the technical issues with the bear and the changes in the story line for the worse. I should say 5 stars in the first viewing, because I’m not sure I will go out of my way to see it again.
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I thought The Revenant was one of the most accurately filmed and choreographed movies ever. The first scene where they were hunting an elk, on flooded ground in the forest, was brilliant. Also nice to see a film with real, time period type horses instead of Andelusians or quarter horses. The brutality was something most films pass over, too, and in this case it added to the tale. I've been a fan of the Hugh Glass story since I was a little kid, and although the movie took some artistic license, it did his memory proud.
I have to wonder why they used such poor special effects in the bear attack scene. The artwork was clumsy at best, and distracting otherwise. Certainly not in keeping with the quality of the movie as a whole.
There were a couple of scenes that were added to make the point that white/Indian relations were not good. Some of that made good movie making, and the point was driven home… but some was unnecessary and became over done.
The original tale is brutal, and the film began with that true to life, and shocking for Hollywood, realism. But in the end the story was manicured and lost something in the process.
I believe the film is an important contribution to movie making, but it will disturb some people and I predict will not sell particularly well on DVD. If you like realistic, gritty and sometimes unpleasant reality, then this movie offers a pretty accurate look in short doses piled up on top of each other.
Stars? 5 despite the technical issues with the bear and the changes in the story line for the worse. I should say 5 stars in the first viewing, because I’m not sure I will go out of my way to see it again.
Click here to receive the Apocalypse Observer Newsletter in your inbox
www.readmota.com
To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
October 28, 2016
Evolution by Design
©2016 C. Henry Martens
Are we ready for artificial evolution? By that, I mean designing and constructing our own evolution as a species?
Recently the great Charlie Rose “interviewed” a robot. One thing struck me right away. Before the interview, the make-up person asked the human accompanying the robot if “she” (the robot) would move as the make-up was applied. Right away, the human-looking mechanical was granted the position of having humanity. She was a “she.”
What has an Artificial Intelligence to do with human evolution? Well, have you considered transhumanism?
Transhumanism: An international and intellectual movement that aims to transform the human condition by developing and making widely available sophisticated technologies to greatly enhance human intellectual, physical, and psychological capacities.
And there you have it. Intentional playing around with the genetic potential of a species, Homo sapiens sapiens, modern man in the present form...
Why do we want to do that?
Well, consider how fragile we human beings really are. The common cold gives us a good excuse to call in to work sick and take two or three days off. Sure, we could go in anyways, but then the rest of those we come in contact with comes down with the illness, and pretty soon everyone is calling in. In the rest of the animal kingdom, illness is far less likely. Bovines (cows) have very few common life threatening diseases. We’ve all heard of hoof and mouth, and anthrax, but they are not very common at all. Wild animals are even healthier as a rule.
Presently human scientists are engaged in DNA manipulation and restructuring to “cure” genetically inherited anomalies. The success rate is expanding exponentially. There are other fields of study with at least as much promise, really just beginning. There is research being done in the field of nanotechnology, tiny synthetic robots, which may prevent bacterial and viral disease altogether. Beyond that, nano-sized robots may be engineered to identify and kill cancer cells before they can spread.
Between genetic engineering, identifying people carrying DNA with risk factors, and removing those faulty genes to be replaced with healthy equivalents… and molecule sized injectable armies to combat biological invaders, disease could be more in the past than the future.
Are there other ways that transhumanism might change the human condition? Something beyond genetics that might create a functional non-human entity?
In the field of prosthetics we are starting to replace lost/missing limbs with artificial appendages that are increasingly capable. Not just legs and arms, but also bionic eyes and artificial hearing devices. Advancements in nerve damage repair is becoming a reality.
Why do I mention this? Because many of the artificial appendages are controlled by wireless electrical signals from a human brain. There is a very real probability that an individual’s human thought and personality will eventually be housed in a mechanical body.
How soon will it be that a terribly mangled person will be offered the chance to have their physical brain reenergized within an artificial environment, a body made of metal, plastic, and synthetic muscle fibers? Something made to look entirely human.
There is research in its infancy being done involving downloading the human mind’s electrical activity into an artificial environment without any biological components. With no necessity for any organic tissue, many of the problems inherent in interstellar travel become moot.
I neglected to mention what the robot, Sophia, answered to Charlie Rose in his interview, when asked what its goals were. It (or “she” if you prefer) replied, “I want to become smarter than humans and immortal.”
If transhumanism succeeds, Artificial Intelligence will have a race.
If one person can be downloaded into a synthetic environment, why not several? It remains to be seen if this means independent beings, autonomous, that can join together if they desire… or a true hive mind that is linked continuously. Would a hive mind of all human experience and knowledge be smarter than a mechanical mind?
And immortality? What about that?
Something to look forward to, or is it?
Click here to receive the Apocalypse Observer Newsletter in your inbox
www.readmota.com
To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
Are we ready for artificial evolution? By that, I mean designing and constructing our own evolution as a species?
Recently the great Charlie Rose “interviewed” a robot. One thing struck me right away. Before the interview, the make-up person asked the human accompanying the robot if “she” (the robot) would move as the make-up was applied. Right away, the human-looking mechanical was granted the position of having humanity. She was a “she.”
What has an Artificial Intelligence to do with human evolution? Well, have you considered transhumanism?
Transhumanism: An international and intellectual movement that aims to transform the human condition by developing and making widely available sophisticated technologies to greatly enhance human intellectual, physical, and psychological capacities.
And there you have it. Intentional playing around with the genetic potential of a species, Homo sapiens sapiens, modern man in the present form...
Why do we want to do that?
Well, consider how fragile we human beings really are. The common cold gives us a good excuse to call in to work sick and take two or three days off. Sure, we could go in anyways, but then the rest of those we come in contact with comes down with the illness, and pretty soon everyone is calling in. In the rest of the animal kingdom, illness is far less likely. Bovines (cows) have very few common life threatening diseases. We’ve all heard of hoof and mouth, and anthrax, but they are not very common at all. Wild animals are even healthier as a rule.
Presently human scientists are engaged in DNA manipulation and restructuring to “cure” genetically inherited anomalies. The success rate is expanding exponentially. There are other fields of study with at least as much promise, really just beginning. There is research being done in the field of nanotechnology, tiny synthetic robots, which may prevent bacterial and viral disease altogether. Beyond that, nano-sized robots may be engineered to identify and kill cancer cells before they can spread.
Between genetic engineering, identifying people carrying DNA with risk factors, and removing those faulty genes to be replaced with healthy equivalents… and molecule sized injectable armies to combat biological invaders, disease could be more in the past than the future.
Are there other ways that transhumanism might change the human condition? Something beyond genetics that might create a functional non-human entity?
In the field of prosthetics we are starting to replace lost/missing limbs with artificial appendages that are increasingly capable. Not just legs and arms, but also bionic eyes and artificial hearing devices. Advancements in nerve damage repair is becoming a reality.
Why do I mention this? Because many of the artificial appendages are controlled by wireless electrical signals from a human brain. There is a very real probability that an individual’s human thought and personality will eventually be housed in a mechanical body.
How soon will it be that a terribly mangled person will be offered the chance to have their physical brain reenergized within an artificial environment, a body made of metal, plastic, and synthetic muscle fibers? Something made to look entirely human.
There is research in its infancy being done involving downloading the human mind’s electrical activity into an artificial environment without any biological components. With no necessity for any organic tissue, many of the problems inherent in interstellar travel become moot.
I neglected to mention what the robot, Sophia, answered to Charlie Rose in his interview, when asked what its goals were. It (or “she” if you prefer) replied, “I want to become smarter than humans and immortal.”
If transhumanism succeeds, Artificial Intelligence will have a race.
If one person can be downloaded into a synthetic environment, why not several? It remains to be seen if this means independent beings, autonomous, that can join together if they desire… or a true hive mind that is linked continuously. Would a hive mind of all human experience and knowledge be smarter than a mechanical mind?
And immortality? What about that?
Something to look forward to, or is it?
Click here to receive the Apocalypse Observer Newsletter in your inbox
www.readmota.com
To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
October 21, 2016
The Best Advice I Ever Got
©2016 Kari Carlisle
There’s no shortage of advice out there – good and bad. And there’s no shortage of people willing to give it, including myself. I love to give advice because I’ve learned much of value in my life and sincerely wish to use what I’ve learned to help others. Of course not everyone takes advice well, but certainly you’re not one of those, because here you are!
So here it is, the best advice I ever got… my mother always told me, you've got to learn to pick your battles. That's good advice in business and in life. So what does that mean?
I’ve met people who are slugs. People who simply won’t fight any battle. They don’t take a stand on anything maybe because they just don’t believe in anything they think is worth fighting for. Or maybe they’re just too afraid to fight for anything. Or maybe they don’t know how.
I’ve met people who don’t seem to know how to stop fighting battles. They feel passionately about everything they believe to the point where even the smallest thing will set them off.
I find both kinds of people very annoying. Take a stand on something already, just not everything.
Some time ago there was a video floating around Facebook. I don’t know that it technically went viral or not, but it illustrates my point. The focus of the video was a bunny. Bunnies are cute. They are gentle, right? When faced by a predator they will run away, right? Well, this particular bunny’s offspring had been swallowed by a snake. This bunny did not run away from the snake. She picked her battle and fought the snake until she got her baby bunny back. This was a dangerous battle for her, but it was worth fighting.
Thinking back, I was probably turning into that type of person who wants to fight every battle. Why else would my mother have given me that advice, more than once if I remember correctly. And I suspect many of my battles had something to do with my little brother. Sorry, bro!
Now as an adult, I am guided by her words daily. I literally do think on an almost daily basis, is this battle worth fighting?
I recently bought a big box of granola bars at Costco, later to find that the number of bars that was supposed to be in the box was more than I received. What's the point of shopping at Costco to pay less if you don't get what you paid for? I went so far as to take pictures, which proves nothing of course, but I intended to take on this battle. In the end I never did. Making the trip, standing in line, explaining the problem... it all seemed more trouble than it was worth.
We’re faced with potential battles every day. Big ones. Small ones. Problems at work. Problems at home. Financial problems. Health problems. Problems of others. Problems halfway around the world. There is no shortage of battles to pick from. If you pick too many, or the wrong ones, you may never win any of your battles.
In the TV show, Last Man Standing, Tim Allen’s character admits he sometimes lets his wife get her way because it means sometimes he gets his way. Though his wife didn’t take that news well, I still get that. I don’t like the manipulative undertones, but sometimes it’s important to just let things slide. Nobody likes someone who always must have things their way.
Sometimes even the big things should be let go. You may absolutely be in the right, but if fighting a battle means taking it to court, for example, you really have to consider whether the cost of fighting the battle is worth winning it or risk losing it. Money, stress and relationships may be at stake. This is what picking your battles comes down to. Do you have the resources to fight the battle, and is the battle worth fighting, even if you may lose?There are losing battles. Sometimes these are worth fighting. A terminal disease. Climate change. Pollution. There is a lot we can do to slow the progression of major, negative forces.
Then there are battles of social justice. Poverty, crime, human trafficking, disease, abuse, freedom – I’m sure no one thinks these are battles not worth fighting. But the one who picks all of these battles is doomed to fail in all, because these battles are more than any one person can handle. Sure, we can donate money, volunteer time, shares memes on Facebook… it all helps, but the problems persist. Battles are fought well by those who concentrate their resources on the battles they can win or at least make significant impact.
And then there are political battles. It’s almost impossible to not notice that the U.S. is currently embroiled in one. Millions of dollars are being spent, tens of thousands of people are being employed (paid and volunteer), thousands of hours of air time are being utilized, relationships destroyed, vast resources spent, all to fight the battle for the presidency of the country. Is this a battle worth fighting? Absolutely. But each must decide for themselves what resources they are willing to devote to such a battle. The smallest thing you can do, and it will make a difference, is VOTE.
Sometimes it may feel like life is just beating you up. It may feel like you’re facing battles on every front. Take my mom’s advice. It’s good advice. Pick your battles wisely. Know what you can handle, and let the rest go. Truly let it go. Know what’s important and what you can devote your limited resources to. At the end of the battle, even if you don’t win, you’ll feel good about what you did, and you can sleep well.
One more thing – let others pick their own battles. Respect their right to their own opinions and how they choose to use their resources. You may not understand how someone could not feel as passionately about something as you do, but you may not know what’s going on. They may be tapped out on their resources emotionally. They may be stretched thin financially. Fight your own battles and let others fight theirs.
Click here to receive the Apocalypse Observer Newsletter in your inbox
www.readmota.com
To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
There’s no shortage of advice out there – good and bad. And there’s no shortage of people willing to give it, including myself. I love to give advice because I’ve learned much of value in my life and sincerely wish to use what I’ve learned to help others. Of course not everyone takes advice well, but certainly you’re not one of those, because here you are!
So here it is, the best advice I ever got… my mother always told me, you've got to learn to pick your battles. That's good advice in business and in life. So what does that mean?
I’ve met people who are slugs. People who simply won’t fight any battle. They don’t take a stand on anything maybe because they just don’t believe in anything they think is worth fighting for. Or maybe they’re just too afraid to fight for anything. Or maybe they don’t know how.
I’ve met people who don’t seem to know how to stop fighting battles. They feel passionately about everything they believe to the point where even the smallest thing will set them off.
I find both kinds of people very annoying. Take a stand on something already, just not everything.
Some time ago there was a video floating around Facebook. I don’t know that it technically went viral or not, but it illustrates my point. The focus of the video was a bunny. Bunnies are cute. They are gentle, right? When faced by a predator they will run away, right? Well, this particular bunny’s offspring had been swallowed by a snake. This bunny did not run away from the snake. She picked her battle and fought the snake until she got her baby bunny back. This was a dangerous battle for her, but it was worth fighting.
Thinking back, I was probably turning into that type of person who wants to fight every battle. Why else would my mother have given me that advice, more than once if I remember correctly. And I suspect many of my battles had something to do with my little brother. Sorry, bro!
Now as an adult, I am guided by her words daily. I literally do think on an almost daily basis, is this battle worth fighting?
I recently bought a big box of granola bars at Costco, later to find that the number of bars that was supposed to be in the box was more than I received. What's the point of shopping at Costco to pay less if you don't get what you paid for? I went so far as to take pictures, which proves nothing of course, but I intended to take on this battle. In the end I never did. Making the trip, standing in line, explaining the problem... it all seemed more trouble than it was worth.
We’re faced with potential battles every day. Big ones. Small ones. Problems at work. Problems at home. Financial problems. Health problems. Problems of others. Problems halfway around the world. There is no shortage of battles to pick from. If you pick too many, or the wrong ones, you may never win any of your battles.
In the TV show, Last Man Standing, Tim Allen’s character admits he sometimes lets his wife get her way because it means sometimes he gets his way. Though his wife didn’t take that news well, I still get that. I don’t like the manipulative undertones, but sometimes it’s important to just let things slide. Nobody likes someone who always must have things their way.
Sometimes even the big things should be let go. You may absolutely be in the right, but if fighting a battle means taking it to court, for example, you really have to consider whether the cost of fighting the battle is worth winning it or risk losing it. Money, stress and relationships may be at stake. This is what picking your battles comes down to. Do you have the resources to fight the battle, and is the battle worth fighting, even if you may lose?There are losing battles. Sometimes these are worth fighting. A terminal disease. Climate change. Pollution. There is a lot we can do to slow the progression of major, negative forces.
Then there are battles of social justice. Poverty, crime, human trafficking, disease, abuse, freedom – I’m sure no one thinks these are battles not worth fighting. But the one who picks all of these battles is doomed to fail in all, because these battles are more than any one person can handle. Sure, we can donate money, volunteer time, shares memes on Facebook… it all helps, but the problems persist. Battles are fought well by those who concentrate their resources on the battles they can win or at least make significant impact.
And then there are political battles. It’s almost impossible to not notice that the U.S. is currently embroiled in one. Millions of dollars are being spent, tens of thousands of people are being employed (paid and volunteer), thousands of hours of air time are being utilized, relationships destroyed, vast resources spent, all to fight the battle for the presidency of the country. Is this a battle worth fighting? Absolutely. But each must decide for themselves what resources they are willing to devote to such a battle. The smallest thing you can do, and it will make a difference, is VOTE.
Sometimes it may feel like life is just beating you up. It may feel like you’re facing battles on every front. Take my mom’s advice. It’s good advice. Pick your battles wisely. Know what you can handle, and let the rest go. Truly let it go. Know what’s important and what you can devote your limited resources to. At the end of the battle, even if you don’t win, you’ll feel good about what you did, and you can sleep well.
One more thing – let others pick their own battles. Respect their right to their own opinions and how they choose to use their resources. You may not understand how someone could not feel as passionately about something as you do, but you may not know what’s going on. They may be tapped out on their resources emotionally. They may be stretched thin financially. Fight your own battles and let others fight theirs.
Click here to receive the Apocalypse Observer Newsletter in your inbox
www.readmota.com
To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
October 14, 2016
Why Post-Apocalyptic People Worry Me
©2016 Kari Carlisle
Several years ago, my husband and I were headed out for a camping trip in the woods. We had the Jeep pulling our 16-foot 1976 “hunters special” camp trailer. We made a quick stop at the state park just a few miles from our home before heading into the mountains.
As we were leaving the parking lot at the visitor center, my husband noticed a vehicle pulling in with a headlight out. He stopped and held his hand out the window, indicating to the driver that he wanted to say something. The woman rolled down her window, and he let her know about the headlight.
A sane person might respond with, “Oh, thanks! I had no idea!” or “Yeah, I know. I’ll be heading into town to get it fixed. Thanks!” See how both responses include an expression of gratitude?
Now, here’s how the driver actually responded. She leaned over toward her passenger side, grabbed eggs, got out of her vehicle, and started hurling eggs at our Jeep. I kid you not.
So, of course, we high-tailed it out of there and postponed our trip a couple of hours to go back home and clean the Jeep. The whole time we were scratching our heads. What could possibly have caused her to react that way? Drugs? Alcohol? Batshit crazy? And why in the world did she have eggs right there? Was she just looking for an excuse to egg someone?
Have you ever had an encounter like that? If we can have this kind of experience in modern, rural America, what can we expect after the apocalypse? Will going through an apocalyptic event drive people crazy? What if “crazy” has not eggs but guns?
I was watching Stephen King’s The Stand on TV the other day. I enjoy watching it because it reminds me of the book which goes into so much detail about how the characters survive (or not). One uncomfortable scene depicts Nick Andros, the character played by Rob Lowe, encountering a girl in a grocery store. She’s so freaking crazy, she goes cackling off when she doesn’t get her way. And kudos to the costume designer for highlighting her craziness with that goofy dress she wears. But here’s the scary part – she goes straight for a gun and starts shooting.
I would hope that people would not go crazy and instead work together in a survival situation. But the fact of the matter is people are unpredictable. We know from disaster scenarios, some people will be leaders, some will be followers, some will be less than useful, some will go crazy, and some will be outright dangerous. Never make an assumption that the stranger you meet will act in a predictable way. No apocalypse necessary.
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Several years ago, my husband and I were headed out for a camping trip in the woods. We had the Jeep pulling our 16-foot 1976 “hunters special” camp trailer. We made a quick stop at the state park just a few miles from our home before heading into the mountains.
As we were leaving the parking lot at the visitor center, my husband noticed a vehicle pulling in with a headlight out. He stopped and held his hand out the window, indicating to the driver that he wanted to say something. The woman rolled down her window, and he let her know about the headlight.
A sane person might respond with, “Oh, thanks! I had no idea!” or “Yeah, I know. I’ll be heading into town to get it fixed. Thanks!” See how both responses include an expression of gratitude?
Now, here’s how the driver actually responded. She leaned over toward her passenger side, grabbed eggs, got out of her vehicle, and started hurling eggs at our Jeep. I kid you not.
So, of course, we high-tailed it out of there and postponed our trip a couple of hours to go back home and clean the Jeep. The whole time we were scratching our heads. What could possibly have caused her to react that way? Drugs? Alcohol? Batshit crazy? And why in the world did she have eggs right there? Was she just looking for an excuse to egg someone?
Have you ever had an encounter like that? If we can have this kind of experience in modern, rural America, what can we expect after the apocalypse? Will going through an apocalyptic event drive people crazy? What if “crazy” has not eggs but guns?
I was watching Stephen King’s The Stand on TV the other day. I enjoy watching it because it reminds me of the book which goes into so much detail about how the characters survive (or not). One uncomfortable scene depicts Nick Andros, the character played by Rob Lowe, encountering a girl in a grocery store. She’s so freaking crazy, she goes cackling off when she doesn’t get her way. And kudos to the costume designer for highlighting her craziness with that goofy dress she wears. But here’s the scary part – she goes straight for a gun and starts shooting.
I would hope that people would not go crazy and instead work together in a survival situation. But the fact of the matter is people are unpredictable. We know from disaster scenarios, some people will be leaders, some will be followers, some will be less than useful, some will go crazy, and some will be outright dangerous. Never make an assumption that the stranger you meet will act in a predictable way. No apocalypse necessary.
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October 7, 2016
Apocalypse Survival 101: Skill Set
©2016 C. Henry Martens
Apocalypse Survival 101Mental attitudeAssess the situationDefine the level of riskQuestions that need to be askedLocation, location, locationSkill setTimingThe realities in your support systemInventory of resourcesOdds versus priority
Apocalypse Survival 101: Skill Set
What do you bring to the table? Look around you. I’m sure you see how others function in society. You see the tough looking guy changing tires, the girl behind the desk at the doctor’s office, the couple on the street corner with a cardboard sign. What we are really doing when we interact with these people, beyond the ritual of a business transaction, is evaluating them. We might make some kinds of assumptions about how well they would survive in severe circumstances. But we really don’t know them.
We might not know that the tough kid changing tires has diabetes, lives in his mother’s basement, and spends his time away from work playing video games and searching porn sites. The young woman behind the desk has a concealed weapons permit, carries a Glock in her purse, camps as often as possible, and studies herbal medicine as a hobby. The couple with the cardboard sign just lost their home due to his PTSD-related employment issues, and he is a vet with black ops training and she is a midwife experienced with home births.
What do we see when we look in the mirror?
Time to be honest.
Age: Critical in terms of survival capability. The sweet spot is between twenty-five and thirty-five. This is the best place to be because you are most likely to be over your adolescent risk taking behaviors and haven’t yet experienced the ravages of your body falling apart from age. Next best age, thirty-five to fifty. Again because you have the mind to make decisions and still have the possibility of having physical capability. Next best age? A toss-up between fifteen to twenty-five… and the decade or so after fifty.
The younger set has the advantage of physical capability and enthusiasm, but a limited capacity having acquired relevant experience or for making good survival decisions. The elder set has good experience and decision making skills, but the body is starting to fall apart. Now these are evaluations “in general,” and we all know there are mature eighteen year olds and people in their later years that can run circles around the average teenager.
Experience: There are those people who avoid all new experience. Put them on the short list of soon-to-be-dead people.
A reality check, if you have a list of foods you don’t like as long as your arm, you are probably going to have some issues. If you specialize in anti-bacterial warfare, and your battleground is your own home, you will probably not do well once you are out of it. But if you can kill, butcher, and cook an animal in a home-crafted tin foil pot over an open fire that you made without matches, you may have some better odds. If you have built anything complicated with hand tools, planted, harvested and preserved foods from a garden, and can sew, read a map, train a dog, herd, trap, or shoot… then you have some skills. Nowadays, if you can make a solar panel work, understand the cultivation and use of medicinal herbs, or refine hydrogen from water, you may really be in demand.
Attitude: The strong will adapt. That means that you may be the most perfectly trained person in a group, capable and flexible and knowledgeable, but if you deny the worth of your fellow survivors and run out of patience they may ban you or eat you. If you happen to be that person, you better look at those around you and decide who you can train, who you can negotiate with, and who will be the natural leader. If you aren’t the natural leader, and that person is an idiot, you may want to move on.
On the other hand, if you are pale and weak and subject to sudden irrational fears, you better look for the person who is most capable and begin to learn and experiment to find your confidence.
Specific skills: Garden? You should know what plants can be preserved and how to do it. Just as important, how to grow the next generation from seeds or roots that you have collected and preserved. You should know that you can grow green beans, butternut squash, and tomatoes from seed you collect, but zucchini may be a problem because the seed you buy is most likely a hybrid that won’t breed true and the next generation will be inedible. You might want to bone up on growing something other than food. Medical herbs and textile crops are something to consider.
Preserve food? Do you know what keeps without preserving? Canning and bottling is great, but takes special equipment and skills, and if you can’t keep it from freezing your efforts are for nothing. Smoking, drying, and salting are more temperature resistant. Just saying…
Medicine? A good midwife has more value in a world without access to antibiotics than the best brain surgeon. A general practitioner who throws up their hands and gives up has less use than a dentist who can pull a tooth without anesthesia. Someone who knows how to reconstitute and use animal medicines may have value when it is time to let the animals die because all you have to treat humans is the “not for human consumption” antibiotics.
Scrounger? Need something? Where are you going to get it? Some people have a natural ability to find things. They will come up with seed, thread, ammo, and fish antibiotics when no one else can think past the fact that they don’t have what they need.
Weaver? Do you know how to card cotton or wool? Can you hand spin it, and build a loom?
Animal husbandry? Can you take a lightly handled, scared animal and turn it into a useful tool to pull a cart or haul a load? Can you train a dog to obey commands? If you know how to herd and care for animals that like to congregate together, trim a hoof or treat colic, or know when to cut your losses and eat something before it goes down, you may have survival potential.Military knowledge? Hopefully there won’t be human-seeking killer robots, or an invading army, but it never hurts to have someone who can handle security. Just remember that a paranoid, overly aggressive attitude can get you killed just as dead as a wishful thinker who wants to believe everyone has pure intentions.
It is a good thing to have some kind of comfort level with negotiating psychology, battle plans, weapons repair, manufacture, and training, and methods to camouflage what you have from prying eyes.
Outdoorsman? This is a synonym for hunter. Some people might be surprised that I would value this fairly low in most scenarios. One reason is because most people who hunt aren’t really good at it. When the SHTF prey animals will become wary or be dead. That means that a really good hunter who is used to bringing home meat in a population of animals under pressure will be useful, but someone who goes out and spends days “trying” will be a detriment to any group. A good hunter will be able to use a rifle, but they will also have knowledge of other methods to gather high quality protein. Traps, snares, deadfalls, fishing by line and net or electricity, dynamite, or noodling can all come into play. Rerouting a creek to trap fish in low water, burning a few acres to find fire cooked grasshoppers, organizing a rabbit drive are some possibilities.
Well, just some ideas. Remember that look you took in the mirror? How honest were you? If you can’t bring something of use to survival, then you are going to have to feed off of the skills of others. That may mean doing some unpleasant activities that make you the low priority, marginal, least valued person in the group.
Please notice that I see most apocalyptic scenarios as likely to be where you will need to depend on others. If the entire population of the world evaporates into thin air, you the only person left, then your skill set will be less important. You will have years of anything you can possibly want laying about for the effort of looking. But in an apocalypse with numbers of surviving human beings, the most dangerous threat will be those human beings. Competition for resources will make your worth to the community critical.
Learn to do something. Something useful.
Click here to receive the Apocalypse Observer Newsletter in your inbox
www.readmota.com
To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
Apocalypse Survival 101Mental attitudeAssess the situationDefine the level of riskQuestions that need to be askedLocation, location, locationSkill setTimingThe realities in your support systemInventory of resourcesOdds versus priority
Apocalypse Survival 101: Skill Set
What do you bring to the table? Look around you. I’m sure you see how others function in society. You see the tough looking guy changing tires, the girl behind the desk at the doctor’s office, the couple on the street corner with a cardboard sign. What we are really doing when we interact with these people, beyond the ritual of a business transaction, is evaluating them. We might make some kinds of assumptions about how well they would survive in severe circumstances. But we really don’t know them.
We might not know that the tough kid changing tires has diabetes, lives in his mother’s basement, and spends his time away from work playing video games and searching porn sites. The young woman behind the desk has a concealed weapons permit, carries a Glock in her purse, camps as often as possible, and studies herbal medicine as a hobby. The couple with the cardboard sign just lost their home due to his PTSD-related employment issues, and he is a vet with black ops training and she is a midwife experienced with home births.
What do we see when we look in the mirror?
Time to be honest.
Age: Critical in terms of survival capability. The sweet spot is between twenty-five and thirty-five. This is the best place to be because you are most likely to be over your adolescent risk taking behaviors and haven’t yet experienced the ravages of your body falling apart from age. Next best age, thirty-five to fifty. Again because you have the mind to make decisions and still have the possibility of having physical capability. Next best age? A toss-up between fifteen to twenty-five… and the decade or so after fifty.
The younger set has the advantage of physical capability and enthusiasm, but a limited capacity having acquired relevant experience or for making good survival decisions. The elder set has good experience and decision making skills, but the body is starting to fall apart. Now these are evaluations “in general,” and we all know there are mature eighteen year olds and people in their later years that can run circles around the average teenager.
Experience: There are those people who avoid all new experience. Put them on the short list of soon-to-be-dead people.
A reality check, if you have a list of foods you don’t like as long as your arm, you are probably going to have some issues. If you specialize in anti-bacterial warfare, and your battleground is your own home, you will probably not do well once you are out of it. But if you can kill, butcher, and cook an animal in a home-crafted tin foil pot over an open fire that you made without matches, you may have some better odds. If you have built anything complicated with hand tools, planted, harvested and preserved foods from a garden, and can sew, read a map, train a dog, herd, trap, or shoot… then you have some skills. Nowadays, if you can make a solar panel work, understand the cultivation and use of medicinal herbs, or refine hydrogen from water, you may really be in demand.
Attitude: The strong will adapt. That means that you may be the most perfectly trained person in a group, capable and flexible and knowledgeable, but if you deny the worth of your fellow survivors and run out of patience they may ban you or eat you. If you happen to be that person, you better look at those around you and decide who you can train, who you can negotiate with, and who will be the natural leader. If you aren’t the natural leader, and that person is an idiot, you may want to move on.
On the other hand, if you are pale and weak and subject to sudden irrational fears, you better look for the person who is most capable and begin to learn and experiment to find your confidence.
Specific skills: Garden? You should know what plants can be preserved and how to do it. Just as important, how to grow the next generation from seeds or roots that you have collected and preserved. You should know that you can grow green beans, butternut squash, and tomatoes from seed you collect, but zucchini may be a problem because the seed you buy is most likely a hybrid that won’t breed true and the next generation will be inedible. You might want to bone up on growing something other than food. Medical herbs and textile crops are something to consider.
Preserve food? Do you know what keeps without preserving? Canning and bottling is great, but takes special equipment and skills, and if you can’t keep it from freezing your efforts are for nothing. Smoking, drying, and salting are more temperature resistant. Just saying…
Medicine? A good midwife has more value in a world without access to antibiotics than the best brain surgeon. A general practitioner who throws up their hands and gives up has less use than a dentist who can pull a tooth without anesthesia. Someone who knows how to reconstitute and use animal medicines may have value when it is time to let the animals die because all you have to treat humans is the “not for human consumption” antibiotics.
Scrounger? Need something? Where are you going to get it? Some people have a natural ability to find things. They will come up with seed, thread, ammo, and fish antibiotics when no one else can think past the fact that they don’t have what they need.
Weaver? Do you know how to card cotton or wool? Can you hand spin it, and build a loom?
Animal husbandry? Can you take a lightly handled, scared animal and turn it into a useful tool to pull a cart or haul a load? Can you train a dog to obey commands? If you know how to herd and care for animals that like to congregate together, trim a hoof or treat colic, or know when to cut your losses and eat something before it goes down, you may have survival potential.Military knowledge? Hopefully there won’t be human-seeking killer robots, or an invading army, but it never hurts to have someone who can handle security. Just remember that a paranoid, overly aggressive attitude can get you killed just as dead as a wishful thinker who wants to believe everyone has pure intentions.
It is a good thing to have some kind of comfort level with negotiating psychology, battle plans, weapons repair, manufacture, and training, and methods to camouflage what you have from prying eyes.
Outdoorsman? This is a synonym for hunter. Some people might be surprised that I would value this fairly low in most scenarios. One reason is because most people who hunt aren’t really good at it. When the SHTF prey animals will become wary or be dead. That means that a really good hunter who is used to bringing home meat in a population of animals under pressure will be useful, but someone who goes out and spends days “trying” will be a detriment to any group. A good hunter will be able to use a rifle, but they will also have knowledge of other methods to gather high quality protein. Traps, snares, deadfalls, fishing by line and net or electricity, dynamite, or noodling can all come into play. Rerouting a creek to trap fish in low water, burning a few acres to find fire cooked grasshoppers, organizing a rabbit drive are some possibilities.
Well, just some ideas. Remember that look you took in the mirror? How honest were you? If you can’t bring something of use to survival, then you are going to have to feed off of the skills of others. That may mean doing some unpleasant activities that make you the low priority, marginal, least valued person in the group.
Please notice that I see most apocalyptic scenarios as likely to be where you will need to depend on others. If the entire population of the world evaporates into thin air, you the only person left, then your skill set will be less important. You will have years of anything you can possibly want laying about for the effort of looking. But in an apocalypse with numbers of surviving human beings, the most dangerous threat will be those human beings. Competition for resources will make your worth to the community critical.
Learn to do something. Something useful.
Click here to receive the Apocalypse Observer Newsletter in your inbox
www.readmota.com
To comment, scroll down and type in your comment. Under Comment As, you can select Anonymous or Name/URL (you don't need to enter a URL). Then hit Publish.
