I want to blame Thomas Jefferson, it was his writing...

Not that government education and history re-written aren't also at fault. But he personally changed 'life, liberty and the pursuit of property' to 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness'. He already had property, and wanted to broaden the appeal of the Declaration of Independence to the unwashed masses that he thought only pursued happiness in a good rum or stout.

So the only part of the Declaration of Independence taken to heart in America, is that key phrase, 'pursuit of happiness'. The original 'sound bite' for the revolutionary journalists, who were still using printing presses.

Yep, the President isn't happy, and compared the Republicans to terrorists and such. Saying that they couldn't stop working (which they haven't) and demand anything from the factory. But that describes a strike, a union weapon in the war on management, and the President couldn't say this was a strike - the unions would wonder. It is fine, I understand although he didn't really say it, that the current government shutdown is a LOCK OUT, an anti-union tactic of management against unruly workers and impossible demands. The media will report it however they will, truth is never in advertising and the media only reports the news for the sponsors to gain audience, only.

It does not matter, they (and I mean all of thems in Washington, DC and the IRS, NSA, and alphabet organizations linked to the US government) will fail, since they aren't working together to solve real problems they and the past have created. They could do better by shutting their telephones, office doors, keeping the media out and working on a solution in a hot Summer in Philadelphia without air conditioning. But they really have lost focus. The people with money will be yanking on strings, puppets march to the tune of Toy Soldiers.

As the people will work without them, and the people will, the government has no choice but to clamp down and make everyone do what it wants. Give out fines, beat them, soak them and shoot them down... that is just what happens when the people threaten the life of the people in power. That is a universal. They weren't paying enough attention to all the collapsing governments everywhere in the last two hundred years.

I have determined, having helped my wife a bit with her IRA rollover mess (caused by investment houses that don't want to lose customers and assets) that I am going to have to try and find a job like my grandfather did during the Depression. And I don't have his talents, but I will have to put myself out there as a gatekeeper, a security subsystem to defense of a self sustaining agricultural enterprise of some kind. Return to the era of the feudal system? Governments are only worthy that work, after that one goes back to brigands, clans and liege lords. But you knew that didn't you? Sergeant at Arms has real meaning then, and weapons master works, too.

How do I measure government failure, 17 Trillion ways....

There are many economists that will try to reassure me that the debt isn't too big when compared to the Gross National Product, to which I say - that is not what will kill America.

What kills America is not the unsustainable debt, the problem lies in that the government is too criminal, corrupt or just irresponsible to have in effect a real working plan to eliminate the debt, its pressure on the stupid leadership and that threat of NO FAITH in the dollar.

If you think that the artificial pains and reporting by the media is discomforting, how are you going to behave when all you have saved, invested and counted upon will evaporate? Just like starting out, with nothing except the will to live, and work to make it better. And how old are you now?

Not being wiccan nor especially afraid of ghosts...

my Halloween is always a children's holiday when they get to dress up and eat too much candy. Which is where I think it should always be, just for children. The churches seem to do more Harvest Festival stuff, still with masks and costumes and games and prizes, but no ghosts, goblins, witches and spooks (CIA and NSA not invited).

I have better ways to scare myself, I have been reading the End of the World Books, a bunch of them, one right after another, while the government that the Founding Fathers would never recognize sit watching the flames and fiddling on like one infamous Roman did... nothing really changes does it?

Each of the authors takes a different approach to what it would be like, all of them want the digital age to die immediately so everyone wanders around looking for a savior, a hero, a somebody to take charge and take care of us... since we couldn't do it ourselves. King George the Third needed the typical American voters of today to be his loyal subjects back in the day (1770- 1783) but that wasn't what he got.

Somebody named Jack would have to save us - he does in almost every fairytale, in our literature and the movies. Truth is that many somebodies have stepped up and worked with others to make life safe, better, and easier.  And change is difficult, my grandfather brought running water into his home, and my grandmother was embarrassed she didn't have to go out to get the water for everything like her neighbors did and her mother had forever. My grandfather wasn't named Jack, he was Will and he would work hard, fix stuff and make life better. Thousands of those folks back in the day.

What makes me soak up the terror of the collapse of the world as I know it, is that I see the danger, and notice that none of the fine folks in government, that will be responsible and certain it isn't their fault will do one thing to stop the coming failure of government. They have been pretending for years that everything is under control and as soon as they find something that isn't, they make a law against it or tax it or ban it or wallow in it off camera. But their irresponsibility continues to grow, and they never get serious about fixing that feature (character flaw? planned obsolescence?). 

Yes, I think one should not read books about chaos and destruction of civilization while the Federal Government exposes its inability to be civil and truthful and productive... could give me nightmares, where is that wine?

And the meek shall inherit the earth...

I have heard that my whole life and long ago I was confused by the meek and weak, and thought that was the same.  But it wasn't.  Back about the same time I would fight because... well, I was a boy or young man and had nothing to show me that I wasn't supposed to fight, learn how to fight, and win the fights... Yeah, I know there were adults around that told me, in many ways and for many reasons that fighting wasn't that wonderful a thing.  But as a boy and a young man, it might be your only independent display of competence, courage and sacrifice - it might be the only way you could become a hero.

Often ignored, when young, is the winning the fight.  Christ really did understand how to win the fight. Master Morihei Uyeshiba understood how to win the fight, Buddha understood how to win the fight... but so many of their followers ignored their lessons or focused on the fight, not on the winning. You really can't win the fight by being a coward and surrendering, can't win that way. For the opponent will come back and peck at you again, you will know what hen-pecked chicken really means. You can't win the fight by attacking anything your opponent loves more than his life... really, you can't win that way. You can't win by destroying your enemy and thinking that all the other potential enemies are going to fear you... duh, as a young boy child that was a sure way to get the next one to get up and whoop upon you mightily. Those that are going to fear, will, but those that see your new wonderful status as CHAMPION, will get ready to attack and show you what defeat looks like. Some of those folks are really bad to the bone.

(for those thinking I might be trying to speak to the fools in government, you can stop reading here - but I have no message for those that can't be humble, so they are all so out of this blog)

No, I am concentrating on philosophy this day, and how to take what the LORD has given me and work with it. It has been said we are a nation of sheep, in the Soviet Union they would have said rabbits - the idea being that we are weak and afraid. The Gun Community, which isn't afraid of enough often enough, will hold out that the heroes with a firearm are the Sheepdogs, protecting the flock. Not a bad choice of one-upmanship, going from sheep to sheepdog. Dogs are pretty brave, and every working sheep dog I have met, and the ones without sheep even, are really smart and loving (not sure how much they love sheep, but they do care for them on command).

But sheepdogs are meek, and you are not called to be sheep dogs (really) you are called to be sheep herders, you are called to care for your flock. Your children, your elders, the lonely, the lost, the others that aren't strong, smart and able - those that will run or freeze in fear in the center of the flock, going where they will all be safe... herded by wolf pack, sheep dogs or shepherds - they are sheep. It is not your calling to change the sheep, to skin the sheep, to chain the sheep, poison the sheep. You get to lead them beside the still waters, you get to take them through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, --- no, I don't mean everyone is supposed to be a Pastor... I just mean that you need to win your fights, by caring for your flock and changing your enemy into your friend. The only way to win is that you love each other.

You have to be able to fight, to defeat your evil nature, to defeat evil when you see it, to sacrifice self for the love of the sheep, the sheep dogs, the wolves, for Man and God - knowing that you can't be defeated, means that you only have to work heroically - and praises all belong to the LORD. Only the hero can humble himself enough to be meek. Then he will inherit the earth. For those that foolishly proclaim that he will die and be buried in the earth, well, you will inherit the wind.

Yes, the President has made a line and won't negotiate...

Show some firm resolve.

So of course the National Parks are closed, off limits, not to be enjoyed nor preserved for posterity. No telling what is happening there while no one is on watch.

So, since the Federal government can't open up Mount Rainier National Park, God cleared the skies, brought out bright sunlight, and it is reflected on the fresh snows from the last two weeks of wet. You have to be impressed here in the great NorthWest, when all your gray skies and gloomy wet weather pass and the mountains cry out "Look at me, I am awesome!"

Yes, the day is great here, thank the LORD, because little men and women in Washington, DC, just don't do anything for the weather, the people nor the Lord God almighty.  Not an election cycle, is it?

Full faith and trust in.... the US government? not today...

Almost 17 trillion dollars in debt. And we aren't even fighting a war for our lives.

They had best start selling off the parks and the lands and paying down the debt, or the currency will become worth nothing. That is what happens, and I have some RVN currency, when it doesn't matter what the paper says, no one is buying it, taking it in payment, nor will you accept it.

I have a much higher credit limit than I use, the Federal and State governments should also, especially since they don't really create things. Really, they don't. Okay, they will create a mess, but you can't show me where that was supposed to be a function of government. And, are you buying a mess anytime today, tomorrow or from the past?

I have an idea, sell a couple of nuclear weapons to Iran, then they won't have to make their own. Then mention why the Soviet Union never used theirs. Or that we, Americans, haven't used any since WWII.

Leadership to me has always meant someone I would follow, into battle mostly - but I have tried to follow the best of my father and other men I have met during my life.  Not one elected to current political offices, very few media types, no entertainers.

The government has gone to forcing, bullying and demanding that I follow - the ton of rules, regulations, acts, and swarms of agents against me are LEGION. And this from a government that doesn't love me, won't protect me, doesn't nurture me -- have I requested stupid people with stupid ideas to force me to lose weight, stay young and virile, strong and hard working? Nope, not I.  So how did they start to think they are intelligent, fine folks? Who is fooling whom?

So why follow the fools? Come on, just because other fools elected fools, or the fools hired expert fools does not mean you should become so foolish. If there was a good to great idea in government, the people in government aren't sharing it, nor its benefits. Nor are they willing to subject themselves to their own foolish ideas. What do you think they are peons? What do you think they really think YOU are? Foolish in the least.

So today I find I know nothing about the Artillery...

I once was a 13 B, 13F, then a 13E and did wonderful things... but steady improvement means change.

So I catch a picture of two fine paratroopers that have distinguished themselves and A Battery 2-319 AFAR

Nice job, very nice job, then I notice that one of them is a 13D and I remind myself there is not such... well there is now.




So enjoy the quick video, remembering that the equipment demonstrated is for heavier units than the 82nd Airborne Division, but charts and darts remains the same.