The Daily - Thursday, October 11, 2018

ENTERTAINMENT?

For decades I have wondered why human beings find certain things "entertaining." Wrestling? Really?

Boxing? We enjoy watching two people beat each other up? Why?

Even organized sports and things like auto racing and pretty stupid forms of entertainment if we just stop and think about it.

There are two areas that are specially poor forms of entertainment:

Animals

Animals are not meant for our entertainment. They are beings that deserve our admiration and respect, not the cruelty that results from being forced to perform. Zoos and circuses are prime examples of what we should not be doing with animals. I understand that zoos have some species preservation function, or at least that is what they want the public to believe; If they were truly trying just to preserve species then they would call themselves a sanctuary and not allow the public to come watch the animals as if they were some sort of show.

Circuses, of course, have no excuses. I am glad they are closing and hope they will all be closed soon. Circuses are an obsolete form of entertainment we can do without. Neither animals nor humans should be exploited for the amusement of others.

It is no wonder people feel it is OK to hunt endangered species (see article).

Women

I have, for many years now, rejected the attraction to things like beauty pageants. This is especially horrific when it applies to children; they are often subjected to abuse by ego or money hungry parents that want to become rich and famous through the looks of their kids. That is so wrong! And these kids then are pushed into doing more of these things, sometimes with fatal results. Neither kids nor women should be used for the entertainment of others. To me, that is degrading and leads to so many problems, including the objectification of women that are turned into some sex symbols. That is ever so wrong.

All this is another manifestation of greed; read the article on how the Miss America organization is punishing states that have pushed back against what they perceive as unfair rules.

It is time to evolve. It is time to stop supporting "entertainment" that is bad for our civilization and our planet. Neither animals nor humans are objects, nor should either be used as entertainment.

Are you bored? Go read a book, go for a walk, go for a bike ride, go volunteer at a homeless shelter, go pick up trash from a nearby road. Stop abusing animals and humans by using them for your pleasure.

HURRICANE/TROPICAL STORM MICHAEL

Other than minor damage to our siding, Michael did not affect us much. We were so lucky. Many lost everything, some even their lives. We are grateful for everybody's concern. May you all be safe and free of suffering.

HONDA ACCORD JOINS THE FAMILY

We are happy to welcome MacKenzie's Honda to the family. It is now on our driveway and will be properly titled and registered tomorrow. MacKenzie drove it home for the 40 mile trip, and she did great. A few more driving lessons and she will be ready for her license test.

The Daily - Wednesday, October 10, 2018

BLAME THE VICTIM?

In today's "The Daily" podcast, the NY Times interviewed a group of high school girls about their thoughts, impressions, and concerns originating from the Kavanaugh confirmation to the Supreme Court. The NY Times also revealed the interview with two adult women about the topic of "Who is Believed and Who is Blamed?" Overwhelmingly, the responses of these women (some young, some mature) is that women are blamed and men are believed when it comes to cases of sexual assault, violence, and rape. For me, it was heart-breaking to listen to the adult conservative woman, herself the parent of a victim of sexual assault, blaming the victims for these heinous acts, and minimizing the effect that sexual assault and violence has on victims.

Just as shocking was to hear the high school girls tell stories of how they were assaulted and disrespected simply for being women. It is still going on today, in high schools and colleges and businesses all across the nation, in houses were social events are being held, on streets, in parks.

Let's be blunt: women are under attack by men. It can be a cat call, a grope in a crowded room or bus/train, a push/pull into a dark alley/driveway, a push/pull into a bedroom, and so many other ways. Men exercise their physical superiority in the wrong ways and with bad intentions.

And let's be clear on one thing: we should not blame victims, not ever. Never can we use the way a a person is dressed, how they laughed or acted, where they were, what time it was, whether they had consumed alcohol or used drugs, or any other factor as an excuse for any type of violence against them. There are no valid excuses that justify violence against others.

Finally, we must become sensitive to the long-term effects that even a seemingly small act of violence can have on a person. PTSD in these cases is real, it is long-lasting, and cannot be dismissed as a victim's invention or excuse. Nor can we dismiss that victims fear reporting these horrendous acts, and they dread the consequences of speaking out. Why? Because we almost always blame the victim and believe the attacker. That is wrong, wrong, WRONG!

The Daily - Wednesday, October 3, 2018 (AM Edition)

CYBER SECURITY MONTH: A Cybersecure Home

October is Cyber Security month. We can start being safe in cyberspace by securing our home network. The SANS Institute has an excellent article on the topic:

Creating a Cybersecure Home

DEPLORABLE!

Hillary Clinton once used this term to describe all of our current Liar-In-Chief supporters. Using such a term to define a group is a dangerous maneuver as Mrs. Clinton knows all too well.

What is obvious is that the term does apply to #45. His despicable rhetoric attacking Professor Blasey Ford puts him square in the definition of deplorable. He is disgraceful, shameful, dishonorable, unworthy, inexcusable, unpardonable, unforgivable; reprehensible, despicable, abominable, contemptible, execrable, and heinous.

Such behavior is beyond reprehension. But then again, what else can we expect from a misogynistic Fake President? 

WEALTH SHAM? SCAM?

The NY Times is reporting that the wealth claimed by #45 is based on scams, lies, cheating and fraud. Here are "11 Takeaways From The Times’s Investigation Into Trump’s Wealth".

The "Scammer-In-Chief" has openly stated that he took advantage of every legal tax loophole to avoid paying taxes. It looks as if he and his family also created a few loopholes, holes large enough to allow a semi truck to go through: "Trump Engaged in Suspect Tax Schemes as He Reaped Riches From His Father".

I will have two more articles in the evening edition.

HEALTH & FITNESS

To borrow a phrase from long-distance hikers, today was a "zero day." For through-hikers that means a day of rest with zero miles hiked. For me it was a day with no morning jogging, of sleeping in to further recover from the exhaustion of the weekend and the effects of the cold I have been dealing with.

I managed to do a nice stretching routine (call it, if you want, Yoga in bed), followed by a not-so-mindful meditation period, followed by a good period of affirmations. Overall, a nice morning start.

Having a "zero day" does not necessarily mean being lazy all day long. I plan to go for short brisk walks every 30 minutes or so at work. I will manage to put about 2+ miles by 3:30 PM.