Deconstructing Politics Pt 1

How many times do we hear the words “For Your Safety“ from the Government or those in power? Remember the Republicans fight to ban and how TikTok, as it was the means the Chinese were going to take over the minds of American youths? How about the Democrats suing to keep third party candidates off the ballot? What about how the government logs and collates everything you do from all your connected devices while storing it in Utah? I do not believe that anyone of these things makes us any safer.

Freedom can be defined as a means that we allow people to take responsibility for their choices and actions. I would like to proffer an opinion that each time we hear “For Your Safety” from our politicians, it is at the behest of someone helping to fund their reelection campaign. We see the links in the partnership between government and business. Looking past the partisan rhetoric, while focusing directly on the actions rather than the words, we see our tax dollars prop up the Military Industrial Complex, Wall Street, Big Banks, Pharma, Housing, The Prison system and more directed by both parties. I do not believe any of this is advantageous for American people. I do not feel politicians look at what is best for their constituents nor what will do any more than keep them in office. Lastly, and probably where I will draw your ire, I do not feel there is much difference in the actions of Republicans and Democrats regardless of the party line we are fed.

Authoritarianism or Fascism was the weapon of the Nazi’s in Germany, prior to World War Two. Their first action, must like many other times throughout history, removed the German Jews from business. They added the Gypsies and those who weren’t blond haired blue eyes Aryans to vilify, imprison and kill, blaming them for all their problems. They used the media to keep all eyes focused on these differences or more appropriately fostered Culture Wars. They shouted the death of the socially and morally destructive Kapitalismus while solidifying their backroom partnership with business. Strangely we still purchase from many of these today. They agreed to provide jobs and raise the standard of living while siphoning off the country’s wealth into the coffers of the elite. Nazis were not socialists in any form as the means of production, distribution, and exchange we not controlled by the community, but by the elite.

Hopefully this has opened some questions in your mind that you will investigate as the Primaries trudge along to their inevitable mano v mano conclusion. We will be overwhelmed by inflammatory phrases regarding the health of our democracy, our nation’s security, vilifying different facets of our society, splitting us by state or party and all the same oratory that Americans have heard since George Washington left office. Things like homelessness, food insecurity, proper healthcare, education, prison reform and rent prices will be put on the backburner… for your safety. Do a bit of critical thinking and find the candidate who most embodies what you want from your government and not the lesser of two evils or due to some obligation to a particular political party.  

Dating me #1

I have joked a ton about dating, especially in our little town of Fort Bragg and I would like to set the record straight. The dating pool is not empty or depleted like I (and many others) have shouted. There truly are a great many amazing single women in the area. Yes, it is a small town and because of this the rumors, lies, family beef, friend’s opinions or even the truth gives you pause to try. I say take this year and try something new and break the chains the past holds over you. Always choose the chance at love, as like the song says there is not enough of it in the world, even if you think it may not last forever.

Look I have an image I have portrayed online that, like much of Facebook, it is not quite true. I am going to delve into my thoughts on it today and more in the future. As with everything I write I would be honored if you read it and commented. I am not trying to change anyone’s mind on anything, my goal is for you to open your mind period. Just wait until my political posts start, I will have no fans left on social media.

My two youngest children over the last 15 years since my divorce have only seen me with two members of the opposite sex. The first was many years ago before moving to Ukiah. You could classify this as my last real relationship. Thankfully my children were too young to remember the details. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I didn’t ruin it, but I am happy to see how well she has done since then. The second was an afternoon in Utah when I had to pick my son up because of a scheduling conflict and lasted less than 15 minutes. Strange right? The only other relationship I had was a long-distance one which was as physically pleasing as it was emotionally devastating. It was at least as unhealthy as many of the relationships I hear about from friends today, if not more. I have asked friends to introduce me to people on semi blind meetups, all resemble for lack of a better analogy, a train wreck.

I am attractive, have a dark sense of humor, am articulate and can flourish in any social situation. I am a gentleman; I have an unshakeable positive attitude; I am chivalrous and treat everyone with respect. So why would I keep myself out of the standard dating scene for so long? The first reason is that I did not wonder who was first in my life or where my attention and affection lay, they were. This standard is not for everyone, I won’t ever tell you how to live your life, this was my chosen path, and it is not normal. The second is the drama quotient. I am an empath who HAD a need to fix all the wounded birds out there. The third and last that I will share now is the balance of time versus reward, yes, a bit mercenary, but it allowed me to reach the place of self-awareness I am at today.

Since my children left, I spend 85% of my time alone and if not for my volunteering at the Food Bank, it would be closer to 99%. I truly enjoy my own company. I can cook (some say very well), clean, and even wash my own Cinch 9” underwear without ruining them…. I will never forgive the person that introduced me to them. I communicate with my children frequently, have friends around the world who are reachable in an instant AND the Pudding Creek Trestle to occupy my time. I have transportation, finally, that is reliable. This allows me to travel when and where I wish, so my most basic needs are met. Now comes the big question, what am I looking for?  I am not looking for someone to complete me or to complete someone else. I don’t believe someone who is broken should be in a relationship with me, or honestly with anyone, but that is a post for another day. I would like to meet a person that has a clue about who they are with a life they love (or working to get there).  I miss physical contact, waking up next to someone and not having to go everywhere #HanSolo. I don’t have a preference on whether it is an occasional thing or full time, just that there is honesty with an open line of communication. Maybe this is unrealistic, but I will be fine as I know needs from wants. I have so much more to say, but real life has reared its ugly head. Peace.

Poor Things: A Portent of Change

I took some time on a rainy day to watch ‘Poor Things’ on the advice of a friend whose opinion I value highly. I wanted to attend with an open mind, so I did no prior research save for being told it is a coming of age and empowerment movie from the female perspective. I am intrigued by the entire subject after college courses I have taken, #MeToo, the rulings on Roe V Wade, and my own feelings on the subject. Hopefully from the tone of my review you’ll get a feel of where I stand, otherwise you will just have to follow my blog.

First, I want to say I love this movie! Right from the start it attempts to challenge every one of the world’s preconceived constructs of normality. It is a combination of a Tim Burton production meshed with Frankenstein and the Isle of Dr. Moreau inhabiting a sphere created by Robert Weine (The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari). The costumes, the scenery, the dialogue, and the lighting all work in perfect harmony. I have not experienced anything else by the director Yorgos Lanthimos, but if this is how he thinks, I will be a devotee. I was also very impressed by the acting, while the movie contained a ton of special effects, the thespians commanded the screen. Above all Emma Stone was fabulous; I have not seen a better individual performance in as long as I can remember. Her character was the engine for the entire cinematic experience. It began with the painfully disjointed spurts and starts much like the toddler and smoothed out as she learned and experienced life as it has for all of us.

No matter how far we feel society has come, there is a definite double standard in what is acceptable from a man and a woman. This movie attacks those fallacious notions head on beautifully with extreme prejudice. First every man in the movie works hard to control Stone’s character Bella Baxter trying to mold and shape her into an obedient pet. She understands this and uses her wiles and their feelings to get her own way while soaking in all life has to offer. The movie demolishes the convention that women should be monogamous or branded a whore while men have unlimited freedom for indiscretions. Stone’s character extricates herself from the Victorian ideals of the time and takes control of her life with a positivity despite the evils of the world. I am a bit idealistic, but I hope the message from this movie can be a catalyst to release women from the conventional bonds placed upon them by society and level the playing field.

Cancelled:#MeToo

We are bombarded by so many voices focusing on the things that focus on our differences. The powers that be understand that if they chum the waters with their rhetoric, the people will be focused on culture wars rather than watching our freedoms, rights and money being taken away. Keeping the blinders on helps keep the status quo and as long as we remain in this state, things is our country won’t improve and they will stay in power. Much of what I write is based upon this premise and will continue until we once again become a nation ‘of the people, by the people and for the people’ or our duopoly (both Democrats and Republicans) continues our march to the authoritarian right and determine free speech is not appropriate any longer and I am jailed or exiled.

I was astonished at the power of the MeToo movement and how quickly men of the establishment were torn from their ivory towers, glass houses and private islands. Right before our eyes they were tarred and feathered in the media, removed from their jobs with some even ending in court and a few in jail. Women finally had their day in the son and it looked as though there would be a reckoning bringing an end thousands of years of abuse. I believed this would be a step toward true equality and creating a safe and open avenue for women to be able to report the crimes without fear of character assassination. The seed was planted and the roots took, now all that was left was to nurture it and watch it bloom.

The one thing lacking from any of the coverage is the foundation of #MeToo. The media splashed the faces of beautiful, rich, white women across our smart screens and we were all swept away in the passion. We knew these women by name, Thurmann, Judd, Lawrence and Paltrow, familiar from their on screen performances carried the banner and our hearts. Unbeknownst to me and most of America, this was not the start of the movement only the catalyst to push it to the forefront. I won’t get too deep into the roots at the moment, but I challenge you to research it yourself. Learning about the foundation during several college classes helped me alter my major focus to Ethnic Studies and Social Justice. There is still so much to do and I want to be part of the solution.

Much like the ebb and flow of the French Revolution, the MeToo movement changed with the times. 2020 brought us an election season that did nothing but fan the flames of all that divides Americans. Rather than finding a common ground on an issue or in the fact we are human beings, we called each other names; cast out friends and family members for having a different political opinion; and forgot that freedom of thought and ideals are a right for all men. We chose sides and believed every allegation against one candidate while defending the attackers of the other. The same A-listers who carried the MeToo banner so proudly, used their voices to squash, demean and degrade an accuser of the other candidate. The gains made evaporated in an instant and women are back to being afraid to speak out. Leaving this in the hands of politicians, A list stars, corporations or anyone other than the will of the American people pointless.

We are the only ones who can force the change by coming together on issues like this one where the sides are well delineated. Sexual abuse is one where there is no grey area and everyone red and blue can agree on the same definition. This issue needs to be put back into the public eye no matter how much it upsets society. Also please support your local domestic violence support centers with money, time and/or goods.

Homelessness-part #1

According to our own Department of Housing and Urban Development, California holds 49% of the our homeless population. The year round great weather is a plus the benefits don’t hurt and the permissiveness of its leaders are a definite attraction. This is 8 times higher than the next closest state, Florida. Funny as you look at the map below we see this is not a red or blue issue, but one for America!

We as Americans need to find a way to do more to help these folks get back on their feet. I understand it’s not a ‘sexy’ issue and our leaders use the costs to inflame🔥& divide us. We need to move past the rhetoric. Locally I think of all the empty hotel rooms around for months during the year and think wouldn’t we be better served housing these folks. Then as I travel around I notice the mammoth closed or dying shopping malls, couldn’t they be better served as places to house the homeless? Our history shows us focusing on ignoring, incarcerating or even pushing the homeless to the woods outside the city limits AND this hasn’t worked! So why do we keep doing the same things over and over? Just think if we attempted this we could provide counseling, job training and more giving folks all they need to at least keep a roof over their heads and a hand up rebuilding their lives.

The divide in America between those with and without is growing exponentially. We could always do what we have always done and continue to wait for help from those with the resources and power 🤔. That to me is the definition of insanity and has gotten us nowhere. We need to stop believing that if we vote a President or political party in we will be rescued. This will not happen.

Only the American people can rise up and bring about this change. The first way is to flood social media with our thoughts and concerns directly onto their personal threads as well as those of their particular party affiliation. Trust me, these folks care about how they look online so this a way to hold our elected officials accountable. The second is to support candidates who truly follow what you believe rather than a friend, the prettiest, or the lesser of two evils. We need to strengthen our country from the bottom up for a change and help raise our standard of living. I do not believe we should all be struggling so hard just to survive.

Sunday Funday Pizza

I am always experimenting in the kitchen and making tortilla pizza has been one I have tried to master for sometime. I am a big fan of the thin crust but my problem has always been getting an even cook on the tortilla while getting the cheese melted and toppings cooked. I think I may have found the proper path so I will share it and hope for your input.

Ingredients: Tortillas, sauce, toppings, cheese, spices and olive oil. I chose tomato paste, onions, serrano peppers, cherry tomatoes, parmesan cheese, italian seasoning, jarred minced garlic and red pepper flakes.

Step 1: I put a single tortilla layer down on a microwave safe plate covering it lightly with your sauce, then my seasonings finally with a thick coat of cheese.

Step 2: Place in microwave for 30 seconds, remove promptly.

Step 3: Place a tortilla on top of your first layer. Spread a bit of your sauce, then seasonings, cheese, followed by toppings, a thicker layer of cheese, then garlic and follow it with a drizzle of olive oil.

Step 4: Heat Air Fryer to 400 degrees. Once hot insert pizza and cook until the crust is to your liking, between three and 5 minutes.

Step 5: Remove, cut and serve!

Conquering Child Hunger

I have always been an advocate for promoting a better life for our children, they are our future. During my baller days it was with my checkbook, and now I donate my time at our local Food Bank doing my part to end food insecurity. There are many culprits gathered on the other side trying to limit benefits to our most needy. Parents are forced to make more sacrifices in the battle to maintain a standard of living. Inflation (Corporate Greed) drives utilities, rent, gas and food prices up inordinately faster than wages, making it much harder to survive today. This has forced more parents into the job world JUST to keep a roof over their heads, leaving our children high and dry with less family time. Our big tech corporations victimize our youth promoting superfluous nonsense and standards of looks and dress that are all but unattainable. Capitalism and influencers promote self serving products that our children can’t live without further taxing our income. What can be done? Historically it has been to support the Democrats as they are for the people, the question is…. Are they still?

They aren’t and for those of you who want to label me MAGA, neither are the Republicans. While in charge of Congress and the White House universally accepted things like free school lunches should have been rubber stamped. Instead we spend our time handing out money to the Ukraine, Israel, giving handouts to big business or trying to Americanize the planet. Why aren’t our politicians focused on helping us?

They don’t have to change, because we do not hold them accountable. They fire up their base screaming sexuality, gender, Trump, MAGA, Biden, progressive, Nazi, Communist, abortion, guns, China, Russia or dozens of culture issues promoted and we take the bait remaining divided. We in turn forget we are all human beings, that we are all Americans, and that our politicians are SUPPOSED to listen to us. We were a country of the people, by the people and for the people that has evolved into one where our politicians kneel to those who write the biggest check.

Hunger is the harshest of all the insecurities and the only one you can’t go without. Since 2020 those facing problems providing healthy food choices to their families has doubled and I believe those numbers are low. School is supposed to be a safe place focused on learning and providing a positive atmosphere for our children. I find it disgusting that we cannot find the means to provide food to all students throughout the nation. As of 2023 only 6 states have programs to feed the children, though the chart below shows the ‘progress’. California was the first to feed the children from the state coffers rather than the Federal Government. This seems odd to me that we provide 16.6% of the United States income tax revenue and our leaders feel our money is better spent not helping our most vulnerable Americans. We need to take our country back.

War on Drugs- Subverting the will of the people

#Marijuana has been on 🌎 longer than man. It began naturally, unaided by science or technology and it can grow without any help from us. It’s legal in one way or another in much of the country, yet the FEDS still criminalize it. Prosecutions are up throughout the country under our progressive in name only, POTUS Biden, that is a fact. Our super Progressive State of California has witnessed 86% of the Federal arrests made within its friendly confines in 2023 despite having less than 12% of the nations population. If our government cared about the will of the people, this would be legal. Much like abortion or Universal Healthcare, it’s not nor is it in the cards🃏 as the folks funding our politicians don’t want it codified.

This is why we need to 🛑 fighting and bad mouthing each other, we are ALL 🇺🇸 and human beings. We need to move past the Culture War and realize it is a class war or caste struggle. We do have options. One is to develop more political parties, not beholden to big money and vote these people out together or we are in for more of the same. The second is to take to the street, the airwaves and social media as one voice unified in returning our country to a democracy of the people, by the people, and for the people. This is not a red/Republican or blue/Democrat issue, it is an American issue and we need to take responsibility. It is up to all of us.

Napoleon- 50 Shades of Lame

Movies used to be such a huge part of my youth, my parents were big fans. I haven’t kept that up as most movies look #madefortv to me. First let me say the upstairs theatre at our local film house is immaculate, the seating reminded me of First Class on an ✈️ . #Napoleon was a movie that peaked my interest hoping for an epic in the realm of Spartacus, Ben Hur or the 10 Commandments… heck I would have settled for Gladiator. I had a friend who scoffed, yuck 🤮 #history to which I laughed and said well that means bloodshed and sex 😳🤭. I held my 👃 at the 2 hour and thirty six minute run time and went because Joaquin Phoenix was riveting in the Joker so I thought the ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ were aligned for a good time ➕ my semester was over.

I’d been pondering how to do this review since Friday night as there was a bunch to consider. The costumes, set construction and scenery were amazing, I might even suggest award worthy. They did a great job with the lighting and music, just enough to keep my eyes 👀 focused on the screen taking in as much as I could while hoping for more. The battle scenes were interesting and well done in terms of not too much gore while staying true to the times. Watching Marie Antoinette meet the guillotine was fun, I am not sure I could have met it with such honor or beauty as they held 10 pounds of her up to thrill the crowd.

Napoleon is a historic figure on the level of Caesar, Alexander and even our founding fathers. This movie did him no justice tearing at his legend. It was more of a story of insecure man’s want & desire sprinkled depressingly with allusions to the basis of 50 Shades of Grey. We don’t learn or feel anything Nappy except pity and his battlefield greatness is invisible. Basically my take through the movie is just him crawling around looking for love and approval from people above his station. They could have played Led Zeppelin’s ‘Hey Hey What Can I Do’ to better effect and filled the rest of the movie with character development (check out the lyrics if you don’t know them 😉). Ridley Scott shot a blank for this $200 million dollars, they probably should have just redone the 80’s mini series and styled it as a tortured love story.

I would love to hear your thoughts on it.

The Evolution of VPN Technology: A Deep Dive from Inception to Today

Virtual Private Networks or VPNs have become ubiquitous in today’s digital era. These tools, which once catered primarily to businesses, have expanded their reach to regular internet users, advocating for a safer, private, and unrestricted online experience. Let’s embark on a detailed journey exploring the evolution of VPN technology.

  1. The Genesis of VPNs: 1990s
    The foundation of VPN technology traces back to the 1990s. With the advent of the internet, businesses rapidly recognized the potential of the online world, but they also identified a critical issue: secure remote access.

PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol): Co-developed by Microsoft, PPTP was one of the earliest protocols introduced. It allowed users to create a secure tunnel between points on the internet. Despite its initial popularity, PPTP suffered from security vulnerabilities, which have since rendered it obsolete.

  1. Enter the 2000s: Growth and Diversification
    The early 2000s saw the rise of high-speed internet and the rapid adoption of online technologies, further underlining the necessity for secure online communications.

L2TP/IPsec (Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol with Internet Protocol Security): Created as a successor to PPTP and another protocol called L2F, L2TP didn’t offer encryption. Pairing it with IPsec addressed this gap, offering both tunneling and encryption, bolstering its security credentials.

SSL VPNs (Secure Socket Layer Virtual Private Networks): These emerged as an alternative to traditional IPsec VPNs, particularly addressing the need for remote access. Instead of requiring specific client software, SSL VPNs leveraged web browsers as the client application, simplifying the user experience.

  1. 2010s: The Mass Market Appeal
    As cyber threats evolved and global internet censorship and surveillance grew, the importance of VPNs for the average user became more pronounced.

OpenVPN: Introduced in 2001 but gaining momentum in the 2010s, OpenVPN is an open-source protocol. Known for its flexibility, it can run on any port and supports both TCP and UDP transmissions. This made it harder for authorities to detect and block, offering both security and accessibility advantages.

WireGuard: Launched in 2018, WireGuard was touted as the VPN for the next generation. With a focus on simplicity and performance, WireGuard consists of just 4,000 lines of code (compared to the 100,000+ of OpenVPN), making it easier to audit and maintain.

Rise of Mobile VPNs: With the proliferation of smartphones, VPN providers rapidly adapted, offering mobile-centric solutions. This ensured users could enjoy security and privacy irrespective of the device they were using.

  1. Present Day: User-centricity and Enhanced Performance
    Today’s VPNs are not just about security or bypassing geo-restrictions. They’re about providing a holistic online experience.

Split Tunneling: This feature allows users to decide which apps or websites use the VPN connection and which don’t, offering a mix of speed and security.

Multi-hop (or Double VPN): For those seeking an additional layer of privacy, some VPNs now route traffic through two (or more) servers, ensuring even if one is compromised, the user’s real IP remains hidden.

Zero-knowledge DNS: Modern VPN providers often maintain their private Domain Name System (DNS), ensuring user queries are neither logged nor leaked to third-party DNS providers.

Integration with Tor: Some VPNs now allow direct integration with The Onion Router (Tor) network, providing an additional layer of anonymity.

Emerging Protocols: Recognizing the limitations of existing protocols, new ones like NordVPN’s NordLynx (built on top of WireGuard) have emerged, focusing on speed without compromising on security.

Conclusion
From its nascent stages aimed at business connectivity to today’s user-centric solutions that cater to a plethora of needs, VPN technology has undergone a transformative journey. As digital threats evolve and as our reliance on the online world grows, the VPN of tomorrow promises even more innovations. This retrospective serves as a testament to how technology adapts, grows, and continuously seeks to address the ever-changing challenges of the digital age.