I don't care what anyone says ...

... As far as I'm concerned, summer ends when kids go back to school.

The American bombing campaign Americans don't know about.

http://fair.org/home/media-yemen-us-saudi-airstrikes-killing-civilians/

Me - paranoid about social media?

This oldie but goodie explains why -

http://www.globalresearch.ca/social-media-is-a-tool-of-the-cia-facebook-google-and-other-social-media-used-to-spy-on-people/5606170

Next time some jag-off tries to tell you that fascism originated from socialism ...

... just remind them of this.

http://www.ninaillingworth.com/2017/08/30/antifa-arpaio-and-donald-trumps-all-american-reichstag-fire/

Idiocracy = people who spend all their time on social media.

New phrase I heard today from someone, which makes a lot of sense to me.

People who do this - I think it's like an alternate reality for them.

Sigh - doing anything except what I do now.

Why is it what I do doesn't make me happy?

Mondays tend to frighten me ...

... only because I don't check my work email over the weekend. So naturally all the issues pile up.

But somehow I dislike Tuesdays more. I think it's because all the things that you were supposed to be made aware of last Friday and due next week, your manager typically lets you know on Tuesdays.

DNC allowed to cheat.

Evidently.

Know this going forward.

What would I do if I had a lot of money?

In view of the recent lottery wins, there was a lot of discussion in our vanpool yesterday about what one would do if they came into a lot of cash.

There was talk of buying things, vacations, homes, etc. In my case, I didn't really have to think much about it. I know what I need to do.

So if I came into a lot of cash (let's say for arguments sake - $100 million USD) - this is what I'd do -

1. Pay off any and all debts in full - Bills, loans, contracts, etc. I don't want to owe anyone anything going forward.
2. Set up a retirement fund for the family - This is so we can live comfortably on a solidly fixed amount of money per month for the rest of our lives and can pay off regular bills on a monthly basis (electricity, taxes, groceries, utilities, clothing, etc.). Also, it ensures I have controls in place so I can review what money is going to where.
3. Acquire a nice house in a quiet neighborhood or with a lot of land- It certainly doesn't need to be a mansion. And I don't mean 'buying it' in the sense of paying out to a bank over 30+ years. I mean getting a house and owning it free and clear from the get-go. For me, it's not a financial investment - but rather a life investment. I want a place that I can truly make a home for me and my family; someplace they can always call their own.
4. Set up trust funds for each child - this way each kid can live comfortably on their own and make choices to help them find happiness without having to struggle as I did. Of course, it's not for me to impose - if they choose to go their own way, they can. But it's there if they ever need it.
5. Set up college funds for each child - I feel like I'd set up something separate to the last one in the event the kids want to pursue 'higher education'. Of course, I'd have to ensure the necessary controls are in place to make sure the money is spent and used wisely. 
6. Set up trust funds for future grandchildren - same as 4.
7. Build a recording/production studio and rehearsal facility - this way I can make the music I want whenever I want to. Also would help in other non-musical endeavors like books and films.
8. Assist other family members (parents, siblings) with any financial difficulties - Of course, this would only go to a certain point. I'd want to ensure that the money's spent wisely and for what it's intended for. Also, likely it'd be a one-time deal.

Once done, probably I'd have a lot of money left over. I'd divide half of it into investments into businesses and ideas I believe in. The rest would be disposable income that could be spend on things like 2nd or 3rd homes, guitars, amps, travel, etc., along with donating a portion to a number of causes I believe in - especially initiatives that help stop and reverse global warming, and ensuring all people have access to good health coverage, college and affordable housing, banking, etc.

A piece of advice for people trying to get me on the phone.

Unless I'm actively looking for a new job, I don't answer the phone for a number I don't recognize - unless you leave a voice message.

There. I've said it. Deal with it.

When one has a newborn to deal with ...

... One is reminded of how wonderful sleep is.

A strange feeling.

Do you ever get the feeling that the system (or systems) of governance in one's life and career conspire to work against you?

I certainly feel that way.

Stop Internet Censorship.

https://petitions.wsws.org/fightcensorship/

"In April, Google introduced new search algorithms and protocols that block access to socialist, anti-war, and progressive websites.
Google has especially targeted the World Socialist Web Site, the most widely read socialist Internet publication. The WSWS has experienced a 70 percent drop in referrals from Google searches. Its news articles and essays on politics, history and culture are being systematically blocked.
Under the fraudulent pretext of countering “fake news,” Google is engaged in political censorship. There is clear evidence that Google’s manipulation of search results is being closely coordinated with the military, intelligence agencies, and powerful corporate interests.
This petition demands that you stop Google’s attack on free speech, independent thought, and the basic right to uncensored information."

Eclipse coming

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_August_21,_2017

Interesting history not too far away from me ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Redmond,_Washington

Interesting also that it remains to this day unincorporated.

Yes - Sanders was right all along - single-payer health care is a right and should be available for all Americans.

https://caucus99percent.com/content/medicare-all-battle-will-start-soon

Niki Ashton - a member of the NDP I'm going to watching out for.

The more I read, the more I like.

https://jacobinmag.com/2017/08/npd-canada-niki-ashton-justin-trudeau-first-nations-rcmp-palestine

Great expose on this bullshit meme - 'alt-left'.

More poignant now, than last weekend for sure.

http://fair.org/home/centrist-pundits-paved-way-for-trumps-alt-left-false-equivalence/

There are hundreds of ways to criticize the left that don’t involve likening them to Nazis, but these weren’t the ones settled on by establishment-defending flacks in urgent need of a smear against left critics, especially after the disastrous 2016 election. The reliance on Nazifying Sanders backers, socialists, anti-fascists, anarchists and a whole host of anti-right, anti-centrist activists fed the toxic ideological stew that made Trump’s false equivalency not only possible, but entirely banal.

Long days and longer nights

That's how it is these days.

Endless office shenanigans (Of which I'm not the cause) plus many sleepless nights due to CV jr, make for a very tired IT grunt.

I'm told to 'hang in there', or 'tough it out', or 'man up' - all of which are excessively stupid.

Of course - it's not like I have too many other choices.

Talk about challenging history ...

From Wikipedia -

1901 – Gustave Whitehead allegedly made a successful powered flight of his Number 21 aircraft (pictured) in Fairfield, Connecticut, U.S.; if true, this predates the Wright brothers by two years.

Damn fucking right it was a leak.

https://www.thenation.com/article/a-new-report-raises-big-questions-about-last-years-dnc-hack/

Just like Wikileaks has always said.

Thank you Jimmy Dore (as always) -




Of course, this was first published by ConsortiumNews recently -

https://consortiumnews.com/2017/07/24/intel-vets-challenge-russia-hack-evidence/

Terrible air the past couple of weeks.

Mostly due to the forest fires up in BC.

Wonder if anyone ever came up with a cause?

Another Feminist double-standard busted.

It truly is a form of body-shaming - so let's call it what it is.

https://content.dollarshaveclub.com/saying-guy-small-penis-body-shaming

Often times it's easy to respond as pointed out in the article that perhaps it isn't that men are too 'small' down there, but rather it's women who are 'too big', but that too I see as a form of body shaming.

It's as ridiculous as the phrase 'man-up!' - something I tend to hear from feminists.

Never trust establishment media - they will do anything to keep their grip on funds to keep them alive.

Those funds come from corporations who get the money from the American public. So as long as said public is kept randomized, confused, or directed elsewhere, then it's good for them.

Case in point -

https://consortiumnews.com/2017/08/04/the-war-on-wikileaks-and-assange/

Nice prank.

Too bad that's all it is.

Will we ever find out who all was really behind MLK jr's killing?

http://www.globalresearch.ca/who-killed-martin-luther-king-the-cover-up-of-the-century/5502343

Obviously someone in the establishment knew (emphasis mine below)

Army surveillance of King continued until his assassination. Carthel Weeden, a former captain with the Memphis Fire Department, testified at the Jowers trial that on the afternoon of April 4, 1968, two men approached him at the fire station across from the Lorraine Motel, and showed the identification of U.S. Army officers. The men carried photographic equipment and positioned themselves on the rooftop of the fire station which gave them a clear view of King and the assassin. Any photographs could be in Pentagon archives. According to former National Security Council operative, Jack Terrell, the army went beyond surveillance. Terrell testified that his close friend J.D. Hill who was part of the 20th Special Forces Group confessed to him that he had been a member of an Army sniper team in Memphis ordered to shoot an “unknown” target on April 4. The snipers were being transported to Memphis when their mission was suddenly cancelled. Hill stated that upon learning of King’s murder the next day, he realized that the team must have been part of a backup operation to kill King if another sniper failed.

Google censors progressive and socialist websites in their code - terrible software code.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/new-google-algorithm-restricts-access-to-left-wing-progressive-web-sites/5601949

Guess they didn't design their code very well such that a very bad bug like this came out.

Thank you Google - I'll look into adding these sites as favorites so I can use your search engine less.