The importance of being wrong

It was a long process from beginning to end to come to grips with the matter and then stating publicly that I was convinced by writings and a movie that John Lennon’s 1980 shooting was a fake event, that he may in fact still be alive, and was for certain alive in 2008.

That’s not important, although crossing that little bridge from absolute belief to uncertainty would benefit everyone. It would lead to that side of the river where nothing can be taken at face, where everything is held open to question. That’s a good way to live.

But people, for the most part, cannot deal with that. They want certainty. Life offers very little of it.

People are layered beasts, most projecting phony images. Other than our small circle of friends, with whom he can be candid, there’s very little honesty in the world. There is no honesty in politics, and news is almost always fake. Virtually everything that comes to us via the TV screen is a concocted lie in some form, save perhaps weather forecasts. (Ah, but sporting events are genuine!  I have no reason to think that true. There is, after all, large money at stake. That leaves it open to question.)

That makes life both interesting and unpredictable. It leaves us to our own devices to understand things. We have no one we can trust.

Knowing that, it is important to understand that we can be fooled, that we can be wrong. That is not big deal. Once fooled, we can be un-fooled. We are always in a  state of flux. Life is about movement towards truth, not arrival there. When we happen upon a truth, as I did about Lennon and so many other fake events, it’s just a sign we are on the right road, but there still await may choices of turns and dead ends.

That last little paragraph above has helped me understand so much, and will continue to be my guiding light – that I have been wrong, have been fooled, and will be again and again as I move forward. On the day that I stop doubting and start trusting, I will also stop moving forward.

I know many people who never admit error about anything. They are usually wrong about just about everything.

Undamming the damned

Big Swede stopped by recently and left a comment … a long quote from someone else regarding Bernie Sanders. It has to do with Bernie’s public persona as a “socialist” and Swede’s perceptions of a black/white world where the are people like him producing stuff for other people to consume, the whole John Galt meme. It’s craven nonsense, but has driven a whole generation now into supporting fascists at various levels of government. That was probably its purpose, probably the reason why Ayn Rand was promoted , why her economics, which do not for a minute describe the real world, became such high profile reading material in the 50s and 60s.

But I felt bad that Swede took time to cut and paste such a long piece for us, and it simply vaporized before his eyes. I know that feeling, the arrogance of people who lock themselves away from criticism by banning. I didn’t ban Swede because he and I don’t see eye to eye. I can handle criticism from all ranks, from Kralj to Kurtz all the way up to Budge and Crisp and Kemmick. I have taken it from the best, and stand as I am, rattled but sincere. I have self awareness, and know how I am perceived, which must be unsettling for some, as I believe in myself, my own mind and abilities.

So I went into WordPress settings and unbanned Swede and everyone. It’s annoying that cutting and pasting takes the place of thinking and exchanging views, but then again, people who are so insecure as to be unable to handle criticism are annoying too. I don’t think if myself like that, but I did ban four people. I don’t fear them. I just didn’t like the way that comment strings go a predictable route, mindless, wandering like a stray dog, nothing ever changing.

So Swede, Kralj, Kurtz, Moore, try something different. Before commenting, exercise the brains rather than reflexive muscles. Give us what you got, not someone else’s thoughts. You’re welcome here, but please, no cutting and pasting. Please.

Law enforcement versus Apple: Another fake showdown

The fake battle between Apple and law enforcement over the Apple iPhone used by the fake terrorist is hard to understand. What is really at stake?

First, the San Bernardino event was fake. I investigated just one of the supposed victims, “Sierra Clayborn,” a fake person with fake photos and identity and family. Piece of cake. If I can do that anyone can. (What was odd that there was another “Sierra Clayborn” in Chicago, and she was as fake as the California one. Two fake people, same name, different parts of the country. What gives?)

When the spooks stage these events, they have to make up persons, giving them occupations, names, photos, family – because the American news media is state controlled and the public too dumbed down to know better, they don’t have to try too hard, which is why it is so easy to spot the fakery. The Sierra Clayborn photos were so amateurish that they had to be laughing as they put them together.

Secondly, there is nothing “locked” about an Apple phone. The technology came out of DARPA, and was designed to track us. Government has been able to eavesdrop on our cell phones from the get go.

Thirdly, there was no “terrorist” doing any shooting, so whoever supposedly did the fake deed is either a fake name or a spook or Green Beret or Seal or private terrorist from Blackwater or its successors. All is known about that person already.

So what is up with wanting to know the fake information on the fake phone? My guess: Legal precedent, one less constitutional protection. We had no privacy to begin with, but now they apparently want to formalize our subservience to the surveillance state.

Vulgar nation

imageWe are in Bozeman for one more day before returning to Colorado tomorrow. Yesterday we skied West Yellowstone, a taxing day leaving us exhausted. We don’t have many opportunities for Nordic skiing where we live, that is, when it snows you have to hit it right away, as within a few days the snow will be iced up.

West Yellowstone is primarily a snowmobiling town, and it is a spectacle to behold. The machines have gotten bigger and more powerful over time, and so too has the equipment needed to haul them. They need big trailers and powerful pickup trucks. The apparel is reminiscent of Matt Damon’s Mars experience, expensive clothing, gloves, helmets that hide all body parts from the cutting wind.

It is like being outdoors without experiencing the outdoors.

imageAs I witnessed the (usually) overweight bearded specimens riding the machines, I thought how vulgarized the American outdoor experience has become, snow machines in winter, ATV’s in summer, jet boats and motor boats and massive campers and trailers with satellites so that the occupants don’t miss any TV. We are in decline, surely. I can only hope that succeeding generations recover the experience of wind in the face, tired limbs and sore feet, vistas that take physical effort to behold, simple food and perhaps a rock to sit on and a book to read.

That, to me, is the outdoor experience.

Blessed are they who do not see, and yet believe

I still suspect that Antonin Scalia is really dead, and am happy about that. Given the level of corruption in our society, it is hard to point at just him and lay blame for the record of the Supreme Court in years past. He had a lot of help.

Never mind the notion that these justices, appointed for life, hold final say over too much, have too much power. They are essentially unaccountable. Even an obviously flawed decision like Citizens United, which they solicited, stands unchallenged. The whole system, never intended that way by the framers, needs to be chucked. The Supreme Court under Marshall essentially usurped its power, becoming the eqivalent of the British House of Lords.

But let’s take a closer look: death certificate issued by person who did not see body; cause of death unknown; no examination of the death scene; no autopsy or even examination of corpse; closed casket vigil; closed casket funeral. I do hope he is dead, and we will proceed as if he is. But we have nothing in the way if evidence that he is really dead. No body, no proof.

If you are a person of faith, you don’t have a problem. Some of us need to be convinced.

Again, I suspect he is dead. But without actual evidence, all we have is hope.

The Montana experience

image

I took this photo late yesterday afternoon – it is such a nice change to be in a place where you hear the wind blow, and nothing else. Four of us were stranded at Lewis and Clark Caverns near No Place Close,  Montana with a dead battery. I knew someone would come along eventually, so waited at the entrance and took in all the nothingness that is Montana.

Colorado does not have this. Every place there is populated and busy to some degree. There are no empty highways where you can just stand and listen to the wind.

A guy from Butte named Brian eventually stopped and got us going. At the same time, a guy who was biking high up on the hillside looked down and saw our hood up and made a special trip back to his car to come down and help.

I do miss this place.

Our fake republic

imageIt occurred to me last night as we discussed American politics … once in office whoever wins has no real power. The parade is already in motion, its destination determined by other, more powerful forces. Politicians are nothing but baton twirlers. (Think of the scene in the movie Animal House where the lead baton twirler in the parade is bumped aside and replaced. That is a nice metaphor for our presidential elections.)

If the Democrats need a sheepdog to keep them in the game, this year Bernie Sanders, then why not the Republicans too? The slate of candidates is comprised of dull, witless automatons, one of whom will take on the role of leader. None inspire enthusiasm or confidence, but they are all we get.

Sanders and Trump inspire crowds, keep people in the game. They are both sheepdogs.

Why could I not see this before? I think I suffered from the illusion that the Republican base, even though like Democrats dumb as a kettle of fish, did not need revving up to stay in the game. But of course they do!

Election outcomes do not matter, but the fact that we have elections does. That is the key – so long as we believe we have democratic rule the state of the union is solid. Our fake republic stands.

Why Hillary will win the nomination

I listen to Rush Limbaugh when out and about these days. I find him less abrasive than in years past, even a little more open and honest.

It appears his primary function is to keep the eyes of his right-wing audience on the ball, focusing on Obama and the Democrats as evil lefties. This reinforces the illusion of two parties. Whether he knowingly does that it is just a useful idiot – who knows?

But he said one thing of interest, if just in passing. He noted that Hillary’s campaign appears to be collapsing, and of course finds Bernie repugnant, as do I. But then he said “Hillary will get the nomination, of course, as she owns the superdelegates.”

I had forgotten about that facet of the nominating process, the backstop in place to prevent real delegates from choosing someone upapproved by real power. I’ve been away from fake politics for too long!

My guess: Scalia just up and died

The Scalia matter:

  • Ignore stories about pillows on his face, other suspicious stuff like death on the 33rd parallel if that is even close to where he died. Those are probably planted. They like to fuck with us. News is not of much use. The Broncos did beat the Panthers. Beyond honest reporting of things like that, high skepticism is the rule of the day.
  • If the spooks wanted to off this guy, they could do it and make it look real. It is their stock in trade, and the tools they have at their disposal are immense and sophisticated.
  • The key right now is that there will be no autopsy. That is odd, as anytime anyone dies unexpectedly, an autopsy should be performed to determine cause of death, and especially for a public figure. It is generally up to the family, but spooks often pressure families to not exercise that right. We need an autopsy, have a right to know how he died.
  • However, that said, a heart attack can be induced and no trace left behind, so that an autopsy, even if an honest one, would not resolve all doubt.
  • The body will lie in repose all day Friday before a Catholic funeral on Saturday. If the casket is open and we are allowed to view the corpse, that should end the questions on the fact of his death, if not the means.
  • Personally, I cannot imagine any reason for powerful people wanting him dead. He’s been a good soldier for the fascist cause. The idea that Obama will appoint someone with a more liberal background is nonsense, as Obama himself is only fake liberal, and so would at best appoint a fake liberal (if he even has a say in the matter).
  • And anyway, it helps to understand that our institutions are corrupt, and the Supreme Court is no exception. The idea that they act and evaluate matters independently should be set aside along with notions of a free press and honest elections. If Bush v Gore and Citizens United did not teach you that, you’re not paying attention.
  • This stuff about Obama wanting his seat, resigning, being appointed by Biden to fill it is nonsense. The president does not have that kind of power. He’s an actor, nothing more. It has been that way for decades. Nixon was the last president to forcefully exercise the power of the office.
  • And anyway, is Obama even qualified?
  • That would be interesting however, as if he were nominated to the seat he should have to supply his college transcripts from Columbia and Harvard, currently under lock and key. It would finally answer the question of whether he actually attended those places, or whether his resume’, like the rest of his biography, is fake.

It appears to me at this time that Scalia just up and died. I would mourn his passing, but I’m a little busy. He was no one important or unusually talented. He was just another soldier.

Inconvenient documents

The post below dealt with the matter of fake death, and a commenter noted that fake deaths are not uncommon:

“We are now able to disappear thousands of bodies, whole passenger planes and the most notorious “terrorist” in history. Practice makes perfect. One need only think of the “witness protection” program to see how easy it is to relocate thousands of people in new lives and new places, in plain sight — like Montana. The truth is out there.”

Here’s another example: while no “plane” hit the Pentagon on 9/11, there apparently was a flyover, though witnesses place the track of that airliner off line with whatever hit the building. The pilot of that airliner, Chick Burlingame, is supposedly one of the thousands of victims of the sleek and shiny reptiles who pulled of that stunt that day. If he did not really die, he would have to take on a new identity and begin a new life. He would have to be careful not to blow the gig.  But what would happen if others knew about his fake death and began talking?

This might interest you. 

Continue reading “Inconvenient documents” →