Life in a Bubble

There are 15 rare earth elements sitting at the bottom of the periodic table.  Just sitting their minding their own business and being as rare as can be.  No one seems to care that much about them, that’s why they’re at the bottom.  Who would want to associate with these nondescript and “rare” elements when they could just as easily rise a few sections and canoodle with the greats like gold and silver, helium and hydrogen and if you have a mean streak you could move toward the right and play with the more dangerous elements like chlorine, Arsenic, and the likes of plutonium and Francium.

The rare earths are however not really that rare and in fact quite plentiful what makes them rare is the difficulty in extracting them from their surrounding environment.   But when they are separated these “rare Earth” elements have proven to be very useful in upgrading or enhancing the properties of the more common elements.  So maybe the label of “rare” should be changed to exceptional.

Like so many of us we plod along through life floating around like a happy balloon filled with Helium and some of the more explosive gasses like hydrogen just waiting for someone to pop our bubble, giving us an excuse to burst out of our protective environment.  Many are too afraid to bring out that needle and do the deed ourselves, that would be irresponsible to some and too scary for others.  

Floating is so nice while concealed and protected , bopping up and down, blowing to and fro with the winds of the day, never really having to decide if right is good or left is better, up or down, decisions just come as our bubble encounters the everyday turbulence or the more volatile issues of hitting other bubbled individual.  Heaven forbid we actually have to interact with another person at a personal level.  

Many might think that while existing within those bubbles freedom is defined as the ability to just sit and see what happens, never really taking a proactive approach to guiding the bubble toward a specific destination.  Most are content with simply waiting to see where the bubble will land satisfied with whatever will be will be…Que_Sera,_Sera, never realizing the potential of creating a life for themselves.

Societies in general are made up of large bubbles that encompass specific groups of individuals going about their lives without the understanding of where their being blown too or how their bubble is being guided for the benefits of others and not themselves.  The problem with floating around is that the Helium gasses that support these lofty chariots of privacy are starving the brain of its Oxygen and at the same time is becoming more rare each year as once huge reserves are being depleted creating its own level of rarity. 

Helium is becoming scarce and with that scarcity the inevitability of those millions of floating souls crashing to the ground toward a new reality that requires personal choice, sacrifice and hard work.  They will have to understand the consequences of life without the protection of their bubble and learn how to mine for those rare earths to augment their new predicament. 

Rare Earths are not really rare their just hard to get but when they are achieved they are worth their weight in Gold, probably worth more actually.  It’s these rare earth examples that should give us pause as we start our precipitous descent from lofty pacifist to active participant.  We will soon be faced with the real decisions of a government that is either for us or against us, companies that work for us or against us, personal habits that work for our benefit or are detrimental.  We can no longer sit idly by, floating around and waiting to land, thinking that we will be coddled and warmed, protected and cared for, those days are gone.  

It really it's time to start digging into the earth, getting our fingers dirty our hands callused and stained from the soil that will provide us with what we really need, self-respect, honest labor and a few grahams of confidence, we can be the masters of our destiny.  Those rare elements are all around us, but they are not easy to extract but when we do put forth the effort the results are astounding.

Spiritual rare Earth elements are those that make each of us stronger and more self-reliant; unseen elements like integrity, honesty, perseverance and perhaps the most important, Charity for others. When combined with the mundane elements of life these rare earth combinations transform us as individuals and exalt us as a people , bridging the  gap of past societal woes and hatred, helping everyone to realize that we are all made in the Image of God and are therefore all worthy of His favors equally.  

All we have to do is pop that bubble that surrounds us, breathe the sweet air of independence, get on our hands and knees and dig deep for the answers that only God has for each of us.  Mine those precious elements that when combined with our own potential divinity will ensure solid synthesis of strength and compassion that will stand the winds of adversity and the trials of life in all its furry.      

Sniper dating

It was a simple task really, move in take a few shots, photos, the other shots costs extra and the client hadn’t opted for that option, and then quickly get out.  I had gotten in, settled in and scanned my perimeter and waited for 40 min to make sure nothing had seen me, there was no movement, no infrared signs and no sounds from the compact parabolic, I was alone.

Two hours later the marks arrived, two men and a tall slender woman who looked ready for the dance floor than a drug drop but then a little eye candy never hurt the negotiations I guess.   In retrospect perhaps it was that same women who caught my eye that allowed someone else to see my position.  Hard to believe though since I use totally non reflective equipment, not even a person looking straight at my sights could see the glass looking at them, but somebody did and somebody took that shot. 

The blood was slowing now as I sprinkled Celox V12090-35 on the wound; all bleeding would stop within a few seconds, the pain however was another matter but my training allowed me to totally ignore the burning, at least until after the mission was over.  

Another shot missed within inches but it was a little further to the left, leading me to believe that these were either warning shots or simple depth charges just to see what could be flushed out, I bet on the latter, knowing that my position was safe and my preparation sound.  Something must have spooked the group in the building, a bird, a mouse a slight rise from their own infrared sensors perhaps.  I was covered from head to two with Multispectral Camouflage Ghillie Suit (MSCGS), it was a little bulky but kept me from being detected, except I thought when I had scratched my nose a few minutes ago, exposing my fingers and nose to detection.

It would have only been a second or two but long enough for a sensitive thermal scan to pick up a blip.  But now that the blip was gone the shooter was simply making sure, aiming at where but not at what.  I remained perfectly still, my back to the building, my breathing controlled, my head down breathing into my hands to minimize the human exhaust and tell tail signs of life.  Ten minutes, not another shot. It was time to get to work.

Shifting my position I crawled to the staging area and used my mirror to gauge the conditions of the targets, they were all there as expected.  As I was watching another entered the room, I couldn’t get a clear view of his face but he seemed familiar.  I had to drop the gaze and change positions to get a clearer view.

Once again lifting the small square mirror with a coating that minimized its glare from others, I could clearly see the occupants including the new arrival, my partner, the buyer.  His face and position clearly etched as I dropped the mirror back into my front breast pocket moving the camera back to its bag and positioned the Barrett .50 Cal with sound suppressors between the two substantial rocks that also gave me the cover I needed if I missed a shot and they had time to shoot back, unlikely but it does happen.

Even thought my assignment was to photo only the situation had changed as my partners activities were discovered.  My first shot was at the buyer, my partner, the kingpin for selling these drugs to hundreds of kids and users; the estimated street value from what I’d seen was in the millions. It had to be stopped.  With quick aim I shot and the .50 went right through his upper shoulder, ripping tendons and muscles, breaking bones and shattering his clavicle in three places.  He wouldn’t die but he would also not be running away, nor have the use of his shoulder and never fully functional. 

The next two shots were head shots with nothing left but a facade leaving only the face but nothing of the head in the back.  Three down.  The woman, I paused, she was standing in shock seeing the three sliced down without a sound, knowing she was next.  I took a deep breath, let it out slowly, I was in no hurry she was like a dear in the headlights, I squeezed the trigger and the .50 cut her left ear at the upper ear flap.  I didn’t take it all the way off, just enough to be able to recognize her when she went to the hospital.  She was bleeding profusely but the shot had startled her enough to run, leaving the rest of the crew behind.

Two dead and one seriously injured, I dialed 911 and waited for the sirens to be heard before leaving.  Taking one last look through the scope I could see my partner looking straight at me, his eyes filled with fear and guilt and that understanding of what I had done.  He knew I had taken the shots and knew I had saved his life, saved his life to rot in jail, he also knew.   

The ambulance was almost here, followed by a few cop cars as well.  It was time for me to go.  I had to hurry to get away undetected and have time to locate the hospital where the woman would be visiting very soon.  Cut me some slack will ya?  In my line of work dating is very difficult, meeting nice (ok beautiful) woman is not that easy.  I figure I maimed her I might as well try to get to know her, we’ll see where it goes from there.  I do own my own company now, I should be able to take a few days off here and there, don’t you think?

False Economies and Conspiracies

The lies and half-truths of our economic recovery fall squarely in the definition of a conspiracy.  We are not being told the truth about the real situation, a situation that has been controlled, manipulated and prolonged for the express purpose of changing both our mindset and our way of life.

 

Conspiracies by their very nature cannot be commonly known.  If they were to be discovered the conspiracy would revert to a criminal state or would be subject to investigation and therefor loose its conspiratorial status.   A conspiracy theory is an explanatory proposition that accuses two or more people, a group or an organization of having caused or covered up, through deliberate collusion, an event or phenomenon of great social, political, or economic impact.

The secret ends of a plan or motivation are the key to understanding the true nature of an ongoing conspiracy.  It really doesn’t matter if some of the outward signs are present and discoverable nor if the persons involved are known it’s the end game that matters the most.  In some cases even the published result can be known if those results are in some way clouded and obfuscated to such a degree that most do not understand or do not accept the almost inevitable reality of what will soon become.

An often used example of knowing but not accepting is the poor frog in a pot of warm tepid water.  His comfort is assured at the time of his incarceration, willingly floating, arms and legs still, enjoying the moment but never privy to the slowly rising heat and certain death.  The conspiracy to the frog was the free placement into the tepid water with no information regarding the real intent of the situation.   

Our economy and our so called recovery are very similar to the frog.  We have been told and retold that our economy is getting better.  Every economic indicator reported tells us that almost every sector of the economy is growing in strength and vitality; almost without exception the news is positive in relation to job growth and building starts, plant closures and layoff.  The numbers of the unemployed are dropping but when you look at the numbers based on the where we started and the ratios of those gains based on those beginning numbers there is very little truth to the governmental claims of any recovery at all.

One good indicator is unemployment.  We are often told of an improving job market — for good reason. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates, the U.S. gained nearly 200,000 jobs last June, and another 70,000 jobs were created in April and May bringing the unemployment rate to a humble but steady 7.6%; not great, but a lot better than the 10% unemployment rate between 2009 and 2010.

Conspiratorially the numbers do not explain the entire picture and purposely mislead the public into thinking one way when the actual numbers of unemployed are much worse.  When taken in context from the total numbers of who was employed and who want to be employed (not just those still looking or still receiving unemployment benefits) the unemployment rate is a substantial 14% and reached as high as 20% in some sectors of the economy.  

The claims of governments and patsy economists only show the cards on the table, the kings and aces but always hide the deuces, not wanting to worry our pretty little heads over such mundane details.  Those unemployed, that 14%, those 42 million unemployed and underemployed know the truth and no conspiracy will sway their reality. 

With government revenues at an all-time high, nearly 2.7 trillion (do you remember the graphic from the previous post on how to understand a trillion?  Look it up) the government is raking in the dough, dough that it is not returning to those in need, but in all respects being spent on political fodder, friends and projects that only enhance those in government, bolstering the claims of a conspiracy against the needs and freedoms of the population in general.

The issue of revenues in relation to true unemployment creates another scenario of concern and that is the nature of how those revenues are realized.  If 14% of the work force is not working or working under their potential then the government’s revenues should be that much less not more than before, giving us an indication of not only higher taxes for those that do work but of usurious and underhanded methods of collection that the general public cannot see or fathom, further enhancing the idea that a conspiracy is at play to separate our freedoms through taxes and imposing slavery like conditions that force us to work in less meaningful ways for less money and all the while our government makes more, provides less services and continues to complain, places blame and never acknowledges their own responsibility…Conspiracy…

When our Founding Fathers saw these very same tactics they revolted, they planned and fought to be free from the tyrannical forces that controlled their lives.  As a substitute teacher with a Masters in Special Education, 60 units of post graduate credits and a degree and credential in Business I find myself just a little frustrated with not being able to find a full time teaching position.  I know it’s not me; it’s the economy and the very real efforts by those in power to sustain a lower standard of living and to destroy the middle class in such an insidious way that the majority of the country will eventually lay down and die while comfortably sitting in that cauldron of heated water.  

This conspiracy is real and the only way to fight it is to know about it, tell others and perhaps start our own revolution against it, I’ve nothing else to do…any ideas on how to fight this?

Beauty and the Beast

For many women there exists in their life an overwhelming standard toward excellence portrayed by the media, style and their own self-worth.  Reaching these higher echelons of perfection can often be problematic especially in relation to those same and often self-imposed standards.  The psychology of beauty and the pursuit of splendor have and will most likely continue to be a strong motivation toward monetary endeavors and the time spent in front of any given mirror.

170 billion dollars worldwide are spent on cosmetic products.  That is approximately equivalent to a stack of one dollar bills reaching a height of more than 10,000 miles (not placed end to end but on top of each other), that’s a lot of money.  

The following graphic can be used in a multitude of discussions, its always important to have a clear perspective:

  

The height of a stack of 100 one dollar bills measures .43 inches. (Crisp new bills, not the ragged old one’s I have in my wallet)

1,000=4.3 inches.

1,000,000 4,300 inches or 358 feet – about the height of a 30 to 35 story building.

100,000,000 (one hundred million) 35,851 feet or 6.79 miles= to where commercial jetliners fly.

1,000,000,000 (one billion) 358,510 feet or 67.9 miles= to the lower portion of the troposphere – one of the major outer layers of earth’s atmosphere.

100,000,000,000 (one hundred billion) =6,786.6 miles. 

1,000,000,000,000 (one trillion) = 67,866 miles. This would reach more than one fourth the way to the moon.

The height of a stack of 100,000,000,000,000 (one hundred trillion) one dollar bills measures 6,786,616 miles. This would reach from the earth to the moon and back 14 times.

 http://www.usdebtclock.org  This is an amazing site to behold...Not really related to this topic but will it ever go backwards?

Now that we have a perspective of how much money we spend we can see that 170 Billion is a lot of money to be spending it on what many women call a necessary evil.  The question has to be asked, how many women really like putting on makeup? Is it a question of degrees, meaning the more you need it the more you wear, I don’t think so, if that were the case I think those sales numbers would be into the trillions.  (my perspective only and not to be taken as a gauge of beauty throughout the world or lack of …)

I don’t know the answer to these questions but I do know that women like to look good and I’m thankful for that cents (yes I know it’s the wrong sense ..) of vanity,  but I also think that the amount paid and the time spent are a bit excessive, even in this world of extreme.  I’ll be the first to admit that my opinion on this matter will not matter one thin dime and this issue is one that falls directly into the laps of women. 

From my perspective, again not too many women will really care what I think, but from my vantage point, looking at my wife I don’t see the point; she is beautiful, el natural.  I do like to see her all “made up” but would I love her any less without eyeliner, lipstick, eye shadow, I could go on and on but I think that’s all she uses, no.  

Wouldn’t men get used to women without makeup if they all stopped using it?  Look I also understand that women have used some sort of facial accoutrement since Eve ate the apple and had to compete for his affections after the Garden but 170 billion dollars? That’s about $100 per women who are within the makeup using age.  These estimates do not distinguish between industrialized countries and the poorer nations of the world, nor does it consider the needs of some women to wear copious amounts in their pursuit of beauty, it only averages out the total dollars spent with the number of available women using (almost sounds like an addiction).  

Even my wife, who does not need makeup spends more than a $100 per year I can only imagine what’s spent by women who think they need it.  The point I’m trying to make, albeit from a very masculine perspective (I don’t even like lotion) is that if all women stopped using makeup would they be able to see themselves as beautiful and would men be able to see that same inner beauty and outward wonder without the dramatic eye shadow or lip gloss?

I’m not suggesting that women stop all attempts toward competing with each other over who knows what, I surely don’t understand the game but I am suggesting that perhaps one week out of the year be reserved as a Natural Day of Beauty, deodorant exempted of course.  A week is needed in order for both men and women to get used to the preliminary naked look and get used to seeing the faces of our fair sex in all its natural wonder.

The advantage may be all mine in this regard, my wife is beautiful but that old saying I think is true “beauty is in the eyes of the beholder”  all we have to do is readjust our sights and our perception to include the beauty of those God given faces.  By the way guys, have you looked in the mirror lately, maybe a little rouge or foundation would do you some good, but not during the National Natural Day of Beauty.