Liberté survit!

Another barbaric act of violence was perpetuated by Muslim religious zealots.  This time the innocent victims were the citizens of Paris, France.

To my dying day I will never understand the need and willingness of some members of our common human race to destroy others simply because they do not believe as they do.  

What goes through the minds of these people who commit such acts of atrocity?  Oh sure, it is easy to blame the Muslim religion, which actually teaches to "destroy the infidel".  In other words if you don't believe as they do, they feel it is their duty to destroy you.  At least that's the way I understand their religion.

But folks, let's admit that all cultures have their barbarians who seek pleasure in causing death in destruction.  Be it some Lewes teenagers (almost always male) who have an overload of hormones and burn down a vacant bard or a young Muslim who thinks he'll be a martyr by killing as many "infidels" as possible and be rewarded in Heaven with 72 virgins.  Which, brings to mind how are the gay martyr's rewarded?  But I digress.

My apologies folks for my rambling.  I thought long and hard about what I would post in response to the horrific tragedy in France where people were going about their everyday lives only to have terror rain down upon them.  The obvious question is "Why does God permit this?"  And don't give me the old "mystery" thing.  I'm not buying it.  

All I know is each day most of us go through lives just trying to survive. Most of us aren't trying to make others live the way we do, or lie cheat and steal.  But there is that element that seeks to destroy.  If there is a God, I thank God I'm not one of that human species.  

So today I will think about those in France who have lost their loved ones.  I will also think about those who are grievously injured and for no better reason than they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

I often wondered if our planet is observed from other life form in outer space.  What do they think of us constantly causing harm and causing death and destruction to each other?  

Rodney King said it best (which, I doubt he really said it but I'll use the quote anyway):

"Can't we all just get along?"

I fear not.  

The terrorists have achieved their goal.  Look at how we live now. That's their point, to create terror.

But it is only temporary folks.  In the end the terrorists will lose.  Then what new evil awaits us?

For now though, my thoughts go out to those who have lost so much in this latest act of barbarism by Muslim religious extremists. May they find peace and solace soon. 

The Face of Greed

Folks, this is the face of pure greed. A person who has no moral character. 

I place this person in with terrorists.  Pure evil.  I need to say nothing else. What really sends a chill down my spine is that this person doesn't even see how evil he is.

Martin Shkreli, CEO Turing Pharmaceuticals bought this company and decided immediately to raise the price of the company's 62-year old medication used by Aids patients by over 5,000%. 

The drug, Daraprim, increased from $13.50 to $750.00.  

The pill costs about $1 to produce, but Mr. Shkreli, a former hedge fund manager (now there's a recommendation) said that does not include other costs like marketing and distribution.  

Sure, you greedy monster.  Didn't you make enough money with your hedge funds? 

Oh, and another thing, he's an Albanian? Welcome to America you f -cking greed monster.

Saturday Morning Random Thoughts

As usual, lots of "stuff" swirling through my noggin this summer Saturday morning.  Let's take them as they waft in and out of my mind.

I sent an e-mail yesterday to the local Democratic neighborhood coordinator informing him that I'm opting out of being my neighborhood volunteer.  Folks, I just don't have the energy to go looking for addresses and knocking on people's doors, bothering them with political "stuff."  Besides, I just don't have the time.  Working two days a week, taking care of Casa Tipton-Kelly, keeping up with my blog and friends, taking care of the backyard, and just resting.  I'm going to fall back on the "I'm an old man now and I get tired."  I tried folks but volunteering just isn't me.  

Less than a month to go until my first big trip in decades. August 15th my co-worker Monica will stop by at Casa Tipton-Kelly in the wee morning hours of 3:30 AM or 4:00 AM to take the two plus hour trip to Philly International Airport for me to catch the 7:29 AM big bird to

"Where's my carry on bag?"

Buffalo, New York.  Pat, my host from Toronto will pick me up in Buffalo.  Why Buffalo?  I save $498 in plane fare. I'm comfortable folks, I can pay my bills but I'm not rich.  Lots of very well off gay folks down here in Gayberry (from Washington D.C.) but I'm not one of them.  I worked for private (banks) industry, not the government.  My pension checks don't even come close to their inflation adjusted pension checks.  Yes, I'm ranting.  They're the only ones who can afford those overpriced Rehoboth la de day restaurants.

The Cultured Pearl, Rehoboth Beach, DE - out of my price range and besides…..Seafood….UGH!

I'm about as ready for this trip as I can be.  This week I will make a practice "stuff the luggage" drill. Pat's telling me I don't need to bring a lot of "stuff" with me.  Me thinks he is right but a lifetime habit of bringing most of my clothes closet with me on vacation is hard to break.  We.Will.See. I'm almost there Pat.

Bill's fine with me absent from the premises for two weeks.  Just between you and me I think this will be a "vacation" for him too…..from me.  I am high maintenance folks.  Even I know that.

Our local summer veggie and fruit stand is open.  This is the best time of year folks, fresh fruit and veggies!  I love it!  Corn on the cob, fresh zucchini and peaches that taste like real peaches, not those faux peaches that are for sole in Food Lion.

My local no name veggie market yesterday - all I know it's "the one on Route 16 outside Milton" - low overhead

I note with distress and frustration that many in this world continue to kill each other thinking this is the way to "solve" their problems.  Hamas in Gaza thinks lobbing a few missiles into Israel is going to get Israel to withdraw from Gaza.  Ain't happening Muslim extremists.

The Ukraine Russian backed rebels shoot down a civilian airline killing all 298 souls aboard and now their main objective is covering up their horrible mistake.  By the way, this country shouldn't be acting all holier than thou, remember when OUR Navy shot down an Iranian Airbus A300

The Navy ship that shot down the Iranian Airbus A300
Mistakes happen but when we do it, it's an "oops!" and promote the commander who ordered the kill

over the Persian Gulf on July 3, 1988 killing all 290 people aboard including 66 children?  Didn't hear too much about this incident did you?  Of course you didn't because it was the United States that made this horrible mistake this time and our all too often complicent news media succeeding in downplaying our trigger happy Navy.  In fact, the commander of the ship that shot down the Iranian Airbus got a promotion.  That's how we here in the U.S. handle mistakes, we promote and reward in order to coverup.  Oh now, we're no angels either.  Mistakes happen folks, own up to them.  Of course the Russians aren't going to own up to this mistake either.  That's the way of governments.  First they lie then they coverup.  Fact of life.  Always has been that way, always will.  All in the name of "national security." Just try to stay out of their way or else they'll destroy you. Again, all in the name of "national security."

What I will never understand to my dying day is why so many civilized people think the answer to any disagreement is violence?  The only answer I can think of is evil exists in this world.  

Man's favorite pastime? Killing each other?

I may have more than my share of shortcomings and deficiencies but one thing I am not is violent or evil.  I'm not religious but I do thank whoever or whatever made me the person that I am that I am not one of those people who think killing is the answer…..to anything.  Well, maybe a mosquito or a bothersome fly.  

You know folks, I can walk out my door now and get into my car and drive into Lewes.  What will I see?  All manner of people, walking around, shopping, eating and restaurants, enjoying the fine weather of this summer day and the company of other folks. Why can't all the world be like this?  I don't have an answer folks.  All I an think of is evil. The desire of one tribe to eliminate another tribe because they don't think like they do.  Evil.

So that's my Saturday morning rant folks.  It's been stewing for awhile ever since I heard that Malaysian airline was shot down causing the death of 298 innocent souls including 88 children and three babies.  This is the world we live in folks.  Some things never change.  Grab the happiness whenever and wherever you can because you never know when some testosterone ladened cretin with firepower will end your life because he (and it's almost always a "he") has decided you do not deserve to live any more.  Life is a roll of the dice folks. Enjoy it while you can.  I am.

Good Versus Evil

Checked the e-mail this morning and here is the latest phishing scam. "Hubbell Funeral" home is notifying me of the death of my "beloved friend." Now all I have to do is click on a link they so thoughtfully provided and I have male ware on my computer. You have to hand it to those hackers in Bulgaria (I know this one isn't from Nigeria because there are no misspellings). Always coming up with a new angle to compromise our computers.  See here.

Here is the e-mail I got this morning:

Ah yes, the Evil Ones never give up do they?  Roll over and play dead for the bastards.  One has to be ever vigilant. There are those in this world who are kind and productive and helpful and then there are those who are unkind, unproductive and work all their waking hours to destroy and take from those they consider weak and trusting.  That's the world folks, since the beginning of time.  A constant struggle between Good an Evil.  

You know folks, there are too many in this world who are all too ready to pass judgment on their fellow human beings.  From that ridiculous law that was just vetoed in Arizona that was going to legalize discrimination against The Gays to "protect religious freedom" to the murderers who walk among us, there is evil all around us clothed in so called "religious freedom."  The irony is that if those who are all too quick to condemn actually practiced the peaceful tenants of their religion, we wouldn't have the harm that is done in this world under the guise of "religious freedom."  So there I go again folks, off on another tangent from a simple evil act like someone trying to destroy my computer by a phishing scam.  But when I see something like this first thing in the morning and then encounter similar situations all during the day whether it be politicians blatantly lying and taking us into unnecessary wars, and voting against our own interests to the all too many businesses that lie to us attempting more sophisticated ways of making us part with our hard earned money.  Sometimes it is very difficult not to become mired in cynicism.  

But this one thing I know, I know myself what I am.  I do not wake up each day trying to figure out how to do someone out of something.  Trying to figure out how to harm someone.  No folks, I when I get up my goal during the day is to step through the minefield of those who seek to harm me in my quest to do good in this world.  And that doesn't mean being taking advantage of by those who wish me ill. By those people who are jealous of me. By those people who are envious of me. By those people who don't respect me.  By those people who don't like me. By those people who consider me "less than."  That means having a relationship with those who wish me well as they do with the rest of the world and as I wish them well.  And that to me folks is my daily challenge and has been for all these years I've been on this earth.  

Thus it is refreshing in a somewhat weird way to wake up this morning and the first thing I see is yet another Evil Doer trying to do harm.  But it is a shame isn't it?  One good thing about dying, that's when this crap ends.  

Something Good

This is in memory of those who died this weekend in Aurora, Colorado.  There is evil in this world but there is also goodness.  With so much sadness and anger over the senseless tragedy this weekend, this should help to show that goodness will always be there in the end.