Perspective on the Pandemic

Mike Rowe
March 19 at 5:58 PM ·

Mike – I just re-watched your Safety Third special on DVD. Genius. Couldn’t help but wonder your current take, since you and 7 million of your neighbors in the Bay Area have been ordered to “shelter in place.” What do you think? Is it unreasonable to wonder if this is all a giant overreaction?

Greg Marsh

Hi Greg –

It’s true. I’ve been sent to my room for the next three weeks. And yes, I do have some thoughts on the length of my sequestration, and the role of safety in the age of coronavirus.

For the uninitiated, I coined the expression “Safety Third” back in 2008, during an episode of Dirty Jobs. It was a smart-ass way for me to challenge the ubiquity of those Safety First banners, and debunk the popular notion that safety was always the most important thing on the job site.

After years of Safety First indoctrination, and a front row seat to it's unintended consequences, “Safety Third,” became a slightly subversive way for my crew and I to remind each other that our safety was in fact, our responsibility, and that no amount of compliance could ever keep us out of danger. Safety, I argued, was not a value to be “ranked,” but rather, a state of mind to be maintained. Thus, “Safety Third” became an hour-long special that stirred up a great deal of conversation around personal responsibility, risk equilibrium, and the unintended consequences of ranking Safety above everything else.

Which of course, is precisely what our leaders are doing right now.

Today, in the name of safety, the United States of America has been shut down. Which brings me to your question – are we overreacting?

I honestly don’t know. I’m not an expert, and I’m in no rush to be labelled a “virus denier.” But I am concerned that the medicine we’re prescribing might turn out to be more deadly than the virus we’re trying to kill – especially if we don’t know the criteria by which we can re-emerge from our bunkers. And I’m not alone.

Here’s a rather remarkable article I saw this morning, by a medical professor at Stanford named John Ioannidis. http://bit.ly/2QvjsWv

I think it’s vital to read and consider every word. It’s a measured, data-driven analysis of what we’re doing based on the actual evidence at hand. As the headline reads, Dr. Ioannidis believes we are making monumentally impactful decisions without reliable data. Measures this draconian, he argues, demand a lot more evidence than what we’ve seen so far.

Is he right? Beats me. But he is a very respectable doctor at a very respectable institution with some very respectable credentials.

Here too, is another article offers some context from the situation in Italy, which most of the headlines do not. http://bit.ly/2Qtva40

Apparently, 99% of those who died over there, suffered from a myriad of pre-existing conditions. Are we looking at similar numbers over here? Are 99% of those who die from this virus already sick? How many here would have succumbed if this were just a really bad flu season, and how would their deaths be reported on the news?

Again, I don’t know. But I do know that recessions and depressions can impact a country in ways no less catastrophic than a pandemic. And we are most assuredly headed for both, if we continue to operate from a “Safety First” state of mind. Because “Safety First” is never a long-term solution.

For instance, after 9/11, we grounded all the planes for a while, because we needed some time to understand what the hell was going on. And, because we were terrified by an enemy we didn’t understand. But soon, we grew weary of being scared. We introduced new protocols to eliminate as much of the risk as we could and got back to the business of living.

Back in 1939, when London was being bombarded every single day, Britons were understandably terrified. They spent their days and nights in air raid shelters, hoping and praying the German bombs didn’t fall on them. Then, after a few weeks of unrelenting terror, they too, got bored with being scared. They reopened the shops. They reopened the schools. Even as the bombs fell on them, Britons adjusted to a new set of circumstances, and got back to the business of living. Why? Because safety was no longer first.

But this too, is part of the problem. We are being bombarded everyday with facts and information with extreme urgency but no context. Imagine for a moment, if the millions of automobile accidents in America were reported on with the same frenzied, up-to-the minute drama as each new virus infection? Imagine if all 40,000 annual automotive fatalities from those accidents, were announced in the same fashion as every virus fatality. Would any of us ever drive again?

To repeat, I don’t know if we’re overacting, but the manner in which the information is being disseminated suggests the situation is already catastrophic. Is it? According to Dr. Ioannidis, we’re treating a virus that MIGHT have devastating consequences, in a way that will GUARANTEE devastating consequences.

Personally, as an avowed non-expert with a large Facebook following, I do think a temporary shutdown makes sense, while we gather more information and answer some pressing questions. Who exactly does this affect? How exactly is it passed? Can you develop an immunity? Does it mutate and if so, how often? And of course, it's worth repeating that the lockdown wont work unless everyone participates, which is easier to do in Wuhan than it is during Spring Break in this country. Consequently, people are arguing over which is worse - hundreds of thousands of dead Americans, or another Great Depression. Unfortunately, I think that misses the point. I think the worst-case scenario, is both.

Consider this from Dr. Michael Osterholm, who’s quickly becoming one of the most respected voices in this space.

“This is not going to be like a blizzard,” he said, “this is a “coronavirus winter. It will last for months and months. A lot of people have made a decision to cancel events, large meetings, schools, etc., but what they haven't thought about is what it means if they make the decision to do this now. Tens of thousands of healthcare workers have kids in school. What will that do to their ability to care for the sick? Who will watch their kids?”

Remember, this is the man whose been telling us for years exactly what’s coming. And he’s been right at every turn. But he’s also telling us that shutting down the whole country for long periods of time is not the answer.

“How exactly, do you unring that bell?" he wonders. "If you put these closures into place now, with no criteria, how do you in August, September, or whatever, say OK, we're no longer going to do this anymore? If you didn't quarantine with criteria, what’s your criteria for getting back to normal?”

As I wrote the other day, it feels to me like America is going through the five stages of grief at varying speeds. Some of us are still in denial, some are angry, some are bargaining, some are depressed, some have accepted some version of the reality in which we currently find ourselves, and all of us are trying to keep up with the latest information which is bombarding us from all sides. The evidence is obviously sparse, but it would be a mistake in my view, to not treat this thing very, very seriously. If our hospitals become overrun with virus victims, the rest of the population will have no healthcare system at all. But, it’s equally dangerous to think that a long-term shutdown is the answer.

I don’t say this lightly. I have two elderly parents solidly in the “at risk” group, and believe me, I want to do all I can to protect them. But I also know that Safety First is no way to live indefinitely. We are at base, a Safety Third nation. We can’t remain in the air raid shelter indefinitely – if we do, they’ll be no country left, when we finally emerge.

Anyway Greg, your question is not at all unreasonable.
I just wish I had a better answer.

Mike

This is what it feels like

Israeli doctor in Italy: We no longer help those over 60

Peleg said that, from what he sees and hears in the hospital, the instructions are not to offer access to artificial respiratory machines to patients over 60 as such machines are limited in number. 
 

Israel is currently purchasing thousands of respiratory machines, and they are meant to arrive in the country by mid-May. On Saturday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel is using every means it has to secure medical equipment to help patients during the pandemic.


https://www.jpost.com/International/Israeli-doctor-in-Italy-We-no-longer-help-those-over-60-621856

The Danger of Using FACEBOOK as a social network for Primary communication

I have been banned blocked and shut down from Facebook.  People are sending me Private Messages via Messenger.  I can't respond.  I read them.  But to no avail.

I am asking those of you who use Facebook messenger as a communication device to include a working email on your about page.  Even if you have to set up a separate mail account as I did, at least I can use it to communicate with you.

Until you are blocked.


I don't have hardly anyone on FB as an email.  Let's change that

The Top 10 Lies About President Trump’s Response to the Coronavirus

 Democrats and the mainstream media have willingly spread false information in the hopes of damaging Trump politically before the election in November. Many of these lies were quickly debunked, but that hasn’t stopped the false information from being repeated over and over.  The left hopes these lies will continue to spread, but so far it doesn’t seem to be working since Trump’s approval for his handling of the pandemic has gone up. But that doesn’t mean the left will give up their disinformation campaign. To help set the record straight, I’ve compiled the top ten lies that have been spread about Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.

https://pjmedia.com/trending/the-top-10-lies-about-president-trumps-response-to-the-coronavirus/

It’s Barack Obama's Fault There’s a Shortage of N95 Respirator Masks

 “after the H1N1 influenza outbreak in 2009, which triggered a nationwide shortage of masks and caused a 2- to 3-year backlog orders for the N95 variety, the stockpile distributed about three-quarters of its inventory and didn’t build back the supply.”

That's right, the shortage of N95 masks can be traced back to the H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic of 2009... when Barack Obama was president.

https://pjmedia.com/trending/its-barack-obama-fault-theres-a-shortage-of-n95-respirator-masks-heres-why/

ANY DOCTOR CAN PRESCRIBE THIS — YOU DON’T NEED PERMISSION FROM THE FDA

 Actor Daniel Dae Kim posted a video to Instagram today to update his fans on his health regarding the COVID-19 coronavirus and credited a “drug cocktail” which included hydroxychloroquine and Z-Pak with his recovery.

https://twitchy.com/gregp-3534/2020/03/22/good-news-actor-daniel-dae-kim-credits-drug-cocktail-which-included-hydroxychloroquine-and-z-pak-for-his-recovery-1/

She is an evil woman

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she will halt negotiations with the Senate and move to pass her own coronavirus package in the House, which could drag things out longer than many expected.  This is about getting money to keep babies being killed. 

https://dailycaller.com/2020/03/22/pelosi-coronavirus-package-senate-negotiations/

Scary she almost makes sense

“If you are a young person in America today, you need to stay home,” says Rep. Alexandria Cortez. “You may not think you have [coronavirus] and you very well might and you especially might if you continue to go out and live life as usual.

God bless our President!

BREAKING NEWS: President Trump is delivering needed supplies to states across the nation.

- 4 large medical stations with 1,000 beds for NY

- 8 large medical stations with 2,000 beds for CA

- 3 large & 4 small medical stations with 1,000 beds for WA

The Babylon Bee mocks universal health care.... Italy Totally Fine Thanks To Universal Healthcare

https://babylonbee.com/news/italy-totally-fine-thanks-to-universal-healthcare

Facebook IF I am missed at all

A couple days ago posting the note below I was banned from Facebook until the middle of April.  During the same time there were several people banned or blocked.

I appealed but to no avail.  Computer bots are merciless.

So I will post here for the interim.  Maybe it is for the best. In any case if you are a facebook friend, perhaps you might clue others on FB that I am not ignoring them, I am banished for a time. I will also be posting on The Prophet Gene Blog.  Future History.

The TRUTH about your future with the Corona Virus COVID-19

Right now there is so much fear and misinformation regarding the Virus.  The Fear and  Doomers in the media are in overdrive.  They seem to take joy in putting the worst spin with the maximum fear they can find.  Of course there are "Experts" who are happy to reinforce the fear.

I have taken it upon myself to discover the REAL truth in all this.  It's a tough job.. but it is important to find truth.  Truth will set you free but a lie will put you in chains of fear.

Here are truths that you need to know about this virus.

The common cold is a corona virus.  The difference  is this is new.  Hence Novo Corona Virus.
It has not been seen before. We have as much of a chance to find a vaccine for this virus as we do the common cold. 

It is transmitted person to person by a cough or sneeze.  The range of infection is 7 feet.  It is the small tiny droplets that transmit the virus.  If you are 30 feet away and touch nothing, you will not be infected.  Touching someone who is contagious may transmit but probably not.

On a dry surface the virus will survive 6 hours before it dies.  On a wooden surface it will die more quickly.  On a metal or plastic surface it can survive much longer.  Sunlight and humidity are a factor in survival of the virus.  Light and humidity counter the virus.  Ventilation is your friend.

Most people below the age of 50 who get this will not suffer many symptoms.  That's what makes it fast moving, you can be a carrier and not know it.  The symptoms for a healthy person are like the common cold, a mild cold. 80% of those who get is will suffer very little symptoms.  They will all recover. A person with a comprised immune system or prior lung issues are most at risk.  The death rate for those over 70 goes up exponentially.   By 90 years old it's very dangerous.  It becomes a pneumonia.  Pneumonia kills more than anything else.

The biggest issue has to do with the lungs, if a person gets the cold like symptom and it moves down into the lungs, it is very dangerous. In 3 days it can kill you.  Only 3% of cases occur in people under 20, and mortality under 40 is only 0.2%. Symptoms are so mild in children that it can go unnoticed.

It is related to a virus in bats.   How it made the jump is not clear.  It was not likely manufactured.

Alcahol is best to use to wipe down surfaces that might be impacted.  Soap and water is best for washing your hands and face.  Soap kills the virus best.

Staying away from groups of people is wise.  If you are older, you will want to be extra careful.

IF you do contract the virus, you will want to wear a mask.  If you do not have the virus the mask won't be much help.

The importance in detection is to find those who don't know they might be carriers and keep them at home.

There already are proven treatments for this virus.  Health care professionals will know what to do.

Keep healthy, don't smoke and if you feel sickly, treat it as you would the common cold.

1. Stay hydrated. Water, juice, clear broth or warm lemon water with honey helps loosen congestion and prevents dehydration. ...
2. Rest. ...
3. Soothe a sore throat. ...
4. Combat stuffiness. ...
5. Relieve pain. ...
6. Sip warm liquids. ...
7. Add moisture to the air. ...
8. Try over-the-counter (OTC) cold and cough medications.

No matter how widespread it becomes, you will very likely survive.  By the middle of July it will be gone.

The Four Questions Old Men Ask

Thomas Cole, a gerontologist and professor of medical humanities, had two hip replacements, two back surgeries and a bad case of pneumonia in his 60s. He became depressed and wondered what the future held.

“I wanted to know what was ahead of me,” says Dr. Cole, right, co-editor of “The Oxford Book on Aging” and author of “The Journey of Life: A Cultural History of Aging in America.” For guidance, he turned to 12 men, all high-profile and in their 80s or older—a period some call the Fourth Age, considered the last of four stages of adulthood. He wanted to learn how they dealt with decline and whether they could find meaning in life even as it was nearing its end.
In his new book “Old Man Country: My Search for Meaning Among the Elders,” Dr. Cole, now 70, found that some issues that consumed him were no longer important to many of the older men, and that they generally weren’t afraid of dying—but were afraid of dementia.
In an edited interview, Dr. Cole talks about his conversations with these men and why their perspectives matter, as the percentage of people aged 85 and older in the U.S. grows quickly.

Thomas Cole, 70, has written about aging for more than 40 years. Photo: Thomas Cole

You selected highly accomplished people like Paul Volcker, former head of the Federal Reserve, Ram Dass, a teacher of Eastern spirituality—both of whom have since died—and journalist Hugh Downs. Why not a broader cross-section of people?
I picked these people because I admired them and wanted to hear what they had to say. I also had a hunch they were just as fragile as anyone else. They all faced the same questions all men do: Am I still a man? Do I still matter? Am I loved? What is the meaning of my life? We ask those questions throughout life but they become more pressing because the finish line is in sight.
How do they reconcile manhood with declining physical abilities?
The issue of manhood seems to evaporate more than I would have thought. In the Third Age [65-80], men continue to try really hard to maintain their middle-age strength and potency. In the Fourth Age, for the most part, they are no longer interested in manhood as a defining category. If their capacity for sexual intercourse was gone, so be it. They have other ways to keep their relationships strong. There’s no sense of failure.
Were there any exceptions to this?
One refused to say he was old. He was in his early 80s and going to the gym. He married a woman 20 years younger. He died a couple years ago from cancer. I wondered how he would have adapted to becoming frail. People do adapt even if they are terrified. At a certain point, you stop trying to hold onto what is gone. You embrace what is. Hugh Downs said he exercises every day to maintain his muscle strength, but accepts the biological process of old age.
What about fear of death?
It was common to hear: “I don’t want to die, but I’m not afraid of dying. I’m ready.” I was heartened because I think fear of death is a problem for all of us. The possibility of that fear dissipating as we get older is a testimony to the importance of a well-lived life. They would say, “I’ve had a good life. In some way, I’ve left the world a better place. I’m loved.”

Do you think men and women age differently?
I can’t speak with any authority on this, but I think many stereotypes are valid. Women are more connected to friends and family. They’ve been caregivers and can let themselves be cared for. Men, especially in that generation, live for work. They’re often disconnected from their feelings and don’t want to accept the need for care. But those traditional gender scripts aren’t as rigid when people get to be in their 80s. Men do take up more house chores. They are better at caregiving and express more emotions.
Where do they find meaning in their old age?
From loving and being loved. Their world and aspirations shrink a little bit. Therefore love takes on larger meaning. Paul Volcker, who was still working, found meaning in being involved in things and feeling needed.
You’ve written about aging for more than 40 years. How have your own views on aging changed?
I’ve become more compassionate towards others and to my own body. In the past, when I saw an old man or old woman on a walker, or using a cane, I used to avoid them. Now I look at a person like that and think “OK. That could be and will be me.” I feel solidarity rather than fear. Of course, frailty is not something I hope for or look forward to.
How have our attitudes as a society changed?
Not enough. We have ideals for the “young old,” these useful aging people who go to classes and exercise, travel and volunteer. It’s fine to aspire to that. But we still fear the other half of that equation—the “old old.” We don’t take seriously the importance of lives of people who are frail and dying and suffering dementia.
Do you feel more reassured or more concerned about entering the Fourth Age?
I’m less afraid. I know that many of these changes are inevitable and I will have to face them, and that’s a scary thing. At the same time I’m reassured because I see how old men do face them and how they continue to flourish. It’s mostly because they have good and positive answers to these questions: Am I loved? What’s the meaning of my life? Am I still relevant? Am I still a man?

 We aspire to live in a country where old men are celebrated as vital elders but not demeaned if they become ill and dependent. We aspire to maintain health as well as maintain dignity and fulfillment in frailty. Old Man Country helps readers see and imagine these possibilities for themselves. The book follows the journey of a writer in search of wisdom, as he encounters twelve distinguished American men over 80 -- including Paul Volcker, the former head of the Federal Reserve, and Denton Cooley, the world's most famous heart surgeon. In these and other intimate conversations, the book explores and honors the particular way that each man faces four challenges of living a good old age: Am I still a man? Do I still matter? What is the meaning of my life? Am I loved? Readers will come to see how each man -- even the most famous -- faces universal challenges. Personal stories about work, love, sexuality, and hope mingle with stories about illness, loss and death. This book will strengthen each of us as we and our loved ones anticipate and navigate our way through the passages of old age.


 https://www.amazon.com/Old-Man-Country-Search-Meaning/dp/0190689986

We are Decieved When we Are Negative all the time

That’s our negativity bias. We humans have a propensity to give more weight in our minds to things that go wrong than to things that go right—so much so that just one negative event can hijack our minds in ways that can be detrimental to our work, relationships, health, and happiness.
Overcoming our negativity bias is not easy to do. But a new book, The Power of Bad: How the Negativity Effect Rules Us and How We Can Rule It, coauthored by social psychologist Roy Baumeister and New York Times writer John Tierney, inspires hope. The book not only covers the fascinating science behind this stubborn bias, but also gives readers practical tips to work around it in effective—and sometimes counterintuitive—ways. If we know that “bad” is stronger than “good,” the authors argue, we can use that knowledge to improve not only our own lives, but society at large.

How to Overcome Your Brain’s Fixation on Bad Things

A new book reveals how the negativity bias operates in our lives and what we can do about it.

By Jill Suttie | January 13, 2020

The Horrible Fires in Australia are Because of Environmentalism

Where I live,we don't let things get overgrown or become tinder.  There are controlled burns. It has always been that way. But when people try to manipulate the climate bad things happen.

This article clearly placing blame on the guilty.

Fight fire with fire: controlled burning could have protected Australia

A kind of ecological fundamentalism has taken the place of common sense

Tim Blair

One Can Only HOPE... this will mean Rebublicans for as long as I am alive

The most substantively outrageous presidential campaign in American history has some ­serious chance of success.
Bernie Sanders is leading or near the top of most polls in the first two Democratic nominating states of Iowa and New Hampshire. He could plausibly win both, which would instantly transform the race into an ugly, desperate effort to Stop Bernie.
Sanders doesn’t exactly get good press. A lot of the punditry (understandably) wrote him off when Elizabeth Warren eclipsed him in the polls a couple of months ago and he had his health scare.
Longer profiles have tended to be fond, while expressing skepticism that Sanders can build out his coalition. But the same people who have spent years worrying about norms — by which they usually mean things President Trump says and tweets — express little alarm about Bernie’s jaw-dropping radicalism.

Bernie Sanders’ wild radicalism has serious chance of taking over Dem Party

By Rich Lowry

January 13, 2020 | 8:18pm

The Clinton Foundation Really IS a Scam

The bigger the lie, the more likely the buy-in” -- that must be the theory underlying a plan relentlessly executed by Bill and Hillary Clinton to suck money from the public in support of a supposed “charity” currently known as “Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.”
Unlike the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation that was originally funded primarily by the Gates family, the Clinton Foundation was meant to take money from the general public, and from governments.
So, affairs of the Clinton Foundation were never supposed to be directed by the Clinton family. But public records apparently prove that strict rules governing the conduct of public charities are not applied when it comes to long-time “public servants” such as the Clintons.

Anatomy of a Clinton Scam

By Charles Ortel

Q gets another look

I have been dubious and dismissive of the whole Q thing.  Too much tin hat and conspirisy for me.  Yet this article has me thinking.  I commend it to you.

An Introduction to Q

By Deborah Franklin

Hillary Clinton Vindicated On Corruption Charges? Hardly

Last week, the Washington Post reported that the Justice Department had wound down a Hillary Clinton-related inquiry after finding “nothing of consequence.” That set off a series of Hosannas from the allegedly non-partisan press, which seems to notice quid pro quos only when they involve a Republican.
A quick review of the flagrantly corrupt dealings of the Clinton Foundation is in order.

When Hillary took the job of secretary of state under President Barack Obama, she promised that the foundation wouldn’t accept foreign donations. It took in money from at least seven foreign governments.
Documents showed that 85 of the 154 private interests who met with Clinton at the State Department had donated money to the foundation.
Emails unearthed by Judicial Watch showed that Clinton’s top aide, Huma Abedin – who worked for both the State Department and the foundation –  gave “special expedited access to the secretary of state” for those who gave $25,000 to $10 million.

Dirty Little Secret. Liberals LOVE racism

Every time someone is killed on the streets of Baltimore or Chicago a liberal cheers. They profit from racial violence.

An Argument only Ignorant Liberals Make and Lose

The idea that Rent Control produces affordable housing is insane.  Never has  Never will.

Illinois will die as people die off

There just aren't enough people to pay the way for huge deficits.  Kiss her goodbye.

Who will the Liberals Blame?

I am watching the protests against the Iraniam mullahs right now.  It is so encouraging. What if in fact the tyrants of the religious theocracy were overthrown  and Iran became a safe, civil and wonderful place?  What would the Liberal press  say?  Would they give any credit to Trump?  NO

That is how evil they really are.

Why There is NO SHARE BUTTON

I constantly get questions on why there is no share button on posts I have published.  I don't have control over that.  Yet I am asked, "Could I please put a share button on this post?"   No, that is your choice, not mine.

I post what I do to an audience of friends only.  I do not post for the public.  I only want those who I choose to see it as friends to be able to read it.  It's my privacy setting. 

When I post for the public it becomes part of my public on line reputation.  Google me and you will see public posts I have made.  People make judgements of me based on that.  I'm not interested in everyone coming into my world and seeing what I write or think about.  It's like as my friend I invite you into my home and we visit casually versus I am on a TV reality show and the world looks at what we are saying.

So when I choose to post something, you are my friend I want you to see it.  I DON'T want the world to see it.  IF on the other hand you are PUBLIC in your postings, you don't care if the whole world sees what you write or say or think, and you want to share my private friends only post, there will NOT be a share button.  If you did share what I posted with attribution to me, you just violated my intentions.  You made public something I wanted just between us friends.

Of course copying and reposting without attribution is fine.  Just don't mention my name.  PLEASE.  I won't do that to you either.

SO in other words, If you are public privacy setting, you can't share friends only posts. 

I would suggest if you want to share more, set your privacy to a more narrow audience.  Friends can post friends posts but public can't share friends.

I hope that helps.  If this is too complicated, I won't try to explain it again.  GOOD LUCK AND BE CAREFUL OUT THERE.  Don't share or give attribution to people who don't want it.. LIKE ME!!!

10 things I hated about the Obama Administration

1.  He dealt with his opposition in a way that was arrogant.  He paved the way for Trump to do the same.  His narcissism is way over the top.. even more than Trump and that's something.

2.  His bailout of the Car Companies with money soley to support union workers was fraudulent.  Shareholders should have been made to suffer a bankruptcy and there would have been fresh blood to take over.  GM never recovered and is still a mess.  None of the money that could have been used benefited the taxpayer.. just the unions.

3.  He was far too ingratiated to the banks in bailing them out..  They too should have gone bust.  Too big to fail was a failure.  Money given them was used to make the rich richer.

4.  The Stimulus trillion dollars could have been used to rebuild our infrastructure.  It wasn't.  It was wasted for the most part on teacher's unions and SEIU.  Much of that money ended up as pork with no good use.  Now we drive on crappy roads and bridges.  The economy would be far better had he left it alone.

5.  Obamacare.  Nuff said.  Still a catastrophe.  Everything he promised was a lie.  Keep your doctor and $2500 total personal expense.  Lies.  His push for universal coverage which would be disastrous.
6.  His dependence on foolish systems like food stamps to bribe the poor in society into supporting him.  Obama phones and all.

7.  His blatant use of government institutions to punish his enemies was criminal.  The EPA and IRS among them.  He turned government agencies into weapons of warfare.  His justice department and the FBI using regulations to abuse his enemies was horrible.  During his administration if you were a reporter that criticized him you could expect an audit, a lie detector and maybe jail.  First amendment went out the window with him. Even spying on Trump at the end.

8.  His divisiveness in amplifying and creating anger in racial things was one of his worst violations of human rights.  Trayvon, Mike Brown and other things he used as swords to create distrust and racism among black people was over the top.  He could have been a uniter but he divided us more than ever.

9.  I hated the rainbow lights on the White House when homosex marriage was made law.  What are we?  Queer nation? 

10.  His international incompetence in Foreign Affairs. Syria.  Iran, Iraq, ISIS, Libya, Egypt.  The whole middle east became a blood bath under his watch.  Worst ever.

Those are simply ten.  I know that his poor choices of people, policy and programs were the core of his failed presidency. 

There is a book on the market on why Obama was the worst president in History. I haven't read it or the list.  But you can.

The Book, THE WORST PRESIDENT IN HISTORY - THE LEGACY OF BARACK OBAMA

Successful Teams are Oxymoronic

Think about all the screw ups committees commit. The Triangle tells the tale. When no one is the leader you have a monster. Even a two headed enterprise can't live. I know team and consensus leadership is the mantra.. but it never works for long.

The team would have retreated. They WERE Victorious.

Teams never win without a strong leader. Some are called to teams and some are leaders. The two are oil and water. You either is or you ain't

I think about Henry Ford telling his engineers to come up with a way to cast the V8 in one casting. They said it couldn't be done. He persisted and insisted and they figured it out.

Steve Jobs insisted that the screen on the I Phone had to be scratch-proof. His team said it wasn't possible. He said figure out a way and they did. Everything that ever mattered in breakthru was always impossible to the "Team". Its not just about vision, that's easy enough, it's about purposed directive leadership.

George Patton would have been defeated if he had listened to the team. A couple of his quotes:
Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do, and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.
We herd sheep, we drive cattle, we lead people. Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way.

And my favorite: A young officer comes to Patton and says, Sir, it's snowing really bad outside. We are weakened. I think we need to retreat. To which Patton replied. Retreat? RETREAT? We're not gonna Retreat, We're gonna keep fighting. Is that CLEAR? We're gonna attack all night we're gonna attack the next morning. If we're not VICTORIOUS. Let no man come back alive. 

The team would have retreated. They WERE Victorious

 Teams never win without a strong leader. Some are called to teams and some are leaders. The two are oil and water. You either is or you ain't.  If you are a leader, you aren't out to make friends.

 I am not a team player. Don't join teams. I'm a team player in the mode of a Donald Trump, George Patton, Henry Ford or Steve Jobs. NOT!

 In my life as a CEO I have had to be a leader and get things on track. Same as the founder of several corporations, you have to have a vision and impart it with confidence and strong leadership. I am not good at being on boards. Not great on committees. My personality isn't wired for that.  If I am on one I take over.  Most committees and boards are filled with passive aggressive beta personalities.  So I avoid them at all costs. So if you ask me to be on your team, I won't be. It's not who I am.. I think the idea of a team player is way overdone. When I see a resume that emphasizes they are a team player.. I toss it. I want leaders around me.. not team players. Jesus wasn't a team player. Teams and committees are not great ways to get things done.

It is more important to work for desireable and pleasing results than desierable and pleasing methods.

I will always be results oriented.. methods and systems are for people who don't grasp vision.

On Trees

 
 As one who has made my living in growing trees and enjoying them, this short passage from this book says what I feel.  Peggy says I don't even NEED the windshield in the front of my car since I only look out the side windows at the trees. 


A beautiful passage by Hermann Hesse (July 2, 1877–August 9, 1962) — one of the most beautiful I’ve ever read — from his 1920 collection of fragments, Wandering: Notes and Sketches 



For me, trees have always been the most penetrating preachers. I revere them when they live in tribes and families, in forests and groves. And even more I revere them when they stand alone. They are like lonely persons. Not like hermits who have stolen away out of some weakness, but like great, solitary men, like Beethoven and Nietzsche. In their highest boughs the world rustles, their roots rest in infinity; but they do not lose themselves there, they struggle with all the force of their lives for one thing only: to fulfill themselves according to their own laws, to build up their own form, to represent themselves. Nothing is holier, nothing is more exemplary than a beautiful, strong tree. When a tree is cut down and reveals its naked death-wound to the sun, one can read its whole history in the luminous, inscribed disk of its trunk: in the rings of its years, its scars, all the struggle, all the suffering, all the sickness, all the happiness and prosperity stand truly written, the narrow years and the luxurious years, the attacks withstood, the storms endured. And every young farmboy knows that the hardest and noblest wood has the narrowest rings, that high on the mountains and in continuing danger the most indestructible, the strongest, the ideal trees grow.

    Trees are sanctuaries. Whoever knows how to speak to them, whoever knows how to listen to them, can learn the truth. They do not preach learning and precepts, they preach, undeterred by particulars, the ancient law of life.

    A tree says: A kernel is hidden in me, a spark, a thought, I am life from eternal life. The attempt and the risk that the eternal mother took with me is unique, unique the form and veins of my skin, unique the smallest play of leaves in my branches and the smallest scar on my bark. I was made to form and reveal the eternal in my smallest special detail.

    A tree says: My strength is trust. I know nothing about my fathers, I know nothing about the thousand children that every year spring out of me. I live out the secret of my seed to the very end, and I care for nothing else. I trust that God is in me. I trust that my labor is holy. Out of this trust I live.

    When we are stricken and cannot bear our lives any longer, then a tree has something to say to us: Be still! Be still! Look at me! Life is not easy, life is not difficult. Those are childish thoughts. . . . Home is neither here nor there. Home is within you, or home is nowhere at all. 


A longing to wander tears my heart when I hear trees rustling in the wind at evening. If one listens to them silently for a long time, this longing reveals its kernel, its meaning. It is not so much a matter of escaping from one’s suffering, though it may seem to be so. It is a longing for home, for a memory of the mother, for new metaphors for life. It leads home. Every path leads homeward, every step is birth, every step is death, every grave is mother.

    So the tree rustles in the evening, when we stand uneasy before our own childish thoughts: Trees have long thoughts, long-breathing and restful, just as they have longer lives than ours. They are wiser than we are, as long as we do not listen to them. But when we have learned how to listen to trees, then the brevity and the quickness and the childlike hastiness of our thoughts achieve an incomparable joy. Whoever has learned how to listen to trees no longer wants to be a tree. He wants to be nothing except what he is. That is home. That is happiness.

Victims can be Victims of their own delustion

Individuals who habitually indulge in self-victimisation (also known as playing the victim) do so for various reasons: to control or influence other people’s thoughts, feelings and actions; to justify their abuse of others; to seek attention; or, as a way of coping with situations. Although they can actually change circumstances to avoid being victimised, they won’t seize the opportunity because they want to play the role and appear as victims to others and themselves. The main identifying traits of those who choose to play the victim role include:

 

• They tend to manipulate or abuse others verbally or physically, but then blame the other person (i.e. the real victim) for provoking the abuse.

• They influence or control other people’ sympathy to gain compassion or support.

• They form friendships or intimate relationships with those who disrespect, mistreat or abuse them to convince themselves and the world of their unfortunate status.

• They tend to avoid taking responsibility for their life, instead blaming others for their mistreatment or unfortunate circumstances.

• They think and talk a lot about how others take advantage of their kindness.

 

Negatives:

 

When in the company of the victim personality, be on the lookout for the following:

 

• Their crippling dependency on friends or co-workers for support and sympathy can be draining, and you cannot be sure if they actually appreciate your sympathetic responses and efforts.

• They can evoke anger and aggression in you, especially after you realise you have been duped into giving them sympathy when it should have gone to the real victim of their abuse.

• They instinctively draw out the caring, nurturing, and protective qualities in people, only to set them up for manipulation or abuse.

• Sometimes they will take extreme measures to get attention, like emptying a spouse’s bank account because they feel neglected or sending hate emails to themselves and then accusing others of sending them.

 

Positives:

 

There aren’t many positives to the victim personality, but two ways in which you might benefit from the victim are:

 

• They can make us feel important and valuable. Since they believe they are incapable of taking care of their own needs, they will always need your support with something.

• They long to be trustworthy and will make every effort to stick to their promises or complete any tasks you ask of them.

 

 

Do you Play the Victim?

 

You are playing the victim when you often:

 

• Justify your aggression against others by believing they deserve it.

• Refuse to take responsibility for your own happiness or misery – it’s the world that’s a bad place, and no one can truly be trusted.

• Find yourself in relationships where others mistreat you, so you can feel justified in your victim role.

• Nag, complain, harass, and beseech others until they give in to your demands.

• Commonly turn to the phrase, “You’re the only one who can help me.”

• Sometimes go to extremes to get revenge for perceived or actual abuse, like destroying your own property and falsely accusing someone else of being responsible.

• Provoking aggressive behaviour from others, but downplaying or ignoring your role in it.

• Feel anxious about the very idea that you can exert a positive influence over your own life without the support of others.

 

How do I Deal with a Victim?

 

Initially, it will feel good playing a part in their happiness and joy, but after a while, you will start to avoid their child-like dependency. When you do cut ties with them, they will feel victimised and the cycle will continue. Remember that self- victimisers play a role that has always worked for them. By empathically and consistently challenging them, as well as emphasising those non-victim aspects of them that you like, a victim can be helped to change. An example of empathically challenging a victim would be to ask a question that makes them reconsider their situation, such as, “You say he became aggressive. What happened just before he became aggressive?”  An example of valuing the non-victim traits of the individual include statements such as, “I like it when you show this positive attitude. It suits you.”

IF we were actually serious about recycling we would:

First, get over the idea that recycling is a zero sum game.  That you can make money on the end product of recycling.  It is a waste management issue and requires resources.  We pay to landfill and haul it away, if we are serious about recycling and we should be, land-filling that which should be recycled is not good waste management.

This isn't that hard if we are serious.. (of course we really aren't)

Metals, all metals are easy.  Aluminum, pot metal, steel and copper are easy to recycle.. you just have to capture, separate and melt down.

Glass  is easy.  Separate it by color.  Brown, Green, Blue, Clear and other (red and a few others).  Grind them to about 1" pieces.  Not fine grind, but small enough to be able later to load with a skid loader.  Pile the glass into stockpiles.  Let the piles "Rot". In two years or so this will happen.  As the glass sits under the sun, rain and heat any residue will disappear. Paper labels and such will rot awry.  At the end of this the glass is ready to be reused in creating new bottles.  No washing out is required.  The colored glass is the most valuable.  Recycled glass melt faster and at a lower temperature that making it from sand.  The cost of cleaning the glass is offset by stockpiling.

Rubber is useful in powering equipment that makes concrete.

Wood ground up is easy to process for many purposes.

 This leaves the big bugaboo.  What do we do with plastic waste?  Plastic melts without burning at a controlled temperature.  There is no need to separate the plastic.  I can be bulk melted.  Then the resultant clumps ground into large pieces.  Plastic can be pyrolized into oil products.  The reason to melt and grind it is to insure the automation of the pyrolosis process.  We have the natural gas in abundance to do the pyrolitic process.  The ground melted plastic can be stockpiled until moved to a pyrolosis plant.  There is also the use of the melted plastic to create products like plastic fence, plastic planks etc. 

None of this is impossible, it just won't cash flow.  Let's not pretend that it will.  Time to take action.

IF we were serious about Climate Change.. we would do what makes sense

I don't every take anyone seriously that believes that renewable resourses are an actual answer to our energy supply or climate change.

I don't actually believe that we have anything to do with the pace of intensity of change.  The climate always changes. 

However we are exploring alternative energy sources.  I'm for that.  Wind is a joke for electric power.  Germany has demonstrated that.  Solar panels are fine where the sun shines.  That leaves a LOT of people on the grid.  And it's not transportable.

You have to come up with a storage solution and it will never be as robust as your electrical entrance in your house.

There is only one single solution that stops the use of fossils, is reliable and if climate change is your thing, fully neutral. 

NUCLEAR POWER.  We should be building 500 large nuclear plants in the USA right now. 

Of course we won't.  Those who trumpet man made climate change aren't really serious about it.

How To Be Productive When Your Life Is In Chaos - Darius Foroux - Pocket

How To Be Productive When Your Life Is In Chaos - Darius Foroux - Pocket: In a perfect world, everything is steady. You can make plans that actually come true 100% of the time. You can anticipate things in advance. But as you and I both know, that’s not how life works.

Desperate to find a cancer cure Story

https://www.kidspot.com.au/parenting/real-life/reader-stories/mum-who-travelled-to-peru-for-shamanic-cancer-treatment-has-died/news-story/ba2a50ac744def948feeddea155ca5cf

LOUIS FARRAKHAN Leads Chants of "Death to America!" in Tehran -- Refers to America as "Great Satan" (VIDEO)

LOUIS FARRAKHAN Leads Chants of "Death to America!" in Tehran -- Refers to America as "Great Satan" (VIDEO)

Another Kavanaugh accuser admits to fabricating rape story - Washington Times

Another Kavanaugh accuser admits to fabricating rape story - Washington Times

Members of new Black Panther Party seen holding guns, Stacey Abrams campaign sign | News | cbs46.com

Members of new Black Panther Party seen holding guns, Stacey Abrams campaign sign | News | cbs46.com

This Tuesday America Takes an IQ Test | Roger L. Simon

This Tuesday America Takes an IQ Test | Roger L. Simon

The Platform of a Conservative

I don't know everything about the platform of the republican party. I see memes pointing to it. Let me offer a common sense conservative platform in a few words and see if it resonates:

Culture - there is a common culture in America. Yes we are a melting pot, but when you come here to become part of that, you can still remember your roots, but you must melt in. The idea that a person comes here and rejects cultural norms is unacceptable. This has to do with law, not sharia. No independent legal system. We are a nation of laws and without reliance on those laws we have anarchy. We are close to that now.

Language - I love learning languages. I speak 2.5 now and learning another (Italian). YET when I do business, when I write, when I speak in the USA I speak the language of our nation, ENGLISH. Speaking it well is essential. Writing it with competence is critical. Reading it will protect you. So when we have dozens of alternative languages for normal communications we are polluting our nation. When I lived and worked in Germany, I did business in German, testified in German in courts, bought and sold in German, read German literature and watched German TV with understanding. There was no need to have anything else.

Life - There is more to this than Abortion. It's all life. Courtesy, care for the poor without enablement, not killing our elderly, keeping a vigorous competitive independent non governmental health care system, allowing innovation that creates a better life for all. To in fact offer all Americans the right to the PURSUIT (not the promise) Of Life, Liberty and Happiness. There are many who come against that idea. They must be defeated.

Freedom - This seems to be understood as do what you want to do by many. This is not that, this is the responsibility to not encroach on others by your need to be free. In other words allowing other people freedom over your need for it. This has to do with little things like parking in a lot properly so others are free to use the lot, by putting back in the proper place in a store something you have chosen not to buy so they have the freedom to buy what you took off the shelf, putting the shopping cart back where it is supposed to be so others are free to navigate the store parking lot without danger of hitting your cart and mostly by being fully able to live life looking in the mirror with a guilt free mind. I remember the British Press after open immigration saying that the Death of the CUE was the end of Great Britain. It was. You don't have the right to jump line...ever. The hardened heart is a dangerous infection in many.

Law and Property Rights - This is the core linchpin in our national fabric. When people openly violate laws, riot, kill, destroy and think they get away with it we have a breakdown. Our national goal must be the rule of law and respect for property.

Secure Borders - It is the duty of government to secure our borders against all invaders foreign and those who are here without permission domestically. We must require that those coming in and those who are here are here with permission. It's our house. Yes I live in it by birth, but we can't expect to pollute our nation's population with people who come for reasons not in line with those ideals above. It is a privilege to be an American. It should be treated as such. I want people from around the world to come here, it's a great place, just don't come and try to impose the image of where you came from. That happens best when we have serious border policy. No more chain migration. No more anchor babies. No more catch and release policy when someone asks for Asylum. it's out of hand. No more invasions because we don't have secure borders. We can do this. Many countries do. When I lived in Europe before the wall came down, there were borders between east and west Germany. The guard towers that lined that border were occupied with shoot to kill guards. If you decided to cross you would be shot. I don't want to go there, but we can't expect to allow invasion unchecked. It's were we are now.

IF these seem foreign to you, you need to thing what our constitutional republic really means.

Facebook declares itself

Since last Thursday I have been in Facebook jail.  Banned from the site.  They announced they were taking down many sites because of hate speech.  My page may have been one of them.

I can't say I miss it that much, but I do hate the fact that a forum I used is gone.

What did I get banned for.  Well there is a christian woman in Pakistan who may be hung for drinking from the same cup as some Muslims.  That is an actual court case in Pakistan.

Pakistan has not been our friend or ally.  They are a Muslim country and do horrid things all the time.

So I called them out and said we should not provide one dime of aid to this country.  That got me banned.

Here's the story:  https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/10861/daughter-of-asia-bibi-makes-emotional-appeal-for-mother-s-freedom-at-acn-event-

Advice a Good Black Father Might Give his SON

1. Life is hard my son.  Not everyone thinks as you do.  Not everyone sees things as you do.  Yet they are not your enemy.  They are just different.  If you think they are constantly ganging up on you, they aren’t, in fact they don’t even think about you that much.  You be concerned about you and let them think what they want.  BE YOU, and let them be who they are.

 2. Be careful to watch out for people who would put you down for your race, creed or color.  There are ignorant people everywhere.  Mark them well and avoid them. If you run into actual racism identify it as such and let people know. Use this carefully.  If you become one who sees racism under every rock you lose your influence like the boy who cries wolf.  There are a lot of bad people on the earth who may hate you for the wrong reasons.  There are also a lot of good people on the earth who love you because you are their brother in the human race.  Be careful to know the difference.  Don’t lump them into the same category.

3.  Just as there are good people and bad people in the general population, there are various people in authority who are judges, politicians and police, some who are good and some who are not.  It is always going to be this way.  It was in Jesus day. There have been evil and also good authority figures in all of history, even in the church.  If you find yourself believing all authority figures including police to be evil and against you, there will be a time when you need them and won’t be able to submit to their authority.  You will find yourself on the outside.  Allow justice to rule when it can, and when injustice rules be careful as you approach the injustice.  Use wisdom to deal with the injustice on an individual basis and not painting all authority figures with a single yellow brush. You don't want to be lumped into everything people who look like you do in society, don't do the same with authority figures.

4. Companies small and large are looking for good people to do work that needs to be done. They have invested blood and treasure to get where they are.  They are more than willing to share what they have with you. It comes in the form of Dividends when you have invested, in the form of wages and salaries when you work for them. IF you do, do your diligent best.  They are eager to reward people who make them money.  That could be you.  IF you are diligent, you can be the one hiring others some day, with investors in your business and paying wages to others.  Strive to become a wage payer, not a wage earner.  Reach higher than just being a hireling.

5. The dominant culture all around you sometimes seems like it is at odds with what you believe.  You might think patriotism is only for other people.  That honoring people and traditions that many seek to honor is not for you.  You don’t have to be over the top patriotic, but you need to be respectful of the country that you live, in even when you disagree with its leaders and policies.  This means when it’s time to stand up for your country you do.  If you are in a foreign country and someone badmouths your nation, defend it, don't pile on.  If you run across people who have served in military, express thanks and give honor where honor is due.  You might not want to stand when the flag waves or the anthem is played.  That your freedom of speech to do what you want to do.  No one can take that from you.  Think of those on your left, on your right.  What influence are you making on them as you decide the stand to take? Are your furthering the cause of tolerance? Do you represent those of your culture well by doing what you do? Some will use your action or lack of it as brick in the dividing wall.. and you don’t be the one placing it there.  Sometimes doing the right thing is right even against what you want to do.

6. Become more discerning than ever.  There are a lot of conspiracies that someone cooks up every day.  We saw that recently as the Russians during the last election put all sorts of crazy ideas in people’s heads. Be careful not to believe everything you read, see in the news, hear on the radio or read on the internet.  Most of the most inflammatory things you run across are fiction and worse are designed to divide people into identity groups. Don’t fall for every strange imagination someone cooked up.  God gave you discernment, refine it, dig deep, don’t trust everyone or very many. If you are going to come down on the side of a conspiracy, ask yourself how this fits into the 1 Corinthians 13 framework.  Love Overlooks Much.  See Everything, overlook much, correct a little.  (Mother Theresa)

7.  Be careful not to embrace, endorse or condone behavior that destroys people's blood and treasure.  That’s the devil’s job to kill steal and destroy.  Don’t be part of his work.  There are some people who after a football game turn over cars, burn down buildings and loot stores while it happens.  This happened after the election, this happened after injustices in cities around the USA like Baltimore and Ferguson. We have seen much of this the last few years. As I drive around our city I see it in many parts still burned to the ground after the death of Martin Luther King in 1968.  There almost no recovery from those days.  So when you see these excesses, don’t be part of them and don’t find yourself on the side of those who justify these actions, even if you at your heart are angry about things, the next house or car they destroy might be yours.  Violence as an attack on injustice only propagates more violence, injustice and backlash.  Be wise and choose sides carefully.

8. My son, when you marry and I hope you marry for life.  Let your wife be your first.  Don’t turn a blind eye to TV and Movies and Music that promotes immorality common and normal.  Of course it has become normal, but you are better than that.  The culture that seems make this all acceptable should not be one you embrace without question. You will always be able to point to others and say, they did it too.  Pointing at the other kid when you were ten years old and saying "What About Him" should have stopped by the time you were 15.  Look for good, look for decency, look for those who are trying to do well for you and those you love.  Be careful about assuming good intentions from those who try hard to identify with you.  The surest con is the guy who is about to swindle you out of a lot of money that says, “I’m a Christian, just like you”.  Getting you to believe them because they identify with you in party, race, creed or even neighborhood is the gateway to deception.  Being deceived by those who think like, act like, look like you will take you places you won't want to end up.  Be careful and be discerning.  Not every white politician is corrupt and not every black politician is above reproach.  Don't judge on the outward appearance.

9. Who you become is the product of what you read, watch on TV, see on the movie screen and hear in music.  They are all fantasy.  There is a tendency for people to say of dystopian movies, "There's a lot of truth in that".  There isn't. Sometimes we are led to believe that the world is as horrible and violent as you see or hear about in media or in the news.  It’s not real.  The world is a beautiful place when you see it thru eyes that expect to see it so.  The song you learned as a child is still true, “Be careful little eyes what you see, be careful little ears what you hear, for the Father up above is looking down in love so be careful little eyes and ears what you see and hear”.

10. When it comes time train up your children in the way they should go.  Help them in every way possible.  Help them to be able to compete well in the world they will compete in.  Help them to learn to speak, read and write the language of commerce perfectly and with excellence - that would be ENGLISH. If they can learn a second language that is good too.  When they pick up the phone to apply for a job, help them to speak with such perfection that a potential employer, boss or customer is able to be persuaded to act in their behalf.  Don’t let them be put off by an urban dialect that reduces them in the eyes of those who could benefit them.  This goes for the name you give them as their father.  It is fine to use names that reflect the culture and the times, just be very cautious not to hang a moniker on your children that reduces them in the world where they must live, work and grow up in.  There are plenty of good names that people use that are acceptable.  A biblical name is good if it isn’t too far out there.  Shear-Jashub (Isaiah 7:3) probably isn’t a great name for a child even if it IS in the Bible.  Use wisdom and understanding.  Acceptance is the first step to greatness many times. Don't let the bar be too high because of a strange name you give your child.

11. There are people of every stripe who think differently from you.  Some who might be considered your kin by many if you stood side by side may not think like you at all.  You might end up developing conservative viewpoints on the world around you and identify with Clarence Thomas, Charles Payne, Dr Ben Carson, Herman Cain or Stacey Dash.  If you do you would do well not to consider all liberal people of color to be idiots and losers.  They are human beings who have made a choice base on their upbringing and understanding.  If on the other hand you find yourself on the more liberal side, disparaging those as noted above doesn’t do much if you call them names or consider them uncle Toms or sellouts.  Everyone is entitled to an opinion, even if it disagrees with yours.  Don’t be a blind follower of either side of the equation.  Use your brain, you heart and your discernment.  Too many people on the far extremes of the left or right follow blindly without using the brain in their head.  When Trump said he could shoot someone on Fifth Ave in New York and still be loved by most of his followers, that is tragic and more true than we can believe.  It happens on the left too.  Many would have excused Obama of grave crimes out of  loyalty.  Invest your loyalty careful and don’t be a sucker for either side.

12. Beware of old wives tales, myths and legends.  Most are wrong.  When you hear someone talk about the origins of Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years, Easter or even Black Friday, be careful not to be sucked into such arguments.  Paul the Apostle warned his spiritual son Timothy to avoid people that spread such division and lies.    It must have been a big issue then as it is now, because both letters to Timothy at Ephesus are full of warnings like these about mis-leaders:

• Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives' tales; rather, train yourself to be godly.  1 Timothy 4:7
• They devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculation rather than the stewardship of God’s work, which is by faith.   1 Timothy 1:4
• reject foolish and ignorant speculation, for you know that it breeds quarreling.   2 Timothy 2:23
• So they will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions     1 Timothy 6:4

You can look these verses up for yourself. Some of the worst propagators and perpetrators spreading these fractured fairy tales are people who call themselves men of God.   They proudly wear the title Reverend, Pastor Teacher, Apostle and Prophet. They are leading people astray and will answer to Father for their misleading.  They spend too much time surfing the internet to find lies they will spread. Don’t be sucked in even if they come to you as an angel of light. So does the devil.  Every one of these lies and deceptions are meant to keep you in bondage.  You are destined to live in Freedom, not bondage.

13. Travel my son.  Get out of town. Learn to love all of this great country.  Become friends one on one with people who are very different from you.  The proverb says,if you would have a friend, be a friend.  You can learn much by interacting without judgment with people that are most unlike you.  You might find it hard at first.  Stop comparing; appreciate the “Other” for who they are.  Try to see things from their standpoint and try to understand. You will be enriched by learning to love people who are not like you at all for who they are.  Go NOW!  And as you go, make disciples.  That is great mandate, but you can’t do that staying inside your doors, community or city.

14. I know some of what I say seems hard but wherever you find offense, check your heart.  That’s where offense rises from. You know I want the best for you.  I want you to live life to your full God given destiny.  These instructions are meant to break you free from the things my generation saw as chains that held us down.  We operated in more ignorance than we should have.  You are better than that.  Become everything God ever said to you according to his word.  What would we do if we believed the Bible was true?  IT IS!  What great things would you do if you knew you could  not fail.  WHO SAID YOU WILL FAIL?

From Serfs to Surplus

By JOHN GARFIELD

One of most exiting things about becoming a Seer and a Doer in heaven is that our Father not only shows us what’s in His heart, but He reveals what’s in our book and the resources we can bring back to earth to make it happen. As a disciple of the Kingdom, a son, you have the keys to unlock a personal storehouse overflowing with everything you need to accomplish your and your Father’s purpose from wisdom to healings to finances. Said another way, as sons we have access to an inheritance that belongs to us. We have a Father who expects us to use it.

Matt. 13:52 - And Jesus said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has become a disciple of the kingdom of heaven (Has keys) is like a head of a household, who brings out of his treasure things new and old." [emphasis mine] NASU

Gal. 4:1-7 - What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. . . 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir. NIV

Our history in serfdom – Israel spent 400 years in slavery in Egypt. When they got out of Egypt, it was no coincidence that they still had a propensity for falling back into bondage. Even in the Roman period slaves were considered property and had no legal personhood. At the end of Roman rule in 300-400 AD, landowners increasingly relied on serfs instead of slaves to provide labor. For over 1000 years until the reformation and the industrial revolution, 80-90% of Europeans were serfs without freedom to leave the landowner’s estate. The Middle Ages was a time of violence and hardship. Peasants and serfs were glad to have the protection of the manor lord. In a sense, they were happy to be serfs and volunteer for the deception and subjugation!

Jer. 5:31 - The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means, and my people love to have it so. KJV

Serfdom is an unfortunate generational heritage for all of us. Serfdom is in our DNA and so is choosing the lifestyle! We’re very prone to relate to God as a serf (masking it as spirituality by calling ourselves servants and stewards). Entering the Father’s courts or council as a king and priest is something serfs, servants, and stewards naturally resist because of the ensnaring iniquity empowering serfdom.

From Serfs to Sons – This storehouse concept is too good to be true for most of us. The doubts have well-founded spiritual roots in both generational heritage and personal experience. A serf mentality is not just a poverty spirit; it’s much deeper than money. It’s a sense of being left out, overlooked, marginalized, excluded from opportunity, ruled by oppressive leaders, trapped in a meaningless job. It’s the paralyzing fear that we have no future leads to resignation (others view it as laziness). It’s especially wounding for believers because we believe we should have purpose, bear fruit and be living examples of God’s favor!

Life does have hard seasons. Serfs eventually translate their hard life to a belief that God must be “hard” too. “He is sovereignly in control of my difficult life, and He’s not fixing it.”

Matt 25:24-25 - "Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' [emphasis mine] NIV

The belief that God is a hard man is a deception that we can only escape with repentance, but it is also a justification for our failure. It’s a welcome deception because it explains my surrender of responsibility for my own life (hiding my talent). Have you heard "formulas" from hirelings where they say just do this, like give or serve, and it will all be taken care of, God is appeased, "I" will take care of it for you? The list of serf symptoms includes several more things:

• Generationally and personally, serfs have agreed for their serfdom – and justify it
• Love of deception and subjugation (let others/God take responsibility for my life)
• A surrender to God’s sovereignty that translates to passivity, false contentment
• Hyper spirituality, I’m a spirit who doesn’t have to produce fruit or finances in this life
• Judgmental, prejudice, opinionated, self-righteous – fearful the success of others will unmask my serfdom (Serfs believe everyone should sign up for serfdom).

Sons look like this – Sons understand that God harvests where He has not sown because we have the privilege of partnering with Him – We’re the ones called to sow! God never intended to do everything! Sons view themselves as included and called for something much bigger than themselves (Kingdom). So, when life is hard, they interpret the resistance as warfare opposing their Father, not just them. They know their Father will work good out of it (Rom. 8:28). When they fall, they anticipate the power of His resurrection after the fellowship of his suffering (Phil. 3:10). Sons are not surprised by setbacks or rejection. They are glad to be counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. Their deaths are the source of the fragrance of Jesus in their life, the power of their words, and the favor on their deeds. Sons feel like they are winning, even when they are losing!

You received a spirit of sonship (Rom. 8:15) – Sons do carry a favor that sets them apart from serfs. Their faith, fruit, and finances are neither accidental nor coincidental.

• Sons walk in a spirit of repentance. Their path to the council goes through the courts of Heaven! My own example/experience in the courts of heaven stepping out of serfdom is here
• Sons share their Father’s heart and see themselves as having a piece of the action (metron). They know what’s in their book (Ps 139:15-16)
• Sons have favor because they go to heaven, hear the strategies, and get their inheritance
• Sons have a storehouse in heaven, and they boldly access their inheritance and manifest it on earth (Mt 13:52)
• Sons don’t take defeat personally, neither height (success) nor depth (failure) separate them from their Father’s council. “Every one of them appears before God in Zion” (Ps 84:5-7)
• Their cups overflow because they give value (spend themselves) for people and nations. They are not just fellowshipping with their Father; they are doing what He is doing (Jn 5:19)

Somewhere, deep in all of our DNA, is a highway to our Father and a yearning to be in His council. All creation is waiting for sons and daughters to appear before God in heaven’s council . . . So they can play their role in inheriting the nations (Ps 2:8). Their cups are running over like the river that flows from them – a surplus of favor and fruit and finances.

Ps. 84:5-7 How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, In whose heart are the highways to Zion! Passing through the valley of Baca (weeping) they make it a spring; The early rain also covers it with blessings. They go from strength to strength, Every one of them appears before God in Zion. NASU

Suggestions:                                                                                                                                              

If you’re one of those young lions hungry to birth a reformation in the Netherlands, contact Marcel van den Berg http://opzoeknaarhetkoninkrijk.nl/

Podcast #5 with Tyler McCart

Podcast #3 and #4 Micro-church– The most recent interviews with Shae Bynes

Podcast #1 and Podcast #2 – fun interviews with Steve Reiter and John Ramstead

Books – Releasing Kings and Desire to Destiny

Heart Plan in Europe – HeartPlan.eu

For those of you who own a Business, join Larry Nault and myself at Building A Kingdom Company.

If you’re in education, please get acquainted with David Nycz at http://www.educationviaheart.com/

Releasing Kings is available in French “Libération des Rois pour le ministère dans le monde du travail” ISBN:  978-90-78643-08-1

 Releasing Kings is available in Dutch “Moderne Koningen”

Are you being marginalized? 14 ways to know for sure.

The issue is not people being marginalized, people are committing self marginalization. They interpret marginalization as racism. In fact these marginalized people have taken steps to make certain they STAY marginalized. There are implied reasons why it is beneficial to stay at the fringe of society (marginalized).
IF you want to remain marginalized and left out of the prosperity and growth society can provide. Here's how one becomes and Remains marginalized:

1. They Believe everyone who is not like them is against them. Trust me on this, we don't even think about you that much.
2. They Believe every act that they disapprove of should be interpreted as racism. Every accusation is less important as you cry wolf. It is almost NEVER racism, and there is almost never a wolf.
3. They Blame the police for every event where someone is shot running away from the cops or is holding a weapon. They are judge and jury and would hang them all. That's why you are marginalized. We can't have you in any level of authority. EVER
4. They Blame big business and wonder why they don't spread the money around. They do, it's called salary and wages. You don't get any if you don't show up. AND showing up on time and for real is how that works.
5. They Defy cultural norms like standing for the Anthem, hand over your heart because of some crazy theory about the Patriots of old. You might not be crazy about it, but when you rub our noses in it, you just marginalized yourself, no matter what tennis shoe you wear.
6. They Buy into every crackpot theory like hand signals at the confirmation hearings. Or the South African Genocide, you side with the Hitler in charge. Their judgement is terrible. Crackpot conspiracy theories are their stock in trade, except they are nearly ALWAYS WRONG.
7. They Excuse criminal and antisocial mob rule and action as "Freedom". They thought what went on in Ferguson and Baltimore as they burned the city to the ground was just exuberance and justified. It's never justified, not when white people do it and not when black people do it.
8. They ignore cultural decay in marriage, morality, decency and government. They think that as long as they are democrat and black they can do no wrong, except it's almost always the other way round. Of course they always have an example of "What About" pointing out some misdeed in another culture while excusing themselves and those who are part of the corrupt culture. So they continue in the sewer of life and wonder why life stinks.
9. They Embrace music and literature that glorifies the cultural decline. Take a look the movies you watch, the music lyrics, the books you read, none of them have much to do with making it in the real world and then when you don't make it you blame the real world.
10. They marginalize their kids by naming them unpronounceable Klingon names and then wonder why no one will hire them. They try to communicate on the phone in such a deep urban dialect that they can barely be understood and wonder why they don't get advancement. Learn english spoken and written and give your kids names that make some sense. If you are stuck with a goofy name, change it. The certain destination of a resume with the first name TS-owalkozsddty is the trash can. It's not racism, there's not enough room on the paycheck for such a name.
11. They are afraid to think for themselves so they vote and support people who gladly take advantage of them and leave them stuck. Then when these same politicians lie to you, you believe them and stay in the margins. You are a prisoner to their lies. The test is what you think of Dr. Ben Carson, Herman Cain, Alan Keyes, Stacey Dash, Starr Parker or Charles Payne. If all those people are uncle tom or tomettes in your eyes, political hacks and sellouts, YOU ARE THE PROBLEM. You are already marginalized.
12. They believe in myths and legends about things like Thanksgiving, Christmas (add extra points if you celebrate Kwanzaa) Easter and Black Friday. The sucker quotient among the marginalized is astounding. They believe anything that comes their way. That's how they stay marginalized.
13.They don't get out much, they stay stuck in their little community and never see the real world from which they are excluded by their choice. They have few friends from outside their circle.
14. If you read all these and are offended, think I'm racist, want to block me and would say I can't and don't understand. You are already marginalized and may not make it out from the dark side.

I don't know how to appeal to you if you find yourself among some of these. Some of you that I know personally are wonderful people, but you put shackles on yourself by the lies you tell yourselves or the lies you believe. STOP marginalizing yourself and come into the greater commonwealth. We want to welcome you, but you can't bring all that baggage along and expect us to put up with it.