Beautiful day! The humidity we had yesterday has evaporated and the climate couldn't be better. I will get off my dead ass today and get outside. Good time to grab the walking stick. It is too easy to sit here and read, look for documents, and generally waste the opportunity to enjoy the sunshine. I did go to Stella's Speakeasy and talked to Jennifer, She's a girl I could like, but I think she is married. She mentioned "a husband" during our brief conversations during her cigarette breaks. I was sitting outside sipping a lager and she came outside several times to say hello. Will have to tread cautiously here. The last thing I need in my life is complication.
I been living in denial. I'm lonely. I occupy myself with projects and goals; some realized and others not, but I keep running from this one, undeniable fact. Marching to the sound of my own drum won't change because of this, but having someone to walk with has to be something to consider.
Note:
Just read that Billy Mays died at the age of 50. They are dropping like flies.
Been downloading YouTube video today. Found some really great stuff! This is nice ... don't know how valid it is:
June 28, 2009
Sue DaBaco performs Notes from Underground, a tune dedicated to those who suffered and perished under the Nazi regime.
This band performed at Stella's SpeakEasy right here in Stoughton, WI. two weeks ago, and will be returning August 14. I will definitely catch their act.
Enjoy the music. Here is a link to their web site: Sue DaBaco and Wise Fools
June 27, 2009
Transferring music/video data from My DVD's to my external hard drive I purchased for this reason. The duplication may be overkill, but it is nice to have everything just in case something goes haywire. I have my XP Computer virtually backed up on this drive also. Having everything basically made resetting up my XP system painless when I accidently erased it in the first place. This transfer will take some time, but I have the afternoon free, so I will kick back and get it done. I am going to this bar down the street called Stella's SpeakEasy. They have live music there on the week-ends. Not that mind numbing punk trash they play at Club Inferno. I will not be going to see live bands there again. I am starting to like Stella's. In fact, this gal came over and had a conversation with me last night. Her name is Jennifer and she tends the bar. I went there for a short time. I was exhausted from the day's toil in the freezer at Pick N Save, so I paid a visit to sit and unwind some. I didn't stay long.
Haven't logged on to the WWW today. Will have to see what is happening in the world. From what I have been reading, it sounds like Jackson's Dr whacked him up with Demerol or some pain killer, and the guy went into cardiac arrest.
Michael Jackson performs at Dodger Stadium in 1984.
Here is a better picture of Jackson. This is the Michael we all remember; in his prime and at the top of the music world. I think people will always remember the gloved-Jackson in their minds and forget about the surgically mutilated freak. I tend to be harsh on people, not just Jackson. I should remember that his shoes were hard to fill, and even with all the fame and wealth that went with being Michael Jackson, I don't think I would ever want to walk in them. So closes my observations on the King of Pop. I honestly hope he has found peace. I've gathered from news articles that people working on his concert production and rehersals for the upcoming London gigs have said he never danced and sang better. He was happy. He died doing the thing he loved most. Can any of us expect more?
June 25, 2009
Michael Jackson
1958-2009
I was shocked to hear that Michael Jackson was found at his LA home not breathing, was rushed to a hospital, and later pronounced dead. He was 50. Over the years I have ridiculed him. I made a retraction of a sort. I admitted I may have been too hard on him, but that he should still be held accountable for his actions. I still believe that. I think my greatest gripe is that the rich and the famous are held to one standard; they can do whatever they damn well please. I still think my statement that if I had been accused of some of the things Jackson was, I would be in a hole somewhere rotting till the day I die. Perhaps his death is karma. Early reports are he had a massive heart attack. It seemed that his personal life and professorial career were back on the upswing. The concerts slated in London surely would have provided some financial relief to the reported money troubles he was experiencing. For this reason, I do not believe his death was a suicide. I had figured that one day someone would have found him hanging at the end of a rope. Here is an interesting video. Both James Brown and Michael Jackson are in it. When all is said and done, Jackson is one of the greatest musical entertainers of all time. Perhaps dying now is the best thing that could have ever happened to him.
Ed McMahon passd away a few days ago. From what I was reading, he had all sorts of things going wrong with him; bone cancer amd what not. He had a good life, but hard times put him behind the financial eight ball. You come into this world with nothing, and the odds are you leave with nothing. Almost all of the icons of my era are gone now. I haven't replaced them especially since I turned off the TV last November 2008. I haven't missed watching the tube. I watch news video, listen to podcasts, and read. This suffices me with all the world news I really need to inform myself with. The rest of the mindless crap broadcast via the boob tube is slated for the herd. Even this link to the video I have posted here is questionable, but a good laugh isn't all bad. These guys are laughing all the way to the bank.
If you haven't noticed, Big Brother is checking out your package. Deep Packet Inspection
Video here of the brutality of the Iranian State Government trying to silence the people from protesting the recent rigged election.
June 22, 2009
Here is a disturbing look at the economic prospects for 2009-2010.
Unemployment Crisis Grips US States
I still am hanging onto my job, so I just have to grin and bear what ever comes down the pipe. An elderly gentlemen came to the store so the meat manager could check him out and see if he was capable of working as a meat cutter in a different store. This guy had to be 70. It made me think that his 401k took a shit, and he was forced to go back to work. With the dismal prospects out there, it is almost unthinkable that retirees are also casting their hats back into the ring. I never believed that Obama was going to create three million jobs. I never believed he was going to bring change. At least I wasn't disappointed. I know I am not many things, but I know this; I am not a fool. I am having a difficult time finding something to believe in. I believe in myself. Perhaps this is the only thing I can hang on to.
June 21, 2009
Summer has arrived! My laundry is getting washed, and I made an effort to pick up the clutter around my living room. I updated my IT blog, so I thought I might try and jot a few things down in here. Even though I am branching out in the areas of WWW net-working ( Twitter - My IT Blog ) Time to Blog! is still my first love. Terrence McKenna spoke of the increase in novelty in the days proceeding 2012. Novelty in this sense is chaos. He spoke of it in this way ... suppose you stumbled across a woman giving birth. On the outset, it would look like a horrible event taking place. But in actuality, it is a beautiful thing. He thought that the times proceeding 2012 (the end of history as we know it) would look to be the same. I can agree with that! North Korea is hell bent on fighting a nuclear war. The people in Iran are going crazy over this rigged election being crammed down their throats. The US economy is in the toilet. Take this a step further; the US dollar is worthless. Pat Robertson has said that we as citizens can expect to see hyper inflation destroy what little wealth we may have accumulated. Jim Rogers has sold his US dollars and has left the country. What chance have I got to secure a stable future for myself? The only thing left to do is hold onto my dreams and aspirations and see what lies beyond 2012; that is if humanity doesn't annihilate itself. I said have said annihilation was probably the greatest contribution humanity could make to the Universe. Maybe it is ...
On my IT blog, I talked about Henry Kissinger being a global political force. Here is an interesting video: Jan.18, 2005
Henry Kissinger spoke on PBS about the need for a "New International Order"
June 19, 2009
David Carradine's funeral was held yesterday evening. The 400 guests caused a stir with their wacky outfits, shunning traditional black in favour of kilts, Native American headdresses, multi-coloured cowboy boots and leather fringed jackets. The white hearse containing the actor's body was flanked by an escort of Hell's Angeles on motorcycles as it drove to the chapel. An investigation into David's death is still ongoing after his family hired an independent pathologist after disagreeing with the initial verdict of suicide.
A movie producer pal of late actor has come forward with shocking new claims that Carradine was murdered by ladyboy hookers. Carradine's naked body was found bound and hanging in a closet in a Bangkok, Thailand hotel room on 4 June 2009. Initial reports suggested the star accidentally took his own life. An independent autopsy has ruled out suicide. Foul play has not been ruled out and Carradine's friend David Winters, who produced three of the actor's less-known martial arts movies, insists he was the victim of Bangkok's Lady Boys - and local police are trying to cover up the truth.
He tells America's Globe, "David Carradine was murdered... I strongly believe Lady Boys are responsible. David would not have stood a chance. They can be very brutal." His theory ties in with reports Carradine's death was sex related.
As strange as this conclusion of David Carradine's "producer pal" is, it rings true. This scenario covers all the bases. Again, what a horrible way to end up ... murdered by Thai ladyboy whores. I hope the man has found the peace that eluded him in this life.
June 12, 2009
The store director is moving on to a new location. I do not know exactly when he will be leaving. It isn't soon enough, but at least there is a light at the end of what has been a very dismal tunnel since he arrived. I am anticipating a new ass hole to take over.
I informed management to remove my name from their frozen lead candidate list. The meat manager is transferring to a different store, and there is a strong possibility I will get my full time hours back in the department. I would be in one department working a set schedule. My present pay would be protected. Protecting my hourly wage is priority number one. I loose that, I may as well walk out the door. I know I can't really do this given the deplorable state of the economy, but I would be sorely tempted. If I can ride out my days working back in the meat department full time, hit the books, get my IT credentials under my belt, and situate myself to get a career going in the computer market early 2010, life would be good. Things are looking better.
June 9, 2009
I hear through the grapevine at work that this moron who has run the store into the ground may be transferring to a different venue. On the surface that may seem like an improvement, but the reality is this; another piece of worthless shit will come in and the cycle will just repeat itself.
I am being considered for a transfer to the frozen food department. They want me to stock everything, order everything, set up the weekly specials, and basically take full responsibility (the heat) for everything. The classification for this position is "frozen lead" All managerial titles have been eliminated so the Roundy's Corporation doesn't have to pay them bonuses. The position is nothing more than a fuck over, work and be treated like a dog situation. I'd be a fool to accept it. One good piece of news is that a former worker who went to a different store may be coming back to work at this location. If that is the case, he would be working frozen with me. He was reliable. Things might be tolerable till I figure a way out of this hell hole.
This is how Corporate America is treating the citizens of the USA. There is no respect or dignity in performing an honest days labor. People who do have jobs are doing the workload that in the past two or more people were doing. And on top of this increased squeeze in labor output, people are working off the clock. You wonder why the unemployment roles continue to swell? The Obama plan to create 3-4 million jobs is a bust at the present time. I do believe that technology and rebuilding an improved infrastructure for the 21st century is key. But it isn't being done. All the money the banks stuffed into their private pockets could have been spent building new plants and research facilities. American needs to start producing the things we use; shoes, shirts, pants, tools, computer parts, etc. Making and selling products for domestic consumption kept America financially viable for decades. Manufacturing plants are not being built that would put millions of people back to work. This notion that globalization is good for America is bullshit, and it always was. I read about forces behind the curtain scheming to destroy the American economy, and in doing so, remove the last remaining superpower from the playing field. Maybe it is true. I do know this. I am wasting my life working for Roundy's. I had hoped to be able to ride this job out before I begin a career working in Information Technology. The problem is this job is sucking the life out of me. I have to remain focused on what I am trying to accomplish. The idea I am stuck in this hell hole to work the remainder of my life toiling away like a pack mule is unacceptable. There is a future ahead of me where I will be working with professional people like myself.
June 7, 2009
David Carradine Death Speculation At Secret Society Phase
The family of actor David Carradine, whose bound body dead in a Bangkok hotel room last week, want the FBI to investigate the death and the Post reports, "attorney Mark Geragos suggested that Carradine may have been killed as he tried to uncover groups working in the martial-arts underworld." When the secret society angle was mentioned on Larry King Live (transcript), Geragos said, "There is a suspicion that if there was some foul play, that that may be the first area where they should look." Carradine's fourth wife Gail Jenson spoke to the Daily News, "David was pretty strange. He would tie himself up, and I would walk in and see him and say, 'Oh, my God, David, you've got to be kidding me.'" A previous wife, Marina Anderson, noted Carradine's "deviant sexual behavior" in a divorce filing, also claiming he was having an incestuous relationship with a close family member; Anderson said to the Post, "If he was involved in secret societies, it was a secret that even I didn't know about. But he did have some big secrets."
Looks like David Carradine and the circumstances surrounding his bizarre death will be chronicled here in Time To Blog! for the immediate future. I do this because I am trying to bring a focused and sane perspective to the media frenzy run amok scrambling for quick bucks. I do respect Carradine for the contributions he has made to the entertainment industry. It is a fact he drank heavily at times. I didn't respect this behavior because at the same time he was promoting his tai chi videos. You really can't promote physical fitness and spirituality while at the same time phisically abusing yourself. But that was David Carradine. Fame is a harsh mistress. This is a good piece. There are links to explore and it covers a lot of ground for further research.
One last note for today; I fixed the audio problem on my Windows XP machine. I was missing a Multimedia Audio Contoller. I would trouble shoot my sound system and the report coming back from the tests were my sound card was working properly and the correct drivers were functional. I was sure it had something to do with the gizmo that enabled you to adjust or mute selected audio properties, like your mike or your CD levels. I just didn't know what you called it, or how to find one to download off the internet. Luckily, I did see something in a forum and was able to locate a free download - AC'97 Audio Codec A3.83 by RealTek. Nice to have the sound working on both machines.
June 5, 2009
This explanation surrounding the circumstances of David Carradine death is ridiculous. If he was playing hide the salami with some Thai hooker, and engaging in some erotic forplay, so be it. I refuse to believe the man tied a rope around his genitals, secured his wrists, and then proceeded to slip a noose around his neck and hang himself in his hotel room closet unassisted.
BANGKOK – Police are speculating that accidental suffocation, not suicide, may have caused the death of American cult actor David Carradine, whose body was found in a hotel closet in the Thai capital with a rope tied to his neck, wrist and genitals. The 72-year-old actor may have been engaged in a dangerous form of sex play known as auto-erotic asphyxiation. Pornthip Rojanasunand, director of Thailand's Central Institute of Forensic Science, said the circumstances suggested that Carradine may have died performing auto-erotic asphyxiation, which is said to result in a form of giddiness and euphoria — similar to alcohol or drug intoxication — that enhances the sexual experience.
"In some cases it can suggest murder, too. But sometimes when the victim is naked and in bondage, it can suggest that the victim is doing it to himself," said Pornthip, who is considered the country's top criminal forensics expert but who did not take part in the autopsy. "If you hang yourself by the neck, you don't need so much pressure to kill yourself. Those who get highly sexually aroused tend to forget this fact."
June 4, 2009
David Carradine was found dead Thursday in Thailand. The 72-year-old actor appeared to have hanged himself in a suite at the luxury Swissotel Nai Lert Park Hotel, said Lt. Teerapop Luanseng, the officer responsible for investigating the death.
"I can confirm that we found his body, naked, hanging in the closet," Teerapop said. He said police were investigating and suspected suicide, though one of his managers questioned that theory.
"All we can say is, we know David would never have committed suicide," said Tiffany Smith, of Binder & Associates, his management company. "We're just waiting for them to finish the investigation and find out what really happened. He really appreciated everything life has to give ... and that's not something David would ever do to himself."
I doubt that David Carradine, the famous celebrity of the TV hit show Kung Fu committed suicide. I think he got involved with the wrong people over there. It is a sad way to end your life. This incident reminds me of Estwistle, the bass player for the rock band Who, getting rolled in Vegas by this hooker he had taken to his room at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. He apparently died from a cocaine overdose. After he was dead, this woman stole his cash and jewelry before she left. I think Carradine had met some babe and was going to enjoy a little sack time. For what ever reason he was murdered. I am sure the Thai government will try to cover it up if in fact it was a homicide. People get killed in Bangkok all the time. They promote a friendly and warm atmosphere in their promotion of the city, but the reality is many Thai people are hostile towards Europeans and American tourists. People are found dead in hotel rooms all the time. Sometimes vital organs have been removed and sold on the black market. I have known many kind and friendly Thai people, but there are many others who would just as soon cut your throat.
The only time I can find time to study for my computer education is early morning. I could study at night when I get home from work, but the amount of physical work required of me to earn a living is substantial. By the time I get home I am exhausted. This is a fact, not an excuse. The same goes in the morning. I am dead tired. I talk about will, and this situation calls for all I am able to conjure. I have been working with PowerShell, but I have to buckle down and really start hitting the books. The PowerShell work has been useful, but it won't help me pass the Network+ Certification test. For what it is worth, I see that almost all the writers of the computer technical books I have looked at have this, and even have the A+ Certification to their illustrious credits. Not only do I need the one, I will probably need to follow up with Security+ and Linux+ to boot. Add knowledge of an Object Oriented Programing language (Ruby), knowledge of PowerShell scripting language, knowledge of Object Oriented Java, and a working knowledge of UNIX; we are talking at least a year of intense study. I think I can get my foot in the door with a broad knowledge of all this, as long as my computer programing language skill is sharp. That is why knowing Ruby, Java, and the PowerShell scripting is vital. The rest I can learn "on the job." Of course, it is taken for granted that I don't loose my mind working in the shit hole I presently toil between now and completion of the said goals.
