Father’s Day

A "father" is a male parent of a child. This term can also refer to a male ancestor, a man who has originated or established something, or a term of respect for an elderly man or priest

Traits traditionally viewed as masculine in Western society include strength, courage, independence, leadership, dominance, and assertiveness.

There is Father Time, Father Christmas, Reverend Father and Lord thy father of us all (we’ll get to that in a bit)

 A father is the biological male gender who produced you. In the beginning, there was Adam. The almighty God created man in his likeness and it was good. He could have stopped there and there would have been no sin. He (notice the gender) could have just cloned Adam into a team full of Bruce, Hank, Dirk, Freddy and they could have entertained him with their manly comradery. He could have invented bars for them to hang out and boost about scores while drinking hops (instead of Apple juice). God could have reveled in their locker room humor, but there were no pin-ups?

Man, when used in singular (which is almost always) means a male. When it's used as a plural (eg. Man came from apes), it means people, regardless of gender. Interestingly, the word men never work this way, it can only ever mean males.

Misogynistic behavior refers to attitudes, actions, and beliefs that show hatred, contempt, or prejudice against women. It's a form of sexism that can manifest in various ways, including belittling, objectifying, and controlling women. Misogyny can also involve promoting harmful stereotypes and maintaining traditional gender roles that limit women's opportunities and agency. 

A father is a male parent, a man who has begotten a child. The term can also refer to a male ancestor, a man who originates or establishes something, or a term of respectful address for an elderly man or a priest. In a broader sense, ‘father’ can also denote someone who acts in a fatherly role, providing care, guidance, and support. 

There is also ‘Mother’s’ Day (the other participant in procreation). You only get 1 mother, but there may be a variety of fathers, depending on your mother’s breeding process. Your X and Y chromosomes are all simmered as the bun in the oven cooks for 9-months and you arrive as you.

The father hands out cigars to celebrated impregnating. The step-father takes over if the biological father splits. The grand-father can reap the rewards of his ancestry continuing.

The Lord's Prayer, also known as the ‘Our Father’, is a central Christian prayer. It's a model prayer taught by Jesus, used in almost every Christian tradition. While variations exist, the core prayer is generally understood to be: 

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours forever. Amen. “

The prayer is structured around addressing God the Father, asking for the sanctification of His name, the establishment of His kingdom, and His will being done. It also includes petitions for daily needs, forgiveness, protection from temptation, and acknowledging God's authority.

Happy Daddy’s Day to all who qualify. A title for a squirt.

Data Centers

 There is plenty of news about a data center coming to your town. What are these data centers and why is everyone so concerned?

Some think this is the invasion of ‘Alternative Information’ centers that are coming to take our jobs. Some think they are cold storage warehouses for walls of computers. Some wonder if the expense, use of water and electricity are worth it while others know they are the necessity of our digital world.

Computers have been around longer than I have. They were mostly math calculators crunching numbers faster than the mind could calculate. My first connection with computers were in college (they were probably in high school, but I never noticed). Registration for classes was like a market fare. Some classes were required to get a degree in a certain category while others were optional. College was a four-year chance to add enough credits to get a diploma in the field of your future employment. As a class was chosen, a punch card was placed with your name to save you a seat in that classroom at a certain day and time. At the end of the year, a computer would calculate your yearly score for a Grade Point Average. When your GPA equaled the requirement for graduation, the school printed a piece of paper that proved you’d been edubacated and you were off to work.

My work office was manual records. Attendance, payroll, vacations and discipline records were written by hand and sent to corporate. In secret secured rooms with low lights, no windows and blast of air conditioning, there were machines the size of refrigerators with spinning reels of paper tape. The written logs were keyboarded in code to the computer to store and print out reports. As long as the checks were delivered every two weeks, life was fine.

Once there was a conflict of records about who or when vacations were used or cancelled. The office manager and secretary couldn’t figure it out, so an office at corporate was contacted for they held the approved final records. A giant ledger, the size of something in Harry Potter, was opened and searched for the time accumulated and used. I was surprised.

The ‘production’ department had the state-of-the-art computer system that cause linotype operators strike and lose their jobs. Operators sat at darkened room with dos green monitors keying in code that would print to a punch tape and then processed through another machine to print out on slick paper type that could be cut apart with box cutters, waxed and pasted into position for a camera the size of a bus could take a large photo to be converted to plastic impression to be placed on the press. The mainframe that ran the show was keep in a cold room that only the engineers (former IT) had access to.

In the early 80’s, I was sent to a presentation of desktop computing. I saw the potential that one little grey box could do illustration, photography, text and layout. While corporate was focused on Microsoft Office (as they should be) with spreadsheets and words for reports and memos, I was following another platform named ‘Apple’. All the software (and hardware) were new and experimental and constantly changing and reinventing the processes. Since there were no classes or training other than the bibles that came with the software, I’d go into the office on weekends and experiment with each program.

Once the internet appeared linking the world to e-mail, I could continually ask software companies about flaws in the applications and a wish list for the next upgrade. I got to test beta versions of digital cameras, cell phones, new high speed processing chips and a new invention, the laptop. The drawing tables, T-squares, triangles and press type went away.

What does all that have to do with these ‘Data Centers’?

In your hand you have a cell phone with more computer power than what put man on the moon. It saves contacts, calendar alerts, videos, photos, music, e-mails, internet connections, podcast and telephone calls and text.

Where does all that stuff get saved?

Even with the latest greatest technology there is no chip large enough to hold all your stuff on the phone. There is no floppy disc slot or thumb drive that can hold all your selfies, so they go to the ‘cloud’.

These ‘Data Centers’ ARE the ‘cloud’. Interconnected by satellites they are the ‘library’ for immediate access. All the search engines use it. Google, Bing, Yahoo, YouTube, X (Y & Z), Spotify…. etc. It is the massive cross-reference used to bring you your kitten pictures and your vacation shots and your music playlist and your current up-to-date memes and reels.

If there is a problem, when you click on a connection and get a message of 404: Page Not Found or your airplane captain gets a report from the air traffic control tower that they are not sure about landing instructions, time to upgrade the cloud with a newer improved ‘Data Center’.

What happens if you lose contact with your family? Remote working and learning will be unavailable? Shopping online will not be accessible and even your health care will faulter to life threatening measures. How will you fight your way out of a paper bag without GPS?

So like gas stations and mail boxes and telephone booths and fire hydrants and convenience stores, there will a ‘Data Center’ on every corner.  

Infrastructure

 

Recently, there have been some problems with the city’s infrastructure. This is expected for a city incorporated in 1742. The pipes and pumps and electronics are old and need constant maintenance or replacement.

My little part of the neighborhood was constructed just after WWII. Plumbing and sewer pipes were laid down and connect to equally spaced plots of land to newly constructed brick cookie cutter houses. Paths were widened and paved and poles were installed carrying telephone cables, electricity cables and street lights. Schools, churches and corner delis and markets found their spots as sidewalks linked the neighborhoods. Cars parked on the streets.

My family moved here in the early 50’s and settled into the comfortable early suburbia. Walking and riding bikes were suitable transportation for kids to get to schools and neighbors. Buses took us downtown for shopping at department stores or movies. The automobile was only used for groceries at shopping centers, Sunday church attendance and the long ride to the country club. Everything seemed to work for there were no new drains on the infrastructure.

In college I moved downtown where the infrastructure was a bit older, but never had any problems. I bought a house in an area that was developed in the 1920’s but the previous owner had updated much of the electrical and plumbing to accommodate two people (and a cat).

In the late 70’s, I moved into this house. It was the same neighborhood as my family’s original move. The electrical plugs had two sockets, the power was four screw-in fuses and there were no water shut-offs. Typical post war construction.

Through the years, I’ve paid for upgrades to the plumbing and electrical along with roof and windows and that world wide web thing. Meanwhile, my neighbors have done reconstructions requiring more energy and water putting a drain on the available infrastructure.

Occasional power outage due to stores become more frequent. I see it as an opportunity to rock on the porch until all the batteries to the digital gadgets run out. Then it is back to pencil and paper until the sun goes down.

Recently the city requested we not turn the tap for there was a problem with incoming water. Being a river city, there have been floods that fouled the water and what came out didn’t look appealing, but that was an emergency. This explanation was some sort of pump problem at the water plant and backup failure. Signs of an ancient infrastructure breaking down.

At a certain age, we contemplate our own infrastructure. That elastic sack that carries all our skeletal scaffolding protecting our tubes and pumps and nerves that make us human is breaking down. The years of abusing our bodies with unknown substances or acts of insanity takes their toll. The food we declare as ‘junk’ has conditioned us to consume large quantities and wear stretch pants. The bones become brittle and the joints need lubrication. Our tubes are clogged making the pumps work harder. Our sight deems and our hearing fades. Sleep is not a reboot for our memory banks.

As the end nears, there are no excuses. We did this to ourselves. Life’s longevity is how well the infrastructure holds out.

Risk

 

In simple terms, risk is the possibility of something bad happening. Risk involves uncertainty about the effects/implications of an activity with respect to something that humans value (such as health, well-being, wealth, property or the environment), often focusing on negative, undesirable consequences.

I try to avoid risk.

With that said, life is full of risk.

Everyday we take risk. We risk falling out of bed in the morning. We slipping on the kitchen floor making coffee. We risk getting into a metal mobile machine and getting t-boned at an intersection. We risk the food we eat has not been properly inspected or prepared. We risk someone else coughing on us and giving us the plague.

Reading is a risk. We learn and are presented with history, science, poetry, mystery, horror, fantasy, philosophy and other’s opinions and thoughts. If there is a problem, we risk not solving it without knowledge of math or psychology. The risk of knowledge might also bring power.

Going to school is a risk. If you are not smart enough or unaccepted, you risk failure. Relationships risk rejection. Intimate relations risk unintended results. Applying for employment risk not having the proper education or skills required for the job description. Once employed, there is the constant risk of not meeting the changing requirements of the job, technically or complying with the corporate mission causing firing and lose of salary.  

Buying expensive purchases are risky. A house, car, refrigerator can depreciate in value, break, or be destroyed in a fire or natural disaster. Insurance supposedly reduces lost but it too is a risk.

Health care is always a risk because we enjoy not taking care of ourselves and rely on the medical profession to give us a shot or a pill or a potion to prolong our lives.

For whatever reason, you decide to disallow the rules, there is a risk of detention, judaification, fines, loss of accesses, imprisonment or death.

Risk is stressful.

I try not to cross bridges or go down steep slopes. I avoid heights. I do risk traveling on streets but avoid as much traffic as possible.

Tonight, will be rocking on the porch with a cold drink watching a storm blow by with the risk that tomorrow may not come.

Pardon Me

 

You are charged of a crime for not obeying an established law and investigated and detained by the authorities and called before the court with details of your case presented by a prosecutor before a judge and jury of your peers and you can defend your actions with an attorney before the judge declares your innocence or guilt. You can throw yourself on the mercy of the court and appeal the judgement decision or try to abstain yourself of the potential punishment or beg to be pardoned.

Will the acknowledgement of the wrongful action or an apology get you off the hook?

A pardon is an expression of the president's forgiveness and ordinarily is granted in recognition of the applicant's acceptance of responsibility for the crime and established good conduct for a significant period of time after conviction or completion of sentence. It does not signify innocence.

Over the past few days, our President, who was himself convicted for multiple felonies, pardoned a former Virginia sheriff who was convicted of trying to sell deputy’s badges, a Las Vegas politician who stole money intended for a memorial dedicated to fallen police officers, a tax cheat whose mother raised millions of dollars for Republican political campaigns, and a pair of Georgia reality television stars who were convicted of bank fraud and tax evasion.

Among his first officials acts as president was to pardon virtually all of the nearly 1,600 defendants convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol by a mob of his supporters and to commute the sentences of the remaining 14. Weeks earlier, the former President had issued preemptive pardons to his siblings and their spouses, saying he feared they would be targeted for political reasons by the new administration.

If you perform an etiquette faux pas, such as a loud belch or passing gas, may acknowledge with a “Pardon me” hoping anyone within range will forgive the audacious behavior?

On Condition of Anonymity

Seems information is becoming vague from its sources. The former established media presentations had a history of educated journalist who follow the UPI playbook for grammar and structure to investigate and write the facts to meet deadlines for viewers or listeners or readers understanding of events. The information was believed to be truthful without bias or prejudice because we trusted the source.

So, if the reporter interviews someone who does not give their name or position or connection with the event, for whatever reason, can the statement be believed? This could be some anonymous just giving an opinion to the question with no knowledge or background to offer.

News casters, influencers, talk shows and even politicians spout numbers and declare facts based on ‘studies or research or reports’ from unknown resources. Dig down deep enough through footnotes to find questionable sources.

At the same time, everyone has a video camera now and everyday actions can be recorded, manipulated and uploaded to the WWW for anyone to view and interpret.

Even a friend might make an offering of knowledge based on a book or magazine article. Do you take their advice? Do you fact-check their statement? Do you push back with something you saw on YouTube or TikTok or The View?

“Well, that’s it. You see what you want to see and you hear what you want to hear.”

—Nilsson, The Point (1971)

 

*Note: The comments on this blog and on all my other social media accounts is protected for privacy as a result of questionable or irrelevant statements. Comments can be left as ‘anonymous’ but will not appear until approved.

Corruption

 

It’s your decision.

When we break out of the egg, we can’t make decisions. We have no reference points on where we are or what is happening. This all has to be taught to us. What we eat, what we wear, how we walk are all decisions made by others and we must obey for we have no other information to oppose the instructions.

The parents (aka ‘family’) are the first to propagate decisions on how to behave, who to associate with, what to believe based on heritage and status. This training precipitates our reactions to meeting strangers. Do they look like us? What is the cut of their jib? Should we approach them or avoid at all cost? Segregation of monitory equibalance, race, culture, gender is reenforced by neighbors, schools and religion.

Rules are applied at what age we are allowed to make decisions by ourselves. Sixteen is the age decided to be mentally and physically able to handle a two-ton vehicle traveling at 60mph speeds, but eighteen is draft age where we are old enough to fight and die for our country. This is the same age allowed to vote for the officials who make the laws, whichever comes first.

In whatever training procedure we are placed, individually must decide whether to pay attention and retain the knowledge being handed out or lose the opportunity when tested? After basic instructions on reading, writing and arithmetic and gaining a appropriate grade to wear a cap and gown to be presented with a piece of paper that states we are smart enough to enter the world on our own intelligence. Then we must decide to move on to higher learning or mechanical training.

As the interaction with others in sports, school, church or other, the segregation of genders fades with hormones and growth spurts. Decisions of who to ask, where to go, relationship identity, and intimacy are made through a fog of passion and peer pressure.

Life is nothing but decisions.

Choose a house or apartment? Get a career or just pay the bills? Buy a car? Get a pet? Move out of town? Marry or live together? Breed and propagate a family or abstain?

If lucky enough to get through leaving home to a self-sufficient life, more decisions must be made. Do we upgrade our appearance with finery and entertainment? Do we purchase a larger house or a fancy vehicle as status symbols? Do we live vicariously through offspring’s accomplishments? Do we strive for titles to accumulated monetary rewards to achieve the appreciation of a celebrity?

 

“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”

 

Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense that is undertaken by a person or an organization that is entrusted in a position of authority to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's gain. Corruption may involve activities like bribery, influence peddling, and embezzlement, as well as practices that are legal in many countries, such as lobbying. Political corruption occurs when an office-holder or other governmental employee acts in an official capacity for personal gain.

Historically, "corruption" had a broader meaning concerned with an activity's impact on morals and societal well-being: for example, the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates was condemned to death in part for "corrupting the young".

Contemporary corruption is perceived as most common in kleptocracies, oligarchies, narco-states, and mafia states, however, more recent research and policy statements acknowledge that it also exists in wealthy capitalist economies.

Corruption and crime are endemic sociological occurrences that appear regularly in virtually all countries on a global scale in varying degrees and proportions. Recent data (unknown source) suggests corruption is on the rise. Each nation allocates domestic resources for the control and regulation of corruption and the deterrence of crime. Strategies undertaken to counter corruption are often summarized under the umbrella term anti-corruption. Additionally, global initiatives like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16 also have a targeted goal which is supposed to reduce corruption in all of its forms substantially. Recent initiatives like the Tax Justice Network go beyond bribery and theft and bring attention to tax abuses.

 

The Emoluments Clause, as it exists in Article I, Section 9, Clause 8 of the U.S. Constitution, generally prohibits federal officeholders from accepting foreign gifts, payments, or other benefits without the consent of Congress. This provision aims to prevent foreign influence on U.S. government officials and maintain their independence.

We all like to get gifts. Bridal Showers, Housewarming party, Baby Showers, Birthday parties, Christmas are all formulated to exchange gifts and wishes. Dating is precipitated by the promise of spending time together will bring gifts of flowers, dining, dancing, entertainment and if the respondent cannot monetarily repay the lavish attention, possible intimacy. Decisions of expectations should be made and agreed upon in advance.

 

Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is the study of moral principles and conduct. It examines what is right and wrong, and guides individuals and groups in making decisions and acting in accordance with those principles. Ethics considers how we should live, our rights and responsibilities, and the language of right and wrong.

Some will arise from the crowd and promise to answer the dreams of leadership for the betterment of all. They may be good speakers preaching to attentive lemmings who filter sounds through pre-taught prejudice and bias experienced. We break into separate teams or clubs or parties or groups to reenforce our dedication to a carpetbagger medicine man promising spiritual salvation, economical wealth, family security and healthcare, plus a better future ahead.

When we stand in the voting booth scrolling down the menu of social media influencers, celebrity entertainers, revered military heroes, successful business entrepreneurs or hucksters searching for a plush job. We check off our selection and wait for the accountants to sort the data and present a winner.

We hope that our elected officials will make us proud as leaders dolefully working on behalf of the people. If not, we sort the cards and wait for the next chance while we tolerate the last decision.

 

“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

God wants what is best for you. If you put something else before Him in your life, it’s harder for him to bless you.

“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.”

Anything you worship more than God is a “graven image.” Cars, clothes, sports, even our jobs are dangerous things to worship because they can go away. But God will never go away, and that’s why it’s best for us to only worship Him.

“Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.”

This can mean using God’s name like a swear word, or it can mean saying you are a Christian but not living or acting like Jesus would want you to act.

“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.”

Sunday, or the Sabbath day, is a day we can all go to church, worship God, and learn how to be better people and Christians. Keeping it holy means doing our best to remember Him throughout the day.

“Honour thy father and thy mother.”

It’s important to show our parents respect. This might look different for everyone, but we should always try to love and care for those who cared for us first.

“Thou shalt not kill.”

A simple but important rule for anyone.

“Thou shalt not commit adultery.”

Men and women make promises to each other when they are married. These promises are important, and breaking them causes deep sadness. Keeping those promises help men and women have happy marriages and happy lives.

“Thou shalt not steal.”

It is important to God that His children are honest with each other. Taking anything that doesn’t belong to you is stealing, and is against His commandment.

“Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.”

This one is about honesty. If you lie to someone, you are “bearing false witness,” and may cause harm to yourself and to others.

“Thou shalt not covet.”

To covet means to be so jealous of something someone else has that you want it desperately. Coveting makes a person miserable and keeps them from putting God first. This commandment helps keep you from falling into this bad habit.

 

Integrity, in general terms, refers to the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles, meaning being consistent and adhering to ethical standards. It's about acting in alignment with one's values, even when faced with challenges or temptations. In a business context, integrity often means acting ethically and transparently in all aspects of the business.

 

As we pass through our probation period in employment to be mentored and observed and evaluated on productivity, if we meet approval (after some time) we get a raise in salary. Not only does that give am economic improvement but also an emotional security. The additional income may come with additional responsibility and a title. This may be a job description changer with oversight and evaluation and instructions and documentation of other workers. With that may be an office, requirement of dress code due to the position, attending boardroom meetings with a chance of offering your opinion to the decision makers or a key to the executive washroom.

As your importance grows, the prestige and power of the position will attract influencers bearing gifts. Perhaps a free lunch for an audience and a possible sale? Perhaps some sparkling bling to remember the business card? Perhaps some cash under the table or a new ride as ‘thanks’ for being swayed and sold goods or services on unproven or investigated promises?

Are our leaders so moral and ethical to turn away from persuasion and make decisions for the good of all or just self-absorption?

It’s your decision.