What are you worth?

Do you wonder what Taylor Swift net worth is? Someone must because there is a category in the search engines of the web.

Do you ever wonder what you are worth?

Checking assets against deficits can give a monetary sum of worth, but what about all the rest?

How many skills can you perform? How many books have your read? How far of the globe have you traveled? How articulated are you in the sciences or the languages or the arts?

Some have calculated the body is worth up to $45 million for parts and pieces if sold on the open market. Others have estimated the body is only worth about $150, give or take a liver and maybe a gold tooth.

We value ourselves on our ‘worth’. We envy those with more consumption and strive to reach their level of success (measured in wealth).

After one movie star has disappeared another takes their place to continue our lust. Yet in the end, our most valued moments are those with family and friends that cannot be purchased.

Houses, cars, jewelry will all perish, as will our bodies, so our wealth is only our legacy.

If no one remembers, was it worth the journey?

Public Speaking

One of our first fears was being called to stand in front of your classroom and read a book report or answer a math question on the black board. Why does it scare us to stand in front of all the kids you’d just had lunch with? Why does it scare us to stand in front of our friends as they giggle at us?

Learning acting helps by constant repetition of the spoken word and you get to wear a costume. Doing any sort of artistic presentation can help get over ‘stage fright’. Even the pros get nervous and sweaty palms.

I understand being prepared is an equalizer for public speaking. Lots of jokes, quotations, references and charts and graphs can put even the dullest presentation memorable.

Stand-up comedy is only public speaking with humor. Political rallies depend on public speaking to convince the listeners to vote. When the preacher stands for his weekly sermon, it is public speaking.

There are books and classes on how-to-do public speaking. There are even Toastmasters clubs that gather to practice the art of being fearless in front of others.

Public speaking may be made to persuade others to accept you’re point-of-view or ponder a thought or vision, but mostly it is about asking for money. 

Be sure to pad your resume so after being introduced the audience is overcome by your soliloquy.

Let us pray.

How Many Languages Can You Speak?

I know I wrote a post awhile back about “Why don’t we all speak the same language?” but this is from a different angle.

How many languages can you speak is about how we translate this marble we are all spinning around on.

From the beginning of speech, different tribes in different areas created words that related to items and actions and even emotions. As long as all of us were living with family down in the holler, the terminology and meanings were repeated from what was past down. Then some outsider wandered by with different words and meanings and prejudice was founded.

People being people started to intermingle and the land was divided up by the most powerful. Language was one of the defining characteristics of a region. After some time people from one country could not speak the language of another country.

The words themselves can be learned by constant repetition of flash cards but the nuance of meaning understood by another culture could make for an awkward moment.

I’ve traveled to a few places where no one spoke my language and I didn’t understand their language, but we learned how to cope. Hand signals and silly acting got the message across. The attitude is the most important part of helping another is to understand and listen. We all are mostly interesting in the same things: eating, sleeping and sex. Making enough effort can accomplish communication.  Having a few drinks together helps.

There are universal languages we all understand that need no translation. Music and dance are two examples that bring smiles to everyone. Maybe if alien was to come down from the sky instead of being fearful, we should open the bottle and crank up the music.

Laughter is still the one language we all understand.

Going Thro The Motions

We all go through life repeating what is necessary to do to get from sunrise to sunset, but like a life factory line, we are just going through the motions. We wake up at the same time, choose our selection of clothing for the day, get our coffee at the same Starbucks, slowly grind through our assignments and meetings taking breaks at the usual times to discuss the new member to the team while watching the clock to see when the bell rings to release from one boring process to another.

As dull as that sounds, our routine is customary with our neighbors and is safe and comfortable in desire to conform. If you conform you are much more likely to be popular.

If life sounds that mundane, think about standing in line.

We are trained in school to stand in line, either in alphabetical order or by height. Later we will be sorted by popularity.

During the workweek we wait for the alarm clock to get us off the starting line and then go through the motions repeating our desired expectations until there is a place to move up the organization chart and learn the new routine to follow.

The weekends are suppose to break the monotony of everyday life but it brings its own set of unchallenged task to be followed until the weekday brings us back to schedules set by someone else when the chatter around the water cooler is the most creative conversation to be had.

Face it; we are wasting our lives going through the motions.

There are lots of motivational speakers and inspirational books to try and fulfill the need to do something more important but it is easier to turn on the television and be entertained with lite and sound without thinking about it.

Unfortunately our relationships with others follow the same pattern. We may have a moment in time with another and reference that occurrence forever. As time passes we may eat the same food, live in the same house, sleep in the same bed but are just going through the motions. We forgot what brought us together or just want to be complacent to not cause upheaval. 

Get Over It

Everyone is all concerned that the Facebook application has sold his or her soul. Wake up boys and girls for you have been playing this game too long.

Facebook was launched in 2004. I signed up in 2008 and have enjoyed what it had to offer. Being fully aware that whatever was posted on the web was the same as writing on a whiteboard for anyone (and everyone) to read, I kept my personal information rather vague. Like joining any club you want to hang to the back until you see how it all plays out. Of course I agreed to the terms and conditions that I never read to login to a new social media link. There were other alternative applications for social interaction but I was persuaded to use Facebook and it has accomplished my expectations of finding long lost friendships.

Since my first login, I established new friendships, contacted and rejected others and use the site as a place for a public forum for news and ideas. After the last election many of my ‘friends’ were eliminated due to their comments. Unfortunately this web site has presented some unpleasant values by people you barely knew.

Someone asked me why I changed my name? It was easy. Why open your door to strangers? Why post all this ‘stuff’ about you to whoever or whatever could gather that information?

I’ve tried to use the same restrictions on my other websites. Sorry, I won’t post my secrets online. I also don’t use my phone to telecommunicate except by vocal. Why? The phone, though not the coolest latest modern version, can be dialed and texted and accessed by all those cool Internet apps, but only use it to dial out and sometimes vocally answer rings.

Did anyone ever realize a GPS not only ask some far off satellite where you are but also tells where you are? Did anyone think that putting post of photos, links, videos, comments might offer the who, what, where, when and why of your personal likes and preferences? Did anyone wonder why if you linked to another site and looked for a jacket that an ad for the same jacket would pop-up on your Facebook page? I wonder how they knew that?

Do you think your personal information is important enough for espionage? Will someone in Russia send you an offer you can’t refuse? Will your vote be altered by some nonsense or memes on the side of your timeline? If a ‘friend’ post some weird slant on the recent disaster, would you believe it or not?

Social media can teach us but we are individuals and must make our own decisions. Try to figure all the places you put your bank account information?

Good luck.

Leadership

In this time of unbelievable decisions, I wonder about what ‘Leadership’ means. Leadership is defined as the action of leading a group of people or an organization.

Leadership is providing guidance, direction, control, management, superintendence, supervision, organization, directorship, governorship, governance, administration, captaincy, control, ascendancy, supremacy, rule, command, power, dominion, and influence.

Leadership is a process of social influence in which a person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.  Leadership can derive from a combination of several factors.

Studies of leadership have produced theories involving traits, situational interaction, function, behavior, power, vision and values, charisma, and intelligence, among others.

Leaders have many titles and wear many hats. They can be managers, coaches, bosses, directors, commissioners, and corporate executive officers all depending on their placement in the organizational chart. Leaders can have offices and oversee thousands or be floor supervisor to a few. Leaders can be expected to hire and fire, adjust salaries, follow decisions from above and maintain order. No matter the title, a leader always has someone else to be accountable to.

In a company group photo the only way to tell a leader is to see which old white guys have pretty girls surrounding them. In the armed services it is how much jewelry they wear

Our elected leaders are strangers. A name on a sign in the yard and a flyer in the mail that shows a smiling family and just enough sound bites to persuade you to check their name in a box in the polls. Letters, emails, phone calls can be sent to our elected officials with formulated replies for that is how the game works.

According to Forbes leadership contains:

1. Sincere enthusiasm

True enthusiasm for a business, its products, and its mission cannot be faked. Employees can recognize insincere cheerleading from a mile away. However, when leaders are sincerely enthusiastic and passionate, that’s contagious.

2. Integrity

Whether it’s giving proper credit for accomplishments, acknowledging mistakes, putting safety and quality first, great leaders exhibit integrity at all times. They do what’s right, even if that isn’t the best thing for the current project or even the bottom line.

3. Great communication skills

Leaders must motivate, instruct and discipline the people they are in charge of. It’s also important to remember that listening is an integral part of communication.

4. Loyalty

The best leaders understand that true loyalty is reciprocal. Because of this, they express that loyalty in tangible ways that benefit the member of their teams. True loyalty is ensuring that all team members have the training and resources to do their jobs.

5. Decisiveness

Leaders are willing to take on the risk of decision making. They make these decisions and take risks knowing that if things don’t work out, they’ll need to hold themselves accountable first and foremost.

6. Managerial competence

Too many organizations try to create leaders from people who are simply good at their jobs. To be clear, those who emerge as being very good workers often have important qualities. They are the ones who have a strong understanding of the company’s products and services. They understand company goals, processes, and procedures. 

On the other hand, being good at one’s job doesn’t prove that someone possesses the other competencies they need. For example, can they inspire, motivate, mentor and direct?

7. Empowerment

A good leader has faith in their ability to train and develop the employees under them. Because of this, they have the willingness to empower those they lead to act autonomously. When employees are empowered, they are more likely to make decisions that are in the best interest of the company and the customer as well.

8. Charisma

Simply put, people are more likely to follow the lead of those they like. The best leaders are well spoken, approachable and friendly.

Through 40 years of employment, the leadership I’ve seen were a mish-mash of confused individuals trying to make a profit unaware of the changes around them. From the ole school rich family members passing the title onto the next generation to the up-and-coming corporate climbers of the hierarchy with ideas and little experience, the company rolled along. At the end of the year an annual report with only accountant / lawyer speak was presented to the stockholders and as long as the graphs and charts went up, everyone was content in the leadership.

Each ‘leader’ wanted to be renowned for making the decision that advanced them up the corporate ladder without research and development. Like the TEDx motivational speakers, the latest flavor of management would be tried. Some changes did shake up the company and all the leaders had to adapt. Some did and some were moved or removed.

The CEO of my employment was a southern gentleman with a job passed down from his father and passed onto his son. The movers and shakers that controlled the corporate decisions surrounded him and by the time it broke the ancestry it was too late to stop the downward drift. Finally the corporation was broken up and closed. In all fairness maybe there were few choices or missed opportunities because I was not in all the meetings.

My immediate ‘boss’; the one who hired me was a friend of a vice-president (so the story goes). He had some past association with an advertising agency that failed but never saw any imagination, innovation or graphic talent. Under him was a freelancer with some local connections but little mentoring or direction. Below him was a former sign painter who had the most talent with signs and signs were necessary before Power Point.

Other leaders I had dealings with were managers for an ever-growing sales team, a production manager who was supervised from beneath by unions, news art directors who feared each other and editorial illustrators under the watchful eyes of the publisher. Each had their goals and objectives and as long as they met or exceeded them, they stayed safe.

The first big challenge I noticed was the equal employment regulations ordered by the government. Employees were hired or moved around to conform to diversity mandates all the while looking the other way from blatant sexual harassment and substance abuse.

One-by-one the old guard fell and everyone took a step up. Secret meetings were the method operand and memos handed out to disillusioned faces.

There were leaders with good intentions and there were conferences and classes but at the end of the day, everything went back to normal. Different ‘leaders’ were brought in and different assignments and titles were handed out like candy but no one could put the Humpty Dumpty back together again.  

Companies come and go and some grow and expand only to fail for that is how the economy works. Competition, employment, finances, and regulations all must be considered in how leaders handle the day-to-day crisis and opportunities. That is my impression on leadership.

Today your children are begging for leadership. The voices of our future leader want incompetent adults to act and act now to stop the killing. What will we learn from our past mistakes to lead the next generation? 

Look It Up

There was a time when you had a question you had to go to the library to find the answer. The library was a place with all the answers in the stacks of books. Ask a doting old lady who would direct you to the Dewey decimal system of cards arrange by category. Once a number was found, the librarian would direct a page to find the book and bring it to the desk. There was an option to find a table and read in silence or check it out for a period of time before returning it under penalty of fines. Then the library would close until the next day.

A time consuming process but it was the only choice.

A door-to-door salesman who promised them wisdom for their intelligently struggling sons with a set of encyclopedias hooked my parents. Between the dictionary and the encyclopedia the answer was found, but with the cost of printing there was only one answer.

Schools also offered answers to questions as long as they were in textbooks approved by the region. Teachers taught what they knew and would try and define the answer when sometimes they didn’t understand the question. Depending on their age and wisdom, they could tell you history or direct you to the school library. Different teachers had different answers and there was no cross-referencing.

Then came the Internet, formed for sharing information.

And information it got. Facts and fictions and opinions and comments and photos and diagrams and instructions and point-of-views cluttered our streaming searches. Instead of one answer there were hundreds of variations that would change in a flash like a library with too many books.

All this technology is wonderful. Don’t have to look up every word because of instant checks of poor grammar and spelling, yet it tends to increase our searches for new discoveries. For the curious, the Internet is a wealth of information and a real time waster. For the frustrated, the Internet is instantaneous (if your provider has enough broadband).

Today just ask your smart speaker a question and in an instant Siri or Echo or Alexa or Claude or whoever will reply an answer (after searching through the massive Internet choices and choosing just the right one).

Now we are back to one question = one answer.

For your report footnotes a source path can be your smart speaker.

Now if technology can create a dog to eat your homework.

Pilgrimage to the Tummy Temple

Most everyday I make the pilgrimage to the Tummy Temple for my latest spiritually in physical and secular renewal rewards to continue being alive.  The path is the same and started singularly but as I get closer I join other worshipers to what the Temple offers. There is a morning service and an afternoon service where the building becomes crowded but the rest of time the doors will open and welcomes anyone who enters. On some days the entrance becomes jammed as if everyone is starving. On other days the way is clear.

So the first day of spring and I saddle up for my pilgrimage. With more reports of automobile vs. human filling the news I wait an extra moment for I leave the woods with a greater sense I may not return. Today the sky is getting cloudy and there has been a steady but with a break in the weather before the snow, I cut my path shorter in hope of staying dry. There is a drizzle, a cold drizzle and a constant drizzle so I’m not soaked but damp.

Once inside I can wipe off and start my search for the ingredients to feed the family and myself for a couple of days.

The butcher is working hard carving carcasses and the baker is filling the oven with the sweet smell of rising dough. The panic hasn’t started but the lines are long.

Some seem to become impatient searching for a shorter line, but what is wrong with waiting in line? We wait in lines to board the plan and wait in lines to give our tickets at a concert and we wait in lines to get a photo taken to drive a car. With the introduction of intelligent communication devices, the congregation can check the scriptures for the latest deal. There was a time before scanners when the usher would have to punch in each item while trying to entertain the shopper. You could be in a hurry but it wasn’t going to happen any faster. Now no one speaks to the usher and just rushes to get out. Perhaps they are starving?

Going to the Tummy Temple used to be a pilgrimage. You dressed up neat in case you were to meet your neighbor and took your time talking to the butcher on the best cut of dead animal or trying the free samples while you had your coffee ground. The manager was always close by to assist and the usher called you by name.

After paying my tithe for my daily bread I scan the area fully aware of the distractions in these holy rollers and take my time with the rain dripping off my helmet. Thanks to the divine I made it home safe and sound. This is where the story takes a different turn.

Not dripping wet but dewy, I peel some of the layers off and cuddle under a blanket to dry and watch the news. I spend hour-after-hour scourer my electronic encyclopedia trying to find definitions or correct spelling.  Getting lost on offshoots and distracted by additional thoughts, the snow arrives and the empty bottles stack up and the clock moves on.

Finally at 4AM, I slide into my sleeping position not knowing what was about to come. My first wake up call came at the break of dawn, but something was different. I was soaking wet and my head was full of snot. It defiantly wasn’t time for a cup of coffee, so turn over for another nap. And this nap was cold to shivering followed by sneezing and runny eyes and nose. Then steamy hot again. No dreams tonight because there wasn’t enough time.

So the day was spent in bed tossing and turning and ashamed of myself for catching a cold. A few sip of water and another couple of blows and back under the covers. I don’t get sick very often and this one got me. Without any doctor to call or medicine in the cabinet, it was a wait out.

Finally today was a bit better but still it was 30 minutes awake and then back for another 2-hour nap. The fever had broken and a cup of coffee hit the spot but I wasn’t going out. The afternoon brought a desire for something to eat and that perked me up a bit. I did go out to feed my starving family for they came a running.

I’ll take it slowly for another evening in hopes that tomorrow I can stretch again and remember to keep my penance before another pilgrimage. 

Terminology

“Domestic Violence” or “Domestic Misbehavior”

“Sexual Harassment” or “Sexual Misconduct”

The body of terms used with a particular technical application in a subject of study, theory, profession, etc.

“The terminology of semiotics”

Synonyms: phraseology, terms, expressions, words, language, lexicon, parlance, vocabulary, wording, nomenclature, usage, idiom, jargon, cant, argot.

If you have read any of these ‘Just Another Life’ posts, you know I don’t follow the AP Stylebook or most other grammar or English journalistic rules for communicating, but recently I’ve noticed the phraseology changing in the established news media. There seems to be an attempt to find the proper word association that is politically correct and still conveys the passion of our cultural ‘#MeToo’ and ‘#Stop Senseless Violence’ movements.

do·mes·tic  relating to the running of a home or to family relations. stay-at-home, home-loving, homey, housewifely, (of an animal) tame and kept by humans, domesticated, tame, pet, household, a person who is paid to help with menial tasks such as cleaning, servant, maid, housemaid, cleaner, cleaning lady, housekeeper.

Somewhere along the line, I believe I was domesticated, though I still have some rough edges. Beside the pets, getting along with someone else you work with or hire to do a task or live with does require a bit of domesticity. Learning to compromise is one of the aspects of ‘growing up’. Throwing a temper tantrum should go away before puberty, but sometimes it just hangs around. Being domesticated is adjusting to the rules of culture and etiquette while prioritizing your selfless wants.

vi·o·lence behavior involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something, brutality, brute force, ferocity, savagery, cruelty, sadism, barbarity, brutishness forcefulness, force, power, strength, might, savagery, ferocity, strength of emotion or an unpleasant or destructive natural force, intensity, severity, strength, force, vehemence, power, potency, fervency, ferocity, fury, fire, the unlawful exercise of physical force or intimidation by the exhibition of such force.

Violence is perceived as bombs blowing up or some fake blood on a video game. Our society likes violence. We solve disputes with violence. We create weapons to extend our violence when personal physical abuse does not surmise. Everyday our media exposes us to our violence and if it is not happening to us (at least in public) we get our thrill and move on. We all have those moments when road rage could become a felony or just letting off steam. I’d think that the first responders could designate between folks slugging it out to dodging bullets.

mis·be·hav·ior  the action of misbehaving; bad behavior.

I don’t know? Misbehavior sounds like something corrected at the dinner table with a look and stern warning. Misbehavior brings shame for a punishment and a life lesson.

sex·u·al  sexual, relating to the instincts, physiological processes, and activities connected with physical attraction or intimate physical contact between individuals, carnal, erotic, relating to the two sexes or to gender, reproductive, genital, sex, procreative.

The term ‘sex’ is still taboo for most conversations though it is our biggest thrill. We shun our own fascination with the subject while titillating ourselves with movies, videos, books and artwork that feeds our endorphins but will not discuss with our kids. While some admit the act of fornication is a physical dominance over another human being, others will blush and give Valentine cards disgusted as romance. Sex is penetrating another’s body for personal pleasure, so get over it.

ha·rass·ment persecution, intimidation, pressure, force, coercion, aggressive pressure or intimidation.

Has anybody been in the military? Basic training is harassment to follow commands. It is the humiliation of striping away all individual identity to form a fighting team that when ordered to go over the top will run into people who are shooting at you. Stalking, poking, trolling, etc. are all forms of harassment, but the ‘sexual’ demeaning has been prevalent for years. The male size and strength has been excuse until a kick with a sharp heel neutralized the playing field.

mis·con·duct unacceptable or improper behavior, wrongdoing, unlawfulness, lawlessness, crime, felony, criminality, sin, sinfulness, unethical behavior, unprofessionalism, malpractice, negligence, impropriety misbehavior, bad behavior, misdeeds, misdemeanors, disorderly conduct, mischief, naughtiness, rudeness mismanagement, especially culpable neglect of duties.

Misconduct, to me, is like misbehavior. A slap on the hand and then it is time to go out and play. Like the legal difference of a misdemeanor or a felony and the punishment given for each, semiotics matter.

As all these descriptions of pain and suffering are redefined they exist. The politicians and lawyers and judges will write copious notes and declarations and draw the red line. Still murder will be redefined to a few years or maybe a time out due to extenuating circumstances or rape was just a misunderstanding or a pay off will make it all disappear.

There was a time when an allegation would be enough for a lynching.

How far have we come?

Terms and Conditions

Do you really read this stuff? Of course you don’t. Just click here and move on.

So why all the fuss about this talk that all your personal information you have shared with your kids identities and where and what you eat and what you drive and where you work and maybe some forbidden memories about other people.

You joined the club and played the games and now are upset that your most delicate secrets are being shared to the world without your permission.

Did you click ‘OK’?

Maybe you were smart before you began and made an alias identity that won’t get you a date on Tinder but does not bare your soul to strangers? Even the best efforts forget what other statements will arise and position you in a data search. Every ‘like’ or other comment can be analysis and your identity will be compromised. Have you not seen any NCIS shows?

Just check your credit card account to make sure some hacker isn’t spending your hard earned pay on borsch.

Oh and those old childhood friends you have been chatting with are probably trolls and bots and whatever else computers can come up with to fool you that someone out in the world you have not seen in years still likes you.

Ladies and gentlemen, this is why it don’t cost you nothing. You can log on for free with promises that your intimate conversations will be private only to be sold to advertisers to persuade you to link to their site and provide more secrets.

We are pathetic to think that staring at our screens will mean we are popular and then worry what others will think.

Neapolitan

Neapolitan ice cream, sometimes known as harlequin ice cream, is a flavor made up of three separate blocks of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream arranged side by side in the same container (typically with no packaging in between). Some brands intermix the flavors more, though the separate flavors are still clearly visible.

Neapolitan ice cream was named in the late 19th century as a reflection of its presumed origins in the cuisine of the Italian city of Naples, and the many Neapolitan immigrants who brought their expertise in frozen desserts with them to the United States. Spumone was introduced to the United States in the 1870s as Neapolitan-style ice cream. Early recipes used a variety of flavors; however, the number of three molded together was a common denominator, to resemble the Italian flag (cf. insalata tricolore). More than likely, chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry became the standard for the reason that they were the most popular flavors in the United States at the time of introduction.

It is the first flavor of ice cream to combines three different flavors. Head chef of the royal Prussian household Louis Ferdinand Jungius created the first recorded recipe in 1839, which dedicated the recipe to Fürst Pückler.

So that is ice cream talk for some weird combination of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry in the same box.

Now with all the sugary flavors of comfort food, why would anyone want to put opposite flavors into the same container to either combine or decide?

For some unknown reason, my dad liked ice cream. He would sit and watch television and dive into a gallon of creamy delight. With that knowledge why did these Neapolitan tubs appear? Maybe my mother and brother were vanilla or strawberry fans, but I liked chocolate. When digging into a bowl of milky delight I’d work hard to keep the white and pink stuff away from my fattening reward. Later on, when the doctor told him he should lose some weight, sherbet appeared in the freezer.

When a tub of sweetness said “Chocolate” or “Vanilla” or “Strawberry” one knew what to expect, but there was this Neapolitan that held possibilities of wonderful taste combinations

Was this a foresight of diversity? We were all equaled yet separate?

Then someone messed it all up with a swirl.

Sanctions

I’m sorry North Korea or Iran or Pago-Pago or the Isle of Cucamonga, but in our eyes you have been bad and must be punished. As diplomacy results to your naughtiness, we will apply sanctions on you. So there, take that!

What the heck is this sanction stuff? Seems like everyone has sanctions on them and still they seem to get along. What are these sanctions and why aren’t they changing bad behavior?

sanc·tion: a threatened penalty for disobeying a law or rule.

Synonyms: penalty, punishment, deterrent, punitive action, discipline, restriction, embargo, ban, prohibition, boycott.

• Measures taken by a nation to coerce another to conform to an international agreement or norms of conduct, typically in the form of restrictions on trade or on participation in official sporting events.

 • To enforce obedience to any rule of conduct decided by another.

Antonyms: prohibit, impose a sanction or penalty on.

Synonyms: punish, discipline.

Economic sanctions are commercial and financial penalties applied by one or more countries against a targeted country, group, or individual. Economic sanctions may include various forms of trade barriers, tariffs, and restrictions on financial transactions. An embargo is similar, but usually implies a more severe sanction. Economic sanctions are not necessarily imposed because of economic circumstances—they may also be imposed for a variety of political, military, and social issues. Economic sanctions can be used for achieving domestic and international purposes.

An embargo (from the Spanish embargo, meaning hindrance, obstruction, etc. in a general sense, a trading ban in trade terminology and literally “distrait” in juridical parlance) is the partial or complete prohibition of commerce and trade with a particular country or a group of countries. Embargoes are considered strong diplomatic measures imposed in an effort, by the imposing country, to elicit a given national-interest result from the country on which it is imposed. Embargoes are generally considered legal barriers to trade, not to be confused with blockades, which are often considered to be acts of war.

Embargoes can mean limiting or banning export or import, creating quotas for quantity, imposing special tolls, taxes, banning freight or transport vehicles, freezing or seizing freights, assets, bank accounts, limiting the transport of particular technologies or products (high-tech).

In response to embargoes, an independent economy or autarky often develops in an area subjected to heavy embargo. Effectiveness of embargoes is thus in proportion to the extent and degree of international participation.

International sanctions are actions taken by countries against others for political reasons, either unilaterally or multilaterally.

There are several types of sanctions.

• Diplomatic sanctions – the reduction or removal of diplomatic ties, such as embassies.

• Economic sanctions – typically a ban on trade, possibly limited to certain sectors such as armaments, or with certain exceptions (such as food and medicine) Economic sanctions are distinguished from trade sanctions, which are applied for purely economic reasons, and typically take the form of tariffs or similar measures, rather than bans on trade.

• Military sanctions – military intervention

• Sport sanctions – preventing one country’s people and teams from competing in international events.

• Sanctions on Environment – since the declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, international environmental protection efforts have been increased gradually.

An auto-antonym or autantonym, also called a contronym or contranym, is a word with multiple meanings (senses) of which one is the reverse of another.  This phenomenon is called enantiosemy, enantionymy or antilogy (enantio- means “opposite”). An enantiosemic term is necessarily polysemic.

Antonyms: reward

Synonyms: authorization, consent, leave, permission, authority, warrant, license, dispensation, assent, acquiescence, agreement, approval, approbation, endorsement, accreditation, ratification, validation, blessing, imprimatur, OK, green light

Antonyms: prohibition official permission or approval for an action.

• Official confirmation or ratification of a law.

• A law or decree, especially an ecclesiastical decree.

Verb: sanction; 3rd person present: sanctions; past tense: sanctioned; past participle: sanctioned; gerund or present participle: sanctioning

Give official permission or approval for (an action).

Synonyms: authorize, permit, allow, warrant, accredit, license, endorse, approve, accept, back, support.

A pragmatic sanction is a sovereign’s solemn decree on a matter of primary importance and has the force of fundamental law. In the late history of the Holy Roman Empire it referred more specifically to an edict issued by the Emperor. Pragmatic sanctions tend to be issued at times in which the theoretically ideal situation is untenable, and a change of the rules is called for.

When used as a proper noun, and the year is not mentioned, it usually refers to the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713, a legal mechanism designed to ensure that the Austrian throne and Habsburg lands would be inherited by Emperor Charles VI’s daughter, Maria Theresa.

• The Pragmatic Sanction of Justinian I, promulgated in August 554, on the reorganization of Italy following the Gothic War.

• The ‘so-called’ Pragmatic Sanction of Louis IX, purporting to have been issued in March 1269, regarding various clerical reforms, was a forgery fabricated in the 15th century.

• The Pragmatic Sanction of Bourges, issued on July 7, 1438 by King Charles VII of France, limited the authority of the pope over the Church within France.

• The German Pragmatic Sanction of 1439, issued by German ruling princes March 26, 1439, accepted some of the decrees of the Council of Basel with modifications. It has been argued that the name Pragmatic Sanction should not be applied to this document because a prince’s subordinate without the emperor’s endorsement issued it.

• The Pragmatic Sanction of 1549, issued by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, established the Seventeen Provinces as an entity.

• The Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 issued by Emperor Charles VI on April 19, 1713, by which the Habsburg hereditary possessions (Austria, Bohemia, Hungary, and various other smaller lands) were allowed to pass to a woman (specifically Maria Theresa) if Charles VI had no male heirs.

• The Croatian Pragmatic Sanction of 1712, passed by the Diet of the Habsburg Kingdom of Croatia and predating the Austrian decree, allowing the Croatian throne to pass to the female line of the House of Habsburg.

• The Pragmatic Sanction of 1723 passed by the Hungarian Parliament, accepting female inheritance in the Kingdom of Hungary. Charles VI had permitted Hungary to revert to elective monarchy should he die without a male heir; this instrument signaled the Hungarian parliament's acceptance of his choice of successor.

• The Pragmatic Sanction of Naples, issued October 6, 1759, by King Charles III of Spain, governed the succession to the thrones of Naples, Sicily, and Spain, and forbade the union of Spain and the Two Sicilies.

• The Spanish Pragmatic Sanction of 1830, issued March 29, 1830 by King Ferdinand VII of Spain, ratified a Decree of 1789 by Charles IV of Spain, which had replaced the semi-Salic system established by Philip V with the male-preference primogeniture system that had historically characterized the Castilian monarchy (upon which the Spanish monarchy draws its traditions), as exemplified by the inheritance by queens regnant Urraca, Isabella I, and Joanna.

With all that said, which kind of ‘sanctions’ are we giving to those countries that done wrong to the international community? Well after several minutes of investigation it is hard to tell what these sanctions are. I hear about limiting coal imports or expelling diplomats or just shaking our fingers while playing tit-for-tat again the wrong doers. Maybe these so-called sanctions are that shoelaces will not be sold with shoes or only one type of mustard can be purchased or all running jackets come with no zippers. Meanwhile it seems our nasty friends are still going strong shrugging off our imperial nonsense’s of punishment (or perhaps permission).

Well it makes a good news story of democracy at work. I guess it beats an invasion?

The NEW Toy Truck In Town

Yesterday I awoke to a new sound that wasn’t construction or lawn maintenance. I looked out front and at first I thought a NASCAR trailer had parked in our neighborhood. On second look it had a sign on it called “Game Truck”.

I had passed one of these behemoths before but now here was one up close. It seems my neighbor is having a party for his kids and all their friends and rented a “Game Truck”. From my research this is a video arcade on wheels.

Since this was a kid’s party, there was lots of screaming and running about and depleted looking parents?

While I’m not a parent so I don’t go into Toys ‘R’ Us and bring home trinkets for rug rats, but I was a kid and had toys. Of course none of my toys plugged in or required a remote control except for one. On the screen were little grey fuzzy characters riding horses or shooting guns or punching each other between selling toothpaste or refrigerators sounding like a bad reception car speaker.

After the truck left, the gang went into the backyard to crawl and swing on an old fashion monkey bar setup. With no reference point I just listed to the full voice screams and wondered, “Why do kids have to SCREAM every word?”

Just like a late night rowdy mixer, the kids wore themselves out and the evening grew quiet once more.

Now I’ve been exposed to the latest and greatest toy.