Crab choices

Crab Choices... Delicious 😋 

Fall Color by numbers

Fall Color by Numbers 

Just something to pads the time. 

Hello Fall

Hello Fall...

Mooving

Clearly a Moooving Experience 

Fall festivals

Fall Festivals 

Pumpkins, Apples, Music,

Arts & Crafts

Hearts go out ...

Hearts go out to every one in the danger zone.

Go figure...

Go Figure...

Facebook

Facebook... Aggravated... 

Posted my aggrivation and thoughts.

On my Fb page.

Thought I'd be in "Facebook Jail".

Unexpected Outcome.

Probably only short term. 

Two days ago, aggrivated,

I posted this to my Fb page. 

Aggravated with sponsored Fb ads.

75% of my news feed is sponsored ads.

~~~ 46 sponsored ads in 3 hours ~~~

Most are completely arbitrary as to interests.

Some seem targeted... based on my personal interests.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Is Fb selling my personal interests to advertisers?

Is Fb selling others users personal interests too?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

All these sponsored advertisements:

UPDATE.... UPDATE.

A MERE TWO HOURS LATER...

ALL SPONSORED ADS IN MY NEWS FEED

WERE UNEXPECTEDLY REMOVED. 

I'm sure its only short term! 

Racism

Racism and Prejudice...

They exist together...and while racism is the more narrow view solely based on race, its always accompanied by prejudice. 

Racism existed long  before Europeans came to America. Long before the Religious Crusades and the ensuing genocide. 

Of all the different races in the world that have all been the victims of racism only one race lays claim to being the sole victims of racism. 
But I'll let you figure that one out based on your perspective. 

Racism / prejudice existence is because of differences, and others not being able or willing to accept those differences. Virtually any differences would do. Race, culture, religious beliefs, class & status in life, country of origin,  and political differences. Anyone or any groups that have opposing views opens the door for racism. At some point in time virtually everyone no matter their origins has either been racist & prejudice towards others or has been the target of racism and prejudice. 

And this is still true today. Racism & prejudice is not limited to any one race. And if any one race / culture can say they were the worst victims... It would have to be the Native Americans. 

But getting back to the today.

That group that seems to lay claim to being the sole victims of racism and prejudice... despite the span of hundreds of years of existence... They center on one specific issue and point in time. 
The issue... Slavery,  which spanded two thousand years... and existed in America since the first Europeans came to America... and the time pin pointed, the American civil war. Then incorrectly target a specific group... confederate soldiers as the source of prejudice and racism. Incorrectly? 

Yes, the confederate government and land owners succeeded from the Union to preserve slavery. It ends there. Confederate soldiers were not fighting to preserve slavery... they could care less, they had nothing to gain by slavery.  They fought under the issue of wanting the sourthern states to rule themselves, free of the northern government that favored the northern states. Why did they feel this way? Propaganda of the confederate political government and land owners... They knew the soldiers would not fight over slavery, so they needed another issue... northern control over southern states.

While on the issue... Northern soldiers were not fighting to abolish slavery... They were fighting to preserve the Union. It wasn't until the mid way years of the war 1863, that Lincoln and the northern government made slavery an issue.   

So those that oppose and want to eradicate history... Don't really know history... but seek to blame southern soldiers for slavery.

Desecrate monuments & graves of soldiers. 

Another uneducated issue. Battle flag of the southern army of Northern Virginia is often mistaken for the official Confederate States Flag. 

The Confederate States Flag represented the fight for slavery.

The Battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia represented the soldiers that were not fighting over the slavery issue.

Racism & Prejudice 

Still prevalent in society today.  It feeds on its self. 
Passed down generation to generation. 
Teaching each new generation who to blame, 

who to hate,  who to prosecuted.

Confederate monuments & graves.

Battle reinactments.

Eradicating history will change nothing.

  

Good night

Good Night... Sleep Well 

Down time

Down Time... Paint by number.

Tablet App.

The glass collection. 

RenFaire Updated

RenFaire Update 

Every Faire date is sold out to capacity. 

Absolutely Too Many People 

Hard to move around, elbow to elbow. 

Completely Over Crowded.

Long wait lines for everything 

All shows over crowded.

Congested areas can't even walk through some areas

Absolutely not enough places to sit down.

OVERALL EVALUATION 

TOO CROWDED TO EVEN HAVE A GOOD TIME. 

Nature

Nature today seems mostly on appreciated.

Especially the younger generations.

I grew up when being outside was a blessing.  We did everything outside. Walking to school and stores, playing and simply having fun.

All my grand kids know about  "outside" is walking from house to car, and car to store. I've always enjoyed being outside.  Growing up we would drive to places to enjoy nature... State parks, National parks,  beaches, and the mountains. Simply to enjoy nature. 

Currently live in the farmlands of Virginia,  10 miles outside a small historic town. 45 minutes to Charlottesville or Fredericksburg... Which is as crowded place as I'd want to be.

TODAY... Visiting family in Baltimore. Driving there around Washington DC.  ... OMG... TOO MANY PEOPLE  ... TOO MANY CARS... TOO MUCH OF EVERYTHING... AND TOO  LITTLE NATURE TO EVEN ENJOY THE TRIP.  

At family... Contestant noise from vehicle traffic. Cars, trucks, sirens, assholes with loud cars, loud music from cars, and the constant sound of planes coming in for landings at nearby international airport. Neighbors dogs barking.  Did I mention absolutely too many people.  Then there's the feeling of the crime ridden unban area. 

Give me the quiet side open spaces and the farm fields. Where you hear the birds, and the crickets...  the wind rustling through the trees.

See the variety of birds, deer, squirrels, rabbits, and chipmunks. No vehicle noise... no planes. No crowds. People that give a friendly wave hi or smile and say hello. 

So with this drastic contrast from farmland to city... 

I HATE BEING NEAR CITIES... TOO MANY PEOPLE.

Just a 3 day visit.

If I could only click my heals and say...

" There's no place like home"

and magically be there. 

In the scheme of things

In the scheme of things... perspective.

 

Walmart too big?

Is Walmart too big...

Walmart - Fail

Amazon - Winner

First... we shop at Walmart all the time. Small town,  not too many other options. Beats everyone elses prices. Bigger selection, better prices. 

Walmart.com... Now that's a different story. They have an internal problem and everyone I order something... They accept the order... then 10 minutes later cancel the order. Saying "unusual activity in my account". This has gone on since March. Several orders accepted... all cancelled. Talked to 5 associates,  3 managers, wrote a letter to corporate,  and emailed a customer service survey about the issue. 

No response from Walmart at all.

Guess they are to big

and just don't need my business. 

Other companies have no problem using my same bank cards.

Other companies have benefited from my purchases

Particularly Amazon.

Walmart offers no explanation on "unusual activity".

Walmart says it's a bank issue.... IT'S NOT!

I'd say I'm done with Walmart.com

But not given any choice. 
I give up.

 

Perspective

Political Perspective 

Developed during the 60s & 70s.

Yes, the 1960s & 1970s...

60 years ago. 

Completely diffent now.

Once upon a time, candidates ran on their own merit. What they have accomplished in life, what their plans are for the future of the country. What they believe and what they hope to achieve for the American people. And believe it or not, they never seeked to elevate themselves by tearing the other opponent down... slinging mud.

NOW....

One candidate is portrayed as egotistical megalomaniac.

One portrayed as simply being an simple minded idiot. 

TODAY... One really hasn't accomplished anything note worthy even though they make mediocre accomplishments seem like they were earth changing. Clearly nothing close to a leadership ability on the level of leading the country.

Their main campaign strategy is to relentlessly tear down the other candidate to make themselves appear good. They have no other option... They can not appear good on their own merits.  Something that was considered extremely distasteful and inappropriate... once upon a time. 

Today, the biggest political ploy is to see how much your party can give away... and how much the candidate plans to give any... Under the guise of humanitarian relief... which is essentially buying votes. The more groups of people that can get something for nothing ensures additional votes.  ONCE Ethically questionable but now considered an acceptable part if the political campaigning. 

So when one party relentlessly does everything over months, and years to discredit the other candidate ... leveling charges and yet nothing sticks... It's an effective tool to make them look really bad.

All the while side stepping wrong doings that they were and are involved in as if they are no big deal. Again, once upon a time, the American voters were smart enough to see through this ploy.

Another political ploy is to tell you who to hate and who to blame for  the current situations... attacking the integrity of opponents.  Unfortunately the American voters are conditioned to beleive everything they are told... with out thinking for themselves. 

Mass media... Network news continuously bombards the public as to their agenda in support of a party or candidate.  Taking things out of context, not telling the whole story, and out right implying false information... all in an effort to discredit the other candidate. The power of the media to wrongfully influence public opinion. Not unlike that which influenced the beginning of WWII by a tyrant seeking world domination. UNFORTUNATELY EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE in controlling public opinion... thus controlling who gets elected. 
Once upon a time the news media had integrity... reporting the facts without trying to influence opinions... with out having a political agenda. This were the days!  

TODAY... You can not believe anything you are told, read, or hear second hand... EVERYTHING IS TAINTED. All you can tell first hand is elevated prices for gas, food, insurance, and medical. Out of control inflation. 

THINK before you vote! Don't stick with a party because you always have in these past. Or choose gender, or race, or religious political issues. JUST THINK FOR YOURSELF. I know.. bad choices. Probably would have been a good time for an independent to run.  

Absolutely a different political environment from years ago. Makes you sick to see all the negative political changes and tactics . But then again,  the mentality of society today is use to... NOT THINKING FOR THEMSELVES, and easily being influenced and manipulated.

As for myself, its all a disgrace and disgusting.
Neither party has offered viable canidates for years.
>>>>> Truly Sad <<<<<

Just look at the current presidential leadership. 

Sorry... That's my once a month rant.

Act with your heart

Differences.

Getting older

Getting Older 

And Older.

But Happier