Things break

First let us consider . . .

EVERYTHING THAT breaks does so because essentials are violated, basic elements collapse under the strain. Analyses and proposed remedies must start with clear-headed investigation of what fundamentally broke. What basic laws and rules were stretched to the breaking point?

This theme is expanded here.
[Opinion] Be Good and Grow Rich: Reversing the Economic Meltdown



Meanwhile in Florida . . .

The Florida legislature and our erstwhile governor have just made insanity holy writ in the face of a disaster that is still sitting on Florida like a hurricane that won't go away.

That disaster specifically is that our landscape is dotted with abandoned developments that have sewer lines, streets and electrical utilities in place. There are a few finished, occupied homes sitting on these developments. There are also unfinished spec and partially paid for custom homes sitting untouched. There are also sitting on more mature developments, homes emptied by foreclosure or abandonment awaiting foreclosure.

Now our governor and legislature have given the green light for developers to start up on new residential projects. That must mean that there are investors available to make such things happen. There must be banks with money to let for such projects. It also means that there are buyers ready to occupy such developments . . . or NOT. The wind is just not blowing in that direction despite the jaw boning and last ditch prosperity affirmations of Realtors and there ad placements that surely had to be prepaid.

I sell business related goods and services to real estate, title and mortgage services. The things I sell are like mercury in a thermometer. My business thermometer has settled in the frigid end of the scale and I will be the first to know when some businesses will be headed to summer like comfort again.



The flowers are blooming, but it isn't honey just yet.

Who is running the show??

As some may know, I like a good think. Today, I am thinking about universal or cosmic agency. I started with a search and landed here:


From the June 2009 Scientific American Magazine


Why People Believe Invisible Agents Control the World:
A Skeptic's take on souls, spirits, ghosts, gods, demons, angels, aliens and other invisible powers that be

By Michael Shermer

"There is now substantial evidence from cognitive neuroscience that humans readily find patterns and impart agency to them, well documented in the new book SuperSense (HarperOne, 2009) by University of Bristol psychologist Bruce Hood. Examples: children believe that the sun can think and follows them around; because of such beliefs, they often add smiley faces on sketched suns. Adults typically refuse to wear a mass murderer’s sweater, believing that “evil” is a supernatural force that imparts its negative agency to the wearer (and, alternatively, that donning Mr. Rogers’s cardigan will make you a better person). A third of transplant patients believe that the donor’s personality is transplanted with the organ. Genital-shaped foods (bananas, oysters) are often believed to enhance sexual potency. Subjects watching geometric shapes with eye spots interacting on a computer screen conclude that they represent agents with moral intentions."

The excerpt is expanded here.

Magic and Chicago

How to Feed Yourself for $15 a Week

Here is a very interesting piece I found at Get Rich Slowly .

How to Feed Yourself for $15 a Week

Saturday, 8th September 2007 (by J.D.)
This article is about Frugality, Food, Real-Life, Money Hacks

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Our discussion about how to eat for cheap generated a lot of great tips. Daiko shared a detailed explanation of how he once got by spending just $15/week on food. This is a great real-life example of how it’s possible to eat well without breaking the bank. I’m posting it here so that more people will see it.

Although I don’t do this now, I once lived on $15 a week for food in the early 1990s. This was helped by the fact that my workplace fed me five meals a week, but I was still carrying the weight of sixteen additional meals (for slightly less than a dollar per meal). This was not easy or comfortable to do — I did it by necessity — but I believe it could still be done for $20/week in most parts of the U.S. Also, while I was satisfied at the time, the fare was probably a bit more spartan than most would willingly eat.

Here is some of what I did: Follow link

This is a very interesting piece. I grew up eating purposefully and with simple intent. I keep staples and bulk items and I freeze leftovers for later variety. I eat very little meat and when I buy it, I look for half price tags on Thursday evenings because Friday is toss out day and the meat cases are prepped for the weekend shopper. Then I use the meat as an adjunct to dishes rather than as the main course. I am fortunate to live in a very competitive neighborhood with three major grocery giants jockeying for customers. I have their web sites marked and I am for each, their worst kind of customer. I also buy store brands as much as I am able or want. I have a failing just now for Kozy-Snak sugar free tapioca pudding. It is usually six serving cups for $3.00. I now have tapioca pearls, a double boiler and I make my own tapioca custard for about 25 cents per serving. I also have a failing for Kashi Go-Lean Crunch. I have made a perfect knock off with bulk supplies from the health food grocery.

My skills have earned me a spot on hunting, fishing and sailing ventures. My principle collaborator and mentor is my long time friend Big Kat. BK can smoke a varmint or produce a pan of or scratch biscuits ready for butter and preserves in about 30 minutes. Together we can do things to egg plant that would make Em'ril weep.

Please go on to the link above.

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Hourly Update

I have very fond memories of this institution in Gethsemani, KY.  I met and heard Thomas Merton speak there.  Before Merton, I had little understanding of the deeper side of of what has come down to us as "religion".  Since my youth, I have spent several weekends there in retreat. 



http://haloscan.com/tb/branemrys/5806807367974378479

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HolyJuan: Not really the color I expected...

HolyJuan: Not really the color I expected...

Honoring the Dead

I had the honor of performing this duty twice in my transshipment from Oakland Army Terminal to Japan in 1965.

The bus ride up to Edwards Air Force Base was alway noisy and full of ribald humor. The ride back in the convoy of Graves Registration vehicles was always somber and much less mirthful.

It is my contention that most American men at about 19 or 20 will take on the responsibilities of soldiering if asked. It is also my contention that American GIs are willing to be lead but will balk at being driven. It is now reported that the young officers corps and, formerly eager NCO cadre are avoiding further service in record numbers. They have been used and abused. They have driven hard. They are asked to step back into the line of fire over and over. It is not the way that an American Army has been asked to work in the past. They can be used a bit, but when it comes to being abused, all bets are off.

This era will go down in history as the blackest mark recorded in our brief two hundred and odd numbers of national existence.

How did you support the troops today. Did you fill your tanks with $3.75 gasoline and drag the boat to the lake?