Monday, December 30, 2019

DESIGNER CHILDREN





A Chinese scientist was just sent to jail for having modified the DNA of a human embryo of twin girls, producing an immunity to HIV.     


This case raises the ire of many Christians and other religious denominations who have referred to the scientist as Frankenstein.
  

This is again where science runs up against dark age religious thinking – where science must drag religion out of the age of mysticism.
 

There are medical ethical concerns to do with the possible unknown side effects of editing the targeted gene, and these are fair complaints; but the religious moral police should be disregarded
 


There will come a time when designer children are the norm; and future generations look back on this era and marvel how religious thinking still dominated the 20th and 21st century, delaying genetic research that could have resulted in cures for birth deformities and many of our most debilitating and deadly diseases. 

 Of course, there is always thoughts and prayers.

the Ol'Buzzard







A PROBABILITY PUZZLE FOR THE NEW YEAR








A friend lays out three envelopes on a table: a red one, a blue one and a green one.   He tells you that two of the envelopes have a nude picture of Donald Trump and the third has one-hundred-dollar in cash.  

The friend knows which envelope contains the one-hundred-dollars.

He tells you to pick an envelope and if you pick the one with the $100, you can keep it.

You pick the red.

Your friend tells you he will narrow the odds and opens the blue envelope and shows you Donald Trump’s ass. 

You still have the red envelope and the green remains on the table.

He asks you if you want to swap the red envelope for the green.

Should you swap?

The answer is below
















Yes, you should swap.   When you picked the red envelope there was a thirty-three percent chance (33%) that you picked the envelope with cash, and a sixty-six (66%) percent chance that the envelope with the cash still remains on the table.  

Once your friend opens the blue envelope and shows Donald Trump’s ass, the probability has not changed: there is still a thirty-three percent chance that you have the cash envelope and a sixty-six percent chance that the cash envelope remains on the table – in the green envelope.  

You can test this probability results with three playing cards: two black and one red.     If you run the test forty times you will find that swapping the card is best option. 



Wednesday, December 25, 2019

A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE





PROOF THAT MIRACLES STILL DO HAPPEN









the Ol'Buzzard


Tuesday, December 24, 2019

HAPPY WEDNESDAY TO ME, HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO YOU, AND HAPPY HANUKKAH IF YOU ARE A JEW


























I do like the holidays, regardless of whose custom.  It is nice seeing people being nice to each other

the Ol'Buzzard



Monday, December 23, 2019

CATCH-22







I first read Catch-22, by Joseph Heller, in the early sixties when I was on my first enlistment in the military.    The story perfectly chronicled my experience at that time, SNAFU, Situation Normal All Fucked Up.


I am glad I decided to reread it over this holiday season.   Now, being older and life experienced I am able to see depth in this story that speak to the dysfunctional construction of human society and human interaction in general.


The overviews of Catch-22 is the story of Capitan Yossarian, a Second World War bombardier navigator on a B-25 bomber, tasked to fly low altitude bombing missions over heavily protected targets.   The result of every mission is a loss of aircraft and flight crew.  The missions are so dangerous that the Army Air Corps has set a maximum number of missions that air crew members are required to fly, after which crew members will be grounded and rotated back to the States.   The problem with Yossarian’s squadron is that their colonel keeps raising the mission numbers, resulting in flight crew members never rotating out.   Yossarian is certain that if he continues to fly he will be killed.  He appeals to the Squadron doctor to medically ground him.


Here is the catch.   The only condition the squadron doctor is allowed to ground flight crew members, is if a crewman is insane and submits a written request to be grounded.  But in that case the doctor is not allowed to ground the crew member because of Catch-22, which states that if a crew member request to be grounded he is obviously sane and therefore required to fly His scheduled missions. 


This book will not make the reading list of the liberal, woke community because of racist and misogynistic text; it can not fit into their utopian bubble. Though, the attitudes toward women and race were the accepted attitudes, especially in the military, at that time and place. 

  
But for the rest of us that live, and have lived in the gritty world of reality, Catch-22, like George Orwell’s 1984, is an insight into social, political and bureaucratic governance at its most dysfunctional.   

the Ol’Buzzard



Saturday, December 21, 2019

THE OLD YEARS EVE WINTER SOLSTICE



December 21, 2019






Today the old year ends with the shortest day of the year.   

Tomorrow is the beginning of the new year as days get longer moving toward summer.  

happy new year
the Ol'Buzzard 

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

FOR THE 2020 ELECTION WE NEED TO KEEP OUR EYE ON THE BALL










I don’t give a fuck about Medicare For All.  I don’t give a rat’s ass about the environment.   I could care less about immigration.  The rich can go fuck themselves and keep their money.   Every policy that the Democrat candidates are expounding is falling on my deaf ears.
   

The only thing that matter in the next Presidential election in beating Donald Trump. 
 

Albert Einstein came to his monumental scientific concepts through ‘Thought Experiments.’ 
  

This is what I am doing in regard to the Democrat Candidates opposing Trump.


In my mind I see each individual Democrat candidate, one-on-one with Donald Trump, in a debate hosted by a major news networks.    

Joe vs Trump
Elizabeth vs Trump
Bernie vs Trump
Peat vs Trump


The outcome is not good.  Trump, with his showmanship and vicious personal attacks, name calling, confronting with half-truths and lies, will eviscerate each candidate on that list.


Trump’s confidence is that he actually believes himself superior to each Democrat candidate, because he is richer.    Trump the billionaire.   Trump the billionaire business man.   Trump the billionaire successful showman… “You’re fired.”


But then I see Michael Bloomberg on stage with Trump.   Bloomberg, who can buy and sell trump fifty times over.  Bloomberg, a legitimate multi-billionaire, a legitimate successful businessman.  Bloomberg, a take no shit, New York mayor.  



 

Trump would feel totally inferior to Bloomberg, and be afraid to attack him or name him, in his usual bellicose style. 


Bloomberg would eviscerate Trump on stage.
 

We need to keep an eye on the ball, and not get distracted by policy proposals and who can appeal to which section of our base.   We all need to unite on the person that can put down Trump; and that person is Michael Bloomberg. 
 

I am confident that we will win the popular vote with any of our candidates.  But, our best chance to win the Electoral College in the swing states is not with policy, but by making Trump look small, making Trump look weak, making Trump look like the insecure, ridiculous clown he actually is.


In order to do this, we have to make Trump feel small, weak and insecure on stage against his Democrat opponent.


Trump would actually fear Michael Bloomberg, and in my thought experiment, in a one-on-one debate against Bloomberg, Trump would lose control, and crash and burn on stage for all to see. 





In my opinion, Bloomberg is our best chance to defeat Donald Trump.

the Ol’Buzzard




Monday, December 16, 2019

THE REAL STORY OF MOSES AND THE TEN COMMANDMENTS









Fundamentalist quote their New Testament, without ever realizing that the book wasn’t put together until 325 A.D.   Of course, by then, the stories had been passed down and modified until they were no more relevant than fairy tales
. 

The same goes for the Old Testament.  Can you imagine a six-hundred-year-old man and his one-hundred-year-old sons building a boat, and then collecting two of every animal in the world; then sailing in a flood that covered the earth, mixing salt water and fresh water…  and the unicorns missed the boat. 


Wikipedia says that Moses was probably a legendary figure (like King Arthur) and not a historic person.  The main point of the Moses story is the issuance of the Ten Commandments.   Actually, the story happened something like this:


A group of indentured servants, after traveling for six days, fleeing bondage in Egypt, had decided to rest from their travel at the base of Mt. Sinai.   The people spent the day putting together a celebration to thank the Gods, and to boost morale.    As the evening came on and the fires were lit people started to realize that old Moses was missing.
   
Eli, “Moses always wants the recognition, but disappears every time there is work to be done.”

Rachel, “You shouldn’t be so hard on him.  He’s probably off praying.”

Eli, “Praying my ass.    He has probably been dipping into the fermented camel milk and is sleeping it off somewhere on the mountain.”

Moses, who had been dipping into the fermented camel milk, listened from the cover of a shelf above the company.    He overheard everything.   

Moses decides to make an entrance.   Hear ye, hear ye sinners, I have just returned from the top of the mountain where God summoned me! God told me, that as your leader, you should follow me without question, because only I know Gods plan. 
 
Eli, “Yeah right.”

One of the scribes, “A God actually spoke to you?   What did he say?

Moses, “After telling me that I’m the leader and that everyone should follow me without question, HE gave me some rules that were written down on rock tablets, but I dropped them and they broke on the treacherous way down the mountain.  Not to worry though, because I know them by heart.”

One of the scribes, “Maybe we should write all this down.”

Moses, “Yeah, that a good idea.  Write all this down.”

Abe, “Moses, what God were you talking with.”

Moses, “He was the head God, the only God you are to worship.   The one I say.”

The scribe writes: No God but me.

Abe, “What about the cow God?

Moses, “He said if you worship any other god he will kill your children, your grandchildren, your great grandchildren and your great-great grandchildren – to the fourth generation.

The scribe writes Don’t worship the cow.

Jacob, “God damn!”

Moses, “You can’t say that.”

The scribe writes: Don’t swear at God.

Jacob, “We have been traveling for six days.  I know this is important, but can we still have our party tonight?”

Moses, “God says it’s OK.”

The Scribe writes: Party on the seventh day is OK.

Marge, “Moses, what else did God say?”

Moses thinks for a minute, looks at his children, then says, “Children should obey their parents.”

The scribe writes it down

Moses, “And God also said, no murder.

The scribe writes: Murder bad.

From the corner of his eye Moses sees Lev grab a feel of Moses’ wife’s ass.   Moses says, “God said don’t fuck off on your husband.”

The Scribe writes: Adultery.

What else?” Someone shouts.

Moses is on a roll now.   You can’t steal.”

The scribe writes it down.

Eli shouts, “Moses, you are full of shit.”

Moses, “That’s a lie, you are not allowed to say that.”

The scribe writes: Can’t call someone a liar.

And Moses adds: Lev, you horn dog, you are always ogling my wife, or my daughters, or my serving girl; even my own ass.  God will get you for that.  

The scribe writes: Don’t covet wife, daughter, serving girl or donkey of neighbor. 

This all took place about one thousand four hundred years B.C.    Over the eons the Ten Commandments have been edited and polished, in order to read better and to keep control of the punters.   


Later that night Moses got drunk on Camel beer and added some more commandments that the scribes didn’t write down:

1.    If you open wine you must drink it all
2.    It is not adultery if it is with a chicken
3.    Don’t use the chicken for the soup
4.    If you see an Arab, drop your drawers and show your ass
5.    It is all right to fart when you feel like it, but especially when you come home in the dark, so your wife can recognize you.
6.    If you take a crap you must wash your crack, and if you don’t have water, use sand.


There may have been more, but the scribes were drunk,  so we may never no. 

the Ol’Buzzard













Tuesday, December 10, 2019

TRUMP HAS TO FLUSH TEN OR FIFTEEN TIMES





Whenever Trump brings up a subject with the press it is because the topic is something that effects him personally.  


'Sometimes you have to flush the toilet ten, maybe fifteen times...'    

I definitely wouldn't want to be the person at the White House that has to clean Trump's bathroom...and plunge out his toilet!  









the Ol'Buzzard



Sunday, December 8, 2019

QI GONG








At my age exercise is important to remaining healthy.   I try to spend 15 minutes every day on my Total-Gym for upper body strength and 5 minutes meditation; but what I have lacked was a stretching and movement routine in order to stay fluid and limber. 


My wife and I have taken a number of Tai Chi courses, but have never followed up on the practice; first, because Tai Chi requires room for movement (few homes have that kind of open space) and secondly, I have an injured ankle that limits my movement.


I recently purchased a Qi Gong course from Great Courses for $35.00 (includes CD and on-line.)   Qi Gong is similar to Tai Chi and has many of the Tai Chi movements, but doesn’t require me to learn a rigid complicated routine and doesn’t require space to move around.   This exercise perfectly meets my wife and my needs.   It is a stretching, breathing and movement exercise that centers the body and the mind, relieves stress and limbers the body through low-impact movement. 


You can find Qi Gong exercises on YouTube – one included with this post; but I wanted the full 12 class series that was available in the CD/on-line course.   The course normally cost $69.00; but if you call Great Courses (1-800-832-2412) and tell them you know of someone that recently bought the course for $35.00 they will probably extend the offer to you – hoping that you will buy other courses in the future. 


I recommend Qi Gong for anyone that leads a sedentary life, has physical limitations, or is aging and wants to remain active.  


A disclaimer: I don’t advertise anything; but I often share information on products that I am passionate about.
 

The mind has a major impact on body health, so it is important to exercise the mind-body connection for ultimate health.



the Ol’Buzzard










Saturday, December 7, 2019

DECEMBER 8, 1980



DECEMBER 8, 1980
John Lennon murdered

Whenever we think there is hope for humanity, we must realize that there is a faction of mankind that is capable of the most atrocious things.   

There is something about the killing of John Lennon that seems to be the seed that sowed the unimaginable violence we experience today. 

Just imagine...




It was a nice dream

the Ol'Buzzard










Sunday, December 1, 2019

WHO IS THE MOST ROMANTIC COUPLE IN ALL LITERATURE?






Some might say Romeo and Juliet







 High on my list would be Lara and Dr. Zhivago.





But in my opinion it would have to be Morticia and Gomez





Gomez is who I pattern my marriage relationship on.







 Caramia my wife
the Ol'Buzzard



THANKSGIVING WAS CANCLED 2O19








Wednesday the 27th a snow/ice/rain storm began about 7 pm.  Trees and power lines were coated with ice.  We lost electricity at 11 pm.   I was up every two hours over night to feed the wood stove.   The power was finally restored at 2 pm on Thanksgiving day.  

On Friday the 29th we cooked our Thanksgiving meal and were thankful we had power. 

Power good
No Power bad
The Ol’Buzzard