Useless Classes, Training, Seminars, Etc

 I'm 62, and can look back over the entire era to note probably a hundred useless efforts to teach something of marginal or zero value.

There was the science classes between the sixth and ninth grades....where I could probably fill out a 3 x 5 inch index card with actual information retained.  I did note that the teacher tried every angle possible to skip the evolutionary chapter in the book....as each year passed, and I knew next to nothing about that point of science.  Luckily in the 1980s....I watched a few hours of PBS shows, where evolution finally was explained in detail.  

There was the continued Air Force training routines on chemical warfare....that occurred almost yearly (roughly 18 times over 22 years) and after about the fifth class....it was a waste of time.  

There was the sensitivity training that I got at the Pentagon, which didn't seem to really have any affect on me.

There was the three-hour seminar that the Air Force gave me once....on how to pack a pallet correctly, secure it, plastic-wrap-it, and ensure the warning labels were attached.  That was pretty much wasted because I was never supposed to be on any pallet crew.  

There was the Air Force seminars on 'I'm Ok and you are Ok'....which led to group sessions where everyone shared how they felt Ok.  I just kinda noted for the group that I was Ok before I came to the class, and was going to be Ok after I left the class.

There was the three-hour seminar where the Air Force taught me how to run the exercise bike and fitness-test people.  Over a three-month period, I tested forty people.  Every single smoker passed the test.  About a third of my test-crowd who were non-smokers....failed.  I could never get the base expert to explain why this occurred, and he would handle the failure folks on the second attempt.

There was a 8-minute explanation given on how to operate a forklift, and then 'Snuffy' signed off on my training package and I was Air Force-qualified to operate forklifts.  The rubber-wheel/steel-wheel roller?  That took twenty minutes to say I was qualified.  

I took an entire year of horticulture in high school.  To be honest, there's more or less nothing of value that I took out of the class.  Plants grow, and plants die.  The instructor ended giving me mostly B's but I have no idea how this miracle occurred.  

I took a class in logic (101) in college.  It was taught by some visiting Italian professor.  Around the third class, I got the impression that what I needed to know....mostly came from the Star Trek series, and watching what Spock said.  Beyond that....the class was totally worthless.  

I took a rock science course in college....taught by some nutcase dinosaur-digger professor who was in between digs in Montana.  It was mostly all worthless information but helped to fill my requirements for a degree.  I felt silly on the $120 I paid for the tuition (I think the Air Force felt even sillier because they paid $360 on their part).

Exiting Facebook

 Back around 2009, I started a Facebook account but really didn't have any real feeling for it.  There were certain old co-workers that I looked up and found.  There were a few current folks that I signed up as 'friends'.  

But somewhere in 2018, I just started to see Facebook as having marginal or zero value.  They were using me, or my 'friends' as part of some routine to sell something to someone (it was just never clear who that was).

I'd get recommended 'news', which I'd look over and consider to be 90-percent propaganda.  Throughout 2016's election, I saw this over and over. 

Toward spring of 2020.....I just kinda quit reviewing Facebook (maybe one visit every four weeks became the norm).

Around Christmas, I just said 'enough', and by the early part of 2021....I quit (deleting my data as I parted). 

I haven't had any massive urges or felt negative about the act of quitting.  It was not anything really of value.  

I look over the politicization of the past year or two with Facebook, and just kinda laughed.  It was behavior of a 12-year-old kid in running their program, and obviously slanted in some way.  If you wanted me to list a hundred things that we probably don't need anymore (like 8-track tapes, Atlas maps under the car-seat, or CB-radios)....yeah, Facebook would probably be on that list. 

Chatter on Inequalities

 Not that I pay much attention to the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) and the DAVOS summit....but it came up today, with French President Macron speaking, and saying....well....that modern capitalism "can no longer work".

All of this chatter that he did....most centered on things just seeming to be more unequal and inequality existing more than it was before.

So he wanted to encourage folks....as we jump up into the woeful Covid-19 fixing....we ought to center our efforts on fighting 'evil' inequalities and capitalism.

The neat thing about this virtual DAVOS  deal....most everyone sat back in their country, and they didn't have to waste various evenings drinking expensive Champaign, or eating off a $150 plate of food, or listening to scandal-plagued dull people for hours.  

This unequal business?  Folks spend a fair amount of time wanting to educate you about this, and generally.....even in France....most regular working-class people will remark (up until the Covid-era) that they were doing fairly well and probably better off than a decade ago.  Course, they'd also admit that tax-wise, it's an enormous pain to pay French taxes (the VAT is 20-percent). They'd also admit the car registration tax is hefty.  They'd also admit that the tax for regular people (27.5k Euro to 74k Euro) of 30-percent is pretty crappy (meridique)

I would imagine that the French folks would like to educate the political folks how to cut spending and reduce the taxation business.....to lessen inequalities upon them.  But the politicians really don't have the time or patience to learn about this cutting business.

Just my humble thoughts.  

That Proud Boys Story

 For most of 2017 to the sixth of January....I loosely followed the branded-group "the Proud Boys".  There were branded in some way as a far-right extremist 'group'.

Their boss or leader?  Around late-November 2018.....Henry "Enrique" Tarrio became the defacto leader of the group.

So in the past week....some court documents came up (Tarrio is up on charges for things that occurred in DC).

The document say he was a paid 'informant' for US law enforcement...for YEARS.

His entire history?  This gets to being very curious.

He grew up in Florida, and around age 20.....got noted by the police for theft.  Luckily, he got off (now making you wonder what was in the deal)...he ended up with a community service situation, probation, and a fine.

Eleven years pass....he gets into more trouble (2013).  Stolen medical equipment.  he does 16 months in prison this time.

2012 to 2014?  He is listed as a paid informant....mostly involving weed, gambling and human smuggling.  Amount paid? Unknown.  

Was he on this Proud Boy routine as a honest deal?  Maybe.  But it just makes you wonder....from 2014 to today, no other connection back to federal law enforcement?  Maybe his obligation was fulfilled and he just walked away.  

This guy as the boss of the Proud Boys?  It just has a funny smell to it now.  Makes you wonder if someone was always in the background.

Observations

 1.  I'll lay out a prediction for late April, as temperatures warm up...the infection rate/death rate from Covid-19 starts to trend downward.  By late May, about 80-percent of the big threat dissipates.  The public feels encouraged....President Biden talks of the 'hump' being crossed, and oddly....the big lines for the vaccination process start to get very short (people are asking why bother with this vaccination business).

For roughly 120 days.....things will be fine.  Then around September, the numbers will jump 10-percent in a week, and we get back to full blown Covid-19 by mid-October.  

2.  This new suggestion of wearing two masks by 'Doctor Death'?  I'd counter it and ask why not wear three masks?  

You can ask this guy 100 questions, to get 100 answers....wait a couple of months....ask the same questions, and get 100 completely different answers.  Honestly, the guy could not even run a shoe-factory.

3.  My prediction is that two 'new' states are approved for 2021, with both requiring residents to vote on this matter in 2022.  Puerto Rico and DC. 

A massive counter-view starts to occur where highly urbanized areas (SF, Chicago, Atlanta, NYC, etc) believe they should have the same status of DC, and they should be viewed as states (with Senators).  This discussion will resonate throughout 2021/2022/2023 and be a top-ten discussion item for the 2024 election.  

4.  A five-day impeachment?  The more that is discussed....the odds favor an extremely short period.  I would suggest part of the problem revolves around the health of Leahy and he can't handle high-stress in this type of matter (as the judge-character).  

5.  At some point around a month ago, before the vaccination business took off....the leadership of Philly made this decision, they'd put the city management of the vaccination effort into the hands of a 22-year-old grad student.  Based on the description by the local news media....no, he was not a doctor....just a pretty smart guy.

About a month into this decision....they've kinda realized that this authority and level of competence required....are screwed up.