Service Time And Dealing With Mentally Ill Folks

 At some point in the late 1990s....before I retired,  the topic of mental illness popped up.  We had some guy in the organization either was faking mental issues,  or was fully blown walking around with mental illnesses.  In the vault, we got into this discussion.

I was nearing age 40, and over a 22-year period....I'd observed probably a dozen folks who had issues, or worked with folks who were in the middle of 'chaos'.

One of my co-workers had been forced into instructor-status, and had some young female airman who had a imaginary 'friend'....to the point that she talked to 'Jessica' (the invisible friend).  She'd made it through basic training and around six weeks of technical training....when the friendship came to be known.  For some reason, the Air Force couldn't deal with Airman 'Jessica' (the invisible airman).  Took the mental health folks about a week to validate the situation and ease both the real person and the invisible gal out.

I had another co-worker who had a young airman arrive at the base (in Germany) and over a 6-month period....the kid got heavily into BDSM (to the point that he was very open and wanted to profess his 'religion'). I asked how he got so deep into this kinky stuff, and the response was some relationship-deal (Air Force female dental hygienist).  His boss spent several  months trying to get him to some neutral point (just don't make it so obvious)....with that failing.  Commander came up....requested a mental fitness exam....the guy failed....a week later, he was 'out'.  Oddly, the female dental hygienist wasn't kicked out or treated to a mental fitness exam. Yeah, it's possible that she lasted 20 years.

The problem is....most folks (probably in the 60-percent range)....don't want to hang around, or put 'trust' into folks they consider mentally ill or unstable. I also would agree...maybe two folks out of ten....like to view stuff like this as a theater-situation and allow it to go to the maximum crazy-level. 

Asking people to accept mentally ill folks?  If you were just asking a gal/guy to accept working around someone who says they are 100-percent Cherokee-Mexican....but are plain regular white dude....I think most folks would go and sign  off...without any mental therapy forced upon them.

Maybe it'd be the same with some female who only wants to wear male-like clothing and 'pretend'  she's mostly a guy....without any surgical stuff or forced pronoun mandating.

But eventually.....you reach a point where you don't want to participate in 'theater-operations' and keep reminding yourself of something that seems crazy.  

My Experience At The Kennedy Center

 Around March of 2011....I went to Madam Butterfly.  The ticket-price? Around $80.

Friday night....I got there early to get the full experience.

So....from a structure view....it's very 'AGED'. Marble cracks....where there was carpet....it needed replacement.

Bathroom?  Functional but you could tell....nothing had been renovated since the 1970s.

A week or two after this...I brought up the experience with a guy who'd been there five or six times...going back to the early 1990s.   His response.....the tickets basically pay for the salary of the boss/crew.....the show.....electricity, and general cost. He didn't think renovation cost was covered (he figured Congress was on the hook).

I watched a podcast recently....where several folks talked about the building from day-one.....that the original 'build' was crap.  No one was willing to sue for repairs.

The House/Senate stuck now? I'm guessing that experts will say to tear the mess down.

My impression of the night?   Half-way....we have a pause, and some 60-year-old lady (in a tight grown)....passed out about six feet behind me....ambulance crew arrived. I got nauseous....got a Coke, and decided it was best to leave.  Never knew how the show ended.

Which Came First? Domestication of the Human, or the Dog?

 99.9-percent of scientists will say that the human was all domesticated and later came the introduction of 'Rufus' (the dog).

I have a different theory (although admitting I'm not a scientist).  

I would suggest around 20,000 years ago....in some remote valley, Yorg (the cave-guy) walked over some hill, and here was a Border Collie who he affectionally named 'Marvin'.  

Marvin (the Border Collie) felt generally superior, and over the next week came to notice several traits about Yorg that needed improving.  

Namely?  Well....Yorg never walked in a straight line from point A to point B.  Marvin began to grasp this and 'bump' Yorg's leg....to keep him focused and walking in a straight line.  

Then there was the intense stare of Marvin upon Yorg....which unsettled Yorg a bit....causing him to scrutinize his habits and behavior.  

The herding business?  This also caused Yorg to change his daily actions.

If they didn't do the daily walks?  Well....Marvin would start to develop demanding tasks of Yorg, to keep him busy.

Hatred of lightning or thunder?  Marvin convinced Yorg to seek caves and shelter. 

As the weeks went by, Yorg became more domesticated and moved from number 8 status within the tribal unit.....to number one.  Tribal women began to notice Yorg and his faithful companion Marvin.  The women would compliment Yorg on his hygiene, analysis, and cleverness.....never grasping that Marvin was the cause.

As generations would come and go.....each went to a higher level of domestication....all triggered by the original Border Collie....Marvin.  

Anyway, that's my theory of human evolution.  

The Consensus Against Einstein

I will occasionally point out curious pieces of history, and things are quietly forgotten.

Today?  A book written in 1931 and released, entitled Hundert Autoren Gegen Einstein (One Hundred Authors Against Einstein).

It's a curious book, published out of the University of Innsbruck in 1931. Hans Israel was the chief author, although roughly ninety-nine other "scientists" helped to contribute to the criticism of Einstein, and his theory of relativity.

Roughly twenty-nine individuals wrote brief essays over their criticism, with nineteen additional folks making a comment or two, and the rest simply signed on as agreeing.

It is still sold today, at least in paperback version.  106 total pages.  Amazon has it listed, although it doesn't appear to have any commentary or reader observations, as you'd find with most documents that Amazon sells.

The hype against Einstein and the theory of relativity?  Well....you run into roughly three areas of thought.

First, scientists usually hate been left at the curb when new concepts arrive and it disagrees with their previous understanding of things.  They've bought into concept A, and they don't like being challenged to accept some type of change.

Second, in the way that some geeky guys stand around and argue for hours about the Marvel world being better than the DC world (Spiderman versus Batman)......scientists do the same thing.  If you dragged seven male frog scientists into a room, with lots of beer, lusty women, live NFL football on the screen, and ribs on the grill.....the likely topic of conversation would be frogs, and they'd debate the finer qualities of frogs over and over, and over.

Third, scientists hate when someone really pulls a rabbit out of the hat, and leap-frogs over them with a fantastic theory and tons of evidence to support it.  Competition.....in the mind of most scientists.....is a evil thing.

So, in 1931.....a group of guys stood up against this dimwitted Einstein character, and his stupid theory of relativity.  And they were wrong.

This kinda makes a person sit and ponder.....what else might we be debating in the wrong fashion, and finding some consensus being built in a stupid fashion?  And if we recognized it.....would we even be willing to stand up and comment publicly about it?

My Prediction

A judge ruled Friday....that Trump’s name has to come off the Trump Kennedy Center....so Trump said "I have instructed the Department of Commerce to make all necessary arrangements with Congress to allow a full and complete transfer of this Institution, giving them the responsibility for its Operation,  Maintenance, and Management.”

His view....dump the  'fix'.

So my three predictions.  First, Congress will dwell on this topic for remainder of 2026 and all of 2027...getting nowhere.  They will agree by spring of 2028....to a committee to review the repairs necessary....being shocked at the price-tag six months later.

The new 'boss' of the Kennedy Center?  He/She will demand a monthly salary of $100k, and a expense account of $100k a month as well.

Congress will eventually demand that it  MUST sustain a profit....meaning the cheapest tickets to a show will run  $90, and good seats will be in the range of $300 (each).

By 2035....the Center is shutdown for repairs, and people admit that it can never function as a legit show center.

Three Humble Thoughts

 1.  I used to put Trump as number one for sense of humor within this  administration.  Lately, I've moved Rubio up to number one. He has at least a dozen  one-liners  per day....that trigger me to replay a video-segment.

2. This James Talarico-for-Senator-guy.

Plainly, the most goofy minister character I've ever seen.  The Texas Democratic Party must have some rule....only weird folks can run as a Democrat.

I will agree....he has a 110-plus IQ, but he says stuff that you'd think some guy on LSD would say.

3. I would imagine if you asked most folks....over a 7-day period....that they encounter at least ten mentality ill folks....bad enough....that they ought to be in a facility.

Grok's (AI) Analysis: Why Aliens Stay Around Earth?

 I asked Grok (AI) to gather up all theories....explaining why aliens 'stay' on Earth:

Grok says: The most likely explanation—if we hypothetically assume advanced extraterrestrials have secretly established long-term bases or stations around Earth (orbital, lunar, underwater, underground, etc.)....is scientific observation and non-interfering study of our planet, its biosphere, and our emerging technological civilization. This aligns closely with the well-known zoo hypothesis (also called the "quarantine" or "cosmic zoo" idea in discussions of the Fermi paradox).

I gave it thought and would add....if you were 500 to 10,000 years more advanced....you might live on a pretty low-stress landscape and be mighty bored.  A year on Earth....might be rewarding.

Yeah, there might be 300,000 aliens as 'guests' on Earth....treating themselves to McDonalds, or  Jim Beam whiskey.  There might be 5,000 aliens just here to observe the Atlanta Braves baseball team.  There could be 3,000 aliens tangled up in Civil War re-enactments.  And I would venture to guess that 30,000 aliens are visiting to consume Trump-reality.

This being a good thing or bad thing?  I don't think this can be argued on either point. It's like a circus has arrived at the end of town, and everyone is focused on crazy stuff that might occur.