Why the name Ranch Chimp? it was in humour because, science says that humans have similar DNA to a chimpanzee,so I felt some way related biologically to a chimpanzee. 2nd, everytime I was out of Texas on a vacation or for whatever reason I’m always asked things like, do I live on a ranch?,or have cattle? so I commonly call Dallas the Ranch. "Politically Depressed" was also humour inspired by the 1993- 2002 Bill Maher TV/ tele show "Politically Incorrect".
This posting will be Part 4 of the "Advertisement Saturation" series, and really some great marketing and ad ideas here. This is in the town of Santa Monica (LA County), and no better trendy place to do this in America, with these fashionistas. I want to give credit here to Payless ShoeSource too ... I mean, they have bloggers like me blogging about this, and other social media, they are getting every major news network to cover it, plus they took this social experiment, and actually made it into an ad that the networks media are promoting unintentionally. This is clever budget conscious marketing at it's best ... and no better time to run this out, than a few weeks before Christmas! Millions of working class people are going to see these affluent types unknowingly promote these shoes and boots, and will want that much more to shop at Payless. And the only thing Payless had to pay these fashionistas, was the shoes they chose for free, the media runs it in prime time MSM for you ... great move! So for you image conscious ladies or guys looking for some shoes for that holiday party ... or you guys like me, just looking for some sexy shoes or boots for your gal with some silk stockings ... how bout payin Payless a visit this holiday {:-)
Word Out ....
Payless opens fake luxury shoe store as prank ... Thanx to ABC News
Ray Hill known as champion for Houston's gay community ... Thanx to KHOU 11
This posting will be to highlight and honour a local Texas civil rights and LGBT rights advocate/ activist, Ray Hill, out of Houston. This posting will serve 3 series for this journal, "Public Patriots", "Incarcerated American", and "Taste of Texas" ... with a little opening news video above. Part of the posting's title was inspired by the old "Adventures of Superman" tele series I watched as a little kid, they would say something like "fighting for truth, justice, and the American way", which I thought was fitting. Superman of course was a fictional superhero, and Ray is a real life hero. Ray was considered as a type of trouble maker, Hellraiser, or radical by many in our semi- puritanical society establishment ... you know ... the kinds of folks I love to highlight in the "Public Patriots" series. But for LGBT folks that been hiding for decades, due to persecution, and victims of assault (sexual and physical), and even murder, looked at Ray as a friend and hero of sort. Ray came out as being gay back in 1958, when it was a tough time to come out, especially being the quarterback of his high school football team, but he was one that did not like hiding, and was ready at the drop of a hat to stand up against the grain if necessary. Ray even co- organized the first gay rights organization in 1967 Houston, doing things like this, even anywhere in the U.S. was bold, especially in Texas. Ray took that attitude to the streets back in the 1970's to Houston's Montrose gay community, and done so much in pushing the LGBT movement, involved in so many groups and starting groups and activism throughout the city, Texas, and involved nationwide, he got well known for it ... you need to talk, or got problems? ... call Ray. Ray was not only open about being gay, but willing to challenge anyone, even on the local community radio show on KPFT, a station that already had their transmitter bombed twice right after they first went on air in 1970. When anti- homo folks called in to give him death threats, he would give them directions on how to get to the station, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh {:-) ... you're my kind of guy, Ray! {:-) Ray meant so much and gave much strength and inspiration to so many young LGBT folks in Houston ... and even challenged local law enforcement, laws, and took his shit all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, he loved to utilize what rights we have as Americans, something all of us should do. I mean, we alwayz hear that we are a "right to work state", eh? ... we also are a "right to fight" state and country, never forget that.
But Ray done much more than just rattling the gay bars in Houston back in the 1970's, the gay bars back then, Ray describes as a sort of church or sanctuary for LGBT Houstonians, it was about the only place to congregate and organize to take action. Ray was also rattling the bars as well in the Texas prison system (TDCJ) back in the 1970's. Ray served a little over 4 years in prison, he was sentenced to 160 years in prison, and appealed the sentence, having it reduced to 8 years, got early release for good behaviour after 4. He won the appeal deal for reduction of the original sentence, appealing it on the grounds that it was so severe of a sentence for a non- violent crime, although, he was guilty, and admitted his guilt. You see, Ray got 8 consecutive 20 year sentences back to back, he was convicted of multiple cases. I know a little about Ray's case ... when Ray was young and working jobs that paid not enough to live the way he wanted, he started to do theft. But Ray was not the type that would go out and rob folks, he was more into high end commercial burglaries, and merchandise that was insured ... jewelry, electronics, antiques, etc. Instead of trying to fence it for say 10/ 20/ 30 points on a buck/ dollar for example, he had a space/ shop he rented out of state, to turn much. Well, since Ray was an activist at heart, he also took that activism for prison reform, and helping prisoners, and making it so that many incarcerated were able to talk to their families via his radio show, called "The Prison Show". I think what really hit Ray, when he was incarcerated, was seeing how so many folks were locked up, for non- violent crimes such as petty drug charges, etc. Ray himself understood that he actually done what he was locked up for, but many should not have been in there. I understand what he may feel on this, and I feel the same way ... I mean, when I was locked up, I actually deserved to be locked up, and actually committed a crime, but met many inmates, who committed no crime against anyone or business, such as petty drug offenses. Ray fully understands the privatized prison industry in this country and how that works too, as far as profiteering, he is in YouTube videos speaking out on it. Ray done much work in helping inmates and their families too! Ray recommends to those who want to understand how our prison system worx in America, to read Michelle Alexander's book called "The New Jim Crow", I also recommend it. I would also recommend watching Ava DuVernay's documentary called "13th".
The many, many injustices against LGBT people have historically been enormous in this country, and worldwide, which makes no sense, even denied basic rights that are supposed to be for them and every other American. My wife and I have had gay friends for years, and attended social gatherings they invited us to. My daughter attended a performing arts school for 4 years, for dance, theatre, and music, so she had several gay friends involved in the arts, and still has gay friends and clients in her professional career as an adult, as well as her husband. These folks lived just like the rest of so called "normal people" living "normal lives", work hard, contribute to their communities, and pay their taxes like anyone else ... what justifies so many years of persecution? Below, there are some links and video about Ray I chose to highlight here. I also wanted to close out at the bottom with a song to dedicate to Ray, from Houston's "ZZ Top" band, called "Beer Drinkers & Hellraisers", it was a favourite of mine for many years, and I found it fitting to dedicate to Ray! Thank You for all you contributed to so many over the years, Ray.
This will be a Thanksgiving Day posting, and it will serve as Part 10 of the "Portrait of a Dysfunctional Gvmnt" series for this journal/ blog. I wanted to also do a political posting, because there is all kinds of talk, tips, and suggestions out there online, on how to avoid political talk during Thanksgiving dinner ... because it can cause arguments/ conflict, but for me, these election results is something that we can all, left and right, pat ourselves on the back for and enjoy this Thanksgiving from a political point of view. I mean, despite some of the jerk turkeys we vote for on both sides, and the apple pie lies they feed to us, this for the people is like a blessing with our dressing for a change. What inspires the posting in part, is a political programme I was watching on the tele a few dayz after the midterm election, can't recall which programme, I think it was on PBS though. But these political experts were sitting around the discussion table, discussing what the outcome of this election means for Washington and the American people, etc, etc. They were saying how there may be gridlock galore, how dems will start investigations on Trump, how the Democratic majority Congress will buck the President tooth and claw, how the Republican majority Senate will buck the Congress, and how nothing may get done, etc. Some of them sounded sad, as if we the people will get shortchanged on our representation ... I actually got a laugh out of it ... while thinking to myself ... sad for y'all on the show with your 6 and 7 figure salaries, and their corporate sponsors ... but good for the American people. I actually was hoping for EXACTLY that when I voted myself, being what we are up against ... so I was actually a happy camper with the election results. I mean, in these times 2018, you are better off if nothing gets done up there, and there is constant gridlock, confusion, and disorder ... the more of such, the less we get fucked. I like bipartisanship myself, but NOT under the current circumstances we have.
So, why should we be happy this Thanksgiving for political results or even gridlock? ... I mean, I myself years ago would not have wanted gridlock. It's because most of what they get done up there is cutting away at everything the American people want, is why. Even if you have Republicans short of votes for some devastating legislation they're pushing, whether tax reform, cutting our amenities, social services, austerity, disrupting our rights or whatever has to do with the neoliberal corporate agenda up there, they will have a small handful of so called right leaning Democrats, that will miraculously jump on board with republicans to push it through, as long as it's something that favours corporate/ banking interests. Then we hear how each party blames the other for how fucked up it all is up there, or they blame the Russians, Chinese, Iran, or some foreign government who is chosen as the scapegoat of the month. All the money we wasted subsidizing billionaires and on over- bloated defense spending, is not Russia or China's fault, it's because of our own corporate owned legislative government. The fact that we can't get healthcare reform that the majority of Americans want, or better insurance costs, coverage or out- of- pocket, co- pays, or any reduction in our outrageous phama drug costs, or the right to negotiate prices, is NOT Russia or China's fault, it's because of corporate controlled Washington. We can't get prison reform, and to stop locking up citizens simply because they are in poverty, petty drug possession, and a whole slew of non- violent, non- criminal acts that people are incarcerated for, because of the private prison industry's profit goals, is NOT because of Russia or China, it's because of Washington. We have corporations and banks draining us dry financially, can't get infrastructure that is needed, and having to privatize everything to get anything, or the so called P3's (public private partnerships) scam, where we have to fund investors with our local taxes, is NOT Russia or China's fault, it's Washington's fault.
So from one American to another, try to enjoy this Thanksgiving, and be grateful that we can't get shit done up there, if nothing gets done ... I mean, we deserve it for a change, for what some of these pieces of shit have put us through up there. Happy Thanksgiving to the reader of this post, and I added a closing video below for some family Thanksgiving entertainment.
This posting will serve 3 series of this journal/ blog. The posting is inspired by several pieces I been reading and viewing, so I selected some to give an update of what the current condition is, and what it's gradually slipping into. So it's just another awareness posting is all ... this should not worry folks, but enlighten folks instead. But some may look at these things as doom and gloom, or feel pressured, obligated, dependent or whatever ... never let yourself get to that point, because that can be psychologically self- destructive ... and that is the pressure and stress that some of the ruling classes want you to feel. Being consumers and people ourselves that make this engine operate, means like with any other right or issue, we need to demand our input on these plans, and use whatever tools and means necessary to get our concerns addressed. Much of what these entities are doing, are not giving us more freedom or related nonsense, but electronically putting us under lock and key, and a type of imprisonment. Social Engineering is a term that many use today, as if it's something that popped up over the last couple centuries, and more in neoliberalism. I myself see social engineering as something that has went on in some form by these ruling classes for thousands of years, whether in ancient Greece, ancient Rome, or modern America ... I dont see any of this as new to these times. It's in the "Corporatcommunazica" series, because corporate control of our behaviour serves as like a privatized government and enforcement tool for them ... yet, corporations have been getting increasingly domineering and their behaviour has been getting worse, as far as telling us and our own government what we can or can't do, eh? It's in the "End to Privacy?" series, because we may slip too much on thinking for ourselves ... and when we do things online or loosely agree to too much before thinking it out, expecting that we are supposed to have privacy. Many of us fail to see that much of what we voluntarily do online is actually "public" ... and the real kicker to it all, that have these entities laughing all the way to the bank ... is that they have us paying for it all. Much online or the workplace is privately owned, so our Constitution and Rights are being challenged without adequate legislation to keep up and serve the times and condition. It's in the "Advertisement Saturation" series, because that is a major tool for these entities in manipulating thought, behaviour, and habit, to make you more dependent, and importantly, addicted ... and they are increasingly suffocating us in advertisements. Some read and video below ... then at the bottom I will add some of my views.
I think it's a little unfair as well, to try to clump all these things like social media, AI, robotics, automation ... and even "social engineering" for that matter in the evil category. I see much benefit to these things as well. When I look at social engineering, I see it as having positives to it too, I think it helps civilize and better organize society and government. As for automation, robotics and AI, very positive things can and have come from all ... so I look at both sides of the coin or even all six sides of the block, eh? I dont see artificial intelligence itself for example as the problem, but those human's that control it all, and what some want to use it for. Nor do I feel that AI's self taught mission will be to destroy or enslave humans, I look at that as the actions and desires of humans themselves. It is exciting to try new technologies and keep getting further advanced, and making things easier for ourselves, whether it is work related, or for leisure. I myself do not use much, or do much online, but not because I think it's evil or negative. I use a flip phone which is rare to even see today, it takes photos if I need, or video, I get texts and calls, etc ... it worx well for me and is inexpensive, compared to my daughter's thousand dollar phone and her phone bill for example. I was told I can get free phones, I guess because I was signed up automatically with AARP or whatever back in my 50's ... NO, I dont want a free phone, I'll pay ... but NOT what some do ... nor do I want to get on my family's group plan or whatever ... this worx great for me. My televisions at home are not smart, or do I use verbal command, voice recognition or whatever, I have basic cable, Roku. I also have a home landline phone. I don't use those robot floor vacuum cleaners, I simply use a regular vacuum cleaner and broom. I have a basic desktop computer, and I find no problem having to use a keyboard, etc ... you get the picture. However, if I needed for some reason to use or buy all these services, I certainly would ... say for instance if I was handicapped physically or speech- wise or whatever, I would need these things. I dont have a job where I need it either. My daughter for example has every new tech that comes out, and she needs it for her business. She has everything for her home, and all devices hooked in, for the tele, phones, pad, laptop or whatever. She has her car with all, so she can not miss a client, have conference calls on the speakers with clients or whatever she needs to keep business in check, the latest phone, etc ... wears her Apple watch for running or in the gym. Folks like her, would be at a disadvantage business wise without it all. Her husband, a very solid corporate man, the same for him.
I really loved Brett Scott's piece in The Guardian, because it was so straight up and calling this for what it truly is, as far as creating a cashless society. Because most that I have read otherwise, is just promoting it, and leaving too many questions out. I understand the change folks want, and the convenience as well ... years back we went from gold and silver to paper notes, and cheaper metals for coinage. There are concerns with this, regardless of how easy and attractive it may seem. This model also makes it so that every dollar you spend or move, is all tracked and monitored, and everything you buy. What happens if your phone or card goes down?, or a newly corporate controlled government decides they want to limit your spending or transactions, while increasing fees on automated services, or just shut your account down ... until further review and notice? ... I could go on and on with questions. Some countries are ahead of us on becoming cashless. I myself dont use credit cards any more, between late 1980's and early 1990's, I was almost entirely cashless, used direct deposit on pay, charged mostly everything using cards, etc ... it was much easier for me to spend and "overspend", when I did all on cards, I acquired alot of credit debt, took years to clear it up, today I use debit and cash. I may want to go to my bank, withdraw some cash money, put it in my pocket and hit the markets and streets. I may want to go to the barrio, haggle prices with an individual, make a cash transaction with an individual at a street stand, yard sale or whatever, I don't care to have anyone know what I spend on what, it's my money, eh? I may want to bet on a football game, or get numbers on a pot for a game, some pots on games may be between $1000 to $10,000 pots you buy numbers on, when you hit, you want your cash in hand, it's not anyone's business or need for monitoring every single dollar someone spends on what, it harms no one. I may want to tip a waiter/ waitress individually with cash, without it going on a debit card, because some establishments are screwing their staff/ waiters collecting tips, on how they distribute them. A guy came up to me a few months back in the hood for example, he said something like ... "I'm hurting man, I'm $4 short of getting a bump (of dope)", his sincerity/ honesty won me over, I gave the guy a $10 spot. Another guy standing by sayz to me something like ... "you shouldn't do that, you should have bought him food", I told him ... "the man was honest, and he is hurting for dope, that is his only temporary escape from this reality he lives in ... and nobody tells me what the fuck to spend my money on ... ya hear what I'm sayin?". This happened to me before too, when I bought a homeless guy some beer. It's bad enough having corporations dictate our spending, let alone having some PC mother fucker on the street telling me some lame shit like that.
What Mark Kernan talks about in the MintPress article is very importante, and not only about Facebook, but much else in these platforms, that are basically corporate controlled data harvesters that are supposed to be "ours" ... because without us, they could not exist. It's even more importante to make our kids and grandkids more aware of how they may be being "played", and of course as Mark Kernan points out, profits are the big motivating deal in this. But it is also used to keep our political thoughts and correctness in alignment with the establishment's needs and controlling thought, and to keep us pigeonholed into categories they fixed for us. I also do not think that Mark Zuckerberg is the nefarious villain as some paint him, I have read up on him and watched his interviews and testimony in Washington. But, I do believe that he is not on top of things as a CEO should be ... and there are so many interests influencing what he does, and as a result, Facebook has some serious problems, and users are growing impatient. And this talk I been reading about Mark Zuckerberg for President ... to me, the last thing we need, is another billionaire for President, we already had that, and you see what the fuck we have out of Trump ... or this talk about other billionaire celebs like Oprah Winfrey. We dont even know where folks like these stand on issues, and they never been in the political arena, so therefore have no track record ... just because Trump is so lousy, dont allow desperation to bite you in the ass, eh? Even when out shopping in your big name retailers, they are recording (not your phone) your eye movement and facial expressions to whatever products, this is so they know how to arrange items in the store, and what to attract shoppers with ... again, the money. I love the internet for information gathering, and I alwayz am looking for products/ items and getting prices, and of course, I too, get bombarded with advertisements. I use that to get ideas on pricing, just as I would check how certain stocks are doing on losses or gains, but instead of using the info I gather to shop online, I am using it to negotiate prices offline or on the street. I may look at guns for example online, and check various prices top to bottom ... take that info, go in a small shop, or to an individual and work a price deal ... not to buy online, if that makes any sense. Facebook also has some serious censorship issues, as far as what it allows people to say ... I understand as far as Russian interference or whoever, and others that have ill intentions, politically or otherwise, but many corporations that Facebook does business with also should be questioned, and even investigated. And users/ customers demanding it, are in order.
I chose Julia Kollewe's recent article in The Guardian, because I have noticed that this has also been a growing corporate trend starting to be implemented as well here in the U.S., and all these things are also on the same track to box in and control too much of our jobs with these patents. Amazon here in the U.S. is moving in this direction with another device using a wristband to monitor employees (NY Times), which as technologies expand, will expand deeper and wider with acceptance as you see with implants. They start on higher levels of employees with some companies to set an example for lower levels, as you can see in the previous Part 6 posting of the "End To Privacy?" series linked above, as far as "behavioral analytics" is concerned in the workplace, and the devices/ badges they use for that. As these techs become cheaper, more advanced and common with acceptance, it imprisons the employee in a sense. This is importante to question and make demands too, regardless of how much it may hurt you as far as going against the grain ... if we have mass walkouts or strikes, it is needed. All these things are to make workers more efficient they say, and so that management can have a closer relationship or whatever other loving nonsense they present it as. Bottom line again, is to maximize profits, squeeze every last drop out of the employee, and have excuses to come up with wayz to decrease wages or benefits, and apply pressure to employees to be in fear of their employers, and in time, as this evolves, will apply to the most menial positions/ jobs. Don't feed us this "love for us" nonsense, or to "protect workers", when workers know otherwise ... just like this stupidity they spread through their mouthpieces, to tell us that replacing employees with contractors is to make it so that employees are their own boss ... NO, they are NOT their own bosses! ... this talk is to use and screw workers out of their fair piece of the pie. I never was a union man, and alwayz negotiated my pay and benefits myself, even without interference from government ... but I have never seen a better time and need than today/ 2018 to start more organized labour movements and unions, this is not 30- 40 years ago, it's a new shaft and corporate culture they are shoving up our asses today. You know ... the workplace is ONE part of your life, you do NOT need to have devices implanted in you, that also have the capability to monitor every other goddamn aspect of your life and leisure. When you are not on the job, whatever you are doing on your time, is your business ... and dont feed us other stupid garbage that it's to monitor our health, eating habits and related nonsense for our good. They already monitor too damn much as it is, we need to keep better track of these corporations and their constituents who are trying to fuck us, and perhaps put some tracking/ monitoring implants in them!
This posting will be Part 20 of the "Above & Below" series of this journal/ blog. But this is a posting that I been wanting in here for some time for the art, so that it will also be in the music/ arts honour roll society of this journal/ blog as well. But to also honour Hubble Telescope and the scientists for their discoveries. I see this as art, even though some may disagree by definition ... because I appreciate it as such, and it is alwayz in progress, expanding and changing, it's like a beautiful universal sculpture or painting with no boundaries, and is whatever the individual human eye and mind makes of it. For myself, I look at it as the art of the mother of life and humanity, which has always been expanding as the universe, and our minds that are alwayz expanding as well, and have no boundaries naturally, our minds coming from and being a part of our mother of life. I enjoy living at least in a time where we can experience these discoveries, and knowing that this is all part of us, and we of it. I'm equally as excited to see what the newer James Webb Space Telescope (wikipedia) will discover when it takes off on its journey soon, as well as the help that AI (artificial intelligence) may contribute as that expands as well. It's disappointing to me, when I look at comments on something like the video below (and I have seen this all over, not just on this video), and so many folks saying that this is all a hoax, all computer generated images, colour enhanced, all lies, the earth is flat, etc, etc. I know that some folks would view one like myself as a fool or stupid to believe that this is real ... and that's fine and their opinion ... but I actually do believe these scientists and think these discoveries are legit, I have no proof otherwise. And these people who call people like myself fools, dont seem to have any proof that it is all phony or whatever. Many of these people that say this is all phony or a hoax, seem to throw religion and politics into everything that comes out of their mouth/ brain, as if there is nothing else but such in this world. I myself don't engage in these petty online arguments on such, it takes too much time and is pointless, believe what you want. But for the reader/ viewer that enjoys this stuff ... I have linked a beautiful set of 100 images below from HubbleSite, and a video documentary below that on Hubble and the scientists, astronomers, and astronauts findings, that was fun and interesting. Enjoy ....
