Jeber's Journal

A chronicle of cyber exploration

[jeber]

Tuesday morning thoughts

Capital punishment has failed as a deterrent. No matter how many people we kill for committing murder, murder still exists. There are extreme cases where a person is so violent, so unredeemable, that permanently removing them from society is warranted. We no longer consider capital punishment for those who endanger our entire society, who create an immoral class system that destroys people’s live for the benefit of a very few who abuse power and amass wealth beyond their needs. They are worse than the person who kills 10 or 20 people. They kill hundreds, even thousands, but indirectly. They allow their victims to die of starvation, homelessness, inadequate access to medical care. These are the monsters among us.

The CIA and NSA no longer serve a useful service to society. We have a president who shares classified intelligence to our adversaries in exchange for personal favors. In the future our spy agencies will be used to monitor us, to keep track of our movements and activities. That’s the sort of intelligence that a fascist regime needs in order to prevent resistance and revolution before it begins. I served in the intelligence community to protect our country against threats both foreign and domestic. We have lost that battle, at least for now. Domestic terrorists are in control and are former allies are no longer on our side. The government intended to serve the people now serves only the wealthy and powerful. The Constitution and our laws are routinely ignored. Once independent agencies within the government now serve only the whims of a mentally unstable and pathologically egotistic dictator. We are witnessing the end of both democracy and capitalism.

[jeber]

If we cannot convince every person on the planet that protecting Earth is the most important task ahead of us, if we can’t stop those who contaminate the air, ground, and water, if we continue to rely on someone else to save us, we’re doomed.

Our extinction is inevitable.

[jeber]

If you experience a sudden loss of humor and the ability to laugh at your own foibles, i f you find yourself resenting others for seeking the same freedoms and rights you enjoy, if your angry at everything all the time, seek medical help immediately.

You may be at risk of becoming a Republican.

[jeber]

I see two issues that threaten to divide Democratic voters at a time when we can’t afford to be divided; where the candidate stands on support for Israel and where they stand on what needs to be done with Donald Trump.

[jeber]

A must have for the progressive dog owner. Support small business. www.smolotov.com

[jeber]

We need to bring back shunning.

Oligarchs, rioters who accept Trump’s payout, ICE agents, any and all members of the regime, need to be shunned until the day they die.

They’ve shown no compassion, they get none. No jobs, no homes, no friends.

[jeber]

Clive and the chicken

Clive was truly annoyed at having lost the chicken.

One minute he’s on the way to market, chicken safely tucked under one arm and whistling a random tune. The next moment Mr. Darby’s brainless spaniel runs up behind him and spooks the chicken something fierce, causing the bird to react violently. Unfortunately the violence was directed toward Clive and not the dog. Thank goodness chickens don’t have massive teeth. As it was Clive escaped the chicken’s reaction to the sudden presence of the yapping mutt by clawing Clive randomly about the face and neck. Clive reacted to the attack by doing what most humans would do under similar circumstances. He released his grip on the bird and attempted to put a bit of distance between his face and its claws. The chicken, seeing an opportunity to escape the human, dog and his fate at market, took it.

[jeber]

The rising price of gas doesn’t just affect us at the pump, it affects the cost of trucking goods across the country.

It affects the cost of flying goods.

And now that the oil barons know we’ll buy gas for $4-6 a gallon, they won’t rush to lower the price. Why should they?

Give up profits? Hah!

[jeber]

I have got nothing to do today, I guess I’d better get started.

I shall begin by putting on pants. That’s an indication I plan on doing something, even when there’s nothing to be done.

Then I’ll make a list of all the things that I don’t need to do today.

Then I’ll probably need a nap.

[jeber]

Seek the truth in all things

With a background in psyops I feel a need to say something I haven’t seen mentioned elsewhere. I’m sure it will be misinterpreted and I’ll be pilleried for saying it, but to ignore it leaves a huge whole in our awareness that the fascists can exploit.

We should be prepared for them to have their MAGA women, even men, come out with accusations of impropriety against Democrats who threaten them.

I know we’re reluctant to question the claims of “victims”. 99.9% of the time the claims of victims are credible. But the right believes in dirty tricks, and they won’t hesitate to stoop as low as possible in order to win.

Evidence is the enemy of rumor.

[jeber]

Trump is an existential threat

Other countries have seen that Trump can’t decide what to do, that he can be flattered, that he has no moral compass, and that he’s insane.

They’re beginning to understand that there’s no reason to fear him or to let him have his way.

He’s facing an increasingly defiant world.

Meanwhile, Iran humiliated Trump, posting (wonderfully made) videos and refusing to take him seriously. Trump can’t stand that.

He’ll nuke the entire Middle East if he feels disrespected. He has no control over himself because he lacks self-awareness.

Being insane he’s a danger to the world.

[jeber]

As long as

As long as capitalism exists as the de facto means of the distribution of goods around the world, we will never rid ourselves of oligarchs and despots.

As long as politics suffers from financial influence it will always be more a means to accumulate wealth than to serve the people.

As long as we tolerate racism we will never achieve equality.

As long as we maintain the nonsensical masculine/feminine divide we’ll never free people to be all they can be.

As long as we allow fantasy to be taught as reality we will never be able to have a society based on reason and empathy.

[jeber]

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”

― Anatole France

[jeber]

Stella, my damaged dog

Three years on and I’m still not sure what to do. Stella was badly abused before I adopted her, and I didn’t learn about her injuries until weeks later. If I returned her they’d put her down.

She’s unpredictable. She will snap at people if touched wrong. She flinches at the slightest sound.

She has a wonky leg and eye.

But what worries me most are her frequent seizures. She and I get along well, but not so with others. She needs a CT scan and x-ray to see if she can be repaired. It being retired and living on Social Security.

I can only “afford” my own medical care because I can access the VA. I can’t afford what she needs. I’ve considered a GoFundMe for her but I haven’t a clue as to costs. She’s around 7 so should have a decade yet to live at least. For now I just try to make sure she’s as happy as possible.

[jeber]

The fantasy of America is over

We never had a true democracy. We never had a classless society. We never eliminated poverty. We never eliminated racism. We never had equality among all people. We never had truly free elections. We never applied the law equally without

This system needs to be totally reformed. We need to create a society based on humanity, on empathy, on sanity. But we’ll never succeed if we don’t establish controls on humanity‘s worst impulses. Greed, the lust for power, ignorance of the literal equality of all humans.

[jeber]

Trump should just create the Department of Trump’s Defense and fill it with all the agencies that once defended the country (DOJ, DHS, DIA, CIA, NSA, FBI, the military…). End the pretense that those agencies have any other mandate.

[jeber]

I’m an atheist and humanist. I support the people of Gaza but not Hamas. I support the people of Israel but not Netanyahu. I support oppressed people everywhere but not their oppressors. That applies to America as well. That which divides us is evil. That which unites us is good.