The Crazy Ones

“Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes, the ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules, and they have little use for the status quo.

You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them, because they change things – they push the human race forward.

Maybe they have to be crazy…because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

- Steve Jobs --1997

Propaganda: When will the Masses Smarten Up?

In a recent article on OpEd News, author Robert Raitz uses the 1936 movie Reefer Madness as an outstanding example of how propaganda was used to manipulate the actions of the American public.

"Tell Your Children, A Paradigm of Dope" gives a pretty good description of the movie that was instrumental in getting marijuana outlawed in The United States. Unfortunately, its outrageous claims of the effects of marijuana left anyone in the know swinging from the chandeliers. The movie has become a cult classic and has recently been turned into a Broadway musical.

The point of the article is to illustrate how the government and special interest groups still use similar types of propaganda to instill fear in the American public which results in knee-jerk reactions based on emotion. These reactions are as unwise now as they were then, and the article leaves me wondering if the masses will ever quit falling for it.

Starving Writer Promotes Regular Maintenance

About seven years ago I was working in the fiber-optic construction business and spent quite a bit of time driving between work crews collecting data. It wasn't unusual for me to log 250 to 300 miles per day and my old 1980 Ford pickup had seen better days. Needless to say, I was thrilled when I inherited a 1995 Dodge Dakota extended cab 4x4. It was five years old and the original owner had obviously taken pretty good care of it.

Since I virtually lived in my vehicle and spent most of my time around utility construction sites, the white pickup was transformed to a dingy grey quickly. Determined to take care of the pickup despite the heavy use and high miles, I got
bi-monthly oil changes and routine maintenance, and I took it to get detailed once a week.

Like many things in this world, the fact that I was earning incredible pay for my job made these preventative maintenance items easy to keep up with. Now that I'm a starving writer who's never sure how next months bills are going to get paid, I don't have the luxury of hiring out those tedious duties, but still appreciate the importance of taking care of a vehicle. Also because I'm a starving writer I know that I can't afford to replace this vehicle.

About every 4,000 miles I go buy oil, filters and various automotive detailing supplies and do the maintenance myself. My odometer has gone from 50,000 miles when I got the pickup to 180,000 miles and still runs and looks pretty good.

Until I find that elusive job that pays a livable wage or get that best selling novel published, I'll be pampering my pickup and changing my own oil. I don't know how long it'll keep going but at 180,000 miles I'm starting to really hope I get that big break soon. All things die eventually -- no matter how well they are cared for.

Liberty Cried

www.ghostinthemachine.net/cryingliberty.jpg

When Dick Cheney's henchman err... Former Chief of Staff... Scooter Libby was convicted of obstructing a federal investigation and lying about matters of national security, the husband of the CIA undercover operative whose life Libby put at risk felt justice had been done. Joe Wilson, whose wife Valerie Plame's identity as an agent was leaked to the press by Libby, told reporters, "We see this as a reaffirmation that we are a nation of laws, we live in a democracy. The verdict shows no man is above the law."

I can't help wondering what Wilson thinks now that Bush has picked up one of his presidential pens and commuted Libby's 30 month sentence. It appears we are not a nation of laws and we are no longer a democracy. Bush's act proves that the administrations fall guys are in fact above the law. Ambassador Wilson now says Bush is "corrupt to the core." Do ya' think?

Painting the World with Communication

For the last several months, as I've been exploring ways to use my experiences in life, journalism, broadcasting and public relations to earn a living wage, I've been forced to work in the trade I went to college to get out of -- painting. Not the artistic kind of painting, but the kind where you wear white pants and improve the appearance of peoples residences.

Honestly, the work isn't that bad and I was always proud of the work I've done to beautify a persons surroundings. And painting a luxury home can earn a guy some pretty decent financial rewards. Most importantly, it always gave me a good feeling when I left a home in better shape than when I found it.

But I don't want to do that for the rest of my life. I want instead, to take my creative skills, education and experience, and use them to help make our world a better place than when I found it. I think the best way I can do that is by communicating with the masses, utilizing my writing, reporting and personal communication skills to bring people together. Beautifying the world one house at a time is nice, but I think I am intended to beautify the world on a much larger scale.

Now if I can figure out how to earn a living in the process, I can retire my paint brushes for good and start paying for that education...

Libby Walks; Joins North in Annals of the Neutered

When the Vice President's Chief of Staff, Scooter Libby, was convicted of committing several crimes against the American people, I wrote a blog entry on my other blog comparing him to the other Republican scapegoat in the not too distant past, Ollie North. I predicted then that Scooter Libby would be awarded a get out of jail free card from Boy George for keeping his mouth shut about who else was involved in his criminal actions.

I'm not gloating, but writing this instead to explain the future prescription drug addiction that I'm now predicting I'll be afflicted with if someone doesn't stop this madman named Bush. He didn't even have the decency to wait until Libby started serving his time before commuting his sentence.

How long will the American public tolerate this administration thumbing their nose at the Constitutional laws that define precisely how this country should be run. Who is going to stop this crap? Maybe his mom, Barbara, or his brother, or anyone? Beuller.... Beuller....?

How Much is Enough

One of the web sites that actually pays a measly sum for some of my writing, Associated Content, is really starting to piss me off. I understand that a lot of things on the internet are there solely for the purpose of generating page views, and in turn advertising revenue. But it seems to me that you need to draw a line between those valuable keywords and altering the writers words (even headlines) so that they are more search engine friendly. Recently, they've not only been changing the headlines, but some Content Manager who suffers Napoleon syndrome is altering the titles so they don't even represent the article.

Crap! Use some common sense AC. I'm on the verge of following several other of your former writers away from that kind of BS. Just look at the one's you've lost in the last two months. Personally, I participate with AC for the comaraderie of other writers. But the ones I have gotrten to be good friends with are all jumping ship. Keep changing the headlines of my articles and I'll be overboard with them

Taking Care of Business

My good friend Flatch has suggested I try to make a few bucks on a web site called www.payu2blog.com. They will reportedly pay cold, hard cash into my paypal account if I can somehow work an assigned phrase and link into my blog postings. Well, I'm a creative guy that can really use a little walking around money, so I'm giving it a try. I'll let you know how it goes.

Writing: Fighting Injustice Armed only with a Keyboard

As I peruse this never ending novel of society as we know it, the Internet, I frequently come across entries written by people who are totally different, yet eerily similar to me. On occasion the entries they contribute attempt to explain the reasons for the very existence of those entries. And so we arrive at one more of those explanations for why I write.

I first learned my words had the ability to incite discussion when I was writing copy for TV ads. I’ll never forget the Mother’s Day morning years ago, while I was standing in the line for the champagne brunch buffet at the Hilton, I heard the people behind me discussing a television commercial I had written and produced. Two total strangers were discussing the message my words were meant to transmit. It was the first time it really occurred to me that people were communicating as a result of what I was writing.

Here's the long answer.

Fallwell's Death Article Funnier than a Carload of Clowns

I may go to hell for thinking this, but Jerry Fallwell doesn't even have to wait until he gets there before being roasted. Prolific Associated Content Content Producer thebarefoot (I think his name's funny) has written a brutally, almost honest report of the Reverend's long awaited passing. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/246359/jerry_falwell_dead_richard_dawkins.html