Ageless in Spirit: Discussions and interests for our times

  January 29, 2021 Shoshana Zuboff today wrote an interesting article concerning how private companies such as Facebook, Google, Amazon, Apple, Twitter, Etc. have taken our personal private information and given access to unknown others as well as they have manipulated data streamed to us to influence us as long as it benefits the actors behind the data streaming. The author rightfully gives historical and moral background for privacy and democracy pointing out that private company privacy is not the same as a citizens. Also, that rule following behaviors is necessary in a democracy as a social contract or chaos will result. i.e. a simple rule to stop at a red light is followed by most people even though enforcement by surveillance may not be present in most instances. Well, what would happen if we did not follow this rule? Chaos. Similarly the seat belt law was enacted in 1968  federal law, Title 49 of the United States Code, Chapter 301, Motor Safety Standard, Now most of us...

 January 25, 2021 Last evening we finished watching Creation a fictionalized biography movie of Charles Darwin. I then did some reading about Darwin's life and accomplishments. During his life with the publication finally of the Origin of Species in 1859 science and theology were less entwined but controversy over geology, biology, racial differences, population control, resource allocation, social improvement of those less fortunate, and eugenics all were discussed with controversy and conflict continuing to today. The educational system in England as elsewhere was greatly influenced by theology and church dynamics.Thomas Malthus proposed that the overpopulation of the world is characterized by the struggle for existence and Herbert Spencer described the survival of the fittest related to human existence. Darwin as a young researcher traveled for five years on The Beagle sailing ship observing and collecting specimens of flora and fauna from different parts of the world. He was in...

 January 21, 2021 Well, dear blog I am writing to you today with updates to the present both newsworthy and personal. A new president inaugurated with high security due to a chaotic mob insurrection January 6, 2021 and a continued severe pandemic contained still by social distancing and wearing masks. We now have a 78 year old president, a senator, vice president, widower and grieving father who won a contentious primary whose vice president is ethnically mixed, an Alpha Kappa Alpha fraternity member, mother in a blended family, senator, and former attorney general of California. We have a house of representative with a Democrat majority and a Senate evenly split but with VP Harris barely a majority. Mitch McConnell has acknowledged the big lie about the election being stolen from Trump and involvement of Trump in the insurrection mob invasion of the capital where legislative members were in jeopardy of being attacked. The Proud Boys are berating Trump. The Qanon conspiracy believe...

 January 17, 2021 Well, yesterday was eventful! We hiked to Maunawili fro Waimanalo ~5 miles. I was at maximum heart rate so some of the inclines were difficult. Post hike I used Iwatch ECG and got back readings of atrial fibrillation twice measured. After a nap normal sinus rhythm. My recovery pulse a minute after from pulses over 140 was good.  Last evening Rebecca talked with Pohai Nani caregiver who was very concerned that Lotte was yelling help me! We facetimed with her. She did stop but her frail body lying in the bed, gaunt because she's was not eating told us that she was near death. These past few weeks Rebecca has been attempting to talk directly with Lotte's doctor but messages to him had gone unanswered. We discussed the institutional Pohai Nani issues that objectify Lotte so she becomes a problem yeller to them. She did have periodic facetime services with the COVID lockdown and regular session before with her psychiatrist who was very thoughtful and attentive to ...

 January 14, 2021 Well, today I went to Castle Medical Center and recieved my first Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. So far I'm fine. I do not think they inject some form of chip into my arm, and I don't believe Bill Gates and his minions are tracking me. However, I am interested in understanding and communicating to others about our human group tendency to perpetuate and give life to such conspiracy paranoid delusional shared pseudo-reality.   Qanon has a history of group endorsed conspiracy theories with very bizarre fantasy beliefs. Actors, politicians, people with wealth and influence all have aggrandized power and influence over the rest of us through very dark methods including using the blood of children, having sex with children and murder which then is taped to blackmail the perpetrator. Politicians are involved both on the side of these nefarious perpetrators and on the side to expose them. Trump has a leading role. Various predictions of disastrous events have been mad...

 January 12, 2021 Whew! So much has happened since my last post. My mind is buzzing with emotions of anxiety, grief, curiosity, confusion, and need to sort things out. I've been reading the news attempting to get facts but also interested in others opinions. I'm reminded of conversations Rebecca has had with her friend in Las Vegas. Frustrated Rebecca was discussing with her Trump's rally speech in Washington, D.C. which was associated with mobs of people breaking into the Capital. Her "friend" insisted that Trump won the presidential election but the votes were miscounted or falsified to indicate Biden so there was a steal! Fact checking, Trump's phone calls to Georgia state election officials demanding they find him over 11,000 votes or they will suffer the conseq uences , evidence of failed state and federal lawsuits rejected by Republican appointed officials, failed media events with Giuliani and now Republican federal senators and house representatives a...