Blocking Financial BS

There have always been pursuits of a better economic system for transacting business.

The latest incarnation is, of course, the Blockchain, and digital currencies. The idea seems to be to remove the central banks from these transactions, and simply have people exchange digital chits back and forth. Trouble is, theories seem simple, until you put them into practice. Bitcoin has been reported on extensively. This currency seems safe, in that it is pegged to the total quantity of gold – 21 million ounces or somesuch. So its value is going to go up, theoretically. But somehow, the digital entity, decentralized as it is, got swept up in speculative frenzy last fall. The value of one bitcoin went ou to near 20,000.00 – and then collapsed. Now it stands at around $6,000.00 .

     This behavior seems remarkably like any other bubble or speculative froth. What was supposed to be a distinct entity, not at all like some penny stock, ended up behaving a lot like some penny stock, some pump and dump thingy. The blockchain technology itself is suspect now. It seems to require more and more computing power, as the ledger contains all of the transactions ever made regarding the digital currency. Some are saying that the processing power to “mine” bitcoin or process the ledger's transactions is equal to that of a small country. Others are saying that the blockchain model is good for pursuing other goals that require huge amounts of processing power.

     To me, the whole idea of crypto-currency seems to be a real slick way for one or a small group of people to print money on a colossal scale. The recent story in Wired about the Tezos currency is a good example. Time will tell, and I could be wrong. But for the average small investor, with only a few bucks to spare, my advice is this: Open a savings account, and toss some money in every month.       You will keep all of it, and you should even get some fractional interest money. No commissions, no transaction fees, and no bullshit. Just your money in the bank. Oh yes, and try not to touch it.

Thanks for reading.

Regeneration

The salamander can automatically regenerate a limb. The hydra, a microscopic water animal, contains a lot of stem cells and can continuously regenerate itself – it is being studied for longevity properties.

     There are intangible things that also endlessly regenerate. The bright optimism of the young.

Glowing promises of politicians and salespeople. Hope of oppressed humanity everywhere that somehow, things will get better tomorrow than they are today.

     Oh, and hatred. Hatred is a ten-headed monster that endlessly regenerates, no matter how much love, tolerance or tit-for-tat we hurl at “it.” Repressive politicians promise justice and retribution. White Supremacists wave swastika flags, and sprout like dandelions all over the landscape. Mass migrations and refugee exodus happens over and over, with a predictable reaction, over and over.

     Us versus them, my tiny infraction is nothing compared to your major crime, get your uniqueness off of my unique patch of earth. Hatred springs eternal. Fortunately, like cold to hot, so does love. The duality of nature seems to go on forever. It is beyond comprehension to know when it will all end.

- end

Summer Reigns

The bees, flies and mosquitoes know it,

flowering shrubs and weeds show it.

Birds sing melodious tributes to it,

Soft sprinkling breezes add a caress to it.

The warm season is here, high summer!

Festivals add their own gaiety and color,

outdoor concerts send aloft musical notes.

Live theater, picnics, gatherings of happy folks.

Highways are crowded with eager travelers,

plans made, executed, changed over and over.

Movie theaters pack them in with a new mega-show,

Even political machinations 'take a back seat' when

confronted with peoples summer celebrations.

Us creatures of usual habits and social certainties

emerge from our burrows and throw lawn parties.

Enjoy the ephemeral Iowa summer beauty,

before comes too soon another winters cruelty.

-end

pollinators going wild

Summer Solstice

Another June 21st,
Solistice has arrived.
The woods are lush with greenery,
birdsong suffuses the air.
A great time for a photo and video walk. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0Osij30a1I

Enjoy the beauty.

Your Personal Infinity War

The young people today can view

mighty heroes of all kinds on the move.

They slay dragons, smite evil aliens,

take on mega-sized transforming monsters,

save the day and make the ultimate sacrifice.

A dying hero might mumble,

“Don't worry about me, just save Sarah

and get the jewels to Central Command.

They must destroy the black hordes to save

humanity for all time.”

Moviegoers or Streaming-watchers sit transfixed,

their minds grappling with such a supreme sacrifice.

But take heart, beleaguered colleagues!

Worry not, Christian soldiers and Freedom Fighters!

You do not have to face killer aliens,

giant demons or marauding Orcs.

Not even treacherous mob bosses or backstabbing

business associates. No, none of that.

All you have to do to change

the course of time and history is...

ready yourself........

Vote in the elections this November.

Evolution - will we lose the vocal cords?

First there were the PC's, all the rage.

Everyone wanted one – celebrities were touting them.

“Do your homework.”

“Save Recipes.”

“Learn programming!”

They matured, and became indispensable.

Then, the Internet burst upon the scene.

A novelty at first, it took around 20 years.

Now it is ubiquitous – everywhere.

The smartphone debuted in 2008.

ten years alter, they are all over the place.

Indispensable for many things.

What is next?

Some kind of wearables.

Glasses most likely.

Or those in combination with implantable

electrodes, lenses, memories.

And everyone will want one.

Typical college dorm room, 2118. A group of students are perched on the bed, or desk, or against a windowsill. They are all jacked in to a wireless device. Each is “seeing” a common space. They have learned to use brain interfaces to wi-fi tech. They are all seeing the same space, and their avatars are talking, or accessing the net, showing, sharing, enjoying video experiences. An alert pops up. They break trance, and unjack. The Dean is givign a common speech, and attendance is required. Even though he could transmit it to them all, old ways still have to be given their due. They disperse to their respective rooms, to perhaps clean themselves up a bit before meeting in the common area.

Higher-end gear allows for a more immersive experience. While dollar-store stuff only allows for crude outlines. But everyone gets a jack when they reach puberty, and they can be re-fitted every few years as one ages. This revolutionizes everything from controlling household bots to medical diagnosis, to socialization and even pornography. Vocal cords begin to get rusty as they are used less and less. Eventually humanity may not need these at all. Like cursive writing, polite conversation goes the way of the buggy whip.