Kenpo Neutral Bow Stance

The Funny Forum Topic....Resolved

Reddit Got Shut Down On Friday

I guess I'm trying to start a trend here on my blog of talking bad about Reddit. No, I don't want to make it a habit. There are things I don't like about the site, but I don't want to fixate on it.

But they do seem to be having trouble lately. First it was the Morgan Freeman fiasco in which Freeman was supposed to be on their answering questions and Redditors began to get suspicious it wasn't really Freeman but his press agent. Reddit management started doing damage control after that one.

Then on Friday, somebody hit them with a massive DDoS attack which they couldn't block and it shut Reddit down for 7 hours. Someone at Reddit said it was unmanageable, it was such a huge attack.

Big for their britches, I guess.

Okay, enough about Reddit. I aint even that mad at them anymore. I still go there to get info I want for certain purposes, like talking about something over there on Bubblews.

What I've Been Up To: Website and Bubblews

I haven't been spending a lot of time posting to my Blogger blogs lately. This is not because I don't enjoy writing here on Blogger, in fact to me it's a lot of fun and the format is great and the site is user-friendly; it's so convenient to have a free platform such as this.

But I've done two things that have preoccupied me and diverted my activity to other places besides Blogger.

First, there is my website. Yes, I've done it. Domain name, web host, and got my own website. Steadily I'm learning how much more is involved in having your own website than is involved in using free hosting like Blogger or creating user-generated content on revenue-sharing sites. Much to learn and lots of work to do, and I'm the one who's got to do it. So, the site is not really finished yet. It will be a place where I make regular posts, and it's a martial arts oriented site/blog. I have some more ideas for sites, but I have to finish setting this one up first.

The other thing I've been doing is participating on this site called Bubblews. The idea of the site is that users of a site should share the revenue; after all, we make up the content of a site, which essentially makes the site, so we should have a fair share.

Bubblews is like social media in a way. You post blog type entries, must be at least 400 character per post (which is around 100-150 words, not much), about anything you want, but you can't use copied content or use those traffic exchange groups; however, you can do things like talk about an article you've read, essentially summarize it in your own words and post a link to it. It's like using Facebook but you get paid for it.

You don't get paid if you cheat. That's why there's a slew of "Bubblers" claiming the site is a scam; but if you go to their profiles, you can see their content is all copied. It's easy to find out if someone's content is copied; you just copy and paste a piece of their text into Google and search and if another article comes up besides theirs, then you know they copied.

Also, you find these schemers on the site that will "connect" with you and automatically ask you to connect back. Connecting is the equivalent of "following". When you connect to someone you get notifications when they post something.

The other thing is loads of the articles Bubblers "write" do not make any sense. I think many of them are what are called "spun" articles; spewed out my a computer program to create varied duplicates of the same article. Or these unintelligible articles on Bubblews are bad translations of articles in other languages. 

Anyway, I have been on Bubblews a little more than two weeks and I'm about a dollar away from pay out. You get paid when you reach $25. Oh, yeah. Each like, comment, and view are a penny. And you start off with a dollar automatically. The money accumulates quickly, though. The more you interact, the more views, likes and comments you get.

It's fun. I will have to see how it goes when I redeem what's collected in my bank.

Also, you can get paid through PayPal, a Visa gift card, or by check. Also, I guess you can ask them to buy you something, but I don't know exactly what that means or how it works.

So, that's what's been happening. I don't even hardly get on Facebook anymore. Of course, I'm still on the Internet all the time. It's what happens when you're house-bound taking care of your aging mother who has dementia.

That's all for now.

Anyone interested in signing up for Bubblews, you can do that here: http://www.bubblews.com/?referral=5161f1020784f6.82913798

Peace.

Reddit Getting Some Real Karma

Lulz!

Reddit has this AMA thing in which a celebrity or someone important gets on there and people can ask them questions. They are required to send proof that they are who they claim to be, and this usually consists of a Tweet with their picture and they're holding a sign that says they're doing Reddit or "Hi, Reddit!" something like that.

So, Morgan Freeman was doing an AMA and clearly promoting his new movie, Oblivion. Well, after all was said and done, most people on Reddit were certain the whole thing was a fraud; answer didn't seem genuine, there was too much promotion, and the proof picture looked fake. Here's a kind YouTuber explaining the fraud picture.

 

There's at least two threads addressing this issue of the fraudulent visit from Mr. Freeman. Many of them initiated by various discontented Redditors and one by Reddit management.

I think it's funny these guys are getting a dose of their own medicine. I've been on and off the site for awhile, been banned a couple times. All it takes to get banned is to post something that's already been posted a couple times or post something someone thinks is not relevant to the subreddit. There's like a gang of Reddit bullies, ridiculing and coercing people to comply. And then official Reddit banning will occur. Funny they are dealing with something just like it now. Except that what they did was actually wrong. It's called fraud, idiots! Lulz!!

Now, Reddit, that's real Karma!

Hahahaha!

Black Jesus

Well, I just kind of think a picture like this elicits some kind of feeling and thought, because we are accustomed to a different kind of picture.

The Last Supper
Sarah Jenkins
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Black Madonna of...

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The Black Virgin...

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Black Jesus...

16 in. x 20 in.
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Lord
Hullis Mavruk
18 in. x 24 in.
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Jesus Is Nailed...
Laura James
18 in. x 24 in.
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Guardian Angel I
T Richard
8 in. x 10 in.
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Black Guardian...

16 in. x 20 in.
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Honesty at its Best

This is the kind of thing I've wanted to say many times. I'm not fond of the fantasy or patriotism I've heard over the course of decades which I've lived here on planet Earth.

A Word From Joe Rogan

...about hypocrisy.

Why I Don't Like Tolerance

First of all, it's one of the most misused words around.

Racial tolerance, for instance. It means people want to keep the very thing that creates prejudice: The division, the identities and identifications with separated groups and the ego involved; but they just want it intensified and add "tolerance" to the mix. Well, you don't get rid of a problem until you get rid of it's source. The source is divisiveness caused by identifications with groups and the separative egotistical thinking that goes with that.

Next, tolerance encourages problems to continue. We think that we just need to change our thinking, accept the worst conditions and the most simplistic thinking and "tolerate" that which is creating the problem; somehow that will magically make everything better.

What I would rather do, and why some people don't like me, is take all of these things, psychologically and socially, which have been creating the problem all along, and tear them apart, criticize them down to the bone. Because most of us spend a life-time tolerating them, and end up with the same problems over and over again. Meantime, those who benefit, in their temporary ways, are happy clams because people have been duped into thinking the wrong way is the right way. People don't want to give up the identities and group belonging and all that, in spite of the fact that it perpetuates fear and violence. Dumb.

So, instead of just tolerating every little bit, or big bit, of nonsense and destructive divisive thing that comes along, you should be looking at it honestly and figuring out why it bothers you.

Also, by tolerance I'm not talking about the superficial things like whether you like a hair-style or you think somebody's shoes are the wrong color; that's all meaningless, and I don't really care.

Really, just don't go along with everything; somebody starts with the empty simplistic talk about tolerance, look into the actually meaning of it and whether it even makes sense.

Entertaining Distractions

It's easy not to be angry, not to be upset, when you're entertained enough to not see what's happening. People surrounding you making you feel good, you're partying, of course you're not bitter.

Take the rattle from the baby and he gets angry.

Or, worse yet, tell him his rattle is a toy, he might still get angry.

This happened to me on Facebook a couple of days ago.

I posted a status message that basically said that people collect and identify with their experiences and groups that they associate with to make themselves feel important, and their identities are false. I can't remember exactly what I said, but that was the gist of it.

This young woman, spoiled rich kid that gets what she wants and has a fat ego and identity, objected vehemently to my post.

All I'm going to say at this point is: It figures.

Discrimation on the Job

Previous post I talked about harassment on the job. The other one that came clearer to me was that I was being discriminated on the job.

I worked with persons with developmental disabilities who had behavioral issues. I was always given the clients who who hit, scratch, pull hair, spit, run out in traffic. Me and another brown guy was given that kind of clients. To the trust fund girlies, they gave the clients that did none of that, plus the girlies were given the things needed to do the job; lesson plans, workbooks, etc.

There was an obvious hierarchy and pecking order. The young, rich hens were favored. The poor were given the tough tasks.

To tell you the truth, it just really dawned on me.

Just realized how unjust it really was. I should be entitled to millions in compensation.

Harassed at Work

I guess this is as a good place as any to put this. Thus far, not naming names.

I worked in a field which was mainly comprised of women. I took care of and taught people with developmental disabilities. It was common, in the field and at staff meetings, for women to make derogatory, disparaging, and generalizing remarks about men; hateful. Being one of the few men present, you end up feeling singled out.

It's a bit like a black man being at a Klan meeting and continuously hearing the N-Word, and what those N-words do, and so on. Or being a woman in a room full of women-hating half-wits that want women to cook, clean, and be quiet.

Actually, I've been in that spot too: The only minority in a situation, and hearing the racial jokes, the slurs, the various other forms of stupidity. So, I hope you get the idea.

Management and staff at work, neither one were immune to spewing this vehemence. I was getting stung. And quite tired.

I imagine some would want to know what brought it on. Kind of like how some think short skirts cause women to get attacked.

So, no amount of arguing with me would ever deter me from seeing the stupidity and hate of the people I used to work around.

But I knew it in my family before I went to work; I was raised by my mother and sister, and they were also bullies that imposed their biased viewpoint and bigoted philosophy.

At the risk of sounding like a bitter rant, I'll at least make this point.

Just don't do it. To anybody.

Money and Jobs and Skills

It's a deceptive title for a blog post, because I'm sure someone might stumble on this thinking I'm giving either standard or helpful advice on how to get a job and make money and what skills you need to do it. Well, I'd never do anything so shoddy.

However, there are three things about me and that have happened to me that are relevant to this post. First, I've had my body broken down and life drained by jobs. Second, I need money and would like to know how to get it, preferably at home. Thirdly, I recently learned how to take screenshots.

So, I'm on Google, as usual. I want to know what will come up if I search for "how to make money". Here's the first go.

Well, I get as far as typing "how to make", and I find the results fascinating. Moonshine at the top, and hash at the bottom; jello shots in there too. Looks like we're having a party!

Okay, so I go farther. I type "how to make money". Here goes.

Well, I find this interesting, because it looks like I'm not the only one. Lots of people trying or wanting to make money at home and online. I know the feeling. It's a there's-got-to-be-a-better-way feeling. The kids want to make money too, I see.

I go on to a possibly more fruitful search with "how to make money at"....

Still pretty interesting. People still wanting to know how to make it at home, because the job is a drain, most likely; and the kids still want to know how to make money. Looks like some gamblers are curious how to score some cash too. Fair enough.

Well, I imagine one of the main things that drives this search is that jobs beat you down psychologically and physically. I know they've done it to me. So, I want to know what folks think about their jobs.

Yep.

Why Am I So Critical

I am a critical person. By that, I mean I criticize most things and many people; well, I don't criticize people, I criticize what they do and their images. There is a difference.

Once in awhile, maybe often, it hits a hot button. Hot for someone, anyway.

Mostly on Facebook. I admit, not the best forum for it, but nevertheless it's where it happens. This has to do with the fact that I'm mainly home-bound these days, taking care of my 83 year-old mother who needs a lot of care. I used to do many things. I'm a little limited now.

The other reason my Facebook has become a veritable battle-ground is that there has been a necessary crumbling of my tolerance. I've come to realize there is something seriously wrong with tolerance; it allows problems to continue and it is an escape, an avoidance of what is right there in front of us that often needs to be promptly rejected.

This is a fact. Not a fantasy. Not a let's-all-get-along sentiment that avoids fact. It is something I understand deeply, and has come to the fore for me recently.

I've tolerated a lot. Pretentious political ideologues, backward bigots, rigid conformists, and many more. I smile, get along, and endure. Big mistake.

So, my Facebook profile is chock full of everyday criticisms of them all. And it often strikes a nerve. Most often it strikes their identities and images. And people will inevitably defend an identity. Which is to say, they defend their egos.

So, why so critical?

First of all, awareness means there is no escape. You do not candy-coat, you do not try to make it "positive", you do not avoid seeing what something actually is. This inevitably leads to criticism, because so many things are so wrong; which is obvious. People say they can't wait for the weekend, then say they love their jobs. That's avoidance. They hate their jobs, that's why they can't wait for the weekend. The reason why they hate their jobs is because it's a coercive environment, brutal, it's imprisonment, slavery. Instead of admitting that, and maybe changing their situation, they hop on Facebook and say they love their jobs and can't wait for the weekend, totally contradicting themselves.

Just as an example.

Countless examples.

The other reason I'm so critical is because of what I said about tolerance. It is a way of avoiding, it continues the problem. If you have to try to tolerate something, it implies there's a problem. So it's fake. It's trying to act like it doesn't bother you. It bothers you for a reason, most likely a valid and good reason. I say tear it apart, find out why it's a problem.

 Funny, on Facebook, I'm usually the one doing the unfriending. Like I said, my tolerance has fortunately crumbled.

Though, I imagine I will continue to antagonize people on my Facebook, and probably get unfriended often.

Oh, well. I'd rather tell the truth.

My Day in Pictures

The day started off a bit rough, but that's typical. I had to run an errand at the bank and get some Tylenol for one of the housemates. First off, I wait for the bus for about 30 minutes and start to come to the conclusion it's not running. The transit system is set up so that the bus in my neighborhood does not run when school is not in session; evidently, they think only students need to use the bus.
 

So, I walk downtown. Not a total loss. There were sights on the way.

A few blocks from our apartment, at the University, found these poppies.

A little store at the University that sells snacks, sandwiches, soft drinks, and that sort of thing.

A creek runs through the University grounds.

Interesting bike racks.

Seating outside the University library.

Had to make a pit-stop.

Stairs at the performing arts building on campus, with a jazzy painting.

Tree in bloom at an historical house downtown.