NYC Journal

I learned that the CIA told President Bush (the Father) that liberating Kuwait was one thing, but to invade Iraq would be the red-line not to cross because it would destabilize the entire mid-east.

Then President Bush (the son) invaded Iraq.

Clearly there were other motivations involved. Not good.

Pretty much Iraq kept Iran in check as far as balance of power in the mid-east. The Iraq War was not justified and destabilized the region.

Cal
 
When I was doing all my swing trading, I read the Wall Street Journal and The New York Times Cover to cover. Pretty much as data feeds. The news had more depth and perspective than on the Internet during that time. Now the print media is as bad as the Internet. Information is dumbed down and is just click bait.

Alvin Toffer once said, “Information is power.”

What I learned is that Government and big business is the same. We are suppose to be a democracy, but all the U.S. is a brand and our government is basically just a business.

The U.S. is not a democracy, it is a corporation.

In the late 70’s there was a film called, “The Betsy” that was created after a novel. Pretty much a story about going back and developing a car like the Ford Model “T” that would suit the masses.

Pretty much the idea was a disrupter and then the espionage and sabotage started to happen.

You know diesel electric trains not only were around about 100 years ago, the technology is still in use today. Metro North to Peekskill uses diesel electric motors.

Pretty much hybrid technology is old proven technology. When the energy crisis happened in 1974, why was this technology harnessed and not utilized? Would it have been disruptive? Would it have hurt many established businesses like automotive companies and the oil companies?

Makes no sense to me why this old technology was not utilized over 50 years ago and embraced. Tell me the Department of Energy did not study this or was unaware. Why was this old technology dismissed or silenced?

Not only have we been lied to, we have been manipulated and cheated.

Cal
 
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Re your #3261. That so-called "invasion" happened for one and only one reason. Oil. As we all know 'Merka' in its great power never invades any country with only coconuts and limes to export. One or two islands to the south that make decent rum, well, maybe. But not the market garden producers, they sell you their goods cheaply enough anyway.

One of your would-be's has one wary eye closely focused on Mexico. But I reckon invading your southern neighbour is firmly his no-no list. Too much cheap migrant labor would be affected.

We have much the same situation in Australia, with the only difference being we are too small and too insignificant to even think about invading anybody. In their so-called wisdom our glorious leaders are paying AUD $1 billion plus for outdated American submarines - for what? To park them between Taiwan and China when our real rulers command us to do so?

Re your #3263. I always enjoy your stock market comments as I find them entertaining. I could have said amusing, but I do want to be respectful to everything you write. You think from the heart but also from the head, and I often pick up good bits from all your written wisdom. Stray thoughts can turn into positive decisions. As I've often said (to the amusement of my lateral-thinking friends, this a rare trait in Australia but some Aussies do have it), if your ideas about anything are better than mine, sure as anything they will be mine in the morning...

In some ways you and I have had similar adventures in the stock market. In the 1990s here we had a strange sort of tax deduction plan where if we bought in small companies that were investing in R&D, we could claim the purchase as a full tax deduction. Which I did, to the tune of $10,000 - ten thousand kangaroos in five companies.

Inevitably two went belly-up within a year. I had been tracking all my shares and I sold out in time, at a loss, but I then claimed a tax deduction as a business investment, which had me writing letters to our tax office for almost two years, but in the end I got it.

The other three share lots I hung on to for years. Thanks to the internet I could track the lot, and while they never paid any significant dividends I had a few buyback offers which I nixed as what they wanted to pay was more of an insult. Oddly, not long after those offers came and went the two stocks went up in value, entirely by coincidence of course...

Finally I sold out in 2013 at 2.5 times what I had paid for them. So I more or less broke even, leaving out the annoyance factor.

That little experience taught me that the stocks and shares are for one of the most heavily levered investments in the world. My investor friends laughed as they put their money into banks and other blue chip stocks.

What I learned from all this can be neatly summed up in three words - never ever again.

As I see it, you had it figured right, and you went about it in the right way. Another classic case of great minds thinking alike.

(Yeh, I've had too much coffee this morning. It's now time for a four kilometre walk to sweat out all that caffeine.)
 
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DU,

I live in the realm of ideas, concepts, and abstractions. Pretty much my own universe of my own creation. I kinda know I have a talent for pretty much doing a lot of things.

The books my friend Andrew lent me involves risk taking in extreme sports, and Andrew pointed out how ego can lead to death or injury.

Haj, the visiting professor from MIT, mentioned that if you are not close to being out of control then you are not racing. This was a takeaway from juggling. The idea was to be consistently challenged, moving and growing.

This is why I judge many people as being “extra-medium” and I realize from my perspective that the world is filled with mediocrity. Too many sheep and not enough Shepards to lead them, and too many wolves to prey upon them.

Look at the analogy of the world wide debt crisis, the banks, the disparity of wealth, and the fraught economic conditions. The information overload has made the masses blind and helpless.

The markets today with high speed trading, and computer driven trading today makes what I did back in 2004-2007 not repeatable. I got out and locked in profits. Somehow I won in a zero sum game that is rigged. They say over time 90% of traders become losers and only 10% are winners.

Not so different than playing a slot machines in a casino. The mistake is to keep playing after you got ahead, because eventually the house wins.

Pretty much like Andrew pointed out people get in over their head and it is about an inflated ego.

Andrew sailed the 52 foot sailboat he took 5 years to build and sailed it by himself to the Bahamas. He also sailed a second time to the Bahamas with his wife. How cool is that, but it takes a certain kind of solitary man who is somewhat a loner to do such things by himself.

Because of the things I do, my perspective, my framing of life, my way out of the box thinking, my abstractions, and living in the realm of possibilities, certainly I am a loner despite being well known.

Generally I am never judgemental, but I have a strong understanding of our intrusive neighbors who are rigid thinkers, a bit of control freaks that are being invasive.

We have a serious stalker situation.

Cal
 
If you have a legitimate stalker/surveillance issue with neighbors, gather the evidence you have of this then call law enforcement.
Keeping your "head down" is allowing yourself to become the huddled masses you speak of, and your neighbors are the wolves.
Have you spoken to them in earnest? I mean all of you get to know each other? That could solve this before you get LEO involved.
Phil
 
Phil,

It is creepy. I learned about the level of surveillance and judgement through comments that got back to me.

Common knowledge here is that I sweat a lot and that I frequently and often don’t wear a shirt around my house, in my house, and when working outside, then there is a passing remark through an E-mail to “Maggie” that somehow I have a shirt shortage. This was perhaps the beginning of the end… At this point I started being more private, less friendly and especially less open and revealing.

When I got the Milwaukee self propelled battery powered mower there was another E-mail remark about all the Milwaukee tools I own, and that I should capitalize on promoting the brand to make money.

There were numerous displays where they displayed judgements that were discriminatory and racist. They feel very uncomfortable about their whiteness as well and overcompensate. They speak of their friends who are people of color, but I don’t see how this is possible by their displays of awkwardness.

Then there is the political agenda that they built upon non facts, that I respond to by fact checking, and remaining silent as to avoid debate or argument. I kinda kept any response to myself and was unreactive to disengage.

Then on the 4th of July “Maggie” was asked if we had plans for the holiday, we did not and were planning on having a peaceful day, but then we were invited over to their house for burgers. At this point there really was no way to say no, and the intrusiveness already went beyond just being creepy, it was getting to the level of disturbing because consistent behaviors led us to believe that something pathological was happening beyond their control.

I dreaded this BBQ. It started at 1:00 PM and went on longer than I would of liked. We were able to escape around 7:00 PM, and it was just us and them. I was a bit of a wall flower not engaging, being purposely quiet, but then they had an agenda that included heated topics that involved their view of politics, the second amendment, woman’s rights, and abortion that in particular attacked black women as a group.

Of course this upset us, but I remained cool as Maggie was provoked in a manner that was massage-AN-istic, hostile and clearly was bullying. We were all seated, and at one point as instinct and as a display of aggression I stood up as a woman was being over powered, and bullied.

Pretty much I was getting ready, but was well within control. I am a man of peace, and I know from experience that a 6’7” man might have to be taken down.

That night Maggie was deeply disturbed, confused, and later angry. When I mentioned the bullying and that she was purposely targeted and provoked on purpose, it led to an epiphany for her. She recognized and framed the attack as personal, and purposely done.

My spin is that this was a power trip. Maggie has a PhD and is a published author. Pretty much she was being put in her place by a man I judge as weak. I also know about the dynamic of bullies. I also know my advantages, and how things can easily can get way out of control. Near deadly moves and the power of serious traumatic or permanent damage exists. I fight to win and it is not an eye for an eye. I take 2-eyes and know the violence of the 1970’s.

So I clearly can control myself, but our neighbors can’t. They have an agenda… I know I have rage issues that I have outgrown, and I know I am innately an Alpha male. I was not in danger, but I was ready for escalation in the same way I would stand up in a subway car if something shady or a threat presented itself.

I don’t think my standing up was understood, because I said, “I’m tired of sitting, and sitting too much is bad for you.” That was how cool I was.

This past Saturday our next door neighbor, the woman, invited herself over for coffee. I went for my bike ride. In conversation our neighbor revealed that she asked her husband why he purposely upset Maggie. His intent was for enjoyment and to get a rise.

Wow. Deep inside this is a very weak man. Bullying a 71 year old woman to make himself feel good.

I later pointed out to Maggie that the wife was “complacent” in the attack. She did not intervene or defend Maggie as a woman or as a friend. There was no apology for her husbands behavior which is an exclamation point.

They also tend to be know it alls and this denotes rigid thinking, and being judgemental. They go beyond expressing their opinions…

The husband is a big fan of Joe Rogen the ex Navy SEAL turned politician. He pretty much is a Mini-Me of Joe Rogen, and now I have a Knick name for him: JJ; short for Joe Junior. Pretty much a clone of thinking.

So the “Don’t Tread On Me” flag they display on their house is mucho one sided. I guess the don’t see the live and let live implied, or the Don’t Tread On Me is only one sided.

Cal
 
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Cal,
Well Joe Jr owned you... It's the truly sad state of affairs that this type of behavior has been normalized. I'm afraid you and I will be dead before this monster has been put back in the box.
Joe
 
Joe,

To be clear I’m cool with the second amendment. I look at Nicaragua and how at the end of their Civil War the Sandinistas told the general population to not only put down their arms, but also to turn them in.

I am a person of color, and “Maggie” a social worker can’t understand why I have the potential to kill someone, over rage, racism, and in the end self defense.

I pose the question, would you rather visit my grave or visit me in prison?

In a hate crime where it could be a gang attack, pretty much in my book I have the right to use deadly force, especially when outnumbered. If someone pulls out a weapon, I feel I have the right to utilize deadly force. I fight to end fights very quickly, but I also ensure that someone has no fight left to give. I am decisive and know what to do. Had too much experience.

I know from real life experience how to take the initiative and seriously injure people, and I also know it is easy if you are me that I could go too far.

Even as a kid my greatest fear was that I would kill someone. That fear is greatly diminished today, but I recognize it is still there. I know deadly moves, and I know I can be like a kinetic weapon. E=MC2.

Part of this fitness fixation is not to become a victim.

JJ is not worth any fight, and I can be a man and walk away. If I can be judgemental, I am the real man and the better man.

“Maggie” has this giant who I call a “Monster” profiled as a “Mama’s Boy” and I don’t think she is wrong.

There are other histories involved here, but they are not necessary to further judge character.

Know that I’m saving my ammo for when I “have” to take someone like JJ out. Hopefully that never happens, but the possibility gets stronger every day.

Kinda funny how bullying is a mask for weakness.

Cal
 
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Yes, don't tread on me is often standing on it's head these days. The transgressors are the one's flying the flag.
I'd love to see a rainbow flag flying over a do tread on me flag, that would almost certainly make some heads explode.
And when I said we would be dead, I meant of old age.
Joe
 
Joe,

I am stubborn, and I intend on not wasting my life, especially on losers who are very lost.

“Maggie” laughed when I coined the term JJ. Pretty much not a free thinker or even a man.

I do know that one good hammer fist blow could incapacitate any man, but that does not mean a fight would be over.

Anyways I know this, and I have nothing to prove.

The live and let live part of the Don’t Tread On Me is forgotten.

As insult I feel like flying a Don’t Tread On My along the boundary of our property, but I also know I can be a big jerk.

At my hospital my boss was a bully for about a decade out of the 21 years there. He ended up screwing himself. He got cocky, overstepped, and then was kinda shown the door and was pushed out.

Time is the best weapon is the expression, and it worked for me.

Their retirement seems about 5 years away if their plan works out. Could happen sooner…

Kinda funny is that they now want to live near Joe Rogen. They can stalk him just outside Austin. LOL

People like this tend to screw themselves. Time is not their friend. Also I see them as isolated. I can see why. Not a good way to have in retirement. There is a lot lacking here.

There is a lot of trash talking about immigrants. I pointed out that my dad was an illegal immigrant, and this did not quell their right wing response. Know that Peekskill is an immigrant community and most people move here because of the diversity. 45% of the population here is Latino.

They recently came back from Texas. They did not like Houston because of all the immigrants. They said they did not see that in Austin, but know I wandered around and certainly there are homeless encampments and immigrants. I was there about 3 years ago.

Oh-well. It is good to remain quiet. LOL. Live and let learn I say. Am I being rude or mean? Perhaps so, but why am I smiling and so happy? It is good to be a “Quiet Man,” and I’m not John Wayne.

There is no housing shortage my evil neighbors say. I guess building of new homes is rampant like in North Carolina in parts of Texas, but studies have indicated that these areas being developed were not built upon for two good reasons: prone to flooding; or wild fires. Some are prone to both.

Perhaps this is both a reminder and also a wake-up call. I don’t want to be a helpless old man who is targeted and a victim. It is an incentive to be physical and preserve my freedom as a real man. I will remember this when I do my strength workouts, and I think I will introduce wind sprints to regain my acceleration.

I think my radar realizes and recognizes danger. Fact is I am Chinese, also I at times get mistaken as Latino by racists because of my complextion. There was a moderation in racism, but now a return. I am conditioned…

BTW this is not the first time I have been targeted.

Cal
 
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Joe Rogan the mediocre comedian hack and shock jock podcaster, never served in the military. He just has a hard-on for NSW but anyone that boastful would completely melt in a truly stressful situation. Real NSW and all special warfare members for that matter, are some of the quietest, humblest, and as a result of not hearing themselves talk constantly, smartest people you could ever meet.
Phil
 
Just got back from the ER. “Maggie” was picking up one of the grandson’s toys, and her Yo Betty fell over and cracked her in the head that was being stored in our hallway.

From last year’s bike crash on the Empire State Trailway, we learned from Urgent Care that head injuries after the age of 65 can be more serious. There is brain shrinkage that kinda makes it easier to get concussions, and there are risks of tearing that can lead to fatal brain bleeding. Pretty much with brain bleeding you go to sleep and you don’t wake up.

A MRI is required, and so far she got the all clear. There is still tomorrow to look for any symptoms, but pretty much one has to be extra careful with head trama after the age of 65.

Street fighting is especially dangerous at my age. Also after any fight I need to get a MRI. Seriously there is a compelling reason to win quickly and decisively, and I know of the risk and dangers. Another reminder to avoid conflict and violence at all costs.

BTW I’m not at a loss, but in Maggie’s case she was wanting and wiling to have a relationship, but I think my street shooting skills allowed me to sum up the situation and their character quicker than a trained social worker. She was disappointed but now Maggie is beyond that.

Been thinking of the awkwardness and how to move forward. Not worth my time, and pretty much I’m not disappointed or hurt. Not really angry either, I just don’t want to waste any time. No need for any explanation, and they may not be capable of any understanding. Remember the wife I deem complacent; no apology for her husband’s behavior; and no sticking up for a friend; nor defending a woman under attack.

At this point I need to express nothing and let things settle if they can and just keeping my distance.

We did nothing wrong, and I don’t need them to realize anything. If they figure it out on their own, I could give them some credit, but I don’t count on that, and in effect I expect just the opposite.

No reason to confront or argue with someone drunk on Joe Rogan.

If asked I will say, “I have nothing to say” or “I don’t know how to respond.” Purposely I want to be vague and give no detail.

Oh-well I say. I want to be happy. Nothing to prove.

BTW they are very passive aggressive. I put a lot of thought into how to react. Best to just let things die and leave it at that. No use carrying tension or being anxious. Pretty clear to just stand clear and say nothing. Mucho passive-aggressive.

Cal
 
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There is a tornado watch till 10:00 PM. I guess the 2-4 inches of rain is further inland. Peekskill is reported to get only 0.15 inches of rain.

The kids closed on the selling of their home in Cortlandt Mannor, and moved into a two bedroom apartment for the next year. If they buy back into another home it likely will be further north in the Hudson Valley where prices are lower.

Job changes to further north are likely, as well as pay cuts.

The grandson is advanced, well very-very advanced, but at this point his speech is somewhat delayed. He also go a haircut and is no longer a hippy-baby. More clean cut, but we can see a personality change. Pretty much a much different baby.

At the end of the month he will be two years old, but he already has been in the terrible two’s.

The grand daughter had a blast harvesting vegetables from our garden. She was thrilled by the cantaloupes and the small baby watermelons forming.

We were baby sitting while the closing was happening.

Cal
 
Anyways, I wasted enough time on our stalkers.

I think I have a good plan on how to respond. Purposely I decided to be the most passive-aggressive that I can be.

A real “Oh-well” that works for me by not wasting any more time, and a way of just moving forward.

My lack of engagement or resolution I’m sure will cause the effect I want. UBER Passive-Aggression to fight the passive aggressive intrusion.

The key is to be consistent and not engage and be vague. No wiggle room.

If ever an apology happens, I would be trite and say, “No apology necessary,” and just continue to keep distance and not engage. A very passive-aggressive way not to accept any apology, and a way to keep my distance.

Best revenge is just be happy… As I say, “No sweat off my balls.”

The writing here cleared my mind and my thoughts. Many thanks.

Cal
 
I’m in a good space today, and I’m well grounded.

I’m removing a lot of my ego in coping with the intrusive neighbors. I have no need to be mean, spiteful or hurtful. Certainly I don’t want to emulate the husband’s behavior…

I am forced to withdraw to protect myself. That is just a fact, and I do need to control any anger. Anger works against myself, and know they are control freaks. Part of this is the OCD lawn mowing… I have to remain the person in control to win.

The problem is the expected engagement. My technic of being vague and elusive and just keeping my distance is a strategy that only works so far with these people. Eventually will be a day where I will get cornered, and perhaps at that time I will be forced and compelled to reveal my forever change.

Best to do this without any intent of any emotion and keep it to the minimum of explanation. I only need the most minimal of fact like mentioning the discomfort felt on July 4th, and that I judge both of their behaviors as not being good, and our relationship has changed forever.

Kinda business like and direct to the point. Anything further would be wiggle room and an invitation. Remember I want to limit and cut engagement. Absolutely no need for any confrontation.

I did loose some sleep last night thinking about this, and pretty much this amount of thought is required. Being elusive and distant only goes so far, and eventually boundaries will get crossed yet again. It is inevitable, and like a good chess player you have to be ready by thinking of the moves ahead and not one move at a time.

Their behavior is all about control, so is their judgmental thinking. Live and let live is not how they think, and pretty much I have to mirror their behavior: passive aggressive; and take control.

Mind games… I feel like I’m back in high school…

Cal
 
Looking forward to the house party today at Sandy and Colleen’s home just south of us in Cortlandt. This is an upscale area with luxury homes on large properties that are wooded. No sidewalks in this community.

They are an interesting couple, and I’m sure we will meet a good amount of interesting people that are kinda accomplished.

My abs are coming back, as skinny bitch mode continues. I learned a powerful lesson that it is a lot harder loosing weight, and now pretty easy to gain weight at my present age. Eating a lot now comes with a payback of a serious amount of exercise.

I’m feeling residual stiffness from exercise performed days ago, and my work around is to do different things as a change up, and to work different muscle groups. Instead of push-ups I used a 30 pound kettlebell to do sets of 40 behind the head kettlebell presses which specifically work the triceps and promote a boxer’s chest.

This exercise also reinforces and strengthens the muscle group that supports a hammer fist, a devastating blow that causes extensive damage to a head. One thing I learned as a kid is not to waste anger, I harnessed it. Holding back anger led to depression, so I learned to release and process it.

Two days ago I worked these muscles that could be harnessed to take down a very large man, a bone breaker, nose, eye socket… Only takes a blink of an eye and an opponent then is kinda defenseless, then the real fighting begins: 1970’s punishment.

Sadly this level of aggression evolved to survive. I’m kinda ashamed that this is part of me, and I know I had to struggle to control my rage.

Cal
 
In conversation “Maggie” mentioned that our intrusive neighbors are “well-defended.” Pretty much a drastic overcompensation to mask a weakness or deficiency.

Then I look at myself, and explore my fears, my weaknesses, and of course my deficiencies. I too am “well defended.” I have been conditioned for fighting; I also have a history of violence in my family; and I have had more than my fair share of fighting and violence.

I know in a split decision I could of seriously injured my best friend who I incapacitated by a left jab followed by a right. The next blow would of been a uppercut thrown from my hip as Billy was falling forward, with his arms at his side. I had rattled his brain, he saw stars, and was blacking out.

This all happened wearing 16 ounce boxing gloves, I was just a 130 pound kid, maybe 135 pounds, around 16 years old. Maybe 17. Billy was 6 foot two and about 180, and two years older than me. Billy was a grade ahead and I think left back in school.

I am cat like and speedy. I understand physics, and basically am a kinetic weapon because of speed and agility. Today I am about 25 pounds heavier, the same height, and the 25 pounds is muscle. I was just a kid then is my point.

I am trying to make a point that all it takes is a blink of an eye, and bad consequences can happen. In my case I would deem myself insane and not in control. Somehow I diverted the blow to avoid contact. This too was in a blink of an eye. It happened so fast I could not pull-the-punch, momentum made it too late, and all I could do was lean and twist to avoid contact.

At 169th Street in Jamaica, Queens, I once laid out a kid who approached me from behind on a subway platform. One blow and he was laying on the platform. “Why did you hit me,” he asked. It was just a reflex, also conditioning. I was counting subway tokens, the subways were a dangerous place in the 70’s, and my free association mistakenly became free assassination.

All the kid wanted to know if this side was the platform heading towards Madhattan.

This frightens me, this propensity, this reflex, this conditioning. I don’t want to be that person, yet I am. It scares me even today. For me it is perhaps a struggle to remain in control. I face the moral dilemmas of justified violence, self-defense, and even taking a life. No weapon needed.

It can happen in a blink of an eye. I recognize that racism not only taught me how to win in a fight, but also conditioned me and programmed me. All it takes is one mistake… I carry this terror.

BTW I am not a veteran, but I seem to have PTSD from a different form of combat.

Moral dilemma is entrenched…

Cal
 
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