Selfish

self·ish

/ˈselfiSH/

adjective

1. (of a person, action, or motive) lacking consideration for others; concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure.
2. 
   

Yes, most of us are. Many of us think we are altruistic and always looking out for those less fortunate. Very few of us are. There is a severe shortage of Mother Teresa's in our world. 

There is a huge self-interest lobby at work in the country, not to mention personal self-interest issues and pressure.

I'm an old retired guy, so let's get my prejudices out of the way. Anything that threatens Social Security, Medicare or old vested pensions is on my hit list. I can totally justify my stance in my mind. I contributed to Social Security, at close to the maximum levels, for 40 years. We Baby Boomers extended an economic bubble that allowed our parents to comfortably retire and keep Social Security solvent for them. The numbers started to deteriorate somewhat when my generation didn't produce as many children. I tried. 

So, now I say, don't screw with my retirement but tax others more and do other tweaks to fix Social Security for future generations. Maybe make IRAs and 401Ks more attractive. I have two more generations of the family already on the planet. 

I'm for raising the gasoline tax to help fix the roads, but I don't buy much gas. I'm all for taxing or fining those who use excessive amounts of electricity or water. Again, I don't use very much of either. 

Most of us are in favor of increased funding for our schools. We are not in favor of an increased evaluation and tax on our real property. 

I'm sort of OK with increased, actually Draconian, taxes on cigarettes. I'm against and tired of the same tax increases on beer, wine, and liquor. Why, because I quit smoking several years ago. I still enjoy adult beverages. 

We all seem to be in favor of controlling, restricting and taxing those categories that don't apply to "ME". 

In general, we think all levels of government need to invest more in our crumbling infrastructure. Just don't raise my taxes to do it. 

I would bet that every time a law or regulation came up that affected your profession or industry, you sided with your profession, industry or company. It's human nature. 

Dedicated environmentalists who work for an oil company, will mostly support legislation and regulations favorable to the oil industry. Otherwise, they might be out of a job. Same deal for staunch conservatives who are employed at a liberal institution. 

I don't know if it is selfish or just self-preservation. Either way, it is behavior that was acquired back when we were competing as a species for survival. Hopefully, we have learned to temper it a little over the centuries. 

I think right now we are at a time when those at the top have become too selfish. Money and power are the only things important. Corporations now only exist for the shareholders and executives. Employees, customers, and the community are nuisances that have to be dealt with. Companies that make billions in profits and pay the CEO millions yet can't pay the workers a living wage are selfish. Legislators who give themselves huge pensions, gold plated medical coverage, and other perks yet won't adequately fund education and social programs are selfish. Corporations and governments that ignore environmental impacts for short term benefits at the expense of the future are selfish. 

The only way to swing the pendulum back toward a less selfish society is to support and elect less selfish and corrupt people to office. Then they can fix the broken legislation and tax codes to more equally spread the burden. The richest 1% shouldn't control 50% of the world's wealth. We can all do our part too. Besides voting, we can contribute to the charities that actually do good work and not those that have highly paid CEOs and boards. 

Being selfish and obnoxious seems to be in vogue right now. Maybe if we are all just a little less selfish, the world will be a better place. Let's give it a try. 

wjh

After Life

After Life is the latest Ricky Gervais series available on Netflix. It is about a man who has lost his wife and not coping well with the loss. He is suicidal, stuck in a job he hates, has a father with dementia in a nursing home, and has no real friends. 

Because of his don't give a damn attitude, he has abandoned most polite behavior. He is rude to almost everyone. He has almost no filter on his mouth. He is purposely mean to those around him.

This is a very dark and downer series with an occasional funny line or situation. I found it unrealistic the amount of crap those around him put up with. His behavior would have warranted a punch in the mouth or complete avoidance. For the first four and a half episodes, Ricky is a complete ass. Then in the last episode, he does a 180° turnaround and becomes a caring and kind person with a will to live. Again, pretty unrealistic and sappy. 

None of the supporting cast really stood out although they were all competent. 

If you are expecting a hilarious Ricky Gervais comedy you will be disappointed. This is at best a black comedy with more black than comedy. 

The whole season is only six half-hour episodes so it is not a huge investment of time. Netflix has renewed the series for a second season sometime in 2020. Based on the way the first season ended, the next one should be brighter and hopefully funnier. 

I give this show a C+ rating. Not great, but not terrible either. 

wjh

When Did Ignorance Become Desirable?

We live in a country where ignorance seems to be a desirable trait. Sometimes even celebrated. We've all heard someone say "I'm not a (fill in a type of expert), but I believe (or know) the opposite of the experts." Another oft used phrase is "I don't use or know anything about that new-fangled technology". They then laugh about it. Sometimes they make up some stupid example to prove their point. 

Of course, this trend has been exasperated by the GOP in general and Trump in particular. They deny climate change. They repeal environmental regulations. They push old and outdated industries. 

In the private sector, parents refuse to vaccinate their children. They believe a former Playboy Playmate over the thousands of doctors and health scientists. This is an especially egregious and selfish denial since many people cannot be vaccinated because of age, allergies, compromised immune systems, or major disease. Those people depend on the healthy population to keep diseases at bay. 

There is a trend towards ignoring actual facts. If the facts don't line up with a person's beliefs or opinions, they can be ignored. It matters little how much factual evidence there is. In the same vein, any media or news organization that a person disagrees with is wrong, even fake news. Again, it makes no difference how many facts back up the story. 

I have probably mentioned this before but I spent my entire adult working in the information technology profession. I wrote and maintained many computer programs and operating systems during that time. I was often disappointed that those programs didn't perform as I wanted but rather exactly how they were written. Opinion and wishes had no effect. 

It is the same with facts. By definition, a fact is true. Of course, mistakes are made and sometimes what is thought to be a fact is later proved wrong. At that point, it is no longer a fact. Interpretations of facts can differ. Facts can be manipulated to prove a viewpoint by withholding some of the facts, emphasizing only those that support the view and other techniques of persuasion. Regardless, a fact cannot be outright denied. That is a lie. An example of a fact is that it was 65° yesterday. An opinion or interpretation is that it was warm yesterday or maybe it was cool. The opinion is open to debate, the actual temperature isn't.

This premise becomes even more convoluted in our legal system. Something can be wrong but not illegal. It can be illegal but not provable. Even then, there are facts. It is the only interpretation that differs. 

As the saying goes, you get to have your own opinion, you don't get to have your own facts.

Research the issues of our times. Ignorance is not bliss, it is ignorance.

wjh

Bosch - Season 5

Bosch is an Amazon Prime Video original series. Season five, 10 episodes, was released on April 19th. I have already watched all 10 episodes. It's good. 

Harry Bosch, the title character, is an LA police detective assigned to the Hollywood homicide division. He is a decorated and controversial detective and a special forces veteran who served in Afghanistan. As is expected of TV detectives, he does not always go by the book or follow all the rules. Each season concentrates on one primary crime investigation although there are other storylines, personal and criminal, going on at the same time. I love that a serious and complicated crime is not solved in the 43 actual minutes of a network TV show. The main season five crime is the murder of a corrupt pharmacist by a drug gang. A prominent side story is the attempt to overturn a 20-year-old murder conviction and simultaneously frame Bosch for planting evidence. No spoilers here. 

This series has enjoyed stellar performances by the main actors. Titus Welliver shines as Bosch, recurring characters Jamie Hector as Detective II Jerry Edgar, Harry's partner, Amy Aquino as Lieutenant II Grace Billets, Harry's immediate superior, and Lance Reddick as Chief of Police Irvin Irving, all are excellent. There are many other lesser characters, some who have been on all five seasons and several who have been in just one season. All competent and believable. Obviously, many of the bad guys don't survive for a second season or are sent to prison. 

Besides the acting, the writing is very good. This is the kind of show that you need to pay attention too. The clues are often very subtle and everything does not turn out as expected. It can be very intense.  

I have watched and enjoyed every episode. One warning, it's addictive and the writers are very skilled at ending each episode with a bit of a cliffhanger which tempts you to watch the next episode. For season five, the main storyline was mostly wrapped up in episode nine. Episode 10 opened several new storylines that can be expanded for a season six. In fact, Amazon has already confirmed that there will be a season six. Unfortunately, it probably won't be aired until April 2020. 

I highly recommend Bosch. Although each season can stand on its own, I would also recommend that you start with season one. It is helpful in understanding the relationships and history of the recurring characters. It's a complex web. The good news is that all five seasons are currently available on Amazon Prime Video and you can watch on your schedule. 

I rate season five and the entire series a solid A. Give it a try.

wjh

Bicycle Rules of the Road

While riding today, I was reminded (twice) of one of the things that is an annoying and potentially dangerous practice by some drivers. I'll get into that in a moment.

Sharing the road with cars and trucks can be harrowing at times. It is an unfair fight in many ways. My bike and I weigh under 175 lbs. A car, SUV, or truck weigh between 3,000 and 5,000 lbs. The driver is surrounded by steel, has airbags and is probably wearing a seatbelt. I am usually surrounded by shorts, a teeshirt and maybe a helmet. Knowing those unfair odds, I am abundantly cautious when riding. I err on the side of safety if there is a choice to be made. I go out of my way to avoid busy roads and intersections. I schedule rides to avoid heavy traffic and congestion whenever possible.

Most drivers are just fine and do not cause any problems for cyclists. Of course, there are always a few jerks. People who think bikes don't belong on public streets, people (usually kids) who think it is funny to honk their horn or yell when they are beside you. Maybe the scariest are those on their phones. They are a problem for all of us. 

So, what is my gripe today? Believe it or not, it is overly polite drivers. They are drivers who want to give you the right of way when they shouldn't. The incidents today occurred at four-way stop intersections. Bicycles are supposed to observe the same road rules as cars. If you reach the intersection before the bike rider, proceed. For some reason, many drivers want to wave the cyclist through regardless of whose turn it is. A nice gesture, but here are the problems. Often we can not see your gesture through tinted windows or glare. More importantly, if there are other cars at the intersection, they may not be willing to let the bike through first. That can cause the stop/start dance maybe followed by horns, yelling, or the finger. Also, some drivers interpret the polite driver's gesture as meant for them, not the bike. It is particularly dangerous on multi-lane roads. It's hard to get everyone in sync when one breaks the accepted rules.

Look, I know many cyclists do not always stop at stop signs, me included. But then, I bet you don't always come to a complete stop either. Here is my logic. I am already going under 10 mph at the intersection. A cyclist hates to completely stop. You lose all your momentum and unlike in a car, we have to manually regain that momentum. If you see us slowing down to a crawl or even doing a track stand, it is because we don't want to completely stop and put a foot down. We hate to put a foot down. Besides momentum, our feet may actually be clipped into the pedals. 

A Track Stand

Bottom line, follow the rules. Most cyclists know that we are subject to the same road rules as drivers. I appreciate the kind gestures but we will all be better served by following the rules. Of course, this all changes if you encounter kids on a bike. 

Share the road!

wjh

Very Random Thoughts - March 2019

• Can we get some rules about how many times a TV commercial can run in a specific time period? It's a big problem on lesser cable channels that have fewer different advertisers.
• I'm not a fan of the new practice of putting an advertisement in the middle of a video. It happens on YouTube and several other sites. 
• I have just about outlived my music. The original artists are either dead or retired. Or should be retired. Thankfully it was all recorded and I have the recordings. 
• Same vein, your most favorite musical groups, and artists are probably about five years older than you. 
• Let's give the anti-vaccine people a more appropriate name. How about pro-plague.
• How many products have packaging that costs more than the contents? Bottled water would for sure be one.
• If you take one of those stupid Facebook "tests" and it says you look 21 or 25 or 31 or 33, it is a lie if you went to school with me. You may look younger than your age, but not 20 or 30 or 40 years younger.  
• There is a difference between opinion and fact.
• Wouldn't it be nice if remote controls had a standard key layout? 
• I regret that I never learned to play a musical instrument. Although based on my youthful efforts it was obvious that there was little or no talent. 
• We need to spread out our holidays. Way too many at the end of the year and the beginning of the year. Very few in the middle. 
• How come during the blind auditions on The Voice, more people don't sing Turn Around? That is the object of the audition. 
• In religion, the more it doesn't make sense the better. That proves your faith. 
• Is it actually possible to watch four NCAA tournament basketball games at the same time? I try. 
• Same subject. Have you ever gotten all first-round games correct in your bracket? Me neither.
• Isn't it time to finally come up with new names for the NCAA basketball tournament regions? East, South, Midwest, and West have almost no relationship to the teams or game locations. 
• Smokey Bear's middle name is not "the". 
• During this time of year with the men's and women's NCAA basketball tournaments, the NIT, the CBI, and other sports, you can get some pretty bad TV announcers and analysts. Everybody doesn't get the A team. 
• With so many people now living together without getting married, we need a whole new category for some of our relationships to others. The term "in-law" does not apply.
• Not guilty does not mean innocent. 
• Not exonerated does not mean complete and total exoneration. 
• Didn't Estate Sale use to indicate the liquidation of a substantial dwelling and grounds? Now I see estate sale signs in front of modest, even run down, three-bedroom ranch style houses.
• Amazing. When I canceled AT&T U-verse, they cut off my internet and streaming authorizations at the exact second my contract was up. Too bad they weren't as prompt answering the phone or actually providing service. 
• When people, especially politicians, say about an issue, "it hasn't crossed my mind", you can be sure that it has crossed, crisscrossed, and occupies a prominent place in their mind.
• Am I getting more impatient or are pro golfers getting even slower? I find myself yelling "hit the damn ball" at the TV.

wjh

Goodbye AT&T

I am in the middle of changing my TV/Internet providers. I have decided to ditch AT&T U-verse for those services. I have been an AT&T customer for various services since the days of rotary phones. Over the past year, I have ditched AT&T mobile and reduced my bill by ½ to ⅔. The service and signal strength are better too. Now it's time to do the same for internet/TV. 

Out with the old

I have chosen YouTube TV streaming to replace U-verse TV. I picked Spectrum internet to replace the internet part of U-verse. My new combination will be less than ½ the cost. This is not an apples to apples comparison, some things better, some things worse. It may take a while to figure out if this was a good decision or not. I can always switch back or find another alternative. 

In with the new

YouTube TV is one of many new streaming services. It is delivered over the internet, not a dedicated cable, satellite or DSL connection. There is no special receiver and remote. While I don't get nearly as many channels, I get most of what I want. There are no infomercial or shopping channels, no dozens of fringe channels I never watched. No 75 music channels, that's what Pandora and Spotify are for. I do get my local stations, the major cable news networks, the major sports providers including Fox Sports Southwest for the Rangers games, and a few general entertainment and movie channels like TBS & TCM. 

There are a few sacrifices. None of the streaming services offer PBS, although limited PBS shows are available online. I will no longer get AXS which had great music shows/concerts. I won't be able to watch the oldies stations like TVLand, MyTV, H&I. No more Gunsmoke or 77 Sunset Strip or Mannix, or Wagon Train... That's OK, I have probably seen every episode of those shows and 100 other old series. Also, I can probably find some of this stuff on the internet, it will just be a little more difficult than switching to channel 1136. 

Some of these like PBS and MyTV are available over the air. Unfortunately, I live on the first floor of a brick three-story apartment building which is right next to another three-story building. I have yet to find an indoor digital antenna that works consistently for most of the local over the air channels. 

On the internet side, I have increased my speed by a factor of over 10 and for less money. I am also hoping that the reliability of broadband and wi-fi improves. Hopefully, the equipment is also a little more robust. I have replaced my AT&T modem/router at least three times. I have also replaced the TV receiver/DVR. Of course, each time was a battle to finally convince AT&T that the equipment was faulty. 

I guess this can be considered "cord cutting" but of course that is not completely accurate. Yes, I am ditching a traditional cable TV package for an internet streaming service. Still, we can not completely cut the cord. We need a physical connection to the internet. Maybe someday wireless internet like the coming 5G networks (or Trump's 6G) will be able to replace a physical phone line, coax, or fiber to your residence but not yet. 

YouTube TV has unlimited DVR storage in their cloud and the shows are kept for nine months. Unlimited, that means you won't fill up the physical DVR sitting by your TV. The one downside, to me, is that once you pick a show to record, it records every episode including reruns. That makes the recorded library a little unwieldy but I'll fight through it. The problem of too much rather than too little. 

There are other minor changes that mostly will just take getting used to There are no more channel numbers, just names on a scrollable list. No immediately jumping from CBS to ESPN to TCM by number on a numeric pad on the remote. Sometimes the channels take a few seconds to start, there is the ubiquitous spinning buffering icon. I'm not usually in a rush.

I still get to stream my TV channels on my phone, tablets, and PCs. Important for when I'm away from home or when I am at home and want to watch two or more sporting events at the same time. 

It's a new day with new technology and new providers. For the first time in forever, I will not be writing a monthly check or two to AT&T. Like many companies, they have taken me for granted for years. Never offering the best or even a better deal to established customers. Rarely offering good customer service. When I called to cancel my AT&T U-verse service they, of course, tried to talk me out of it. He said I had two offers on my account that I hadn't taken advantage of. They totaled about $70/month. I didn't ask what the length or terms went with these offers. The reason I hadn't taken advantage of these offers is that I had never been told about them. Typical AT&T taking established customers for granted. The only offers I ever saw were for phone upgrades and I have never bought a phone from them. 

I'll let you know if this was a mistake. For right now, everything is fine. 

wjh