All posts by Jayhawkdano@comcast.net

Moving from Chicago to Kansas at the age of ten is bound to have some affect on a kid. I was a Polish/Irish boy in the land of Smith/Jones(s) . Humor became my go to coping mechanism and reading/science became my refuge. That is the recipe that created the person that I am today, an engineer who, um, shall we say “sees the world differently”. I am no longer in Kansas. They were done with me quite a while ago. I am currently roaming the wilds of Colorado but where ever I go people always tell me I’m “unique”. I am sure they mean it as a compliment.
Humor

Win A Medical Procedure

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In an office near the studios of the game show “Win Your Medical Procedures” the network accountant enters the office of host Wink Atyolawyer.

“Wink, we’ve had some changes to our budget that is going to affect our prizes.”

“How so?”

“We can’t give away organ transplants anymore.”

“That’s Ok, we weren’t giving too many of those away anyway.”

“There is another change.?”

“Ok and that is?”

“We have to cut down on the number of MRI’s we give away.
We need to remove them from 60% of our prize packages.
The cost for those are edging into the stratosphere.”

“Thats not good, contestants were counting on those.”

“Well we are working on a replacement option involving cheap plane tickets.”

“To the Mayo Clinic?”

“Oh no, we couldn’t afford that but the destination doesn’t matter. What matters is that they go through the latest security scanners at the airport. We’re working with TSA to capture the data and send it to a doctor we’ll contract for review.”

“But medical costs are always increasing. How do we sustain the show?”

“Well with these changes we can make it to the end of the year but for next year we are going to have to pickup a few more sponsors.”

“How many is a few? “

“Twenty Five.”

“How many do we have now?”

Looking at his watch the account said “At this moment, 50.”

“Geez, we have to increase by 50%. Can we find that many?”

“That’s a good question. We already have all of the major health insurance carriers on board.”

“I hate to be captain obvious here but shouldn’t the insurance carriers not spend that money and pass on the savings to the insured?”

“You mean lower their bills?”

“Yes.”

“LOL, Good one sir.”

Mothers Day

Mother’s Day

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Amidst the chaos and doom and gloom of the last couple of years my mother has been her usual indomitable self. She continues to refuse to let the world get to her. She still strives to be compassionate to her fellow man. To me this is nothing short of saint like.

This may come as a surprise to many of you, alright probably none of you but my outlook on mankind is a bit cynical. I look at the world and see it as half empty with the other half being full of greedy self centered morons. If I had a lawn I would be outside right now yelling at people to get off of it. My mother on the other hand sees the world as being half full with the other half being the potential for the goodness of man.

No matter how disappointed and disillusioned I’ve become I am motivated to emulate her example It’s difficult but what choice do I have. If she can continue to be optimistic amidst the modern strife and chaos that surrounds us then there is no excuse for me to continue to be as cynical as I am.

Thank you again Mom for showing me how a life should be lived.
Happy Mother’s Day.

Humor, personal growth

Two Roads Diverged in A Yellow Wood and I took Both*

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Traveling through the woods on a cold winters night I came to a fork in the road and I pondered which to take. The left was bare and devoid of growth while the right was overgrown with everything that is green. The right would be slow going but looked more inviting. Before choosing, the sounds of one man grumbling ambled along the left road.

When the man appeared around the bend I blinked several times and rubbed my eyes. He looked like me. So much so that he could be more than a doppelgänger and close to an exact copy. Without a mirror I could not say what was different other than the clothes and perhaps a few years. He noticed me and he stopped, barely did a double take and stated “Well I’d avoid this road if I were you.”


“Why is that? Lions and Tigers and Bears?”
“Cute. No, it can change a person. Not all people but it certainly changed me and you are probably susceptible.”
“Did you grow a third nipple?”


“Ha, yea I like that 3rd nipple bit also but no it was more on a personality level. It was as if Machiavelli possessed me.“


“How so?”
“I took life way too seriously. I sought power in many parts of my life. At some point I decided I had as much power as people thought I had.”
“And that is a bad thing?”
“It is if it transforms you into something you’re not.”


“So you became an ass!^#%”
“Well this blog is for the general population so no I became an ass-hat.”
“What about ass-clown?”
“No, ass-clown is not as serious. It implies some levity and accidental “assery.””
“Nice alliteration, could be a band name.”
The man didn’t blink.
“Definitely sounds machiavellian. Did it work?” I asked.
“Yes but not without consequences.”
“What were those?”
“People began to call me an ass-hat behind my back.”
“Why was that?
“Because that was what I had become.”


“So what brings you here.”
“I decided I needed to change my ways and a relocation will cement that thought into my psyche.”
“Good luck,” I said as the man headed down the road to the right.”
“Thank you son , choose wisely,” he shouted over his shoulder.
I pondered his parting words but I had already chosen.
His cautionary tail had rang true and I turned to the right.


*My apologies to Robert Frost.

Humor

Mean People Suck (Don’t Be an Asshat)

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I had a brand new post about reading literacy and the dumbing down of the US. As I was polishing it up I realized it came across as elitist. The one goal in my life that I continue to pursue is the goal of not being an assHat. In the spirit of that I have set that post aside for rewriting and posting at a later time.  It seems appropriate at this time that I repost a previous entry about not being an assHat. Enjoy

But I don’t want to be PC

Humor, satire

a mission from God

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Today is a special day in the afterlife and
Herbert could feel excitement in the air. He was working the
front gate again. He called it the concierge desk. It gave him a sense of importance. The big guy said the afterlife is not the place for a class system. We are all equal here. Herbert understood but he really just wanted to wear a cool hat. God said he would look into the possibility of a hat.

Hat or not he felt excited. Today God would give a wake up call to the people of earth. Global climate change is real and caused by man. They already see the effects but are not addressing it with the urgency it deserves.

Herbert had put together a list of people he called influencers. He got the idea from social media but a large social media presence is not required. They could be well connected to various groups in their community the old fashioned way, networking.

When he had the list God would prematurely and temporarily call them home. While here they will be told they are going back but not before being shown into a special “sense-around” theater. This theater was more than huge speakers like the sad human attempts in the [70’s]. No, this is a theater that can deliver actual tidal waves, blasts of arctic air, the intense heat of forest fires, mud slides and hurricane strength winds. How? Come on, he’s God.

These people will be woke to the imminent danger of global warming and then sent back to tell the masses to get their “shit” together or they be doomed. Earth would survive. Humans however would be doomed.

Yes God said “shit”among a sundry other curse words in many different languages.

“Sometimes polite words don’t carry the proper amount of weight.”

Herbert decided to check and make sure the theater was ready to “wake-up some people.”

Before he realized it he had just walked past the entrance to the Sensatorium. Yes, The Sensatorium. Not a great name but better than the original name God wanted ,”The Feel-around”. That would have been an HR nightmare.

It took some delicate discussions with the big guy on why “Feel-around” may cause trouble.

People would take it literally and be sent to purgatory 1.

Herbert went back to the Sensatorium and peered inside. He saw nothing. “Holly Roses Moses.” Nobody here and there was nothing set up. He popped next door to resolve this issue right away.

“YES?”
” I hate to disturb you sir but we have a situation.”
“OH, DON’T TELL ME IT’S THE THEATER NAME AGAIN.”
“No sir, Sensatorium is just fine. The problem is the theater is
not setup “

“WELL OF COURSE IT ISN’T. WE WON’T BE USING THE SENSATORIUM FOR A WHILE. DID YOU NOT RECEIVE MY THOUGHT MEMO?”

“To tell the truth sir my mind is foggy lately. It’s quite possible I misplaced it. I need a break. I’m working overtime due to the pandemic .

“THE PANDEMIC IS THE REASON WHY WE ARE POSTPONING THE AWAKENING. WE CAN’T CALL THOSE PEOPLE BACK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PANDEMIC. BAD FORM. THAT WOULD BE PILING ON. WE’LL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE PANDEMIC SUBSIDES.”


“Sage advice sir.”


YEA, THAT COMES WITH THE WHOLE GOD THING.

“Any idea when the Pandemic will subside sir.”

“WELL IT’S WHEN HERD IMMUNITY IS ACHIEVED .

“When is that sir?”

“WORST CASE SCENARIO IS WHEN 90% OF THE WORLD POPULATION HAS EITHER BEEN VACCINATED AND/OR EXPOSED TO THE CORONAVIRUS.

ONE OF THE BIG BUMPS IS THE UNITED STATES. TOO MANY STUBBORN, SELFISH AND/OR UNINFORMED CONSPIRACY NUTS IN THAT COUNTRY. BUT THEY WILL ARRIVE AT 90% EVENTUALLY.


“What makes you so sure sir?”

TOOL-WISE, IN ADDITION TO VACCINATION THERE IS DYING. WE’LL ACHIEVE IT.

“Yes we will sir.”

 

Humor, satire

The conspiracy Game Resurrection

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The conspiracy twins showed up at the pub the following evening at 8:00 pm. when the kitchen closed. (In cased you missed the previous installment).

“Gentleman you have returned,” said the bartender.
Mr Panama and The Bearded one both did a faux look around.

“Oh, you’re talking about us,” uttered the bearded one.

“Yes. I guess I won’t insult you with the gentlemen label again.”

“Good , because we’re not used to it and it’s an insult to gentlemen,” replied the men in unison.

“So what brings you guys back.”

“Well we…” “Sorry folks I am just not into writing about conspiracy game(s) at this time.”

“Who’s that?” asked the conspiracy twins.

“That is the author of this blog,” replied The Bartender.

“What’s the problem, ” asked the bartender.

“I never thought that people would believe the conspiracy crap I’m shoveling.”

“Are they,” asked The Bartender.

“Not that I know of but it won’t be long before they do. The whole pandemic thing created a lot of bored people starving for entertainment “

“What about you,” asked The Bartender.

“I’ve got other things to write about”

“What if you created an inane end game,” asked The Bearded One.”

“I thought about that. But that is kind of like the game telephone. Once it has gone around the world there is no telling what goal it’s morphed into. It could have gone from the innocent “Get a dog” to “get an angry sea bass with lasers., replied the author.”

“Nice Austin Powers reference,” said The Bearded One.

“Thanks I try.“

“Suck-up, “replied Mr.Panama.

“Don’t worry. I’ll find something for you to do.”

“Something with the “conpiracy twins” moniker, hopefully ? “

” I’ll keep it in mind.“

Stay tuned for further developments in the sad lives of our main characters.“

“You’re being kind of harsh with the judgement there.”

“Sorry , I’ll tone it down in the future.”

“Thanks, appreciate it.”

Humor, Baseball

Is God a Cubs Fan?

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Scene: The Pearly Gates


A Cub fan appears at the front desk .
He is at peace with leaving his mortal coil.
The Cubs won the world series in his lifetime. The fan gets into a conversation with Herbert, St Peter may be playing hooky by now.

“Well my Cubs won it all so I am ok with my time being up.”

“I am so glad God could accommodate you.”

Yes even those in heaven can be sarcastic.

“So tell me does God follow sports? “

“Oh no he has more important things to do with you know the Universe.

But between you and I he peeks every once in a while.”

“He’s a Cub fan?”

“Well, let’s just say he couldn’t allow human suffering to continue for one more year. 108 was enough.”

“So he roots for them”

“Only in passing.”

“So no guarantee then?”

“I wouldn’t count on it. Consider 2016 a reset.”

So has the big guy “helped” other teams?”

“Not that I’m aware of.”

“What about Houston or the Cardinals ? He has to have
intervened for the Yankees at least once.”

“ I can’t say much other than there are dark forces in the universe.”

satire, Humor, Pandemic

Corona Virus and the American Psyche.

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The idea of American ingenuity formed long ago when this country was in it’s infancy. It was forged by inventors like Alexander Graham Bell, Sarah Breedlove, George Washington Carver, Thomas Edison, Robert Fulton, Elisha Gray, Beulah Louise Henry, Nikolai Tesla, Heddy Lamar, Grace Hopper….et al…. Nowhere near an exhaustive list but a representative group. You get the picture. We’ve invented a lot of things.

Don’t know some of these people? In the words of my father, “Go look it up.” This is when we had these things called books and some of them were called encyclopedias. There is Google now but check on the source of the information.

We are a country of getting stuff done, now. If we don’t have a way to do it we invent a way. We don’t like to sit around waiting.
If there is a situation that requires waiting, we want to “fix” it.
You may have had a friend or a significant other tell you “I’m not asking you to fix it, I just want you to listen.” For the record , no one ever said that to me 😉 .

Listening is what is needed now folks. Please STHU (Shut The Hell Up*) and listen to the experts.

“But they didn’t know anything when this started.” Not about this virus. They knew a lot of about viruses but not the details of coronavirus. No one did because it was a virus that had not been seen before. It spread unchecked because no one knew anything about it.

Most of us in the general population know little about viruses other than platitudes. Feed a fever and starve a cold? If your nose is cold and wet then, wait , that’s for dogs. Lack of knowledge won’t stop people from pontificating and generating advice to be handed down from their tiny mountain top.

Personally, I believe the psyche of the average person on this planet is susceptible to the Dunning Kreuger effect**. Basically people thinking they’re smarter than they are. Yea and I thought I was the first to identify the phenomenon.

The following people are not experts: Me (shocked?), A friend who works in a Dr’s office, a friend who is in med school, Either you or a friend who reads historical fiction set in the 14th century (The plague, look it up), Someone who ate their Wheaties this morning or stayed in a particular hotel chain.

“Oh, it’s like the flu.” Or “it has a low death rate.”
Greater than 600,000 deaths is acceptable?

Doctors and scientists who specialize in virology are working to estimate the mortality rate of COVID-19. At present, it is thought to be substantially higher (possibly 10 times or more) than that of most strains of the flu***. Over a population of immune compromised people, the rate is much higher.

So if you don’t care about parents, grandparents or your diabetic uncle then don’t worry..

Keep /Start listening to the experts. The CDC is stocked with them.


* My Mom reads these.

** [https://youtu.be/y50i1bI2uN4]

***https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-disease-2019-vs-the-flu