Thursday, September 10, 2026

One comment on Curren Events (For Today) Part 2

  All the outrage. 

Since I know that despite the rhetoric of this COMMUNIST faction of the Democratic Party (DSA), I am voting DEMOCRAT every chance I get. 

I don't need any convincing that for the near term we have to vote out all republicans everywhere to the max extent possible. 

The future is always in doubt but right now feels ominous. 

There are just too many fascist-like actions at the federal, state and local levels that are clearly not what any American voted for. 

Abolishing the institutional apparatus that G. W. Bush put in place mostly for the war on terror is now out of control. 

There is a long overdue revamp required of the entire National Security Establishment and the State Department. 

This is what no one; or at least very few Democrats that matter, talk about. 

There is this constant reaction to every fucking thing this president does, says, thinks, tweets, posts. It is all so insane that the media outlets not owned by FOX won't just tone down the presidential coverage until something actually happens worthy of discussing. Trying to double as a network TV version of the John Stewart led Daily Show/Week or whatever else is happening, is not helpful. We don't need fame seeking journalist. You have the ultimate platform, 24/7/365. Put content out that is useful and truthful. 

If all the folks in media and podcasts would ban together and show every night the truth and not this daily slop; then maybe progress could be made. 

People like me writing down every grievance, sharing and posting is therapeutic. 

We need folks that can actually get the message out about how dangerous it is and will be if any Republican majority ever exist again for at least 40 years. 

I know how I'm voting so I won't be writing for the sake of reacting to daily bullshit. 

More thoughts I want to capture and hopefully someone reads this and thinks it is worth sharing. 

I wrote this below a few months ago as notes while I was just living: words in () are my edits that I think are more clear than just my notes. 

The US capitalists of today are taking a massive leap forward (with AI) while doing nothing to invest in the infrastructure in a calm, deliberate thoughtful way. It is all about chasing valuation, and not how to not just build, but sustain this in any meaningful way. Unless in secret there are humanoid robots already built with about 95% dexterity to perform most of our tasks with no (while never) tiring ever and strength of 5-10 men to boot. I think that is what is more real than anyone realizes.

That is why there is just a desire to do it. We who are left would just be completely left behind in most every conceivable scenario. If a humanoid droid could move in the most fundamental ways necessary, then they could replace every basic unskilled worker.

Skilled trades would be even easier because you simply program the droid with the necessary skill and then supervise with one or two humans. Done.

I didn’t expect to write but am I that far off?

What I meant to write was or is tangential to what I just wrote though (is this). The idea is that the US should lean in to America First but in a less harmful way. Announce a major initiative for 21st Century Eminence at home first then abroad for any partners that can engage on the same economic path.

(TAXES) Revise for a 10 year period the tax code to reflect reality of the modern economy. Let AI take all the work written in this area and synthesize it down to a format that can be implemented with a hard start and stop date with no chance for repeal once enacted, except in the event of direct military strike on the mainland of the United States by any aggressive act by nation or non-nation state actors that reach to be developed thresholds for funds that would need to (allocated to support said emergency).  suspend this set aside activity.

Collect an additional Sales tax on every conceivable and legal transaction. Use both of these instruments in to pay back Social Security so people who have paid in more than twenty years will maintain the full benefit. A debate can be had on the future of Social Security and what that should look like. I would levy a future profitably tax on AI, and all the related infrastructure to pay a portion of profit, net worth, valuation and all get collected and paid back to the elderly generation that was forced into this transition. (some goes directly to the debt?) TOO HARD FOR ME TO THINK ABOUT NOW BUT I'M READING ON ECONOMY THEORY AND I WILL POST LATER ON THAT.

(INTEL/DOD) Revise the entire National Security apparatus to downsize and focus on critical replenishment and investment across the board and create a more lean technology enhanced version of a US military and space force. Make it more integrated all the way through and cut all redundancy associated with five separate and distinct Service’s.

Streamline everything that is common to the Service’s across the board. One stop administrative support cabinet level agency because of all the policy involved over millions of supported military, civilian and droid classifications.


Foreign Affairs – Michael B.G. Forman, The next global crisis could be made in china.

The rise from 1979 is a hard calculated move that has taken many by surprise but it has been mostly a carbon copy of what Japan did in part when they were forced open and then again after WWII. A deep dive into the Market based economy. It is 2026 and China has risen and many racists just can’t accept it so instead of celebrating and looking for opportunities, most of anglo saxon people with even a shred of influence and making this negative.

My observations lead to different conclusions, but the main one is this. The U.S. was never actually winning anything; because China has never been competing with the U.S.

(THE NOTION THAT CHINA CARES IN THE WAY THIS LAME CROWD IN DC THINKS IS NOT ALL UNFOUNDED BUT NEVERTHELESS DANGEROUS). 

The same hubris that makes the U.S. stumble around the world like a drunk (rich in terms or material) uncle that is losing it. 


Wednesday, September 9, 2026

C.A.R.E. 9 September 20206 - Conviction

 Today's focus word is: CONVICTION

The words from the C.A.R.E. model are:CONVICTION

 C: Conviction September 9, 2026

Gratitude for the ability to be able to reflect and center.

Conviction is the whole thing! What I am doing every day to get up, center myself by reading my Morning Devotions. Then transition to re-reading one of the 8 factors of the Path. 

Wise Intention is the longest section of each step of the path. Intention sets the tone. Conviction is how you execute in your daily life. As long as I do this every day, eventually I will have that moral framework as the foundation for how my mind wakes up every day. 

Beyond my addiction to alcohol recovery, I am starting a process to unplug as much as I can. 

External distractions are at an all-time high in the world. 

There is a lot of chaos...but I am just going to center on what I can control. 

All screens go off at 10 pm and then I read my new best friend, NEW PRINCIPLEs OF POLITICAL ECONOMY. Italian/French Economist - Sismondi

New as in written in the 1800's. 

New as in it has philosophies that the current capitalist chooses to ignore and have led us all the brink or close to it in America. I think China will end up adopting this. How can I study this. 



Take C.A.R.E. 

Tuesday, September 8, 2026

C.A.R.E. - 8 September 2026

 Focus for Today: 

The words from the C.A.R.E. model are: EMOTIONAL AWARENESS

 E. - Emotional Awareness: September 8, 2026

Gratitude for the ability to be able to reflect and center

The opportunity to make good or harmful decisions are evident every minute of every day. I received a note from another patient I was in rehab with that said; 

"Think about this every day!

Is it smart? 

Is it safe?" 

Those are great words to live by, and much effort goes into that simple maxim if you truly intend to live that way. 

 In that vein of thought, I think emotional awareness is about (for me) understanding my limitations with my addiction. Life is hard right now and it makes it even more challenging not to want to drink. That was my go-to for dealing with pretty much anything. In order to not relapse in a way that ruins what I have left; I am working on this daily writing, working out and recovery. 

Recovery is multi-faceted but ongoing. 

I want to write more but I have time constraints, and I honestly just need to be about it and not write about it. But I will continue to write and read good, honest content where I consume information. I just want to be a better person. 

As this evolves, I want to write what the words from Recovery Dharma mean to me. 

This is ultimately about the path to recovery and right living so the path has 3 groups:

The Wisdom Group

Wise Understanding and Wise Intention

Wise Understanding is where I think I can spend a lot of time and apply many words in the model. Not sure I will do that, but it is an option. 

Having a better understanding of not just alcohol triggers but life and emotional control triggers. Being cool for lack of a better word. Taking deep breaths, writing, jotting down notes. 

Think through as many options as I can to deal with issues that normally send my mind spiraling. Cement this intent to use what I have been given to the best most efficient ends for mental clarity as possibilities. What have I been given to help? This...I write and it does help just to empty my mind and give myself a focus to keep at the top of my mind. 

If it is not smart and not safe then I won't do it unless there is no alternative. 


Monday, September 7, 2026

SHARING: Insight on what is wrong with America and the World in General

 https://cbwrong.blogspot.com/2026/09/im-73-years-old-and-ive-lived-long.html?m=1

https://cbwrong.blogspot.com/2026/09/im-73-years-old-and-ive-lived-long.html?m=1


Almost every word in this article is exactly how I have felt for the last 5 years or so. No one cares. This man articulated everything. 

Read this and then look at what you are doing with C.A.R.E. and just keep doing it. 


 

C.A.R.E. - 7 September 2026

 Focus for today: 

The word out of the C.A.R.E. model is ... RESOLVE

R. - Resolve: September 7 ,2026

Gratitude for blessings I have in my life. 

Every day I want to work on improvement so I can be present in my families life in a way that is positive every day. So I choose RESOLVE today because that is how I feel. 

I read a story on bluesky today that made me cry. I hope this is a false story for once because it is really heartbreaking. I don't even want to repeat anything in the detail here because I am using this to write about what I want my day to look like. I made the mistake of looking at my phone before writing today.

In any event, I resolve to work everyday to sharpening my mind and body to be able to have the intellectual and moral courage to do the right thing. Sobriety is always top of mind today, just because of all the damage I have inflicted by abusing alcohol. 

Resolve is appropriate every day, as are many of these words. The real issue is will I execute and make the right decisions? I intend on it. 

I also believe that thoughts held deeply and thought on and vocalized ended up coming true. I have seen it several times in my own life. I ultimately got most of what I really wanted in life. I just mishandled the blessing if you will. 

RESOLVE to be true in everything you do!!

Saturday, September 5, 2026

Random Thoughts - Just to Vent



The original intent for this post is lost on me now. 

I am off X, off FB, off most social media, in general but i like bluesky.

Way too much Trump slop but also just enough good human content (I think)

It is still almost staggeringly depressing to see how many people just go on and on and on about how much they are afraid to be alive in America in 2026. 

Just can't really get my mind around how many Americans are so racist that they are on board with the Republican/Trump takeover. 

I don't even know what to type at this point. 

Didn't want to be a doomsday prepper but it has come to at least thinking through worst case scenarios. 




Wednesday, September 2, 2026

C. A. R. E. - 2 September 2026

 Focus for today: 

The word out of the C.A.R.E. model is ...RESPONSIBILITY    

 R. - Responsibility: September 2, 2026

Gratitude for second, third and fourth chances. 

Each of these words carry a weight of their own. This is why I want to use these focus words in the C.A.R.E. list as guidepost. Responsibility is a heavy word in that it ends up being the whole of life in some respects. Our individual responsibility is to take whatever we have learned and apply it daily. This application takes the form of wherever you are in your life. Daily reflections like what I am doing by writing down these focus areas. All part of whatever responsibilities you have. My duties and obligations. 

I have chosen specific paths in life, and I have to honor those choices. I have never truly honored my choices. The part that is so hard, but necessary is that I can sit here and pontificate in writing, all these essential things I should be doing but I have failed to execute. Not all the time. I think we act in a positive way more times than not, but it is the setting of the intention to do so at all times that is difficult. I want to fulfill my responsibilities involuntarily; like breathing. I have the knowledge, skill and ability, so just act accordingly. With C.A.R.E. 

Friday, August 28, 2026

C. A. R. E. - 28 August 2026

 Focus for today: 

The word out of the C.A.R.E. model is ...EQUANIMITY

 E. - Equanimity: August 28, 2026

Gratitude is always here but I plan to type the word out every time I post something. 

I never heard of equanimity in the context of human action. My vocabulary just did not extend to this word, but I have found it to be a word full of meaning for recovery. In this daily exercise the purpose is to give me a foundation for working through my recovery to resist craving alcohol, but also how to set and structure my life. 

Equanimity is a key almost crucial ingredient. Equanimity is one component of living with "Wise Intention". The focus here is conduct yourself in a way that cultivates a lack of self centeredness. Be generous, don't focus on yourself. Clearly there are issues you have to address everyday but in interaction with others the focus needs to be gracious. Be patient. 

Equanimity is a heart practice of Buddhism. I have to make a conscious effort to make sure that my daily intentions are pure. Not that I let the world take advantage of me, but that I look for ways to treat others well, knowing that will return to me in a favorable way eventually. 

Many old adages apply here but I think one that is central is that you reap what you sow. If you plan discord, then discord will grow. If you intentionally look to plant love, respect and determination to be fair, then karma will reward you. 

I'm writing this to someday translate into a book, so I won't always get my points out as coherent as I'd like. My plan is to have these daily writings make of the crux of the book.

Another use could be, if anyone reads this, is to have a community of people who want to try this C.A.R.E model and we all write about its impact and share insights and help each other be better. 

Stay off traditional social media for a change and collaborate on something healthier and sustainable. 

Thursday, August 27, 2026

C. A. R. E. - 27 August 2026

 Focus for today:

The word out of the C. A. R. E. model is ...CONSCIOUSNESS

C. - Consciousness: August 27, 2026. Today I have gratitude for another opportunity to just stay focused and on track for the most important priorities in my life. Also remain conscious of the main thing and that is first sobriety, love and right/wise actions for my family and then ultimately WISE MINDFULNESS. 

Mindfulness is all the 'rage' or whatever word you want to use but it's basic and is what we all do to focus at various times throughout a given day. We all do some form of it unconsciously and to me the main focus to work through life is to be mindful intentionally. Purposely set aside time to focus on freeing your mind so you can act and not just let life and situations that actually require time and attention drive your day and overwhelm you to the point you give in to cravings. The idea is that I get to a point that no matter the circumstance; I am equipped to deal with it sober. 

In the Recovery Dharma book, it talks about it this way. Be present! Meaning be completely attentive to what is going on in front of you. It is the old adage, take a deep breath first then react. Be sober so you have no excuse for not fully understanding situations you are in. Be in the present for those around you out of just basic human decency. My son said something to me that made me understand what being present it. We were talking about his teen age years and while he acknowledged that I was physically available; I was always distracted by either alcohol or my job or school or something other than being entirely focused on my family.

I never really took the time to define mental and physical boundaries nor did I ever truly make my family the actual highest priority. I thought I was by going to work everyday but that is never truly enough. I know that I have to find a way to be totally present and to make hard choices on what I spend each day doing. I did not think and was no where near thinking 'critically'. 

Doing this writing and posting about words of value or affirmation within the C.A.R.E. framework is my attempt to focus my mind everyday (morning or night) on what matters to me. During this time writing I will gauge my progress and see if I make good on my recovery goals. 



Wednesday, August 26, 2026

One comment on Current Events (For Today)

AI the savior or boogeyman? Who knows, I love what you can do with all the free stuff I've messed with. I get the concerns but this article describes in a real way how this technology is being safely developed. 

The issue that bothers me the most is the insistence on demonizing China. China is doing exactly what we wanted them to do minus a shift to some version of democracy. So the fuck what! China studied Europe and the United States in 1978 and 1979 after coming out of the horror years of Mao. Now 40+ years later, China is a capitalist economic nuclear reactor. Just growing with no end in sight BECAUSE....China is working aggressively with all the African countries that the United States only wants to put a military base in. China has assumed the role of the world's lone super power because the United States doesn't want to lead anything anymore. That is all I will say about that last bit today but unless I see 80 percent of the electorate vote Democrat in these elections then I know that ultimately the Trump MAGA, Project 2025 folks will get everything they want. 

I hope Canada will allow me to immigrate? Anyway, good article below. 

Anthropic's Road to a $1 Trillion IPO | Claude & AI Growth


I am fortunate to have come across this article posted above. It gives me hope in a real way. Read this because in a nutshell, this describes a proper way for a major multi-trillion-dollar AI enterprise to run. Anthropic is registered as a Public Benefit Corporation and cannot be sued by aggressive shareholders into shitty decisions that hurt the public. Most of that last sentence is lifted directly from this article and this constitutes my citation of that material. 


C. A. R. E. - 26 August 2026

 

Today under the rubric that I described in the "Main Reason for this Journal" post, I am going to work off of randomly generated positive affirmative action word for today. I'm going to play around with how I do this but will work it out for one or two weeks then start sharing more broadly, linking my bluesky account etc. 

The word out of the C. A. R. E. model is ...ASPIRE

C. 

A. - ASPIRE: August 26, 2026. Today I have gratitude as always, even when it is not the best day. I am here and able to put this time in to be intentional about my day and my life. 

I aspire to just keep doing the things I tell my family that I am going to accomplish. I have not lived up to the ideals of being the best husband, father that I could have. But I just want to aspire to remain sober and continue to live a righteous purposeful life with intention to do no harm, to myself or anyone around me. Much effort goes into living this way. 

Recovery Dharma introduced to me at a method to order yourself more directly if you have the patience to do so. First, acknowledge the 4 Noble truths about suffering; then take each of the Wise actions from the 8-Fold Path. Then choose one for the day to think about what it means and how you can apply say, 'Wise Understanding' to your life. You will need to buy the book for the best experience, but you can use it to, order and structure your day or activity. 

R. 

E. 

The eight factors of the path to read and meditate on are: 

Wise Understanding

Wise Intention

Wise Speech

Wise Action

Wise Livelihood

Wise Effort

Wise Mindfulness

Wise Concentration

I will go into these in more detail while I am actively following this methodology for sobriety. 

More to come and more consistently in this chapter. 

Tuesday, August 25, 2026

The Main Reason for this Journal

 On the blog page I have a rubric of sorts I came up with during my first stay in jail last year. 

Then I went further and went to in patient rehab and worked on this idea more. 

The focus is on my recovery, but it can be anyone's. I feel the need to document everything I've been thinking about for the last 18 months. These truths about living my life with much more purpose and meaning have helped me get to a place where I finally feel like I have my own life. 

I began to develop my own thesis on what is ultimately wrong with America in general and it's that people just do not care anymore. It is frightening at times to see just how close the United States is to hurtling either itself or some major part of the world into a deep abiding economic and climate stressed depression. 

Since I have my own internal demons to conquer, I decided to develop a way for me to focus myself on staying sober and acting more intentionally every day. C. A. R. E. 

Each letter is associated with words of positive affirmation. 

Each morning (preferably) I will write a letter; i.e., A and a positive affirmation such as "Atonement". That will be my focus for the day. To pray, to seek and or to work on something that is directly related to working to be better than my former self. 

That is it for now. Pick a different letter each day and an associated positive word and focus everyday on something related. Also...take a look at a book called Recovery Dharma. 

Copied here is another thing I do daily (most of the time) and that is focus on the core principles of Buddhist mindset for daily life. 

FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS AND THE EIGHT-FOLD PATH

I.                THERE IS SUFFERING, I COMMIT TO UNDERSTANDING THE TRUTH OF SUFFERING.

II.              THERE IS CAUSE OF SUFFERING, I COMMIT TO UNDERSTANDING CRAVING LEADS TO SUFFERING.

III.            THERE IS AN END TO SUFFERING, I COMMIT TO UNDERSTANDING AND EXPERIENCING THAT LESS CRAVING LEADS TO LESS SUFFERING.

IV.            THERE IS A PATH THAT LEADS TO THE END OF SUFFERING, I COMMIT TO CULTIVATING THE PATH.

EIGHT-FOLD PATH

1.       WISE UNDERSTANDING

2.       WISE INTENTION

3.       WISE SPEECH

4.       WISE ACTION

5.       WISE LIVELIHOOD

6.       WISE EFFORT

7.       WISE MINDFULNESS

8.       WISE CONCENTRATION

In the Recovery Dharma book; each element is explained and shows you the relationship to a mindset change required in addiction recovery. 

I will endeavor to persevere' [credit to the movie, The Outlaw Josey Wales]


Monday, August 24, 2026

One comment on Current Events (2nd for Today!)

 Bessent announces campaign to create economic onslaught against Iran and its partners

Damn, this dude just said...do exactly what we say, when we say or your out of the US Financial system. Whew! Looks like we will all know how this plays out immediately. Our economy sinks and Europe, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, South Korea and the entire Global South could join China and freeze out the US, lock, stock and barrel. It might hurt initially but would destroy the United States. Won't happen but some version of it could happen. What then?

The Abandoned Order: Learning to Live in a Post-American World


Read the above article to answer What Then? 

This article is the realist essay on the state of the world given the hyper stupidity coming out of the United States government that is our face to the rest of humanity. 

One comment on Current Events! (For Today)

The United States is completely delusional. There is no competition. China is on par and ahead in many areas and just no longer needs anything from the United States. You can talk, Uighur, Tianne man Square, Mao's 80+M killed. It does not matter anymore. We wanted China to be like the west and now they are beating the west at their game and not converting wholesale to democracy. China is currently working and yes there are issues, but they are largely China issues. Bottom Line: The United States is on a decline due to stupidity in all critical areas of government and leadership.

I wrote the above in the comments to an article similar in content to the one copied below. 

Has the U.S. lost its dominance to China? : NPR


I spent 37 years, my entire adult life serving the United States, first in the USAF (20 Yrs) and then roughly 17 years in a variety of roles, ending at the Pentagon as a Program Element Monitor. USAF acquisition employs military and civilians to work in the Pentagon to assist with the development of the future years budgets, coordination with Congress and the rest of the many stakeholders in the Pentagon. That is what I did for the last 8 years until I resigned in April 2026!

What is happening in our White House is not anything I ever envisioned being allowed to happen in this country. Living in a nation's decline is hard to watch. We can turn it around but the only way is for every American no matter what you believe or don't; has to vote Democrat...just this once (well twice - Mid-Term and Presidential). 

Nothing that this new crop of socialist democrats are talking about will see the light of day at the national level in any meaningful way. That is not a reason to vote Republican in any way shape or form. 

Our lives depend on it and that is the first time in my life I have truly felt this way. 






Motivation & Beauty

 

  I took this picture a couple of weeks ago at Curtis Lake in Hartwood, Va. This is where my wife and I go fishing. I act like I have a clue and take pictures and my wife actually catches all the catfish. It is just a beautiful, natural image taken with my phone. 

Images like this keep me grounded and appreciative of the time I do have on this planet, to make the most of being outside as often as possible. 



Catching Up!

 Time is so relative. No way it's been 5 years, but here we are. 

So many things have happened in my life. I have two grandkids now! 

I have also succumbed to my personal addictions and lost a part of me that I'm just coming to grips with. 

Lot happening in the world to say the least. 

But I plan to now, with all this time on my hands to write finally and intentionally. 

As a way to support myself (initially) with my own personal recovery I am going to share a concept of use of the letter C A R E to articulate a daily model to order my own day by. 

I have been working on this for the better part of a year and have it in a form that will allow me to accomplish some specific goals. 

1. Daily reflection and intention setting

2. Prayer and meditation focused on a specific item that will show up in the C A R E rubric of positive affirmations and reading

3. Physical commitment

MORE TO COME for real this time.